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Comprehensive Plan Recreation and Open Space Element <br />ANALYSIS <br />Several functional components must be considered in analyzing recreation and open space <br />conditions in the county. These components include: parks and recreation facilities; open space; <br />levels of service; funding; and capital projects. <br />Parks and Recreation <br />Since 1998, Indian River County has experienced a nearly 20% population increase and a 23% <br />parkland increase. Thus, the amount of park and recreation space to serve the County's residents has <br />increased comparably with population growth. Throughout the county, park and recreation demand <br />is met by County and municipal park facilities, schools, and privately owned recreation facilities. <br />Although, the county has park and recreation facilities located throughout the county, those facilities <br />are not equitably distributed between county residents north of S.R. 60 and county residents south of <br />S.R. 60. Of the 1,528 acres of parklands in the unincorporated county, only 160 acres are located <br />south of S.R. 60. Also, there are no parks within the S.R. 60 corridor west of 43rd Avenue to serve <br />the population that is living in that area. Therefore, not all county residents have equal access to the <br />unincorporated county parks and facilities. In the future, the county should purchase and develop <br />parkland west of 43rd Avenue and South of S.R. 60. <br />Since planning is a continuous process, park master plans for the south county park, north county <br />park, and fairground must be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure that they are updated and meet <br />current needs. To keep up with changing conditions, including changes to the county's population, <br />changes to the county's population composition, changes to funding availability, and changes to the <br />historic demand for recreational programs, the Recreation Department should update both the north <br />and south county regional park master plans by 2011. <br />County and Municipal Parks <br />Since 1998, the County has acquired an additional 288 acres of parkland, representing a nearly 23% <br />increase in total parkland acres. In the same time period, the total number of parks in the <br />unincorporated County and in the municipalities of Vero Beach, Sebastian, and Fellsmere increased <br />by approximately 25%. <br />At present, 1,002 acres of the 1,528 areas parklands are developed. In the future, the county should <br />build additional parks in the south county area. One such park can be built in the south county <br />initiative area where the county coordinated with developers of several projects between 27th <br />Avenue and 43rd Avenue south of Oslo Road who set aside land for a public park. <br />Since 1998, the county and municipalities have kept pace with the need for parklands. In so doing, <br />the county has maintained its park LOS and provided park and recreational facilities for its citizens. <br />Community Development Department Indian River County 36 <br />