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Comprehensive Plan Recreation and Open Space Element INTRODUCTION In all areas, recreation and open space are important components of the community. In fact, the availability of sites for leisure time pursuits or passive enjoyment assumes more importance as growth occurs and population increases. Besides their functional value, recreation and open space sites perform various other functions. These may include resource protection, development control, aesthetic enhancement, and others. Through their location, recreation and open space areas can serve to protect valuable natural resources by putting such areas under public control and restricting development. In a similar manner, recreation and open space areas can channel growth by establishing buffers or greenbelts. Most often, however, recreation and open space areas complement urban development by meeting a community's need for active and passive recreation. In rapidly developing areas such as Indian River County, it is important to program recreation and open space improvements in the planning process. By assessing future demand, adequate sites can be secured in areas of projected need before development restricts land availability. In some cases, site acquisition can also meet other objectives such as habitat preservation, wellfield protection, wastewater effluent reuse, stormwater management, or others. In that way, the Recreation and Open Space Element is related to other components of the Comprehensive Plan. The Recreation and Open Space Element, itself, consists of two components. While often similar and complementary, recreation and open space must be considered separately. Each produces different benefits and meets different needs. That, however, does not preclude the same site from providing both recreation and open space functions. One major difference between the recreation and open space components of this element, however, is the type of need each serves to meet. While recreation sites and facilities are designed to meet the recreation needs of the county's population, open space is more oriented to meeting the community's quality of life and aesthetic desires. The purpose of this element is to inventory existing recreation and open space sites and facilities, identify applicable criteria and standards, and assess current and projected needs for recreation and open space. That analysis then provides a basis for developing the county's recreation and open space goals, objectives, and policies. BACKGROUND While it is necessary to identify and analyze existing recreation and open space conditions in Indian River County, it is useful to consider the recreation and open space system generally. As with all local governments, Indian River County has a recreation and open space system that is one component of a large, multi jurisdictional system comprised of sites and facilities acquired and maintained by all levels of government. Looking at the overall system generally serves to put the analysis of existing conditions in Indian River County in perspective. Because existing recreation and open space facilities in Indian River County reflect the policies of the county's decision makers Community Development Department Indian River County 1