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Other parts of the Elk River Park and Recreation system that will continue to be stressed <br /> by a growing population are the larger scale parks that serve the entire community. <br /> These parks generally include large parcels of land and support activities varying from <br /> ballfields to hiking trails. These areas are vital to a growing population. <br /> PARK LAND AREA ANALYSIS <br /> Comprehensive park planning generally includes an analysis of how much park land is <br /> appropriate for any given area which is generally measured in terms of acres of park land <br /> per 1000 residents. A number often quoted is an old standard of 10-15 acres per 1000 <br /> population recommended by the National Recreation and Parks Association. This <br /> standard, however, does not adequately take into account the current need to preserve <br /> large areas of natural features, such as wooded areas, wetlands, flood plain and wildlife <br /> habitat. The Metropolitan Council has suggested 7-14 acres per 1000 for local parks and <br /> an additional 25 acres per 1000 residents for regional parks. Most communities have also <br /> found these figures to be quite low, particularly for communities who are trying to <br /> preserve large natural areas. <br /> Park land standards are best determined by local needs and local considerations. It is <br /> certainly reasonable and desirable for the City of Elk River to maintain their high quality <br /> of life by not only providing enough park land for basic recreational needs, but by also <br /> acquiring high quality environmentally sensitive landscapes that can be preserved for <br /> future generations. <br /> At the present time, the City of Elk River appears to be acquiring park land at a rate <br /> commensurate with new development. The City currently has approximately 566 acres <br /> of park land for a population of approximately 13,000 people for a ratio of approximately <br /> 43.5 acres per 1000 population. More than three fourths of the park land, however, has <br /> extensive open space characteristics, such as that found in Woodland Trails Park and <br /> Hillside Park. <br /> PARK CLASSIFICATIONS AND LOCAL RECREATION STANDARDS <br /> The Classification System for Local Recreation Facilities is described in the attached <br /> table B-3.3, which lists each park classification, describes the criteria, service area, site <br /> (acreage requirement), attributes and location requirements. Table B-3.2 on the following <br /> page classifies Elk River's existing park and recreation land. <br /> 85 <br />