The Growth Management Act (GMA) establishes 14 goals for cities and counties to assure that their high quality of life is sustained as their communities grow.  One of these goals is to “retain open space, enhance recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks and recreational facilities” (RCW 36.70A.020(9)).

The GMA was amended in 2002 to require that all cities and counties adopting a comprehensive plan under the GMA include a park and recreation element.  In addition, those cities and counties must ensure that all urban growth areas include greenbelt and open space areas, and that open space corridors are identified within and between urban growth areas (RCW 36.70A.110(2) and RCW 36.70A.160).

The GMA encourages planning for open space and recreational needs of a community to be integrated with planning for other needs.  For example, planning for open space and recreation in conjunction with protection of critical environmental areas can provide numerous benefits to a community’s human population as well as fish and wildlife. Open space also provides direct health and safety benefits, especially when combined with planning for natural hazard mitigation, such as in flood zones and groundwater aquifer recharge areas.

CTED Documents

• Planning for Parks, Recreation, and Open Space in Your Community, February 2005 
• Growth Management Newsletter About Growth, Fall 2001  

Links

Trust for Public Lands - City Park Facts - Maintains the nation's most complete database of park facts for the largest U.S. cities.  You can see how your city compares to others.

• Parks, greenways, and trails enable and encourage people to exercise.
• Exposure to nature improves psychological and social health.
• Play is critical for child development.
• Parks help build healthy, stable communities.

United States Government

• National Park Service
• U.S. Department of the Interior

Washington State Government

• Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO)
  
• Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission

Associations and Non-Governmental

• National Recreation & Park Association
• Municipal Research and Services Center information on parks, recreation and open space issues relevant to Washington cities and counties.
• Project for Public Spaces, Inc. - Features information on parks, plazas and public squares, transportation, public markets, public buildings and public art.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy - Nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching America's communities and countryside by creating a nationwide network of public trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors. Includes US Trail Information Center with summaries of trails by state.
• TrailLink.com - Search by state, region, or activity
• Urban Parks Online - An interactive site of information, ideas, and models on urban parks
• Washington Recreation and Park Association
• American Planning Association sponsors City Parks Forums to explore the ways in which parks affect the quality of life in urban communities and examine methods to strengthen public-private partnerships in park development.
• Local Government Commission, a non-profit organization working to build livable communities, has information on planning for community open space.

The requirement to include a park and recreation element is null and void until funds sufficient to cover applicable local government costs are appropriated and distributed by the State Legislature at least two years before the local government must update its comprehensive plan under the GMA.