STRATEGIC PLAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
Background Report:
Mission, Values, and Vision
INTRODUCTION
The following information is in draft form. This information is presented for review and
discussion by the Santa Clara County Strategic Plan Steering Committee, County Parks and
Recreation Staff, and by the general public.
Presented below are thoughts about parks, recreation, and outdoor education in Santa
Clara County that have been expressed through the initial phase of the Santa Clara County
Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan process. This phase included an extensive participation
program to solicit a wide variety of opinions and attitudes about parks and recreation in
Santa Clara County.
FRAMEWORK
Figure 1 illustrates the overall Strategic Plan framework. The hierarchy of the Strategic Plan
begins with defining the Mission of the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Department and the Values and Vision for a park and recreation system in Santa Clara
County.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply to the Strategic Plan Framework.
Mission
A statement describing why we exist and what we do.
Values
Statements that express the enduring ideals, or shared beliefs, that we will
always hold true. Identifying these beliefs is of the utmost importance to us,
for they will guide us on the road to achieving our vision for Santa Clara
County.
Vision
A description outlining what Santa Clara County Parks will be like in the
future. By having a clear image of the ideal future, we can marshal our
energies to shape that future.
Strategy
A plan, method, or series of maneuvers for implementing a specific vision.
Strategies set the stage for groupings of policies and implementation actions.
Policy
A general statement intended to guide decision-making and to indicate a
clear commitment or position of the legislative body.
Implementation
Action
A statement that refers to actions, procedures, programs, or techniques that
carry out the policies to which they relate.
Priorities
Actions that could reasonably be expected to be completed, or at least put
into motion, within five years.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
SYSTEM PERSPECTIVE
The perspective taken in the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan is to
address the future of parks and recreation in the County as a system of resources. This
system is inclusive of all the government agencies and private organizations that either
provide or support the provision and management of park and open space lands that are
used for outdoor recreation and education within the County. While the Mission Statement
applies specifically to the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department, the Values
and Vision presented below apply to all public park and recreation resources within the
County.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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STRATEGIC PLAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
Strategic Plan Framework
Mission Statement
Values and Vision
Needs
Assessment
Mission:
Why we exist and what
we do
Values:
Enduring ideals and
shared beliefs
Vision:
What Santa Clara County
Parks will be like in the
future
Opportunities
& Constraints
Strategies and Policies
Systemwide Strategies and Policies
Program Strategies and Policies
Parkland Classification System
Specific Strategies, Priorities, & Implementation Actions
Acquisition
Plan
Trails Plan
Capital
Improvement
Program
Operations /
Maintenance
Plan
Recreation
Plan
Natural
Resource
Management
Plan
Interpretive
Plan
Marketing /
Customer
Service
Staffing /
Organizational
Plan
Partnership
Plan
Lease /
Concessions
Plan
Volunteer
Plan
Financial
Plan
Draft: 10/12/01
S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
MISSION
Existing Mission Statement
The overall Mission Statement for the County Parks and Recreation Department adopted
by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is:
The Mission of Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department is to provide,
protect, and preserve regional parklands for the enjoyment1, education and inspiration
of this and future generations.
Alternatives to Mission Statement
Discussions about Values and Vision for a future County-wide park system generated a
variety of suggestions to amend the Department’s Mission Statement. These suggestions
have included: recognition of the County as a leader to Cities and other recreation and
open space providers within the County; recognition of a long-term need to enhance the
quantity and quality of both park resources and public use facilities; and recognition that
many aspects of outdoor recreation2 may not necessarily be encompassed in the term
“enjoyment”.
The Department’s Project Team generally thought that the Department’s Mission Statement
should be as brief as possible and easily memorable3. With this in mind, the Project Team
agreed that:
• The Department’s role as a leader was not appropriate to include in a Mission
Statement, but may be an important attribute to recognize within the Strategic Plan
policies.
• The term “enhance” was vague and could lead to confusion about facility
development, resource management activities, and appropriate uses of parks.
• That the term enjoyment generally included recreation. However, it was also
recognized that reference to regional parklands in the existing Mission Statement
did not necessarily include urban and rural trails outside of parks.
An alternative Mission statement for consideration is (edits shown for comparative
purposes):
We provide, protect, and preserve regional parklands and outdoor recreation
opportunities for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future
generations.
1
2
3
Enjoyment: (1) The act of enjoying. (2) The possession, use, or occupancy of anything with
satisfaction or pleasure. (3) A particular form or source of pleasure. (4) Law: the exercise of a
right. Source: Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary.
Recreation: (1) Refreshment by means of some pastime, agreeable exercise, or the like. (2) A
pastime, diversion, exercise, or other resource affording relaxation and enjoyment. (3) The act of
creating anew. Source: Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary.
Examples of other Mission Statements are found in Appendix A
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
VALUES
Values are the beliefs or ideals that create the foundation upon which the Vision for the
County’s park system will be built.
During the discussions about core values, though not specifically included as an agenda
item at any meeting, a basic debate about the meaning of the words “park” and
“recreation” took place. To a great extent, it should be noted that the opportunity to step
away from home and work and to “re-create” the human spirit is viewed as a key element
to the present and future quality of life in Santa Clara County. This need is reflected as a
value to individuals, to families, to workers, to entrepreneurs, and to business managers.
Generally, the more urban the context is, the greater the value of outdoor recreation.
There are four general themes that encompass the values for the Strategic Plan. These are:
Experience, Balance, Community, and Quality. Table 1 presents a series of value
statements that will frame the Vision, Strategies, and Policies for the future Santa Clara
County system of parks.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
TABLE 1: STRATEGIC PLAN VALUES
Value Theme
Value Statement
Experience: managing
• Optimal Visitor Experience: Provision of parks that
parks such that each
are safe, clean, and well-maintained so that park users
visitor's experience is
enjoy a recreational/educational experience of the best
optimized
possible quality. Support of efforts to make every park
the best it can be.
• Safety: Recognition that “safety first” is of utmost
importance.
• Broad User-group Appeal / Diversity of Experience:
Provision of a diverse and varied range of experiences
and recreational opportunities for all ages, ethnicities,
types of users, and levels of ability.
Balance: providing a sense
of equilibrium to the park
system expressed in a
variety of ways
•
•
•
•
Community: ensuring
parks are readily available
to all who wish to use them
and involving the local
community in parks' use
and care
•
•
•
•
Balanced Lifestyle / Compatibility: Enablement of
healthy lifestyles for County residents by providing
recreational opportunities that fit in easily with user's
daily routines to help to balance work and other
responsibilities with the need to relax.
Resource Protection / Park Stewardship: Assurance of
the long-term preservation, restoration, conservation
and management of natural and cultural resources,
while at the same time providing for public access and
use of those resources.
Responsiveness: Recognition of and appropriate
responsiveness to changing demographics and County
residents’ needs.
Respect and Fairness: Respect for individuals' use of
their own property and fairness in accommodating the
public good without placing an undue burden on the
property owner.
Equality of Access: Convenient, affordable and
equitable accessibility to parks for all residents of Santa
Clara County.
Public Awareness / Education: Ongoing education of
both the public and staff that continues to enlighten
them all about what parks have to offer and how to
keep park resources viable.
Community Participation: Encouragement and
support of community programs that involve people
with their parks (e.g. clean-up days, "adoption"
programs, neighborhood gatherings, and the like).
Volunteerism: Development, encouragement, and
sustenance of volunteer programs.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
TABLE 1: STRATEGIC PLAN VALUES (continued)
Value Theme
Value Statement
Quality: taking pride in a
Parks and Recreation
Department that stresses
serving its public
•
•
•
•
•
Leadership through Action: Adoption of a leadership
role that encourages active partnerships that benefit
parks and recreation programs.
Sustainability: Development, use, and management of
parks such that they can be maintained without
destroying the ecological balance.
Excellence of Service / Staff Worth / Employee
Enrichment: Maintenance of a working environment
that encourages staff members to enjoy their work,
benefit from quality staff training, and receive
appropriate recognition for jobs well-done.
Professionalism: Visibility of a staff and department
that is competent, knowledgeable, friendly, wellfunded, and is committed to providing the best service
possible.
Operational Efficiency/Level of Service:
Encouragement and support of staff in striving for
state-of-the-art excellence of service in all areas of
operation.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
VISION
Vision is the ability to see; to create a picture of the future. In the context of strategic
planning, the benefit of developing a clear Vision is to focus implementation actions so that
the Vision will be realized.
Existing General Plan Vision
The current Vision for parks within the Santa Clara County General Plan was established
in the late 1960s. The regional parks, trails, and open space system envisioned was often
referred to as “a necklace of parks.” It consisted of a series of major regional parks located
in the foothills and mountains around the valley, similar to pearls on a necklace. These
regional park “pearls” were intended to preserve, and make available for public recreation,
examples of the county’s finest natural resources. Recreational trails were proposed to link
these regional parks with one another as well as to provide access from the valley floor. On
the valley floor, the vision included major streamside park chains passing through the
urban area, providing recreation opportunities in themselves and also serving as important
trail linkages to the nearby parks.
Proposed Vision
A revised Vision for parks in Santa Clara County would be a multi-faceted one. It would
embrace geographic parameters, program characteristics, experiential considerations, and
social attributes that strongly relate to the dominant urban character of Silicon Valley.
The following is a summary of Vision suggestions made to date. They are organized into
five summary statements that, when taken as a whole, provide a panoramic snapshot of
what the future of parks in Santa Clara County should be.
THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM IS:
A Jeweled Web - consisting of a tiered necklace of parks with regional park pearls.
Elements of the Jeweled Web:
• A radial network of parks whose inner rings generally serve group activities, while
outer rings provide for more solitary park experiences.
• Major regional parks located in the foothills and mountains around the valley,
similar to pearls on a necklace.
• On the valley floor, a trail system and major streamside park chains -- visual and
recreational ribbons of green -- passing through the urban area, providing recreation
opportunities in themselves and also serving as important linkages to the nearby
foothill, mountain, reservoir, and baylands parks.
• Ownership of public parkland in both urban and rural areas, with emphasis placed
on riparian, valley and hillside areas.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
A Seamless Program – that balances recreation opportunities, park management, and
resource conservation.
Elements of a Seamless Program:
• A balance of active and passive outdoor recreation opportunities that appeal to a
broad group of user interests.
• Systematic natural and cultural resource conservation and interpretation programs.
• Consistent and easily understood inter-jurisdictional rules, regulations, and
management.
• Accessibility options that ensure all County residents can use parks.
• Private/public use such that where County parks adjoin private property, respect
for the property owners' use of their land, their privacy, and their liability concerns
are important considerations.
• Human, technical, and fiscal sharing between the County, cities, open space
authorities, water district, and other organizations working towards an integrated
system of parks.
A Quality Park Experience – composed of opportunities for the general public to safely
explore the mind, the body, and the landscape.
Park themes and management attributes that would offer the park visitor a Quality Park
Experience:
• Magnet Parks: a series of parks themed around specific uses.
• Multiple-use and Flexibility: parks that serve a variety of uses and that can be easily
modified over time to accommodate changing needs.
• Gateways: parks that include a few familiar urban recreation facilities to encourage
children and families to visit them and thence to experience other forms of outdoor
recreation opportunities they were not necessarily aware of before visiting these
parks.
• Trailhead to Exploration and Adventure: parks that serve as a “first” experience for
many outdoor recreation pursuits such that once those opportunities are either
exhausted or an individual's talents for a particular recreation activity are improved,
the individual would have the competence to venture to other park resources within
and beyond the County.
• Service and Professionalism: park management provides quality leadership that is
friendly, informed, courteous, and committed to the best service.
A Lifestyle Foil – that reflects the pace and technological ambiance of Silicon Valley.
Aspects of the park system that would provide recreational use opportunities contributing
to the achievment of a balanced lifestyle:
• Parks built around resident lifestyles including:
• Neighborhood clusters
• Work clusters
• Weekend clusters
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
•
Parks that link public transportation and recreation opportunities and particularly
east-west linear parks that link major north-south mass-transit routes.
Resource Longevity through Conservation and Stewardship – that assures the existence
of vibrant, quality parks for future generations.
Elements vital to Resource Longevity:
• Ecosystem and habitat protection and resource management of riparian, valley,
hillside, and mountain environments.
• Identification and preservation of the County’s historical resources.
• Outdoor educational programs highlighting the diversity of natural and cultural
resources within the County and the interaction between the two.
NEXT STEPS
After review and revision (as appropriate) by the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, the
Mission, Values, and set of five summary Vision statements above will also be reviewed
with the Department Staff, Parks and Recreation Commissioners from throughout the
County, the Strategic Plan Technical Advisory Groups, and the general public. The goal of
this review will be to succinctly articulate the Mission of the County Parks and Recreation
Department, and to clearly define the Vision for the future park system in Santa Clara
County.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
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S T R A T E G I C P LAN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS AND R ECREATION SYSTEM
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
APPENDIX A
Related Mission Statements
National Park Service
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the
national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource
conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's mission is, working with others, to conserve, protect and
enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people.
California State Parks
To provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve
the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural
resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
To acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity; protect and restore the
natural environment; and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and
education.
Santa Clara County Open Space Authority
To preserve, protect and manage, for the use and enjoyment of all people, a well-balanced system of
urban and non-urban areas of outstanding scenic, recreational and agricultural importance.
The Nature Conservancy
To preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth
by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.
East Bay Regional Park District
We will acquire, develop, manage, and maintain a high quality, diverse system of interconnected
parklands which balances public usage and education programs with protection and preservation of
our natural and cultural resources.
B ACKGROUND REPORT : M ISSION , V ALUES , AND VISION (10/12/01)
© Note: This is a progress report. All information outlined herein is for planning purposes only and is subject to change
Appendix A-1