Parks and Recreation System Master Plan Update (2016) parks_and_recreation_system_master_plan_update_oct | Page 92

Recommended Park Classification System and Standards
The 1995 Plan recommended a park classification system and standards to guide the
acreage and distribution of future parkland in Louisville. The recommendations integrated the
conclusions of the 1991 RAP into a system and standards that addressed the characteristics and
development patterns of Louisville at the time of the 1995 plan.
The recommended park classification system is as follows:
Neighborhood (less than 20 acres): a relatively small park which serves a nearby
neighborhood or neighborhoods. Neighborhood parks less than 10 acres in size are the
foundation of the City’s park system, providing “walk-to” recreational opportunities for the
immediate neighborhood. Examples include Boone Square, California, and Old Walnut Street
(formerly Beecher) Parks. Also included in this park type are 10 to 20 acre parks serving larger
local areas within the city, for example, Algonquin, South Central, and Taylor Memorial (also
known as Camp Taylor) Parks.
Neighborhood parks are less prevalent in the former Jefferson County because of the
less dense, more automobile-oriented development pattern. Existing examples include Buechel,
Okolona, and Riverside Gardens Parks. Small parks managed by incorporated municipalities in
Jefferson County are another illustration of this type of park. For example, the Warwick Villa
Park in the City of St. Matthews has outdoor basketball courts, picnic facilities, a walking trail,
and restrooms.
The 1995 plan envisioned that neighborhood parks would become more prevalent in
Jefferson County as they were established to serve future residential areas developed as part of
a compact development pattern in the outer part of the County. To reduce undue maintenance
burdens on the LMPRD, new neighborhood parks in the County were to be developed as a joint
use facility with a local school or be managed by another entity such as an incorporated
municipality or homeowners association. Based upon the LMPRD’s past experience with
privately managed park facilities, such arrangements would have to be carefully conceived and
implemented to ensure a continuing commitment by local residents or other entities to
maintain the park without public involvement.
As a general guide, the 1995 Plan recommended that residential areas have access to a
neighborhood park located within two miles. Ideally, the most densely populated parts of
Louisville should be served by a neighborhood park located no more than one mile from all
residents. Figure IV.A.2: Existing Park Service Radii indicates one- and two- mile service areas
extended from all LMPRD parks and recreation facilities. It should be noted that any type of
park, including community, major urban, and even regional parks can meet neighborhood park
needs, provided that they include neighborhood park facilities such as a playground, a picnic
area, and an open area for pick-up games in a location accessible to the residential area to be
Parks and Recreation System Master Plan | IV. PARK AND RECREATIONAL FACILITY NEEDS
ANALYSIS
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