Community Open Space Partnership Principles

Draft Working Principles were crafted in 2001 by a diverse team of sponsors for the 2001 Community Open Space Summit.  These people were seeking to chart a path toward a renewed vision and a more comprehensive approach to designing, building and providing stewardship for green infrastructure in our communities.  At the Summit in October 2001, conference sessions reviewed and provided feedback on the Draft Working Principles, feedback which was incorporated into a redrafting of the Principles.

Principles

The Community Open Space Partnership has drafted these Principles to form the core values of the Partnership. These Principles guide the work of the Partnership and all those who seek to make open space a building block of stronger communities. We recognize green infrastructure as the network of open spaces in and around cities that enhances economic vitality, sustains natural systems, connects people to the natural world, and increases individual and community well being.

Community open spaces exist and thrive side-by-side with homes, workplaces, schools and shops, and serve the social, cultural, economic, recreational, spiritual, and environmental needs of the community. They support the economy by maintaining or increasing nearby home values and offering business opportunities relating to the uses of open spaces. They address significant environmental issues such as storm water, water quality, and wildlife habitat. They are meeting places where citizens connect and engage with other citizens, and where citizens can express and celebrate their cultural identity. They are places of refuge and spiritual renewal for people and for other living things. They are the special places in the community.

While we cherish and celebrate these special places, we recognize our responsibility to protect and nurture them as well. The Working Principles of the Community Open Space Partnership are a set of guidelines for meeting those responsibilities. Not every open space (existing or imagined) will satisfy every principle. Rather, the Working Principles are intended to serve as our source of inspiration and as a yardstick of our success in creating a high quality green infrastructure in communities across Wisconsin.

Quality open spaces are:

Equitable/Accessible. Every neighborhood has quality open spaces that are inviting and accommodating.

Open spaces are located throughout a community so all residents and visitors have access to quality spaces in their neighborhoods. Some open spaces meet local needs. Others meet regional needs. Both types of spaces need to be accessible. Open spaces accommodate use by multiple generations and differing cultures. Individuals of various physical and cognitive abilities can safely access open spaces.

Safe. Open spaces are safe places.

Open spaces are not only structured physically for safety, but are perceived as havens for everyone. Open spaces are not centers of criminal activity. People of all backgrounds and abilities feel comfortable getting to and enjoying these areas. Conflicts between uses are minimized.

Diverse. All community residents and visitors can access a variety of open spaces that support diverse uses.

Communities have open spaces of various sizes. Open spaces support a variety of uses and purposes and accommodate diverse user groups. Open space designs are adaptable over time to meet changing local and regional needs, without diminishing the experience of a coherent and unified space.

Connected. A network of spaces enhances other public places and civic amenities.

Communities and regions have networks of open spaces. Interconnected spaces provide greater opportunities and more diverse experiences. Connected spaces enhance ecological diversity and functions. Open spaces are connected to public transportation and pedestrian facilities. Libraries, schools, courthouses, and other public facilities include open space.

Ecological. Open spaces provide environmental benefits at multiple scales.

Open spaces address large-scale concerns. Open spaces provide habitat, minimize storm water runoff, infiltrate groundwater, and offer other environmental benefits. Open spaces provide opportunities for people to connect with nature.

Engaging. Open spaces promote cultural understanding, interpret environmental and cultural identities, and foster community pride.

Open spaces provide opportunities for multiple experiences. The design, materials, and uses reflect elements rooted in community values, history, and cultural linkages. Open spaces help define a community. Open spaces positively impact the physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual growth of citizens.

Cared for. Citizens engage in caring for open spaces and foster an appreciation of nature in their families and neighborhoods.

Communities demonstrate their caring in many ways. Citizens of varied talents and interests devote their time and resources to open space planning and management.

Funded. Communities sufficiently fund open space planning and management to meet citizen needs and community goals.

Open spaces, like highways and sewers, require investments to reap community benefits. The long-term success of open space also requires long-term commitment and maintenance to protect the quality of the environment and visitor enjoyment.

They result from processes that are:

Community Driven. Open space planning and decision-making reflects community values, responds to citizens’ needs, and addresses broader community goals.

Citizens create a vision for open space preservation and enhancement. Communities address open space needs in relation to other goals, including local and regional economic priorities, social development objectives, and a local vision of community character. Citizens identify community assets, such as civic buildings, community organizations, and natural features that can be enhanced through strategic investments in open space.

Inclusive. Everyone is welcome in the open space planning and decision-making process.

Participation by community residents of all backgrounds and diverse interests drives the planning and design process. Traditional and non-traditional partners are sought out and included.

Science-based. Decision-makers use sound environmental science in open space planning and management.

The siting and design of open space consistently incorporates sound science regarding ecosystems and the connection between land and water resources. Planning for public open space recognizes that open space can function as a system if it is designed with nature, instead of "in spite of" nature. While management and funding of open space may continue to respect established political boundaries, planning for open space should address the regional ecosystem and watershed contexts.

Innovative. Communities engage in innovative partnerships that achieve creative solutions.

Park professionals, community organizers, and public officials seek out creative partnerships and use collaborative processes to carry out innovative strategies for acquiring, funding, and managing open space.