District's Master Plan Update Recognized by APA

May 28, 2015

The East Bay Regional Park District's 2013 Master Plan won the 2015 Award of Excellence for 'Comprehensive Plan - Large Jurisdiction' from the American Planning Association, California Chapter, Northern Section (NorCal APA). NorCal APA covers a total of 16 counties: all 9 Bay Area counties and Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties. Announcement of the Northern Section award winners was sent electronically to over 1,400 NorCal APA members in May 2015. The District has won a total of five planning awards over the last fifteen years.

The Master Plan defines the vision and the mission of the East Bay Regional Park District and sets priorities for the future. It explains the District's multi-faceted responsibilities and provides policies and guidelines for achieving the highest standards of service in resource conservation, management, interpretation, public access and recreation. The Master Plan is designed to maintain a careful balance between the need to protect and conserve resources and the recreational use of parklands for all to enjoy now and in the future. It was prepared with the active participation of the District's citizen-based Park Advisory Committee and with extensive review and comment from the community. The District's first master plan was approved in 1973. The Master Plan is revised and updated periodically to reflect new circumstances to which the District must respond.