Planning for Parks and Public Lands

Eppley addresses Climate Resiliency, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Accessibility, and Technology Needs in all of our planning projects. Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement Workshops are also included as part of Park System Master Planning.

Park System Master Planning

Fundamental to every agency is a master plan, updated every 5 to 10 years, that assesses existing systems, clarifies current levels of service, determines community needs, and allows managers to develop an overall strategy which includes both short- and long-term adjustments. The Eppley Center works with its partners to create plans designed to fit each agency’s size, community, and overall mission.

Facility Asset Management, Capital Improvement, and Business Planning

The Eppley Center assists agencies in their responsibility to be good stewards of community assets through our various business planning services. With our partners, we develop short-term operation and long-term maintenance plans to support the ongoing development of facilities, parks, and trails. We provide detailed capital improvement planning that is realistic, revenue-based, and phased to enable agencies to move from a master plan dream to practical steps toward building park and facility assets. Our business plans use common business approaches to identify likely revenues and long-term costs, help agencies determine actual costs, and create a pro forma analysis of costs vs. revenues over time. Whether Facility Asset Management, Capital Improvement, or Business Planning, our deliverables serve as essential tools for understanding and supporting an agency’s financial sustainability.

Visitor Experience and Interpretation Planning

Every park, trail, facility, and open space area has a story to tell about the heritage of place, community, the agency, nature, and history. Eppley finds these important and timeless stories, weaves them together using multiple interpretive and education methods, and creates interpretive plans that meet an agency’s budgets and goals.

Workforce Development Planning

Fundamental to maximizing a park or agency’s effectiveness is investing in an agency’s most important asset, their workforce. Workforce development planning examines the future needs and current capabilities of an agency in order to construct a skill-based competency framework for its staff. This framework can then be used to improve agency capability by guiding in-house assessment, training, and workshops.