Transcript Outdoor Recreation Policy

Outdoor Recreation Policy
Background and Introduction to
the Process
Policy Process
Principles
Values
Purpose
Values
• STRATEGIC
– Must be managed as a
strategy to maintain or
improve a valued position
• Oil / Wildlife Refuge
• COMMODITY
– Considers resources as
goods that can be
developed for products
• Trees = lumber
• River = hydro power
(emerging focus of
recreation as a
commodity = tourism $$)
• AESTHETIC
– Contemplation,
Restoration of the soul,
– (old approach of
recreation)
• MORAL
– Resources should be
treated well for their
importance as elements
to the earth (save
resources for future
generations)
Missions
• Throughout the remainder of the semester, you
will be exposed to the diversity of missions and
purposes of the various land management and
conservation and recreation agencies of the
Federal, State and local government.
– The missions are defined by legislation in either
Organic Acts (Fed) or Enabling Legislation (state and
local)
– Land Management, Regulatory, Planning, Assistance
Organic Acts
• National Park Service Act of 1916 - NPS
• Forest Management Act of 1897 – USFS
• Grew out of dis-satisfaction with the Forest Reserve Act
(regulation was needed)
• Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 – BLM
• Didn’t create the BLM which was established in 1946 with
the consolidation of the Grazing Service and the General
Land Office – but gave it a management directive (multiple
use)
Public Involvement
Early view – nuisance Today - critical
(mandated) by several pieces of legislation
• Public Relations
– Need public trust
• 2 way communication
– Escaping from the public was the reason for the
career choice
– At minimum, it increases awareness
• Convergence
– Brings different views a bit closer together
• Diffusion of innovations
– Public involvement enhances awareness thus
innovation
Influence
• Impacts of Individuals
– Muir, Pinchot, Leopold, Roosevelt, Mather,
• Impacts of Organizations (today)
– Sierra Club, Recreation Coalition, Farm
Bureau
– New SCORP calls for a Rec Coalition for KS
Sources of information for policy
recommendations
• Professional Literature
• Recommendations from professional societies
and Special Interest NGOs (NRPA, Sierra Club,
KRPA, AARP) NRPA Agency Accreditation
process
• Existing Legislation
• Expectations of Funding Agencies
– (ADA, ISTEA, FLSA, etc..)
• Political Factors
• General Public
Methods of Influencing Public
Opinion
• Lobbying
• Information
Dissemination
• Communication
campaigns (letters, email,
fax, etc.)
• Cooperative Programs
(related mission –
partnerships)
• Litigation
• Testimony (hearings)
• Protests and
Demonstrations
• Position Statements
• Campaign endorsements
• Public Meetings
• Citizen
initiatives/referendum
• Oversight monitoring
• Boycotting
Significant Legislation
• Forest Reserve Act of 1891
– Gave President power to set aside reserves (forests)
• Antiquities Act (1906)
– Power to President to set aside lands and establish Ntl
Monuments
• Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act Transferred 44.7
mil acres from BLM to NPS in AK (just after President Carter
moved 57
mil acres
to NPS via the Antiquities Act
(1980)
• Clean Water Act of 1972
• Pittman Robertson (H) Dingall Johnson (F)
– Excise taxes on sporting goods
• Endangered Species Act (1973)
• Ntl. Environmental Policy Act of 1970
– Requires EIS
State and Local Examples
Enabling Legislation outlines:
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jurisdiction
structure (city, school, joint, etc..)
policy board size and makeup
means of initiating or dissolving
method of increasing budget
authority (to accept $, sue and be sued,
purchase insurance, acquire land, etc..)
Determining Policy
Role of Board and Administrator
• Writing policy is a joint effort
• Board’s purpose is to write policy that reflects the
needs of their constituents
• Administrator’s role is to provide the board with
adequate information to write implementable,
professionally current and legal policies
• Only agency director administers policy
Professional’s Dilemma
• Professional land use managers like
yourselves are handcuffed by the policy
making process. (They are prepared to
make wise use decisions but since most are
public officials, find it very difficult to
participate in the influencing process) other
than to provide the management
information when asked
Publishing and Organizing Policies
• Public Law ( Organic Acts, NEPA, Clean Water Act,
Administrative Procedures Act, Exec Orders)
• Code of Federal Regulations
• Director’s Orders (NPS Director and 7 regional directors -Ntl.
Leadership Council)
• State Statutes
• City ordinances
• Handbooks and Policy manuals (all levels)
– Personnel
– Planning
– Operations
• Land Protection/Natural Resources
• Cultural
• Facilities
• Fiscal
– Concessions
– Fees
Media
• Publish online (easy to change/find)
• or paper version ( in 3 ring notebooks)
– Should be reviewed periodically (all every 3 5 years
Examples of noteworthy changes
requiring substantial policy changes
• Via Executive Order the KDWP becomes
State Department (formerly the KS Fish
and Game Commission and The KS Park
and Resource Authority)
• Removal of mil levy limits
• Ability of Recreation Commissions to own
real property
Agency options in other States
• Park Districts – Illinois
• Special Park and Recreation Districts Colorado
• Fish and Game Commissions – Nebraska
• Department of Natural Resources –
Missouri
Federal Agencies
• Federal authority in provided under broad
general authority of the constitution
(general welfare, commerce and property)
• Specific authority comes via congressional
action describing broad functions which
are then implemented via administrative
regulations
Federal Enabling (examples)
• National Park Service – Organic Act
• USFS – Multiple Use and Sustained Yield
Act
Local Agency Policy Factors
Types of Boards (Commissions)
• Types of Boards include:
– completely separate bodies with full authority
(cities, school districts, etc.)
– semi-independent bodies (still dependent on
higher power ..Recreation Commissions, KWP
Commission
– Advisory Boards
Comparison of Policy and
Advisory Boards
• ADVISORY
– seldom have a legal
basis
– exist to serve the
administration
– recommend policy but
do not write it
– members appointed
– an even number of
members forces sides
• POLICY
– have legal authority
granted by law
– meetings are public
record
– hire administrator
– oversee budget
– members appointed or
elected
– odd number (ie. 5)
Determining Policy
Role of Board and Administrator
• Writing policy is a joint effort
• Board’s purpose is to write policy that
reflects the needs of their constituents
• Administrator’s role is to provide the board
with adequate information to write
implement-able, professionally current and
legal policies
• Only agency director administers policy
Writing Policy for Park and Rec
Agencies
Policies and Procedures
• POLICY
– Broad, written
guidelines designed to
determine and direct
agency action
– Usually simply and
generally worded...
leaving some room for
interpretation by
administration
• PROCEDURE
– Specific methods and
actions to be used by
staff to implement
policy.
Sources of information for policy
recommendations
• Professional Literature
• Recommendations from professional
societies (NRPA, KRPA, AALR, NLoC)
– NRPA Agency Accreditation process
• Expectations of Funding Agencies
– (ADA, ISTEA, FLSA, etc..)
• Departmental Factors (opinions of board
members, legal counsel, etc..)
Policy Examples:
• PURPOSE (outlines the reason for the
policy...what it will accomplish)
• POLICY (in general terms)
• PROCEDURE (specific details of action
needed to be taken)
FEE POLICY
• PURPOSE: The intent of charging fees is to distribute the
costs of programs more equitably to the users of those
programs and to increase revenue in order to provide
additional recreational services
• ADULT SPORT FEES The fee for adult sports shall
recover all direct agency operating costs plus 15% for
overhead.
FEE POLICY (procedures)
• Pricing Adult Softball
– The following costs shall be included as direct
operating costs for determining fees:
• lights
• diamond managers, officials and
scorekeepers
• diamond maintenance
• supplies (balls, scorebooks, bases, chalk)
FACILITY RENTAL POLICY
• PURPOSE To equitably meet public
demand for the department’s areas and
facilities, the Olathe Parks and Recreation
Department establishes the following
guidelines to show that public use of
agency facilities is appropriate under
certain conditions.
Considerations for writing a
Facility Rental Policy
• What facilities can be rented?
• Ballfields
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Shelterhouses Meeting Rooms
Priority (agency programs, then who?)
Price (should it vary by group?)
Forms (who needs to know?)
Scheduling use to avoid duplication