How often is a parks and trails master plan typically revised?

A parks and trails master plan is typically revised every 5 years to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to the changing needs and preferences of the community, as well as to address evolving environmental and financial considerations. This timeframe allows communities to assess the effectiveness of their current plan, evaluate the success of implemented projects, and incorporate new trends and data, such as population growth or shifts in recreational priorities.

Regular revisions every 5 years also help maintain public engagement and agency accountability, fostering community support for ongoing and future projects. While options like revising every 10 or 15 years could overlook these changes and lead to outdated plans, an annual revision process may be too frequent, potentially causing unnecessary strain on resources without sufficient changes to warrant such updates. Thus, revising every 5 years strikes a balance between responsiveness and practicality.