Page 22 - Park and Open Space Plan

WAUKESHA COUNTY PARK AND OPEN SPACE SITES

The Waukesha County Park System is a nature-based park system, which demonstrates environmental
stewardship, while providing nature-based recreation and programmed education activities. The
County Park System provides outdoor resource-oriented, intensive resource-oriented, extensive land
and water-based recreation activities through regional parks, regional greenway corridors, regional
trail corridors, and special use parks. In 2017, the Waukesha County Park System consists of 5,161 acres
of parkland and 3,381 acres of greenways. (See Map A-1).

For each park, greenway, trail or special use facility, five key pieces of information are provided:
• Location and size
• Acquisition history
• Proposed acquisition
• Amenities, activities and events offered
• Site characteristics

The sections that follow make reference to “Core zones” within the Natural Management Overview
sections. County parklands have distinct zones of use, each with their own restrictions. The most
pertinent zone is the Core. The Core zone is usually a remnant natural area of high ecological integrity
and quality. It is the most restrictive county park zone and the foremost goal is preservation. It exists
to protect the intrinsic value of all ecological functions from rainwater infiltration to breeding birds.
Management strategies for surrounding areas will be based on the vegetative makeup of the most
appropriate Core zone. This zone will set the ecological theme for the park. Trails with interpretive
signs are allowed here in order to instill the value of such areas to all park users. The only other
improvements allowed here are necessary roads. Alternative routes around this zone will be employed
if at all possible. It is important to note that it is possible to have more than one Core zone in a park.

REGIONAL PARKS

Under the Waukesha County Park System, major parks are a minimum of 250 acres in size and have a
service radius of four miles (See Map A-2). To establish and maintain a natural park setting, 70% of
the park is undeveloped and included in the park system’s natural management plans. The remaining
30% of the park is developed for compatible recreation activities. To avoid a duplication of service,
there are no County regional parks planned in close proximity to the Southern Unit of the Kettle
Moraine State Forest in the southwestern portion of the County. There are eight developed parks in
the system that have year-round staff located at the facility. All parks have rentable park facilities
available to the public for various private or public events year-round. Four parks have camping
facilities open from April through October. Six parks have sand beaches with modern changing and
restroom facilities. The Waukesha County Park System is a fee-based system that provides open space
for nature based recreation activities. Through County policy, the Park System is required to offset
thirty percent of the operating budget with fees.

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