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Town combines Comprehensive Plan and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Master Plan into one process

By Jim Buice
For the Clemmons Courier

For the better part of 2021, the Town of Lewisville took on a dual initiative called “Lewisville Tomorrow” of updating the Comprehensive Plan along with the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Development Master Plan.

And in December, the PARC Plan was accepted and adopted by the Lewisville Town Council while the Comprehensive Plan, which was last updated in 2015, is in draft form and currently being reviewed before going before the Planning Board Jan. 12 and hopefully moving toward adoption by town council in February or March.

Stacy Tolbert, the town planner, has coordinated the project, which has included public involvement through a combination of surveys, and Zoom and in-person meetings — plus consulting firm Kimley Horn helping to guide the town through the process.

Others involved in the coordinated effort have been a steering committee headed by Tolbert, the town council and the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Development Board.

Tolbert explained the rationale in the undertaking, which has been referred to as one process and two plans, by asking questions and gathering information for both.

“The Comprehensive Plan is the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (which is updated every five years or so), and we did Lewisville Tomorrow as one big project by hiring one consultant to oversee both plans — consolidate those to kill two birds with one stone, if you will,” she said.

Kimley Horn put together a 61-page document with six sections and all kinds of maps, numbers and information related to Lewisville, the parks system today, analysis, vision and implementation.

Tolbert said that the PARC Plan involves reviewing the town’s current facilities and the needs  for the future based.

Certainly, the town has a variety of parks — Shallowford Square, Jack Warren Park and Joanie Moser Park (which is a county park in the town limits but serves the local residents) in or near the center of town but none in the northern part of town.

Tolbert said that while the Comprehensive Plan does touch parks and recreation, the Master PARC Plan is much more detailed.

“If you’re going out for grants or government funding. that’s what they look for,” she said. “They want a master plan to back up your application, if you will, to say this is what our residents want. You score higher if you have master plans. So that’s another benefit.”

Another component is recommending neighborhoods and HOAs to do small parks or playgrounds in their respective neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, the Comprehensive Plan, which was last updated in 2015, is in effect to guide the town’s development and growth regarding land-use patterns and long-range goals. Besides land use, other guidelines address community issues such as citizen engagement, commercial districts, community facilities, community services, governance, health, housing, natural environment, safety and wellness, and transportation.

The overall goal behind all of this is to define a community vision for the future of the town, including growth, change and public investments, through the Comprehensive Plan and PARC Plan and using them as a guide for decisions.

Tolbert added, “Most of what we’ve seen isn’t anything new. The small-town character, the hometown feel and that charm of what Lewisville brings is what we’re trying to keep.”