Active Plans for Parks and Facilities
Park Planning Process
As the City of Austin system continues to grow, Austin Parks and Recreation creates and updates plans across the city by engaging the community to identify needs and preferences. Once a plan is adopted, park and architectural development teams are guided by the plan as the park or facility is turned from a vision into a reality. The plans on this page have been adopted and are in various stages of development. The overall strategy for park and facility development is guided by Austin Parks and Recreation's long-range plan, Our Parks, Our Future.
Below are the active plans that are in varying stages of development, as well as a list of planning terms and definitions. Please note: In 2020, Austin Parks and Recreation shifted away from the use of "master plan" to describe park and facility plans. The list below uses updated terms, however, the posted document may reflect the term that was used at the time of approval.
Park and Facility Plans
Please note: In 2020, Austin Parks and Recreation shifted away from the term "master plan" to describe park and facility plans. The list below uses the new term "vision plan." However, the final document may reflect the term used at the time of approval.
Vision Plans
| Park Name | Plan | Year Adopted | Materials |
| Emma Long Metropolitan Park | Vision Plan | 2016 | Vision Plan (PDF, 76 MB) |
| Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach | Vision Plan | 2014 | Vision Plan (PDF, 24 MB) |
| John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park | Vision Plan | 2020 | Vision Plan (PDF, 19 MB) Vision Plan Boards (PDF, 2MB) |
| Onion Creek Metropolitan Park | Vision Plan | 2015 | Vision Plan (PDF, 26 MB) |
| Volma Overton Sr. Shores | Vision Plan | 2017 | Vision Plan (PDF, 38 MB) Phase I Graphic (PDF, 1 MB) Phase 2 Graphic (PDF, 1 MB) |
| Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park | Vision Plan | 2020 | Vision Plan Report (PDF) Vision Plan Map (PDF) |
Other Plans, Guiding Documents, Studies and Reports
| Park Name | Plan | Year Published | Materials |
| Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach | Public Art Action Plan | 2014 | Public Art Action Plan (PDF) |
| Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park | Unified Stewardship Plan | 2024 | Stewardship Plan (PDF, 39 MB) Task Sheets (PDF, 9 MB) |
| Zilker Metropolitan Park | Work Group Report | 2019 | Final Report (PDF) Back-up Material (PDF) |
Please note: In 2020, Austin Parks and Recreation shifted away from the term "master plan" to describe park and facility plans. The list below uses the new term "vision plan." However, the final document may reflect the term used at the time of approval.
| Park Name | Plan | Year Adopted | Materials |
| Bartholomew District Park | Vision Plan | 2010 | Vision Plan (PDF, 2 MB) |
| Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park | Vision Plan | 2022 | Vision Plan Report (PDF, 17 MB) Report Appendix A and B (PDF, 27 MB) Vision Plan Map (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Bolm District Park | Vision Plan | 2024 | Vision Plan (PDF, 11 MB) |
| Bull Creek District Park | Vision Plan | 2017 | Vision Plan (PDF, 4 MB) |
| Givens District Park | Vision Plan | 2019 | Vision Plan (PDF, 5 MB) |
| Pease District Park | Vision Plan | 2014 | Vision Plan (PDF, 41 MB) |
Please note: In 2020, Austin Parks and Recreation shifted away from the term "master plan" to describe park and facility plans. The list below uses the new term "concept plan." However, the final document may reflect the term used at the time of approval.
| Park Name | Plan | Year Adopted | Materials |
| Brownie Neighborhood Park | Concept Plan | 2018 | Concept Plan (PDF, 18 MB) |
| Duncan Neighborhood Park | Concept Plan | 2017 | Concept Plan (PDF, 1 MB) |
| Earl J. Pomerleau Pocket Park | Concept Plan | 2019 | Concept Plan Report (PDF, 1 MB) Concept Plan Map (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Grand Meadows Neighborhood Park | Concept Plan | 2024 | Concept Plan Report (PDF, 2 MB) Concept Plan Map (PDF, 58 KB) |
| Highland Neighborhood Park | Concept Plan | 2017 | Concept Plan (PDF, 11 MB) |
| Jamestown Neighborhood Park | Concept Plan | 2025 | Concept Plan (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Oertli Neighborhood Park | Concept Plan | 2021 | Concept Plan (JPEG) |
| Ridgeline Neighborhood Park | Concept Plan | 2022 | Concept Plan (PDF, 2 MB) |
Please note: In 2020, Austin Parks and Recreation shifted away from the term "master plan" to describe park and facility plans. The list below uses the new terms "concept" or "vision" plan. However, the final document may reflect the term used at the time of approval.
Vision and Concept Plans
| Park Name | Plan | Year Adopted | Materials |
| Barton Springs | Vision Plan | 2009 | Vision Plan (PDF, 22 MB) |
| Brush Square | Concept Plan | 2019 | Concept Plan (PDF, 7 MB) |
| Central Williamson Creek Greenway | Vision Plan | 2021 | Vision Plan (PDF, 48 MB) |
| Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt | Vision Plan | 2019 | Vision Plan (PDF, 6 MB) |
| The Grove at Shoal Creek PUD | Parks Vision Plan | 2019 | Vision Plan (PDF, 16 MB) |
| Republic Square | Concept Plan | 2014 | Concept Plan (PDF, 40 MB) |
| Woolridge Square | Concept Plan | 2017 | Concept Plan (PDF, 40 MB) |
| Zilker Botanical Garden | Concept Plan | 2019 | Concept Plan (PDF, 16 MB) |
Other Plans, Guiding Documents, Studies, and Reports
| Park Name | Plan | Year Published | Materials |
| Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail | Arts and Culture Plan | 2023 | Arts and Culture Plan (PDF, 23 MB) |
| Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail | Safety and Mobility Study | 2021 | Final Report (PDF, 10 MB) |
| Eastlink Trail | Interpretive Placemaking Plan | 2020 | Placemaking Plan (PDF, 36 MB) |
Facility Expansion Plan and Vision Plans
| Facility | Plan | Year Adopted | Materials |
| Asian American Resource Center | Expansion Plan | 2019 | Expansion Plan (PDF, 27 MB) |
| Citywide Aquatic Facilities | Aquatic Vision Plan | 2018 | Vision Plan (PDF, 20 MB) |
| Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center | Expansion Plan | 2018 | Facility Expansion Plan (PDF, 8 MB) Public Involvement Report (PDF, 21 MB) |
| George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center | Expansion Plan | 2021 | Facility Expansion Plan (PDF, 8 MB) Appendices (PDF, 34 MB) |
Other Plans, Guiding Documents, Studies and Reports
| Facility | Plan | Year Published | Materials |
| Citywide | Facility Assessment Report | 2024 | Facility Assessment Report: completed 2024 (PDF, 25.5 MB) Appendix A: Case Study and Project Prioritization (PDF, 3 MB) Appendix B: Park Priority Scores (PDF, <1 MB) Appendix C: CBRE Condition Assessment (PDF, 43 MB) Appendix D: Existing Facility Scorecard (PDF, <1 MB) Appendix E: Existing Facilities Program Comparison Matrix (PDF, <1MB) |
| Central Maintenance Complex | Program and Conceptual Design | 2023 | Final Report (PDF, 36 MB) |
Cemeteries
Select the following links to view the final Historic Cemeteries Vision Plan:
- Full Cemeteries Vision Plan (PDF, 11 MB)
- Chapter 1-2: Intro and Context (PDF)
- Chapter 3: General Management Guidelines (PDF)
- Chapter 4: Oakwood Cemetery (PDF)
- Chapter 5: Oakwood Cemetery Annex (PDF)
- Chapter 6: Plummers Cemetery (PDF)
- Chapter 7: Evergreen Cemetery (PDF)
- Chapter 8: Austin Memorial Park Cemetery (PDF)
- Chapter 9-15: Policy and Funding (PDF)
Planning Terms and Definitions
| District Park | Park size may range from 30 acres to 200 acres. Intended to provide services to residents within a 2‐mile radius. Natural features may play a more central role in the park. May include large indoor facilities and other amenities such as large playscapes, restrooms, regulation sport courts and playfields, picnic facilities, swimming pools, trails, and interpretive signage. Can be accessed by car or public transportation. |
| Metropolitan (Metro) Park | Park size may range from 30 acres to over 200 acres. Typically draw visitors city-wide and beyond. Focus on natural resource values and recreational diversity. Often include water-based recreation and environmental education. May include facilities such as large playscapes, restrooms, regulation sport courts and playfields, picnic facilities, swimming pools, trails, and interpretive signage. Can be accessed by car or public transportation. |
| Neighborhood Park | Park size may range from 2 to 30 acres. Intended to provide recreational activities to residents within one mile. Typically located in the center of a single neighborhood or in conjunction with an elementary school or a greenbelt. May include playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, open play areas and picnic tables. Most often accessed by foot or bicycle. |
| Pocket or Button Park | Park size may be 2 acres or less. Button Parks typically refer to parks under a quarter acre in size. Intended to serve residents within one quarter mile, in high-density areas not well served by other public parks. May be non-green spaces (plazas, courtyards, paseos, pedestrian malls). They may feature amenities such as playscapes, picnic tables or sports courts. They are typically accessed by foot. |
| Comprehensive Plan | This term is used when we are referring to a citywide plan that includes multiple elements such as land use, transportation networks, public infrastructure, parks, libraries, and more. The City of Austin has a comprehensive plan called Imagine Austin. |
| Concept Plan | These plans are typically reserved for downtown squares, neighborhood parks, pocket parks, and school/special parks. Concept Plans will typically lead directly into development of the park, or, at a minimum, a phase 1 development of the park. |
| Facility Plan | Sometimes called a Facility Improvement Plan. These plans are created for new cultural or recreational facilities, or major renovations of facilities, such as the Seaholm Intake Facility Plan. A Facility Plan usually includes an Implementation Strategy. |
| Facility Expansion Plan | These plans address expansion plans for an existing facility. |
| Land Management Plan | This type of plan outlines goals and objectives and provides guidance for resource management activities on parkland such as preserves, greenbelts and natural / forested areas of parks. |
| Long Range Plan | This is a long term vision plan for the entire organization with a timeframe typically of 10 years. The Parks and Recreation Long Range Plan includes recommendations for future acquisitions, park amenities, trails, redevelopment initiatives, programming, and partnerships, as well as implementation strategies. |
| Operations and Maintenance Plan | This type of plan may be included as a component to a Vision, Concept or Facility Plan, or be a stand-alone plan for a park or facility. |
| Preservation Plan | This type of plan is reserved for historic properties and may be a component of a Vision or Concept Plan or a stand-alone plan. One example of a stand-alone plan is the Historic Cemeteries Plan. |
| Programming Plan | This plan may include goals and objectives associated with programming of a recreational or cultural facility. |
| Strategic Plan | These plans are most commonly related to internal operations of a business or agency. These plans specifically outline how internal processes will be organized to handle the day to day operations of a specific business or operation. |
| Vision Plan | These plans are typically reserved for metropolitan parks, district parks, and greenbelts. The plans should include implementation strategies which may include phasing and funding. These plans do not include detailed designs of specific amenities. A Vision Plan may include other plans such as Programming Plan or Operations and Maintenance Plan, or these plans may be pursued separately. |