Creating a detailed plan is an essential step towards successful public space management. But, what should a Management Plan contain? The document linked below\u00a0presents a sample Management Plan outline, providing details about each key plan component. Community groups or other public space managers may use this outline as a starting point to create their own, customized management plans.<\/p>\n
Click the topics below to snap to the relevant section!<\/p>\n
Defining Use Levels<\/a> Download\u00a0 <\/i><\/a> Click here to download Appendix B: Creating the Management Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Public spaces have a variety of maintenance considerations and needs, and there is no one formula for determining the needs of your space. Indeed, the needs may shift during certain times of year (for example, you may see heavier use in the summer months than in the winter). Even so, there are a number of basic principles and considerations that public space managers can use to determine use level and maintenance needs for their space.<\/p>\n The templates presented in this section are designed to help stewards determine their site-specific maintenance frequencies, the estimated staff needed to provide those services, and an estimated cost to maintain and staff their public space.<\/p>\n In order to determine maintenance cost estimates and staffing needs, you must first determine how the project site is used on a daily basis.\u00a0A few guiding questions to consider:<\/p>\n With these questions in mind, review the use level definitions defined below, describing conditions for heavy, moderate, and light use hardscape and softscape\u00a0sites.\u00a0The use level definitions are intended to be a helpful framework, within which you should expect some variation. You may find that use level for your public space varies by season. Or, that the \u00a0use levels\u00a0for hardscape and softscape may not be the same. For example, your public space may have heavy use in hardscape areas, but light use for softscape.<\/p>\n As a reminder:<\/p>\n Hardscape features are considered to be in “heavy use”<\/strong> if they require:<\/p>\n Softscape features are considered to be in “heavy use”<\/strong> if they require consistent services throughout the week, or full service softscape management, including:<\/p>\n Hardscape features are considered to be in “moderate use”<\/strong> if they require:<\/p>\n Softscape features are considered to be in “moderate use”<\/strong> if they require twice weekly to monthly services, including:<\/p>\n Hardscape features are considered to be in “light use”<\/strong> if they require:<\/p>\n Softscape features are considered to be in “light use”<\/strong> if they require weekly, monthly, or annual services, including:<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n After reviewing the examples of different use levels for landscapes and hardscapes above, assess the current or proposed project site and determine which of the mentioned examples is most comparable. Use this determination as a starting point to develop budgets to maintain your public space. Note that you may need to adjust your plan as you see how it performs. You may, for example, begin with “light use” landscape maintenance frequencies, and then decide you need to scale up into the “moderate” category.<\/p>\n Measure the total square footage for landscaped areas within the project site. Use the total project landscape square footage, multiply by the price per square foot, add an additional contingency, and the result is the total annual rate to maintain the project site.<\/p>\n Download\u00a0 <\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n After categorizing the project site by use type, the totals generated reflect the estimated number of hours for janitorial or custodial work to keep the site in neat appearance, and engineer hours to address any complex issues, should they arise.<\/p>\n Download\u00a0 <\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The following service frequency templates and checklists were developed according to the determined landscape and hardscape use type. These templates should serve as a “baseline” service frequencies for the proposed project site. Additional modifications should only increase service frequencies, not decrease them.\u00a0It is assumed the landscape and hardscape services will be provided in accordance to the manufacturer’s specifications, by a professional custodian or janitor, a licensed engineer, and\/or trained gardener.<\/p>\n
\nMaintenance Budget Templates<\/a>
\nMaintenance Frequencies<\/a>
\nMaintenance Services<\/a>
\nProgramming and Events<\/a><\/p>\n
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\nDefining Uses<\/h2>\n
How do I identify the use level and needs of the public space?<\/i><\/h3>\n
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HEAVY USE<\/h2>\n
<\/i>\u00a0 HARDSCAPE<\/h3>\n
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<\/i>\u00a0 SOFTSCAPE<\/h3>\n
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MODERATE USE<\/h2>\n
<\/i>\u00a0 HARDSCAPE<\/h3>\n
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<\/i>\u00a0 SOFTSCAPE<\/h3>\n
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LIGHT USE<\/h2>\n
<\/i>\u00a0 HARDSCAPE<\/h3>\n
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<\/i>\u00a0 SOFTSCAPE<\/h3>\n
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\nMaintenance Budget templates<\/h2>\n
Budget Templates + How to Use Them<\/h3>\n
Landscape Maintenance Budget Template<\/h4>\n
Hardscape Maintenance Budget Template<\/h4>\n
\nMaintenance Frequencies<\/h2>\n
Maintenance Frequency Templates<\/h4>\n