Charlotte ranks near the bottom for parks and green space access
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Freedom Park is one of Charlotte's popular parks. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Mecklenburg County parks continue to rank low compared to other U.S. cities, according to the annual ParkScore report from the nonprofit Trust for Public Land.
Why it matters: Access to the outdoors is linked to better quality of life. Plus, cities with higher ParkScores are more likely to have residents who are socially connected and engaged with their neighbors, according to TPL's report.
Driving the news: Charlotte/Mecklenburg dropped to No. 87 out of 100 U.S. cities from No. 85, per the most recent report.
- Charlotte/Mecklenburg ranked 83rd in 2022, 91st in 2021 and 95th in 2020.
By the numbers: There are 382 parks in the county, and 38% of county residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, according to the report. Seven percent of land in Mecklenburg County is used for parks and recreation compared to the national median of 15%.
- Charlotte/Mecklenburg invests $110 per person on parks, compared to the national average of $124, per the report.
Zoom in: "The reason for the drop in our score this year is due to the fact that TPL calculates investment on a three-year rolling cycle and we had a large capital investment in fiscal year 2020, which dropped off this year," a county spokesperson told Axios.
- The county says its residents also prioritize amenities that aren't necessarily tracked within the report, like pickleball courts.
- Plus greenways are counted within the report's access measurement, but aren't measured as an individual amenity the way basketball hoops, dog parks and playgrounds are.
What they're saying: "The biggest place where we're going to improve our score is by acquiring new land or new parks," Bert Lynn, capital planning division director for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation told Axios in a January interview.
- "We've closed on a number of properties for new parks and greenway trails and to protect natural resources."
Follow the money: The county substantially increased the amount of money it dedicates to acquiring land for parks and greenways, acquiring 1,525 acres of land between fiscal year 2021 through May 1 of this year.
- FY 2024 has $50 million allocated to land acquisition for parks and greenways and 427 acres have been acquired.
- FY 2023: $50 million; 495.69 acres.
- FY 2022: $20 million; 295 acres.
- FY 2021: $6 million; 308 acres.
What we're watching: The county plans to improve and expand existing parks, Lynn said. They identified 17 gap areas countywide where residents don't have easy access to public open spaces.
- Much of the county's land acquisition strategy over the last three years has focused on those areas, per Lynn.
- They've also acquired land to continue active greenway projects.
Zoom out: Last week, Charlotte city council voted to defer a rezoning vote on a residential development in Elizabeth because of building height concerns.
- The development would put hundreds of people within walking distance of Independence Park, Charlotte's oldest public park, which reopened last year after a nearly $6 million makeover.
Go deeper: 10 Charlotte-area greenway projects to watch in 2024