arlington county athletic facilities allocation study ...€¦ · draft recommendations...

Arlington CountyAthletic Facilities Allocation Study

Draft Recommendations PresentationJune 7, 2016

Project Overview

Review of Historical Data

Inventory Analysis

Benchmarking

Findings Summary

Work Session Results

Draft Recommendations

Next Steps

Questions and Comments

Agenda

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• DPR recognized that the way in which sport user groups obtain athletic field space has become unequitable and inconsistent since the original structure was developed four decades ago.

• Demand for athletic fields continues to increase beyond field inventory and grass capacity (i.e.; there are not enough fields and grass fields are overscheduled)

• DPR hired GreenPlay LLC to develop a Sport User Group Allocation Policy to provide for the fair allocation of athletic fields.

• The process to develop this policy includes input from identified sport user groups, DPR, APS, and the Sports Commission.

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Project Overview

Phase I; Study As-Is

Reviewed DPR’s current field allocation processes

Reviewed DPR’s use and league data

Listened to Users: What’s working & What isn’t? (June 2015 Engagement)

Inventoried fields in consideration (i.e.; diamond & rectangular)

Benchmarking

Phase 2: Findings and Sport User Groups Work Session

Exercise 1: Allocation priority system

Exercise 2: Activity slots allocated

Exercise 3: Defining seasons

Draft Recommendations review

Next Step

Project Overview

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DPR’s Current Processes• DPR uses a priority system to allocate athletic field space:

• Arlington Public School Scholastic Sports Program

• Arlington County DPR and Affiliate sports

• Arlington based teams that are part of metro leagues

• Arlington County resident rentals / Arlington based business/social leagues

• Non-county resident rentals

• Affiliate programs have agreements with DPR and pay a per player per season fee. DPR has not accepted new affiliates in several years, but has allowed some groups a temporary status.

• Affiliate groups reserve space through a DPR liaison and rental organizations reserve through Facilities Scheduling.

Historical Data

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Current DPR Field Scheduling Timeline

December

Winter

January February March April May June July August September October November

Winter Spring Summer Fall

APS Fall

DPR & Affiliates Fall

Rentals Fall

APS Spring

DPR & Affiliates Winter

Rentals Winter

Rentals Spring

DPR & Affiliates Spring

APS Summer

DPR & Affiliates Summer

Rentals Summer

Approximate seasonal starts. Note, winter varies with some leagues starting before and others after the new year.

GW and Marymount University provide practice and game schedules 90 days in advance of start.

Historical Data

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DPR Data: Athletic Field Demand

• Participation Data (DPR & Affiliates):• Youth Sports show steady annual increases in nearly all

types of sport and an over a 45% increase from FY10-FY15.

• From FY10-FY15, Adults Sports have grown by 9%, but remain steady because of maximum field capacity.

• Field Requests Data:• Reserved hours on diamond and rectangular fields has

increased by nearly 20% from FY13 to FY15 • Fields are reserved above recommended number of hours

to avoid turf damage• Requests exceed the available space and seasons are

stretched

26,500

27,000

27,500

28,000

28,500

29,000

29,500

30,000

30,500

DPR & Affiliate Sports Growth

FY13 FY14 FY15

Assessment and Analysis

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Inventory Analysis

In FY 2015, 8 fields in Arlington County were out or had limited scheduling because of field construction.

Fields Synthetic Grass Totals

Diamond 1 33 34

Rectangular 13 33 46

Combination 0 18 18

Total 14 84 98

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Benchmarking Field Allocation Policies• Reviewed Field Allocation processes from various

communities across the country

• Policies vary and often use “past history” to specify hours based on age groups

• Some similar components include:• Defined Priority Levels and criteria • Amount of practice/game hours limited by age• Defined seasons of play• Historical or previous year priority • Event clarification• Defined new group process • Associated fees referred to – often not defined

Benchmarking

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Focus Group Summary

5 Focus Groups

1 Public Meeting

All affiliate groups attended12 youth organizations14 adult organizations

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Phase 1 - Findings Summary

• Current allocation system inconsistent in defining user groups / priority

• Sports Groups have no defined field usage standards for games, practices, matches

• No defined and agreed upon criteria for appropriate weekly field activities

• Sports Groups have no defined seasons of play

• Develop equitable criteria for allocation

• Current process does not provide flexibility for new sports or sport growth

• Lack of communication from sports groups when fields are not used

• Number of requests exceeds existing fields inventory11

Sport User Group Work Sessions

27 Sport User Groups

5 Sports Commissioners

2 Work Sessions

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Work Session Summary

• Exercise 1: Allocation priority system

• Exercise 2: Activity slots allocated

• Exercise 3: Defining seasons


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Exercise 1: Priority System

• Establish a new categorization priority system• Age

• Organizational size

• Tax status

• Level

• League/Sport Options

• Residency %

• Other?


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Priority System Summary

• Sport User Groups’ ranking of categories:1. Residency %

2. Age

3. Tax status

4. Organizational size

5. Level of play

6. League/Sport Options

7. Other: Historical use


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Exercise 2: Activity Slots

• Define activities per week & usage (e.g.; games v. practices)• Age breakdown / Hours per age group

• Recreation / Competitive


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Activity Slots Summary


Primary Season

Recreational Minimum Activities / Week Maximum Activities / Week

Practice Game Practice Game

8 and under 1 1 2 1

9 to 12 1 1 2 2

13 to 18 2 1 2 2

Adult 1 2

Competitive Minimum Activities / Week Maximum Activities / Week


8 and under 1 1 3 1

9 to 12 2 1 3 1

13 to 18 2 2 3 2

Adult 1 2

Length of Activity

Minimum Activity Length Maximum Activity Length


8 and under 1 1 1.5 1

9 to 12 1.5 1.5 2 1.5

13 to 18 1.5 2 2 2

Adult 1.5 1.5 17

Exercise 3: Define Seasons

• Define seasons of play• Start date

• Weeks per season

• Primary & Secondary

• Sport variation


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Define Seasons Summary


Season Begin End Duration

Fall Mid-Aug Mid-Nov 12 weeks

Winter Jan Feb 8 weeks

Spring Mid-Mar Mid-June 12 weeks

Summer Mid-June Mid-Aug 8 weeks

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Defining TermsNon-profit: Arlington based organization that is recognized as a non-profit by the Commonwealth of Virginia, receives a tax exemption from the IRS under Section 501 C (3) or (7) and provides an IRS EIN number.

Residency: DPR currently establishes residency percentages at 100% for DPR youth leagues and 66% for DPR adult leagues must be Arlington residents.

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Defining TermsLevel of play:

a. Recreational is a no cut / no tryout league that has a guaranteed play rule.

b. Competitive is a league that conducts tryouts or is selected by invitation and has no guaranteed play rule.

League Options:

a. Multiple options refers to organizations that offer sports similar to others offered in Arlington County.

b. Only option refers to those organizations that offer sports where there is no reasonable alternative to play in Arlington County.

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Defining Terms

Seasons of play:

a. Primary: Are the traditional seasons of Spring and Fall. A league’s primary season is that in which the league fields the most number of players and teams.

b. Secondary: A league’s secondary season is that in which the league chooses to play outside their primary season.

c. Shoulder: Are the seasons of Summer and Winter. A league may request an allocation during the shoulder season for All-stars, tournaments, etc.

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Create a Priority Tier SystemDPR will schedule all scholastic (APS) programs, DPR programs, and other organizations for which there are legal agreements prior to the establishment of this policy. This policy establishes a Tier System for the allocation of field space after this initial scheduling round.

Priority Tier System

Tier 1: Resident, youth, non-profit• League, recreational• League, competitive

Tier 2: Resident, Adult, non-profit

Tier 3: Resident, for-profit

• Youth• Adult

Tier 4: Non-resident 23


Define Seasons of playDPR has established seasons for field usage. However, in addition to establishing field usage, DPR could benefit from defining seasons of play for each sport and the priority given that season . Seasons should be defined as Primary, Secondary and Shoulder (All-stars, Tournament, etc.). Additionally, a sport in their Primary season should have priority use of a field over a sport in their Secondary or Shoulder seasons .

Spring Season (Baseball, Softball, Youth Ultimate, Soccer, Lacrosse)

Fall Season (Football, Soccer)

Season Begin End Duration

Fall Mid-Aug Mid-Nov 12 weeks

Winter Jan Feb 8 weeks

Spring Mid-Mar Mid-June 12 weeks

Summer Mid-June Mid-Aug 8 weeks 24

Draft RecommendationsDefine activities per week

As the sport leagues continue to grow and as new sports leagues are formed it will require DPR to establish a standard for the number, duration and possibly activity type (practice, game/match) per week. The Sports User Groups were asked during the Work Sessions to define their ideal maximum and minimum number of activities per week along with the time duration.Minimum activities by age group:

8 and under: 2 activities/2 hours

9 to 12: 2 activities/3 hours

13 to 18: 3 activities/5 hours

Primary Season

Recreational Minimum Activities / Week Maximum Acitvities / Week


8 and under 1 1 2 1

9 to 12 1 1 2 2

13 to 18 2 1 2 2

Adult 1 2

Competitive Minimum Activities / Week Maximum Activities / Week


8 and under 1 1 3 1

9 to 12 2 1 3 1

13 to 18 2 2 3 2

Adult 1 2

Length of Activity

Minimum Activity Length Maximum Activity Length


8 and under 1 1 1.5 1

9 to 12 1.5 1.5 2 1.5

13 to 18 1.5 2 2 2

Adult 1.5 1.5

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Review Residency Percentages for Youth and Adult Leagues

DPR currently establishes residency percentages at 100% for DPR youth leagues and 66% for DPR adult leagues. Based on input and benchmarking DPR should review the current definition and consider a residency percentage to maximize participation and still serve the residents of Arlington County.

• Youth Recreational: maintain current percentage at 100%

• Youth Competitive: consider range between 75% - 90%

• Adult: consider a range between 60% - 75%


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Steps for Forming New Leagues

The steps described below are to be utilized when introducing a new sports activity or league formation that is not already represented by an established group or organization in Arlington County

1. All new leagues must inform DPR in writing at least six (6) months prior to the start of the season of their intention. The new league must meet all league requirements as outlined by DPR.

2. All new leagues for which there is an established organization will be required by DPR to join that organization for resource efficiency.


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As demand grows these are other possibilities to consider:

• Separate recreational play from competitive play within youth sports leagues and give priority to recreational play.

• Give priority to games/matches and reduce or eliminate practice allocations.

• Consider consolidation of sports leagues with multiple options.

Other Considerations

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Next Steps

• DPR will conduct Fall 2016 pilot focusing only on field allocation

• DPR will work with the Sports Commission on policy attributes

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Thank you!Project Manager

Art [email protected]

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