Hernando County Parks and Recreation Master Plan

MEDIA RELEASE
November 18, 2025

In-Person Public Meeting for Parks & Recreation Master Plan

(Brooksville, FL) – Hernando County Government invites residents to attend an in-person public meeting for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. The meeting will be held at the Hernando County Utilities Department Building, located at 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613, in the Utilities Training Room on the first floor.

The evening will begin with a brief presentation, followed by an open house format. Attendees are welcome to drop in at any time during the event to review materials, ask questions, and provide feedback.

For more information, please contact Hernando County Parks and Recreation at (352) 754-4031 or visit www.EngageHernando.com/ParksMasterPlan.

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Hernando County, FL was established in 1843 and named in honor of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. Also known as Florida's Adventure Coast, over 206,000 residents live amongst a vast array of freshwater rivers and springs, state forests, preserves and Gulf waters, calling it home. Just north of Tampa, FL, and west of Orlando, Hernando County’s economic impact in aviation, aerospace, manufacturing, distribution and logistical industries foster a strong workplace for business growth and prosperity. Businesses, residents, and tourists are drawn to this location because of the affordability, accessibility and abundant space to relocate or expand. Learn more about Hernando County by visiting www.HernandoCounty.us and get the latest updates by liking Hernando County Government’s Facebook page @HernandoCoGov.

MEDIA RELEASE

August 5, 2025

Help Shape the Future of Hernando County Parks
Attend the Parks & Recreation Master Plan Workshop

(Brooksville, FL) – Hernando County Parks and Recreation is excited to announce the development of a comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and we are inviting residents to get involved and help shape the future of our parks!

A Public Workshop will be held in person to give community members the opportunity to learn more about the planning process and provide valuable input.

Public Workshop Details:
Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM (drop in at any time)
Location: Hernando County Utilities Department Building
Room: Utilities Training Room
Address: 15365 Cortez Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34613

The workshop will begin with a brief presentation, followed by an open house format that allows attendees to visit stations, speak with staff, and provide feedback at their own pace.

In addition to the in-person event, residents are encouraged to participate online by using the interactive map to share ideas, concerns, and suggestions for improving parks and recreation facilities across the county.

Interactive Map Link:
https://app.publiccoordinate.com/#/projects/HernandoCo-ParksMP

To learn more about the comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan, please visit www.EngageHernando.com/ParksMasterPlan.

For questions or more information, please contact Hernando County’s
Parks and Recreation Department at (352) 754-4031.

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Hernando County, FL was established in 1843 and named in honor of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. Also known as Florida's Adventure Coast, over 206,000 residents live amongst a vast array of freshwater rivers and springs, state forests, preserves and Gulf waters, calling it home. Just north of Tampa, FL, and west of Orlando, Hernando County’s economic impact in aviation, aerospace, manufacturing, distribution and logistical industries foster a strong workplace for business growth and prosperity. Businesses, residents, and tourists are drawn to this location because of the affordability, accessibility and abundant space to relocate or expand. Learn more about Hernando County by visiting www.HernandoCounty.us and get the latest updates by liking Hernando County Government’s Facebook page @HernandoCoGov.

MEDIA RELEASE
January 28, 2025

Hernando County Parks and Recreation Master Plan Survey

(Brooksville, FL) – Hernando County Parks and Recreation is in the process of strategically developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Parks and Recreation is inviting all residents and visitors who utilize the county’s parks, preserves, and recreational facilities to participate in an online survey to help shape the future of local parks and recreation.

The Hernando County Parks and Recreation Department is inviting all residents and visitors who utilize the county’s parks, preserves, and recreational facilities to participate in an online survey to help shape the future of local parks and recreation.

To participate, simply visit the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HernandoCountyPRMP

The survey, which takes approximately 10-12 minutes to complete, is open now and will remain available through early March. The feedback gathered will be crucial in developing a comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan, ensuring that the needs and desires of the community are reflected in future projects and initiatives.

(Scan the QR to get connected to the Hernando County
Parks and Recreation Master Plan Survey)

For questions or more information, please contact Hernando County Parks and Recreation by calling 352-754-4031.

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Deliverable 1: Park Conditions Inventory, Public Involvement and Needs Assessment

1A: Commencement Meeting

The Consultant shall facilitate and coordinate a project “kick-off” meeting with the County that will:

• Identify and discuss any technical and policy issues.
• Confirm the project goals/objectives/possible outcomes.
• Establish organizational responsibilities.
• Identify key stakeholders and finalize the project schedule.
• Prepare a formal summary of the meeting, including a summary of issues, conclusions, and opportunities.

1B: Existing Conditions Inventory

Consultant will provide an in-depth review of the park to include:

• An inventory of existing conditions and facilities
• Review of previous planning documents, including the Kass Circle Community Redevelopment Plan, the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Master Plan, the Hernando County Boat Ramp Master Plan, the Bayport Management Agreement and the City of Brooksville Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
• Analysis of utilization of parks system by recreation type
• Analysis of current park service requests that cannot be fulfilled due to lack of available space or resources.
• Analysis of current parking conditions at existing facilities
• Analysis of existing population versus best practices in parks and recreation facilities to determine gaps in services and locations.
• Review zoning and land use restrictions, including neighborhood parks
• Preparation of base maps and aerial photos to be used for planning purposes.
• Preparation of data tables to include existing park schedules, users, and programs.
• Identify constraints and parameters that may impact the master plan process
• Identification of existing funding sources used for parks and recreation facilities and programs.

1C: Public Involvement

Consultant shall coordinate with the Hernando County Office of Public Information to develop a comprehensive public involvement campaign to solicit input and provide detailed results and reports.

1D: Needs Assessment

Consultant shall prepare a needs assessment report to determine the recreation needs and priorities for the park. The assessment shall:

• Include maintenance needs for existing facilities, the maximum utilization of existing facilities and parks (including redevelopment of existing sites to accommodate new uses), identification of new facility general locations, identification of level of service changes for concurrency to accommodate future growth and development of the County.
• Identification of site constraints to limit use, including parking limitations, lack of expansion potential, or off-site improvements necessary for use.
• Opportunities for collocation of services, including arts and cultural programming.
• Prioritize needs based upon level of investment, general location, tourism potential, economic potential, recreation opportunities and future growth. Delivery matrix for improvements based on cost, impact to the County and importance to the public.
• Evaluate the potential of using public-private partnerships to develop the park or certain components of the park.

Deliverable 2: Park Master Plan

2A: Public and Stakeholder Review

Upon the collection of existing conditions and needs assessment data, the Consultant shall develop conceptual plans for each park site to present to the public. The Consultant shall coordinate with the Hernando County Office of Public Information to facilitate community engagement and provide public feedback results.

2B: Final Master Plan

Based upon the community input (Public Involvement) and needs assessment, Consultant shall prepare a comprehensive master plan and design concepts that include potential uses and activities for both the developed parks new park recommendations. The master plan should also include a long-term phasing plan and actions needed to implement the master plan. The final master plan concept report shall include conceptional layouts and renderings for each park site along with detailed capital improvement sheets to support each individual capital project.

The conceptual plans for each park shall include the following:

• Essential facilities and elements desired to support the overall vision for the park.
• Graphics, conceptual drawings, and design alternatives that illustrate the location and space layout for the proposed park elements.
• On and off-site improvements necessary to accommodate future growth
• Each proposed capital improvement sheet will include the following information:
  • Project Priority Ranking
  • Estimated Total Cost
  • Background information on park facility or park need.
  • Existing conditions for park facility
  • Public Participation feedback and justification
  • Project specifics
  • Project limitations
  • Ongoing maintenance and repair needs
  • Project location and map
  • Amenities and estimated cost matrix