Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan

The Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan, the city’s guidance document for open space acquisition and outdoor recreational planning, has helped set the framework for an outdoor recreational system of parks and athletic facilities; cultural and natural areas; public access to greenways, beaches and scenic waterways; and trail linkages for all kinds of users.

The recommendations from the original 1994 plan and its 2000 update as well as the efforts of many other generations have created the extraordinary outdoor recreational network of land and facilities previously mentioned. For example, the 2000 update of the plan served as the basis for the city establishing its Open Space Acquisition Program. As of March 2008, 19 sites on over 1,788 acres have been successfully acquired for preservation and future recreation purposes. However, there is still more work to be done. The existing outdoor recreational network needs to be properly managed and maintained and planning and action items need to be identified for the benefit of future generations.    

This 2008 version of the plan is action-oriented and utilizes a cross-section of community priorities, statistical analysis and now equity mapping as a practical formula for developing its recommendations. The plan will be an integral part of the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation's Strategic Plan as well as a reference document to the city’s Comprehensive Plan.