The Covid Pandemic has brought to the forefront the importance of having healthy, accessible, quality parks and open spaces for all to enjoy—regardless of economic class, race, gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation or identification.

The environmental benefits of keeping urban areas green have a measurable positive impact on the effects of climate change, air quality and urban heat-islands.

The Preliminary Development Plan for Uplands, that is before the city Planning Department for review, is using a Public Land Dedication of only 5 acres per calculated residents and a cash-in-lieu for the balance of PLD.

If total Public Land Dedication of 12-acres per 1000 residents were enforced then 72-acres of the farmland could be preserved as public open space. Views could be preserved, walking paths created, wildlife protected and a little part of nature kept in the public’s domain.