PARKS & RECREATION

CHAPTER 6 of the Ankeny Plan 2040 analyzes the parks and recreation system of Ankeny in several ways including
a level of service (LOS) analysis and distribution analysis to determine how well Ankeny is served by parks.
LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS BY PARK CATEGORY PARK TYPES
Number of
Parks
Existing
Acres
Existing
Level of Service
Recommended
Level of Service
Recommended
Acres
Status MINI PARKS
(Acres/1,000) (Acres/1,000) Generally range from 2,500 sq. ft. to 2 acres
Service area is generally only 1/4-mile
Mini Parks 9 22.1 0.39 .25 to .5 14.2 to 28.4 Above
Ankeny currently has 9 mini parks
Neighborhood Parks 19 160.64 2.83 1.25-2 71.0 to 113.5 Above
Community Parks 5 126.2 2.22 5.5-8 312.2 to 454.1 Below NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
Golf Courses 1 196.7 3.46 4.5 255.4 Below Generally range from 5-15 acres
Special Use Parks 8 199.7 3.52 --- --- --- Service area is generally between 1/4 to 1/2 mile
Ankeny currently has 19 neighborhood parks
Greenways 14 240.8 4.24 --- --- ---
Total 56 945.0 16.66 10.5 596.0 Above COMMUNITY PARKS
Generally range from 16-100 acres
Service area is generally between 1-2 miles
ANKENY PARKS BY TYPE
NORTHGATE EAST GREENWAY
EXISTING PARKS BY TYPE Ankeny currently has 5 community parks
Ankenys overall level of service for parks is high at around 16.6
acres per 1,000 residents. However, this includes the public golf
WOODLAND RESERVE
GREENWAY
OTTER CREEK GOLF COURSE
course as well as several greenways that are not yet programmed SPECIAL USE PARKS
or fully utilized. Size will vary based on use and function
OTTER CREEK PARK
RENAISSANCE PARK Service area will vary based on use and function
A lack of larger, community parks was identied as one of the
major things lacking in Ankenys park system. Ankeny currently has 8 special use parks
CENTENNIAL POINTE GEORGETOWN
PARK BRIARWOOD SOUTH PARK
PARK
TRESTLE POINT PARK ASHLAND MEADOWS
PARK
PRAIRIE LAKES SIGNATURE GREENWAY
Ankeny is considerably above average for mini and neighborhood
GREENWAYS
GREENWAY
DEER CREEK PARK
ROCK CREEK
GREENBELT
GREENTREE
PRAIRIE RIDGE SPORTS COMPLEX
DEER CREEK GREENWAY parks and these appear to make up for the lack of the recommended
PARK CRESTBRUCK PARK community parks.
WATERCREST
PARK
NORTH CREEK
PARK
HORIZON
PARK
MICHAEL PARK
Generally areas of more natural, undistributed park land
CHERRY GLEN CREENWAY
VILLAGE PARK
MIRACLE LEAGUE PARK
HAWKEYE PARK
WAGNER PARK
HERITAGE PARK meant to provide trails and linkages for humans and wildlife
ANKENY MARKET + PAVILION
HAUBERT PARK
SUNSET PARK
Ankeny currently has 14 greenways
CAMDEN WEST GREENWAY SUNRISE PARK
WESTSIDE PARK
ANKENY ARTS CENTER
SUMMERBROOK PARK

VINTAGE GREENWAY
TRAILS
DEAN PARK
CASCADE FALLS
AQUATIC CENTER
PRECEDENCE PARK HILLSIDE PARK Ankeny has a signicant number of trails throughout the City
PROMENADE PARK
ESTATES
PARK
CHAUTAUQUA PARK
CLOVER RIDGE GREENWAY
with nearly every park and greenway having at least one
WESTWINDS
PARK SAYLOR CREEK GREENWAY
trail running through or near the park boundary. The popular
GLENBROOKE PARK
WHITE BIRCH PARK
TWIN GATES
regional trail the High Trestle Trail has its trailhead located in
GREENWAY
DIAMOND HILLS
GREENWAY
ANKENY DOG PARK
SPRINGWOOD PARK Ankeny. Connections to Des Moines regional trails such as
SOMERSBY

SAWGRASS PARK
PARK the Gay Lea Wilson Trail are also present.
WILDFLOWER PARK

ANALYSIS TYPE
Park Type
Community Park
LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS
Neighborhood Park
Mini Park A level of service analysis was completed to determine how
Greenway many acres per 1,000 residents by park category Ankenys
Special Use Park
parks serve. Nationally recognized standards were used to
Ankeny City Limits
calculate the recommended acres per 1,000 residents for
Ankeny.

NEIGHBORHOOD PARK SERVICE AREAS

POPULATION SERVED BY PARK TYPE PARK DEMAND ESTIMATES
Estimated Estimated Park acre demand estimates were calculated for Ankeny based
Average on three different growth scenarios: low, medium, and high
Number of Population
Household Size*
Housing Units Served growth. Using the recommended acres per 1,000 residents
OTTER CREEK PARK

standards, park demand estimates for various population

Mini Parks CENTENNIAL POINTE GEORGETOWN
PARK BRIARWOOD SOUTH PARK
scenarios identied a set of acre estimates for the years 2020,
PARK
TRESTLE POINT PARK
ASHLAND MEADOWS
PARK
2030, and 2040.
Quarter-Mile Service Area 2,965 2.74 8,124 GREENTREE PARK
DEER CREEK PARK

HORIZON PARK

Neighborhood Parks WATERCREST PARK

CONNECTIVITY ANALYSIS
Quarter-Mile Service Area 7,503 2.74 20,558 SUNSET PARK

WESTSIDE PARK
SUNRISE PARK The connectivity of the current trail system was assessed.
Half-Mile Service Area 14,234 2.74 39,001 SUMMERBROOK PARK
The analysis looked at how many parks were connected to
trails and analyzed where trails were in relation to potential
Community Parks PROMENADE PARK
HILLSIDE PARK trip destinations such as commercial/retail areas, schools,
One-Mile Service Area 13,538 2.74 37,094 WESTWINDS PARK and employment centers.

Two-Mile Service Area 19,009 2.74 52,085

Greenway
SOMERSBY PARK
SPRINGWOOD PARK

DISTRIBUTION ANALYSIS
The City of Ankeny was divided into quadrants using the streets
Quarter-Mile Service Area 5,958 2.74 16,325 of Ankeny Boulevard and First Street as the dividing lines. The
number of parks, level of service, and estimated population
Half-Mile Service Area 9,570 2.74 26,222
served was compared. Overall, the northeast, northwest,
All Parks Neighborhood Park
and southwest quadrants are all well-served by parks. The
1/4-Mile Service Area southeast quadrant was the least well served, but it also
Combined Service Area 20,289 2.74 55,592 1/2-Mile Service Area contains signicant portions of industrial land and street right
Ankeny City Limits
* According to 2015 U.S. Census Data of way which makes parkland less suitable in many places.
 PARKS & RECREATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
FUTURE PARK NODE MAP FUTURE TRAILS MAP

Legend
Future Park 1/2 mile Ankeny City Limits
Service Area Legend
Planning Boundary
Existing Mini Park Ankeny City Limits
Existing Park
1/2 Mile Service Area Park Type
Existing Neighborhood Park Future Land Use
Existing Park
3/4 Mile Service Area Low Density Residential
Existing Trail
Existing Special Use Park Medium Density Residential
1/2 Mile Service Area Proposed Future Trail
High Density Residential
Stream / Creek
Existing Community Park 0 .5 1 0 .5 1
Service Area Miles Miles

The future park node map was created to help visualize the areas needing
park service within the planning boundary. Ankeny will need to ensure
that all residentially planned areas are covered by a minimum service area
which for a neighborhood park is around 1/2 mile. Using neighborhood
park service areas as a standard, this map shows where park service
areas will need to extend to serve the future residential areas of Ankeny.
Service areas for a community park would be larger and require fewer
neighborhood parks.
The future trails map was created to provide an idea of where future trail
efforts could be focused. The trails were placed along major stream banks
taken from the Greenbelt Map created for Chapter 4: Environment. Trails
are also placed along major roadways within the planning boundary.
The goal would be to add trails to stream buffers within the planning
boundary as they are obtained. An area of particular importance to the
trails plan was ensuring adequate linkages across Interstate 35 to help
connect both sides of Ankenys planning boundary as it develops.

ANKENY PARK ACRE DEMAND ESTIMATES PARKS & RECREATION GOALS

Low Growth Medium Growth High Growth
Update the 2007 Ankeny Parks and Facilities Comprehensive Plan
Current 2040 Recommended 2040 Recommended 2040 Recommended
Park Type
Acres Acres Acres Acres Expand community and regional park facilities
Mini Parks 22.1 27 to 54 29.5 to 59 32.5 to 65
Add missing segments to existing trail system
Neighborhood Parks 160.6 135 to 216 147.5 to 236 162.5 to 260

Community Parks 126.2 594 to 864 649 to 944 715 to 1,040

Expand the trail system into the growth area

Public Golf Course 196.7 486 531 585 Add trails to stream buffers
Special Use Parks 199.7 380* 415* 457*
Evaluate options to partner with School District on shared facilities
Greenways 240.8 446* 487* 537*
Integrate high-quality wetlands into park spaces or open spaces in
Total 945.0 1,134 1,239 1,365
developments
 ENVIRONMENT
CHAPTER 4 of the Ankeny Plan 2040 is about the Environment and Ankeny. The different environmental aspects
considered in the chapter are described below:

EXISTING CONDITIONS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

The most environmentally sensitive land present in the Ankeny Plan 2040
planning boundary are the areas around the stream channels. These are the FLOODPLAIN + FLOODWAY
The oodway, 100-year, and 500-year oodplain were identied using
areas with oodplain, signicant tree stands, a prime receiver of water pollution, FEMA ood hazard area datasets. Overall, Ankeny does not have a large
and areas with the steepest slopes in the planning boundary. amount of oodway or oodplain. Mainly, oodway and oodplain occur
alongside major streams such as Four Mile Creek, Rock Creek, and
Saylor Creek.
FLOODPLAIN + FLOODWAYS STREAMS BY USGS TYPE
WETLANDS
RM

FO
ILE

UR
CR

MI
EE

LE
K

CR
EE
K
Wetlands play a vital role in many environmental processes including
water absorption and purication and is an important habitat for
wildlife. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have an inventory of the
currently identied wetlands in the U.S. This list is non-exhaustive and
NW 36t
NW 6thh St
S re
r et
et NW 36th Street
other wetlands in an area would need to be identied through wetland
NW State Street
eett

CREEK
t Sttrree

CREEK
delineation. However, the location of identied wetlands in the National
OTTER

OTTER
t te
W Sta

Wetland Inventory (NWI) were mapped and assessed.

NW

NW 18t
NW 88thh St
Stre
S reet
ree
re et NW 18th Street
N

EK EK
RE CRE
E RC ER
DE DE

STREAM + STREAM BUFFERS

W 1sst S
Sttreet
reett
re W 1st Street
FOURMILE CREEK
FOURMILE CREEK

Ankeny Boulevard
o le
ny Bou vaardd
levvvard

Using the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) the location of various

keny
A kke
An ny

RO
CKC
REE
K

SW
S W Ora
rala
alaab
abbo
borr Ro
R add
Road
RO
CKC
REE
K

SW Oralabor Road
stream types in Ankeny were mapped and assessed according to stream
type and category. Stream types are mapped to the left.

Major Stream Types in Ankeny:

Legend
Type 1 - Perennial Streams
EK

Legend
E
SAAYLOR CREEK

CR
SAYLOR CREEK

CK
EK

NO

Ankeny City Limits

E
CR

Ankeny City Limits

IKI
CK

CH

Streams containing water throughout the year, except for infrequent

NO

MU
IKI

Planning Boundary
CH
MU

Planning Boundary
Stream Order
Flood500-YEAR
Zone
00-YEAR
0-Y
-YE
YEAAR
Category
R FLOODPLAIN
FLO
FFLLO
O
OOODPLAIN
OD
DPL
PLA
LA
A Type 1 - Perennial Stream periods of severe drought
100-Year Floodplain Type 2 - Intermittent Steam
500-Year Floodplain
Canal / Ditch
FOURMILE CREEK

AVER CREEK
FOURMILE CREEK

Floodway Connector
DES
MO
Stream Type 2 : Intermittent Streams
INES
Data Source: FEMA Data Source: USGSRIVER Streams containing water for only part of the year, but more than just
after rainstorms and snowmelt

PERCENT SLOPE TREE COVER

WATERSHEDS
Watersheds are land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common
outlet. There are six levels of watershed in the U.S. ranging from the
largest, regions, to the smallest, subwatersheds. The U.S. is divided into
21 regions, but has approximately 160,000 subwatersheds.

NW 36th Street Watersheds signicantly contribute to the water quality and health of
NW State Street

the streams in the immediate area and further downstream as well as

NE 18th Street
the pollutants entering a stream in Ankeny may enter a drainage system
and end up in the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico.
E 1st Street
A large part of Ankenys planning boundary is part of the Four Mile
Creek watershed and Ankeny is a member of the Fourmile Creek
Ankeny Boulevard

Watershed Management Authority (FCWMA), the organization dedicated

to improving the health of the Four Mile Creek Watershed.
SE Oralabor Road

PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND

Legend
Ankeny City Limits Iowa is a heavily agricultural state and so Ankeny is surrounded by a
Planning Boundary signicant amount of prime agricultural land. To analyze the areas of
Percent Slope
0-2% signicance, the corn suitability rating was mapped and assessed.
3-5% Legend
5-10% Ankeny City Limits
11-17% Planning Boundary
18% +
Data Source: Iowa DNR
Tree Cover
Data Source: Iowa DNR
STEEP SLOPE
Steep slopes are environmental features vulnerable to development
and erosion. If slopes begin to erode around a stream channel, the soil
PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND NWI WETLANDS can increase the amount of dissolved solids in the stream, negatively
impacting water quality.

Generally, Ankeny has a at topography of between 0-5% slope. The

Average Average
Average
CSR : 78.5 CSR : 79.1 CSR : 83.1 areas with higher percent slope in Ankeny are predominantly found
along the stream channel. This further highlights the need to protect
the stream channels present in Ankenys planning boundary.
NW 36tth St
NW S re
r ett
Average
e t
W Sttaatee Sttree
trree

CSR :81.0

TREE COVER
NW

NW
NW 188ttthh St
Stre
treet
reet
re et
N

The location of tree cover within the planning boundary was identied
W 1s
1st S
Sttreeett
using a land cover dataset created by the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources. Most of the signicant tree stands in the planning boundary
o leevvaardd
nyy Bou

exist around the stream channels of the larger streams in the area
keny
A kke

including Four Mile Creek.

An

Average SW Oraaalabor
SW labboor Rooadd
la

CSR : 80.2

Legend
STORMWATER RUNOFF
Ankeny City Limits
Planning Boundary Legend
Stormwater runoff is a serious environmental concern in Ankeny as
Sub-Area Ankeny City Limits well as Iowa as a whole. Stream health across the U.S. is poor and
Corn Suitability Rating (CSR)
45-62
Planning Boundary
NWI Identied Wetland
stormwater runoff from both urban and rural areas is a large source of the
68-85 Designated Wetland Setback pollution. A series of green infrastructure best practices for stormwater
86-94
Data Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
management were provided to complement the grey infrastructure
Data Source: Iowa Department of Natural Resources *Additional wetlands may be present - not all inclusive storm sewers discussed in Chapter 8: Infrastructure.
 ENVIRONMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
STREAM BUFFER ORDINANCE
All Type 1 - Perennial and Type 2 - Intermittent streams
would require a stream buffer as shown in the diagram
to the right if an ordinance was passed by the City.

Type 1 - Perennial Streams : 100 foot buffer

Type 2 - Intermittent Streams : 50 foot buffer

Optional: Extend buffer based on floodplain, percent

slope, or wetlands near to or overlapping the stream
bank
PROPOSED STREAM BUFFER DIAGRAM

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
The use of green infrastructure should be encouraged and considered as alternatives to
traditional grey infrastructure both for their environmental benefits and long-term cost
saving potential.

Green infrastructure is defined by the U.S. EPA as a cost-effective, resilient approach to

managing wet weather impacts that provide many community benefits. Green infrastructure
is designed to reduce and treat stormwater at its source while delivering environmental,
social, and economic benefits. Green infrastructure works by mimicking the natural
environments methods of dealing with stormwater or snow melt rather than conveying water
BIOSWALE DOWNSPOUT DISCONNECTION off-site to be treated and/or released elsewhere. Green infrastructure practices discussed
in Chapter 4: Environment include:
Downspout Disconnection Green Parking
Rainwater Harvesting Green Roofs
Rain Gardens Tree Canopy
Planter Boxes Detention Basins
Bioswales Natural Resource Conservation
Permeable Pavement Structural Tree Trenches
Planter Boxes Conservation Design
Green Streets + Alleys

RAINWATER HARVESTING DETENTION BASIN Several methods are already utilized by the City of Ankeny.

PRESERVE TREES + OPEN SPACE WETLAND PRESERVATION

The Ankeny Plan 2040 proposes that In addition to preserving and
significant tree stands be preserved as protecting any designated and
the community grows. Environmentally high-quality wetlands, the area
sensitive land such as the floodplain have around the Paul Errington Marsh
been designated as open space on the WMA wetland preserve east of
future land use plan. Analysis revealed Ankeny was categorized as open
that most areas with trees, higher slopes, space to protect and preserve the
and floodplains were around streams in environmental, economic, and
Ankenys planning area. For this reason, recreational benefits it provides to
areas with streams are mostly protected residents of Ankeny and beyond.
from development within the plan.

GREENBELT MAP
Overall, stream health was determined to be one of the most pressing environmental concerns facing Ankeny. To combat further stream degradation
as Ankeny grows, a stream buffer corridor, or greenbelt, was identified. The greenbelt map will be used to guide the implementation of stream buffer
purchases in Ankeny and used to identify proposed trail expansions for the Parks & Recreation Department.