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generally limited to litter pickup and basic park stewardship activities; trash pickup is the most <br />common program type (Attachment A). <br />Staff also identified five additional cities that have expanded beyond traditional park adoption <br />models to include broader "Adopt -a -Spot" programs. These programs allow residents to adopt a <br />wider range of public assets, such as fire hydrants, storm drains, streets, and rain gardens, in <br />addition to parks (Attachment B). These expanded programs are typically supported by more <br />formal infrastructure, and nearly all include a dedicated staff position focused on volunteer <br />coordination (e.g., Volunteer Manager or similar title) responsible for overseeing citywide <br />volunteer efforts. <br />In developing the draft Adopt -a -Park program for Arden Hills, staff aimed to align with best <br />practices used by peer cities while also creating a program that reflects the existing park <br />stewardship efforts in the community. Staff also sought to clearly define the roles and <br />responsibilities of both adopters and the City as partners in the program. <br />With these goals in mind, staff developed a draft informational packet tailored to the specific <br />needs of Arden Hills' Adopt -a -Park program. This draft was shared with the Parks, Trails, and <br />Recreation Committee in January 2026 and April 2026, and staff have incorporated their <br />feedback and recommendations into the attached version (Attachment Q. <br />The most robust "Adopt -a" programs are supported by comprehensive, user-friendly online <br />platforms, including an interactive GIS map showing available adoption sites, a comprehensive <br />webpage outlining expectations and responsibilities, and an integrated online registration system. <br />Together, these tools streamline sign-up, improve transparency, and reduce ongoing staff <br />coordination. <br />The attached packet is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as <br />the primary public -facing resource. Instead, it will serve as the foundation for development of the <br />Adopt -a -Park / Adopt -a -Spot webpage, which will function as the central hub for the program. <br />The packet will remain available as a backup option in the rare case that a participant prefers to <br />complete a paper application. <br />Budget Impact <br />n/a <br />Attachments <br />Attachment A - Twin Cities Adopt -a -Park Programs (Litter focused) <br />Attachment B - Twin Cities Adopt -a -Spot Programs (Trails, Gardens, Hydrants, Storm Drains, <br />etc.) <br />Attachment C - Arden Hills Adopt -a -Park / Adopt -a -Spot Program Informational Packet Draft <br />Attachment D - Select Twin Cities Adopt -a -Spot website homepages <br />Page 2 of 2 <br />