Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/10/2008

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Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Johns, Commissioners LaMere, Shryock, Barr, Erickson, and Hansen. Voting No: None. Absent: Backous. COMMISSION BUSINESS Case #1: Comprehensive Plan Goals Civil Engineer II Linton explained the City is required to update the Comprehensive plan every lO years. A series of meetings were held in 2007 to gather community input in advance of drafting the revised plan. A summary of the compiled comments from these meetings is attached. The City obtained a grant to hire a facilitator to assist with the first meetings in the series. The topics were posted in advance of the meetings and discussions were limited to the topic of the night. Each meeting had several break out groups to focus on specific subj ects under the general heading. Notes were taken in each session and a summary was shared with the entire group at the end of the evening. Copies of the notes were collected and compiled by staff. Interim Community Development Director Geisler reviewed the proposed Comprehensive Plan Goals with the Commission. Chairperson Johns thought this closely mirrored some of the thoughts they have set forward such as the connectivity with the rail station and connect sidewalk with sidewalk. She stated she liked that the Community Center was included. Commissioner Shryock stated under the Park and Recreation section, a lot goes along with what they have been working on. She noted under the policy section in the Park and Recreation portion, halfway down, "encourage enhancement of regional parks and trails and interconnection with the local system" is something they have a concept of but have not gotten a lot done in that area and was something she wanted to note as a Commission that they keep that in mind as they look at future parks in the northern portion of Ramsey and where their trail systems are going as they head north with them. Commissioner Shryock stated on page lO, under strategies, she had a few questions about some things that were listed based on her experience with multi-modal transportation. She stated she had some concerns with some of the areas listed. She asked for explanations because she did not know why there were listed. She indicated the third item down, "minimize at-grade crossings of trails and roads and other interactions between trail users and automobiles". She thought it seemed that it would be safer at-grade and she wondered if they were trying to get more bridges or underpasses. Interim Assistant Community Development Director Geisler stated that was where that was coming from, to limit direct pedestrian, bike conflict with cars. Park and Recreation Commission/January 10, 2008 Page 2 of9