Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 08/08/1996

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PLANNING ISSUES MISSISSIPPI WEST REGIONAL PARK FARMFIELD CONVERSION -' RECOMMENDATIONS There is an immediate need to start healing the park back to an oak-savanna landscape. Native trees planted and cared for now will provide future park and trail users with an essential element in park use - protection from ~the elements. Park patrons seek out parks that offer protection from the sun and wind. The fields plan~ed for wildlife food are an honorable endeavor. However, the proposed park and trail system will bene~t more in the long term from re-establishing native stands of trees and grasslands. The Anoka Cqunty Department of Parks and Recreation is currently making commitments to re- establish native lands~pe communities such as the oak-savanna landscape back into its regional parks. FRONTAGE RO:AD The City ofR~ sey wants to connect the commercial / residential lands to the east of the proposed park with the commer~:ial land to the west with a frontage road along Highway 10. Mr. Steven Jankowski, city engineer, indicate4 in a letter June 17, 1996, that a minimum right-of-way of forty-two feet might be needed provided thereiis no parking and berming be done on park property. RECOMMENDATIONS The City ofRa~ ey, Anoka County Park and Recreation Department, and the State of Minnesota Department of Transp6~rtation should work together to provide a fi-ontage road across the proposed Mississippi West RegiOnal Park. The frontage road's impact upon the park is minimized by reducing lane and parking requiremeh~ ts. The addition of earth berms to lessen the visual and noise impact upon the park is a good design tool. The frontage r0~ad provides little if any benefit to the park. Land use planning requires properties benefiting from public '.improvements to share in the cost of such improvements. Discussions need to determine benefits and ~:osts to all parties. The Anoka Co4nty Department of Parks and Recreation needs to review the fi'ontage road design to ensure meaningful in~provements to lessen the impact of the fi-ontage road upon future park users. BRIDGE CROSS12qG A bridge crossiqg corridor is indicated on the mapping of the proposed Mississippi West Regional Park. As of 1996, ther~ is no definitive plans for the bridge. MNDOT estimates for construction of a bridge at least 5 - 10 ye~s from 1996. There are other bridge corridors identified by MNDOT. RECOMMENDATIONS The master plan ~Or the park indicates archery, mountain bike course, family picnic, and regional trail in the immediate viginity of the bridge crossing. All only require low levels of capital improvements. Only family picnicking tray requke relocation upon construction of the bridge. Even with the pending bridge crossing, the proposed park improvements are compatible with the bridge. All the above proposed park improvements are good first phase improvements. 15