Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 10/09/2014

Home

As described in Chapter 3, the 2040 Regional Parks System Plan Map includes over 700 miles of planned regional trails and regional trail search corridors throughout the region. Regional trails are one component of a more comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian network, which serves recreation and transportation purposes. To that end, future regional trail proposals need to be evaluated within a comprehensive, region -wide framework, most notably within the context of the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network. This framework will ensure that regional facilities are not duplicated. The Council will work with all of the regional park implementing agencies to better integrate the regional trail network across jurisdictions and to assess the role of proposed regional trails with respect to the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network. Additionally, efforts will include a comprehensive evaluation of funding for the regional trail system. Siting and Acquisition - Strategy 4: Special recreation features must enhance services and facilities already offered, not compete with or duplicate them. Special recreation features proposed for inclusion in the Regional Parks System must: • Be unique and complement or enhance the services already offered by the regional system • Be capable of functioning within the existing management structure of the Regional Parks System • Not duplicate or compete with recreation facilities adequately provided by the public or private sector • Not drain funds from other facilities in the system either because they have an existing or committed financial base or because a prior agreement for a public subsidy has been reached that is in the public's interest • Demonstrate the existence or potential for drawing a sizable number of people from throughout the metropolitan area • Be tied to natural resources • Be approved by the Council through the master plan process Regional Parks System legislation indicates that the system should contain parks, park reserves and trails, and zoos, conservatories, and "other special -use facilities" (Minn. Stat, 473.121, subd. 14). The term "other special -use facilities" is not defined in legislation. This policy plan refers to them as a special recreation feature, which is defined to be a facility that preserves, maintains, and provides specialized or single - purpose recreational activities, such as: Nature center Marina Zoo Downhill ski area Conservatory Arboretum Display gardens Hunter training education facilities Sites of historic or archeological significance Bridging facilities* *Bridging facilities are viewed as facilities that are intended to assist with the introduction into a specialized or single - purpose recreational activity in an effort to enhance participation in outdoor recreation.