Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 06/13/2002

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Mr. Boos presented the City's twelve million dollar Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources [LCMR] proposal. He showed a map which conveyed a 108-mile trail loop. He stated the LCMR was not there to put the trail in, it was for land acquisition. Mr. Boos stated the trail loop was trails that were in place or future trails to be funded. He stated the Ramsey trail system was the largest underdeveloped natural resource in the area. Councilmember Zimmerman asked if the trails were on roadways. Mr. Boos stated a lot of these were on road rights-of-way. Chairperson Cook stated 80 percent of the trails were actually on corridors that were 200 feet wide. Councilmember Anderson stated she had one concern regarding a trail through Trott Brook. She stated Trott Brook was a more fragile, unique area and without having to sacrifice the Trott Brook link, was there a way they could preserve the delicacy of Trott Brook and still fit it into the trail system. Mr. Boos stated they would determine what happened to the trails. Councilmember Anderson thought it should be wood chips instead of an asphalt trail. She stated an asphalt trail would cause corrosion to the land. Mr. Korby stated the City would be the ones to make the decision on the type of trails to be made. Mr. Boos stated public input was critical to what they do. He stated the Park Commission wanted to have neighborhood meetings to comment on the Master Trail regarding the process and major trail plan. He stated they wanted the residents to help them decide what needed to be avoided and what needed to be done. Mr. Jones stated the LCMR grants not look at only one community; they look at the State as a whole. Mr. Jones went over the Master Trail Plan agenda with the Commission and Council. He stated the main scope was community participation. He stated they would listen to the public and find out what they wanted. He stated the City of Ramsey had an excellent comprehensive trail plan and from community input they would discuss trail locations in user groups. Mr. Jones stated the had achieved a LCMR Grant proposal interview for Trott Brook Corridor and have written letters to community and State representatives for support of the trails. Mr. Jones stated the goals were for public support for Trail authorization and to get the community excited. He stated they would need to educate the community and public officials and to use this process as the catalyst for designing, funding and implementing a trail network that exceeded expectations. Back to the Master Trail Plan - Mr. Jones stated they would like to start setting up neighborhood meetings for the second week in July. He stated they would be every two weeks and everyone was invited in the community. They would break the community down by zones and explain the process and focus in on the certain zone. He stated after the meeting, LHB would take the notes Park and Recreation Commission/June 13, 2002 Page 2 of 9