Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/11/2016

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A slide showing the temporary pedestrian safety improvements at a cost of$250,000 to $475,000 as part of the Anoka County Highway 10 Planning Study. Mr. Riverblood is proposing everything will be connected together. The conversion of Regional Park System lands will only be approved by Metropolitan Council for conversion to other uses provided that either "Equally Valuable Land" in the same Regional Park is added in exchange for the land lost for park; or an "Equally Valuable Facility" is received "as an exchange of land for facilities when recreational benefits...are increased as a result of the exchange. " This last example is what is being proposed to account for the conversion of parkland to ROW for Riverdale Drive, with advancing the construction of the Mississippi Skyway (by virtue of the Cost share Agreement) as the Equally Valuable Facility. Notification: No public notification is required, relative to the Park and Recreation meeting. Following a recommendation from the Commission, City Council will be presented with the strategy of pursuing the acquisition of ROW for Riverdale Drive's construction, by developing a Cost Share Agreement for funding the Mississippi Skyway. With Council concurrence, other jurisdictions will be notified on the request to share the cost of the regional facility this case discusses. Observations/Alternatives: Observations: For any conversion of park land to another use, Metropolitan Council would require a Master Plan Amendment, submitted by the implementing agency, in this case, Anoka County parks for Mississippi West Regional Park. A Master Plan Amendment is also required for any significant changes to the existing Master Plan. In addition to the development of a Cost Share Agreement, another aspect of the park plan amendment would be to move up the phasing of the pedestrian facility from the Fifth Phase to the Second or Third Phase of park development. Alternatives: An alternative to seeking approval for considering the completion of the pedestrian bridge as an Equally Valuable Facility for the conversion of park land to ROW for Riverdale Drive, would be a cash purchase of the ROW. Pending the land appraisal that is expected to be ordered, this amount for the+/- 5 acres of ROW is estimated to be between $200,000 and $300,000. No funding is required as part of this case. Recommendation: As the proposed Riverdale Drive frontage road, and the proposed pedestrian facility's connection of transit to the park both add considerable value to the regional park, together with measurable safety improvements — staff recommends pursuing the Master Plan Amendment to realize additional benefits (developing the Cost Share Agreement for the Mississippi Skyway), in contrast to issuing a cash payment to Metropolitan Council. Chair Bennett thanked Mr. Riverblood for his presentation and stated he believes staff's recommendation is a good move. Park and Recreation Commission/February 11, 2016 Page 3 of 4