Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 11/09/1989 - Joint with CC

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REVIEW TRAILS DEDICATION AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES By: Merland Otto CASE Background: For the last three years, a particular emphasis has been placed on development of a trail system in the City. The underlying reason for this is threefold. Development of a trail system was a major recreational need expressed by Ramsey residents in a March, 1987 survey. It is unlikely that adequate parks and playfields can be developed at a level to meet the demands of each neighborhood. Thus, development of the trail system emphasizes linking neighborhoods to developed and developable parks through off road trails. The trails are, in effect, linear parks which provide recreational opportunities, resource protection, and provide adequate buffer between park users and residents by preserving sufficient corridor widths. Each of the last several years, the Parks Conumission has requested funds for trail acquisition and development with their budget request. Due to financial constraints, funding has not been realized. The City is now at a juncture where significant segments of trail can be linked by acquisition of minor easements to make connections. Two examples are attached. In addition, the Parks Commission requested that staff be directed to review a situation where a trail easement had earlier been assured through a parcel, but which easement may not have been finalized. With the recent onslaught of plats, numerous additional trail segments have been brought into the system. However, trail alignments can tend to duplicate other trails or create longer connections than necessary if the City does not intend to acquire land for trails. A recent example (Trott Brook Ponds) is attached where an alternative connection was made due to a perception that there was a low probability that the Council would approve acquisition of the proposed alignment.