Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/08/2018

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Inline skating seems to be more popular on looped park trails than on long-distance regional trails. However, skaters will go out and back on linear trails at a distance that meets their physical conditioning. Inline skating can be added as a primary use on a regional trail if the trail treadway is or could reasonably be made sufficiently wide, smooth and flat to safely accommodate skaters, pedestrians and bicyclists. • Mountain biking. Challenging, hilly terrain is attractive to mountain bicyclists, but the trail treadway must be designed to minimize soil erosion. In some cases, mountain biking on turf trails may be permitted only during dry times of the year if the underlying soil and slopes are not able to withstand mountain bike use when it is seasonally wet. Mixing mountain biking and pedestrian users on the same trail treadway should be carefully evaluated during the trail design process. Trail user rules may be needed to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for both kinds of users. Mountain bike trail terrain is best provided in closed loop trails within regional parks or park reserves rather than in cross-country trails between parks. Regional park implementing agencies are encouraged to consider sustainable design standards, such as those provided by the International Mountain Biking Association, during the trail design process. • Night trail use. Opening trails at night allows those who work during the weekdays to use them more frequently. Walking and cross-country skiing at night increases trail uses during the off- peak spring, fall and winter seasons. Trail lighting projects are encouraged where appropriate, especially on trails with high demand. When considering lighted trails, however, it's important to assess the Iighting's impact on nocturnal wildlife as well as adjacent land uses. Mixing motorized and non -motorized trail uses, such as snowmobiling and hiking, requires appropriate trail design and possibly speed controls and signage to safely accommodate both uses. Regional park implementing agencies are encouraged to engage the public to develop solutions to any multi -use trail conflicts. To accommodate trail users of all abilities, trail uses such as motorized wheelchairs or three -wheel bicycles should be reasonably accommodated to serve persons with mobility impairments wherever possible. There has been a demand for organized amateur athletic facilities that serve several municipalities or organized league play within a municipality. Municipal recreation departments and/or school districts provide these athletic field complexes. The Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC) is responsible for elevating the social and economic benefits of sports to enrich the lives of all Minnesotans. Grants for such facilities go through the MASC, not the Council. Such athletic field complexes do not require a high -quality natural -resource land base; they are easier to develop on formerly disturbed lands. As such, athletic field complexes are inappropriate for development on Regional Parks System lands. However, informal ball fields that can be used for a variety of pickup games are encouraged. The concept of an informal ball field encourages recreational use in this manner, but is not intended for programmed or league sports, since those services are offered in other recreational settings. When new recreational activities become popular, regional park implementing agencies need to see if it is appropriate to accommodate them on Regional Parks System lands. For example, in the last 10 years, adventure racing, kayaking, standup paddle boarding, triathlons, and windsailing have become