Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 06/09/2005 - Joint with CC

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Acquiring Land for Trails /--~ /(:asements is through :<,~.0d-~si,m process and Park l_)cdi.~tion. The ~portance of the 5~or Trail Plan really comes into play when the City is able to reference thc plan and idend~ xvhere d~cv wuuld like to see developers ](~ca~e easements and dedicate open spa. cc, all in n dmely manner. This als<> :fids landowners and developers i~t understanding what may be re?fired og them in advance of the ] ,il-:c R.O.\XS~ usc, the platting process i:; not an emi all for acquiring the nece'.ssar¥ corridors for a good trail sw;tcm. Park dedication is limited due t~ the occurrence of land development. In Ramsey, a bulk of dw land development may be driven by I.}~e cxl:ension of sexver and water utilities (assuming demand). If Ramscy is to expand its trail system, especially into more rural clcvelopmeut areas, there are several ways to oblam land. Methods to Obtain Land Outright Purchase: The City can purchase land from private land owners. The challenge to this approach is finding landowners that are willing to sell land for the purpose of something besides development. If a land oxvner waits for utilities to be extended, the expectation may be to inflate land prices to be commensurate xvith what one might earn in a land development transaction. If this occurs, the benefit to the above approach is that the City would have full rights over the land and additional greenspace along the trail corridor. Right of Way Purchase: Much like the extension of a roadway, the City may purchase a corridor with a specified width, owning the land and rights within that corridor. For a Iff trail, it is advisable to acquire a 35' R.O.k'9~ minimum in an urban area and a 75' R.O.W. minimum in rural areas. More R.O.W. or limited construction easements may be needed depending upon the grading required, especially in hilly terrain. Easement Acquisition: This is defined as acquiring a specified "right" of access from a lando~vner. The landowner may still o~vn the land beneath the trail, but the City would purchase the right of ingress and egress for the purposes of trail construction within a specified and legally described alignment. The City and landowner would need to determine which party is responsible for maintaining the land. Liability issues must also be addressed as part of any agreement. Eminent Domain: This should be used as a last resort to acquire land if certain conditions persist. When a city uses Eminent Domain, the city must justify the project's benefit to public health, safety and welfare. Using Eminent Domain to justify how a trail extension benefits public health, safety and welfare may be different then that of a road that carries fire trucks or a sewer line that provides sanitation.