Agenda - Council - 05/22/2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Ramsey Active Community Planning Proposal Deadline: June 1, 2007 Section II: The Need Despite progressive steps to promote healthy lifestyles, there remains a great need within the City of Ramsey and Anoka County to produce a higher level of physical activity among our residents. The top community health issue and priority listed by Anoka County's Community Health and Environmental Services Department is "children and adults at risk of a variety of health issues because of being overweight and/or obese." According to the Anoka County, 35% of county adults are overweight, 81% of which are considered obese. Obesity is attributed to a variety of factors, with lack of physical activity as one of the primary causes. The health problems directly linked to overweight and obesity (Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension, for example) are costing the health care system in Minnesota an estimated $1.3 billion annually. Though the City of . Ramsey has recently dedicated much of its planning efforts to fostering active living, (as described elsewhere), there are areas of significant opportunity within the City's ordinances and comprehensive plan to produce favorable results to reduce obesity. An area of significant opportunity for Ramsey to emphasize recreation and transportation is the Mississippi River corridor. The Mississippi River is one of Ramsey's largest and most underutilized assets. Bordering the entire south side of the City, the river snakes through vacant land, residents' yards, and the Mississippi West Regional Park. The City of Ramsey has recently partnered with Anoka County Parks to determine the route for a new regional trail through Ramsey and Anoka. With the future development of a regional trail, Ramsey needs to examine the adjacent land uses, possible trail and other transportation connections, and identify strategies for linking this regional trail to the Three River Parks District system, most notably Elm Creek Park Reserve. In addition to focusing planning activities on the Mississippi River and Highway crossings, specific focus on connections is needed within the Comprehensive Plan. While substantial work has been conducted on Ramsey Town Center and future transit facility planning, their connections with other neighborhoods and the regional system of trails and parks needs a clearer emphasis within the park and trail, land use, and transportation portion of the Comprehensive Plan. Also, the Transit section makes little mention of the networks of trails and sidewalks as a form of transportation, and lists few policies or strategies for encouraging walkable communities. The park. -212- Page 5 of 16