10-25-05 PTRC - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

RAMSEY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2005 RAMSEY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT 2015 NORTH VAN DYKE STREET MAPLEWOOD, MN 55109 Main Floor Conference Room The regular meeting of the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Straumann at 6:00 p.m., at the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department, 2015 North Van Dyke Street, Maplewood, Minnesota. Members Present: Deb Falkowski, Michele Hanson, Jonathon Kusa, Richard Straumann Members Absent: Terry Huntrods, Phil Jenni, Gale Pederson, JoAnne Van Guilder and Elyssa Weber Staff Present: Greg Mack, Larry Holmberg and Jody Yungers APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Straumann asked for a motion to approve the agenda. Ms. Falkowski moved, seconded by Mr. Kusa, that the agenda be approved. Motion carried. 06PROVAL OF MINUTES Chair Straumann asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the June 14, 2005 meeting. Ms. Falkowski moved, seconded by Mr. Kusa, that the minutes of the June 14, 2005 meeting be approved as mailed. Motion carried. LAND EXCHANGE PROPOSAL WITH HILL-MURRAY HIGH SCHOOL Mr. Mack briefed the Commission on a proposal by Hill-Murray High School to expand their campus utilizing property owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN/DOT) located northwest of their current school location. They propose to construct additional athletic fields in this area. The expansion plans call for trail connections between proposed athletic fields on the MN/DOT property and a new road that provides access to the campus expansion area and the existing campus from Century and Larpenteur avenues. The school has proposed exchanging approximately 4 acres of land with Ramsey County in order to accommodate trail connections. The property owned by Hill-Murray proposed in the exchange is generally wetland abutting Sterling Avenue. This wetland connects to the larger wetland complex owned by Ramsey County located north of their existing campus. The county-owned land is an oak woods with significant topographic change. The school's proposal would be to preserve the oak woods and provide trail connections through it to the expanded athletic field complex. The Ramsey County Home Rule Charter addresses conversion of parkland. Under the provisions of the Home Rule Charter and the county policy, the exchange would have to result in no net loss of parkland. The property that Ramsey County would receive in the exchange would have to be of equal size and value to the park property. Although the two parcels proposed in the exchange are of comparable size, the value of the ittland owned by Hill-Murrray is likely to be less than the property owned by Ramsey County. Restrictions the use of the land proposed for transfer to Hill-Murray could equalize the exchange value. The Commission indicated support for the concept of the land exchange. Members expressed concern about trail locations bisecting the property and suggested that the trails remain on the edge of the property. 1