06-22-1993 PTRC Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

a # 2 • Universitree plants first "Thiscould be themostprofound initiative at reclaiming urban green space ever attempted;'said Universitree chair,Judy Quick.in describing the planned re- tree. Be there! greening of University Avenue in St.Paul. Just like trees,Universitree will start small and grow. They plan to install their first planting at a public ceremony on Wednesday,May 26 at 12:15 at University and Hamlin(near Target). This year they plan to plant three blocks of trees and have applied for funds for six or seven additional blocks. Plans for the Avenue are nothing if not optimistic. Concrete medians will be removed and replaced with trees and grass. Those living and working along University are far more accustomed to endless lines of semi-trailers then to birds and flowers,but the re-greening could change all that. "We need more people to help,"said Quick. Universitree meets the second Tuesday of every month. Call 290-9853 for meeting location. It's deja vu all over A park with lots of open space. Just the place to put: again a. luxury apartments b. police station c. fire station d. parking ramp e. high school Funny? Park lovers tend to think,just the place to put: 1. walking trail • 2. nature center 3. picnic area 4. bird observations blinds. In recent years developers hunting for just the right spot have eyed park lands. A parking ramp,a police and a fire station are now located on park land. A proposal to build luxury apartments in Crosby Farm was not only rejected,it inspired the formation of the Friends of the Parks. The most recent threat, building the new North St.Paul High School in Goodrich Golf course and turning Battle Creek park into a Golf Course,was also rejected. But the battle pointed out the need for formal protections for parklands. County considers charter Ramsey County park lands had a heavy layer of bureaucratic protection until change recently. All that changed when Ramsey County was granted a Home Rule Charter by the Legislature. A Charter Commission,appointed by the Legisla- ture, spent months developing a new charter. Glaringly, the new document contained little protection for park lands. The Friends were unsuccessful in efforts to persuade the Commission to write in additional protection. Following voter approval of the 1990 Charter,the only barrier between potential developers and Ramsey County's parks was a public notification/hearing/resolution pro- cess and the good will of the County Commissioners. The zeal of the North St.Paul School District pointed out the vulnerability of the parks. Just as the Crosby Park apartment debacle ultimately led to increased protection in St.Paul,the school episode could lead to Charter protection for County parks. After unanimously rejecting the School proposal, the County Commissioners established ano-net loss policy for parklands,a policy which the Friends are now asking be added to the Charter. Park Notes is published quarterly by the Friends of St. Paul and Ramsey County Parks. Editors are Peggy Lynch and Jeanne Weigum. For additional information call(612)698-4543.