10-21-25 - PTRC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 2 priorities in 2026 include invasive species, educational plan, complete Park Master Plan, project prioritization and identify Park Plan funding opportunities. Staff is looking to assess technology needs and to determine if Staffing needs are being met. We’re always exploring alternative funding sources. Council Liaison Rousseau said Council will be reviewing some policies. We are going through a complete zoning overhaul. A PTRC initiative may include a city-owned land discussion. PTRC may also be tasked with helping implement the encroachment policy. Council Liaison Rousseau said EDC will host a business event where she will share Adopt-A- Park with the businesses attending. Council Liaison Rousseau said City Council set a preliminary budget for 2026. It is 18.32%. She understands that is painful. The amount can not go any higher than that, but may be reduced. This is an increase of approximately $255 a year, per household. Council is hoping to get it down to 16%, would still be $236 per household. Half of that budget covers Public Safety. The Tree Trust is included, at this time. There is $9,000 in the budget for next year for Great River Greening. There is also a hold of $10,000 to build up additional funds to start implementing the Park Master Plan work. Council Liaison Rousseau said she met with John Mazzitello from Ramsey County. He proposed and Council agreed to move the Highway 10 trail project to 2027. There is a cost participation policy where the County pays a portion of the project. The policy is being revised so the County would pay a bigger portion so the City will have less burden. She asked him where the funds come from. He stated the County put money aside for a river view project. That is not happening now. The money will be distributed so the County will pay more on the trail projects via that cost participation policy. She understands this delay may be disappointing but it could save the City a lot of money on our portion of those project expenses. Council Liaison Rousseau said the County has agreed to fully fund the Rice Creek Commons spine road, as well as the City sewer costs. They are hoping the mass grading will begin in 2026 and the spine road will be built in 2027. Committee Member Johnson said there is information on what that road will look like, including sidewalks and median. She asked how final that is and if there is room for change. Council Liaison Rousseau said there was an open house a couple years ago. At that time Mr. Mazzitello said design was 60% complete. She could ask and see if the plans are final. She spoke to Rich Straumann and it isn’t what he was expecting it to be. Committee Member Johnson said time could be limited on whether or not PTRC gets to give any input. Committee Member Jacobson said her sub-group had some issues with the width of the distance between the road and the trail. They thought it was a lot of empty space. Committee Member Nazir Ahmed thought they may have left space for a future expansion. Committee Member Jacobson asked if construction of the spine road would include the trail.