HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-25-05 PTRC ,---A EN HILLS
PARKS, TRAILS, & RECREATION COMMITTEE/
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2005
**7:00 P.M. MEETING**
ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL
1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96
AGENDA
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
2. Approve September 28, 2005 Minutes
3. Council Update — Gregg Larson
4. Recreation Update —Michelle Olson
5. Parks and Trails Update — Tom Moore
6. PTRC Vision Statement II —Roger Williams
7. Benefits of a Sidewalk/Trail System— Cindy Wheeler
8. Next Meeting Agenda
9. Adjourn
Attachments:
September 28, 2005 Meeting Minutes
Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda and Minutes
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A quorum of the City Council may be present at this meeting.
RAMSEY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
AGENDA
October 11, 2005, 6;00 p.m.
RAMSEY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
2015 NORTH VAN DYKE STREET
MAPLEWOOD, MN 55109
MAIN FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM
1) CALL TO ORDER
2) APPROVAL OF AGENDA
3) APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 13, 2005
04) REVIEW OF PROPOSED 2006-2007 OPERATING BUDGETS
5) SYSTEM PLAN (COMMISSION MEMBERS.PLEASE BRING YOUR COPY OF THE
SYSTEM PLAN FOR DISCUSSION)
• IDENTIFY MAJOR FACILITY NEEDS
• DISCUSS POSSIBLE OPTIONS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF POPLAR LAKE
COUNTY PARK
• SNAIL LAKE MARSH ADDITION TO HWY. 96 REGIONAL TRAIL
6) DIRECTOR'S REPORT
7) REPORTS FROM CHAIR AND OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS
8) ADJOURNMENT
* * * COMM,ISS.ION MEMBERS
PLEASE CALL VI` KF DAHL I T A T 651-748-25oo X3D7
IF YOUARE UNABLE TO A TTEND
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.
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If the proposal advances within the city of Maplewood, specifics of the land exchange would have to be
Wablished, including land survey, appraisals and specific restrictions that might be placed on the use of
rkland involved in the exchange. A formalized proposal will be presented to the Commission for review
and recommendation.
RAMSEY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SYSTEM PLAN
The Commission reviewed a draft map of Keller Regional Park that was prepared by Ingraham &
Associates, Inc. The map is a prototype of what would be included in the System Plan. Mr. Kusa suggested
that a county location map be included on each park map. Chair Straumann suggested that the maps
include proposed trails and indicate where trails within a park connect to other trails (regional, state, local).
Commission members viewed a draft format proposed for each park. The sections within the format include:
LOCATION AND SIZE
SITE CHARACTERISTICS
RECREATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Existing Development
Proposed Development
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Environmental Natural Areas (included for selected regional parks)
Vegetation Management
Wildlife Management
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Commission members expressed support for the proposed format.
RECTOR'S REPORT
ommission members were reminded of upcoming special meetings:
• 9/24/2005, noon, TCAAP Site (Hamline Avenue Extended), Rice Creek Corridor Media Event
• 9/29/2005, 4-8 p.m., New Brighton Family Service Center, Active Living Ramsey County! Community
Kick-Off
Mr. Mack reported that the cities of St. Paul and Maplewood have requested that Ramsey County coordinate
a more aggressive deer removal program within the Battle Creek area, utilizing sharpshooters. The two
cities have agreed to pay for the full cost of a contractor to undertake this work. Ramsey County has issued
a Request for Proposal from qualified contractors. Using sharpshooters is a strategy identified in the
Ramsey County Cooperative Deer Management Plan.
Mr. Mack reported on an unauthorized gathering at Lake McCarrons County Park on August 21, 2005. The
gathering, booked as a 45-member family reunion event, promoted as an open event with free music, food
and alcoholic beverages, resulted in an assembly of over 500 people. Two shootings occurred in areas
adjacent to the park. The Ramsey County Sheriff's Department is reviewing its procedures for dealing with
unauthorized groups of this size. The Sheriff's Department has agreed to enforce the no-alcohol regulation
at Lake McCarrons County Park.
REPORTS FROM CHAIR AND OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS
Ms. Hanson shared her experience on the Commission and encouraged members to continue to advocate
for park and recreation services. She resigned from the Commission because of a change in residency.
-ADJOURNMENT
Won appropriate motion, the meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Greg Mack
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