2005-03-02 P&R Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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A renowned parks system Thanks to the vision and commitment of previous generations, the seven-county Twin Cities area enjoys a regional parks and open space system with few rivals across the globe. More than 100 years ago, visionaries like Horace Cleveland and Charles Loring helped establish an outstanding network of drives, parks and boulevards around the lakes and rivers of Minneapolis and St. Paul. In response to state legislation, the Metropolitan Council in 1974 designated about 31,000 acres of existing parks owned by counties, cities and special park districts as "regional recreation open space." Those parks had about five million visits in 1975. Between 1974 and 2004, the Council- with both regional and state funds - invested $367 million to help local park agencies develop these parks as well as acquire and develop new parks and trails for the growing metropolitan population. Today, the system includes: . 52,000 acres . 47 regional parks and park reserves . Six special recreation features, such as the zoo and conservatory at Como Park . 22 regional trails (170 miles currendy open to the public) . 30.5 mil1ion visitors annually (2003 estimate) Between 1970 and 2000, the population of the seven-county area grew from 1.87 million to 2.64 million. The Council projects that by 2030 nearly one million more people will live in the region. Now is the time to identify and preserve the last best natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities in the region for future generations. Preserving our future As it works to preserve and expand the regional parks system, the Council will be guided by five major policies: . Identify and protect, forever, lands with high-quality natural resources that are desirable for regional parks system activities. . Provide adequate and equitable funding to acquire, develop and rehabilitate regional parks and trails. . Provide a regional system of recteation opportunities for all residents while maintaining the integrity of the natural tesource base. . Promote master planning and integrated resource planning across jurisdictions. . Protect the public investment in the regional parks system. Expanding the system To meet the needs of the region in 2030, the Council proposes a variety of changes to the current regional parks system. Among them: . Designate two existing county parks and three trails as " regional. " In Washington County, Pine Point Park ~ In Ramsey County, Tony Schmidt Park In Ramsey County/Sr. Paul, three regional trails - Trout .IV Brook, Summit Avenue, and Lexington Parkway . Acquire and develop three new parks. Search areas include: Northwestern Anoka County Empire Township in Dakota County . Blakeley Township in Scott County . Acquire ana develop seven new trails. Search areas include: The Crow River, in Carver County and Thtee Rivers Park District Both a north/south and an easr/west trail traversing Dakota County An east/west trail traversing Scott County N In Three Rivers Park District, a trail connecting parts of Baker Park Reserve; a trail connecting Baker and Crow-Hassan Park Reserves; and a trail connecting Crow-Hassan and Elm Creek Park Reserves . Acquire land within the current boundaries of 30 existing parks and four trails Acquire natural-resource lands adjacent to six existing parks and six existing trails . ~ The last best places To meet the needs of the region beyond 2030, the Council propos- es to acquire four new regional parks or reserves and three new . trails. These parks would not be developed until after 2030, but the opportunity to acquire them will likely be lost if the lands aren't identified and purchased before 2030. The goal is to secure the last best places, complete the acquisition of the regional park system, and secure opportunities for future generations, just as our predecessors did for us. Search areas include: . Parks - Miller Lake area and Minnesota River Bluff and Ravines in Carver County; southwestern Dakota County; and Cedar Lake area in Scott County. . . Trails - northwestern Anoka County; central to south Carver County; and Minnesota River to Spring Lake in Scott County. ^'