01/01/1978 - Advisory Parks & Recreation CommissionSPECIAL MEETING OF THE PARK COMMITTEE
Park Committee members present: Chairperson Myrel Lundsten, Tom
Brown, Neil Coates, Jean Loken, Mike Thomas, Fay Cooper. City staff
present: Park Director Schmidt, City Planner Runkle, City Consulting
Engineer Bob Rosene. DNR representatives present: Otto Christenson,
Jim Dustrud, Don Jueneman. MnDOT representatives present: Merritt
Linzie, Dave Ekholm, Nancy Mahle. Also present from Mendota Heights,
Joan Meierotto and Liz Witt; City of Burnsville, Ralph Clover; Dakota
County, Chuck Lowery.
Otto Christenson, Supervisor of Park Planning for the Department of
Natural Resources, discussed the state trails. He explained the grants -in-
aid trail program which provides 65% funding for snowmobile, cross - country
skiing and horse trails. He discussed the state corridor trails with
particular emphasis on the Minnesota Valley Trail. He discussed the
planning for the hiking trails which is the slowest mode of trail use and it
is estimated that users travel 10 miles in two hours, therefore, campgrounds
are being provided at 10 mile intervals. He mentioned problems with litter
and policing and suggested that policing of trails should be shared by
the Department of Natural Resources, conservation officers, and some local
police officers. He mentioned cooperation with municipalities in terms of
their rules and regulations as long as those rules are not in conflict with
the intent of the trail. Some trails may be fenced on a 50 -50 share basis
with the owner. Different kinds of fence are used, or an owner who does
not request a fence could receive an equal cost which he could use for
some other purpose. Jim Dustrud explained the public hearing which was held
June 6, 1977 on the development plan for Ft. Snelling State Park. He
mentioned that the Eagan part of the park was programmed for hiking and
cross country ski trails and that trails for snowmobiles will be provided
south of Cedar Avenue but not north of Cedar Avenue in the future. He said
that the major access point would be at Cedar Avenue. Other planned access
points could include the filled area north of Mendota City Hall. He stated
that the plan should be printed within a week and that copies will be made
available to Eagan. Park Committee Members expressed dissatisfaction with
the fact that no one in Eagan was notified of the public hearing and Otto
Christenson mentioned that action could be taken by the City Council to
recommend to the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources that
the plan should be reexamined. This could result in an additional public
hearing.
Representatives of the City of Eagan, Park Committee and staff suggested
that an appropriate time to write such a letter would be after the Ft.
Snelling development plan had been made available to us.
Representatives of the Minnesota Department of Transportation discussed
the Cedar Avenue bridge. They mentioned that there would be an eight foot
wide trail with mesh enclosure and that the I -494 crossing could have a
similar trail. The provisions for trail crossings in conjunction with I -35E
that are being provided by the Department of Transportation were reviewed.
On Cliff Road there will be one ten foot trail on the south side and a six
foot trail on the north side. On Blackhawk Road there will be a ten foot
trail on the west side and a six foot trail on the east side. At the Highline
there will be a 300 foot long culvert 10 feet high and on County Road 30
there will be a 10' trail on the south side and a 6' trail on the north side.
On Deerwood Drive there will be a 10' trail on the south side, a 6' trail on
the north side. On County Road 30 there will be a 10' on the east side and
no trail on the west side. On County Road 28 there will be a 10' trail on
the north side and no trail on the south side.
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on County Road 26 there will be a 6' trail on the north side; a 6' trail
on the south side is not on the plans as of yet. It was discussed that
I -35E to the Cedar Avenue bridge could be completed by 1981, to 110 by
1983, to 1 -494 to West St. Paul by 1984.
In further discussion on trails it was mentioned that Hennepin County
paved shoulders five feet wide and posts them for bike trails if the
community requests. Nancy Mohle discussed MnDOT's bikeway grants which
provide 75% funding for bicycle trails which are in accordance with the
Metropolitan bikeway plan.