Staff recommends that City Council accept the easement granted by Billings Public Schools for the Rose Park Trail. 

The City of Billings, with approval from the City Council, applied to and was awarded two grants from the Recreational Trails Program for the Rose Park Trail. The Rose Park Trail will connect Rose Park Elementary, through Rose Park, to the apartments on the west side of Rose Park. It was listed as a Safe Routes to School project in the Phase 1 Safe Routes to School Plan. It will also provide additional walking, biking, and rolling opportunities in Rose Park and open up the underutilized northern section of Rose Park. Residents who live on or near 19th St. W will have easier, more direct access to Rose Park. 

This easement was reviewed by both City Legal and the legal department at Billings Public Schools. The easement was granted by the Billings Public Schools Board of Trustees and signed by Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia. It allows the City permission to build the Rose Park Trail on Rose Park Elementary School property. Funding for this trail came from the Recreational Trails Program grant. All local cash match for the portion located on Billings Public School property will be provided by Billings TrailNet. 

City Council may:

• Accept the easement; or,
• Suggest edits to the easement;
• Not Accept the easement. 

Not accepting the easement would be counter to the Council's previous vote to allow the grant application and acceptance for the Rose Park trail.

The easement is being offered at no cost to the City. There may be added long-term costs when the trail needs to be repaired in the future.