Recommend Revisions to the Draft Master Plan Amendment - Mississippi West Regional Park

The purpose of this case is to provide a recommendation to Ramsey City Council on the Draft Master Plan Amendment for Mississippi West Regional Park.  The Master Plan (attached) for the Regional Park was developed in 2010, and approved by Metropolitan Council in 2011.  An amendment to the Plan, approved by Metropolitan Council, is required so as to 'remove' from the park approximately 5 acres of Right of Way parallel to Hwy #10 for the Riverdale Drive frontage road.  This new city street between Ramsey Boulevard and Traprock Street is to be constructed beginning in 2017 and the location is depicted on page 3 of the Draft Master Plan attachment.

Regional Parks within the Metropolitan Area are managed by the county they are within, known as 'implementing agencies'—in the case of Mississippi West Regional Park, this is Anoka County Parks.  As part of the development of the aforementioned Draft Master Plan Amendment, the County has solicited comment from the City of Ramsey, and thus Staff has prepared the recommendation attached to this case.

Considerable detail and rationale for the suggested revisions to the Draft Master Plan are contained within the 15-page City of Ramsey Response attached to this case. The recommended revisions to the Master Plan Amendment may be summarized as:

1.    Clearly name the proposed pedestrian bridge as a future Phased Improvement of the regional park, thereby to be found in conformance with the Thrive 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan, and the approved Master Plan.
2.    Identify within the Draft Master Plan Amendment, a schedule for a negotiated cost-share agreement for completion of the skyway and pedestrian bridge—in a timeframe that allows for a joint application in 2018 for Transportation Advisory Board solicitation for funding (and potentially other sources).
3.    Add a narrative and exhibit to the Draft Master Plan Amendment that shows the realignment of the Central Anoka County Regional Trail to a safe alignment for bicyclists and pedestrians (to the location of the pedestrian overpass when complete), which also will connect the regional park directly to the Metropolitan Transit system, and thereby to come into conformance with both the Thrive 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan as well as the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan relating to directives for  regional parks.

Addition information will be available at the meeting.

This case does not require funding—rather, it recommends changes to the Draft Master Plan Amendment that in part, will position the City and County to be more competitive in seeking grant funding for the completion of the skyway and pedestrian bridge over Hwy #10.

Staff recommends that the Commission support the recommended City of Ramsey Responses to the Draft Master Plan Amendment.

Motion to recommend City Council approve a Resolution supporting the Draft Master Plan Amendment for Mississippi West Regional Park with the recommended revisions.