Adopt Resolution #17-04-098 Supporting Anoka County's Mississippi West Regional Park, Master Plan Amendment

The purpose of this case is to adopt a Resolution supporting a 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 Master Plan, to be approved by Metropolitan Council (scheduled for May 2017), 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 (attached).

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 detailed Staff Review of the Draft Master Plan, and also the Official Comments Regarding Draft Master Plan Amendment for Mississippi West Regional Park, both of which are attached to this case.

Considerable detail and rationale for the suggested revisions to the Draft Master Plan are contained within the 15-page Staff Review document. Resolution #17-04-098 supports the approval of the amendment to the Master Plan for Mississippi West Regional Park, subject to the recommended revisions specifically identified in the Official Comments Regarding Draft Master Plan Amendment for Mississippi West Regional Park.    These recommended revisions to the Master Plan Amendment may be summarized as:

1.    The final Master Plan Amendment shall specifically name the proposed pedestrian bridge as a future improvement of the regional park.  For example, the pedestrian bridge shall be depicted within Figure 8, page 8, and additionally in the narrative on page 8; such as, The remaining picnic shelters, restrooms, a visitor center, pedestrian bridge, and remaining infrastructure as outlined in the 2010 Master Plan will be implemented in future years as funding allows.

Also, within the second paragraph under Accessibility page 19, remove 'City of Ramsey' for the sentence to read: The future pedestrian bridge across Highway 10 is proposed to provide a safe crossing over Hwy 10 and provide access to the park via the city and county trail systems, with direct connection to transit.  Also, remove from the exhibit [referred to as both 25 and 13] on page 19, the text, 'City of Ramsey Proposed', and change the text color to white, consistent with the other text relating to the park for this exhibit.

2.    Identify within the final Master Plan Amendment a schedule for the development of a negotiated cost-share agreement for completion of the skyway and pedestrian bridge—in a timeframe that allows for an application in 2018 for the Transportation Advisory Board solicitation for funding (and potentially other sources).

3.    Add a narrative and exhibit to the final Master Plan Amendment that shows the opportunity for 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 Council’s Transit system.

4.    Include in the final Master Plan Amendment mention of the fact that the City of Ramsey and Anoka County Parks jointly funded a shoreline inventory of the Mississippi River to assess the severity of riverbank erosion and found that the riparian edge of this regional park had both severe and very severe stretches of erosion.  This finding, and opportunity to secure grant funding for shoreline restoration should be identified within the final Master Plan Amendment.  


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.

The Park and Recreation Commission and Staff recommend that City Council Adopt Resolution #17-04-098 Supporting Anoka County's Mississippi West Regional Park, Master Plan —which includes the Official Comments regarding the Draft Master Plan Amendment for Mississippi West Regional Park, by reference within the Resolution.

 

Motion to Adopt Resolution #17-04-098 Supporting Anoka County's Mississippi West Regional Park, Master Plan Amendment.