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031197 PK MIN CITY OF SHOREWOOD COUNCIL CHAMBERS PARK COMMISSION WORK SESSION 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1997 7:30 P.M. MINUTES 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Colopoulos called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Colopoulos; Commissioners Wilson, Dallman, and Arnst; Council Liaison McCarty; Administrator Hurm; and City Planner Brad Nielsen. Absent: Commissioners Bensman, Trettel and Puzak. 3. REVIEW AGENDA There were no changes to the agenda. 4. TRAIL PLAN REVIEW Chair Colopoulos quoted the Park Commission goal: The Park Commission goal is to guide the development, implementation, and maintenance of Shorewood’s recreational system. The recreational system, consisting of parks and a multipurpose trail network, shall provide the community and neighborhoods with safe, attractive, and diverse recreational facilities, and a designated trail system for safe and controlled mobility throughout the community by all acceptable means of recreational transportation. Colopoulos stated a discussion of a trail system should be sensitive to preserving the flavor of this community: a rural atmosphere without significantly altering the appearance of private properties. He further stated documents which may lend guidance through the planning process of a trail system include the petitions for and against the off-street trail system; and the Trail Plan which was compiled five years ago so there may be some recommendations which need to be re- examined for feasibility. SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION WORK SESSION TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1997 page 2 City Planner Brad Nielsen began his presentation to the Park Commission by reviewing the Comprehensive Plan and how this document correlates to the Trail Plan. The Comprehensive Plan serves as a guide for existing elements within the City: Land Use; Natural Resources; Community Facilities including the park system (trails are considered recreational facilities); and Transportation including references to the Trail Plan. Nielsen outlined the Planning Process as described in the Shorewood Comprehensive Plan: Planning Tactics ? Issues are identified: ? What can we afford? ? What do the people want? What would be acceptable? What are we hoping to resolve? ? Evaluation of issues via citizen petitions ? Initiate citizen input early in the process Planning Inventory ? Gathering of Information: ? Traffic counts ? What other information do we have now? ? Petitions for/against trail Policy Planning ? Goals and Objectives ? goal What is the for this element of City government? ? “The City shall provide those basic facilities and services which ensure the health, safety and general welfare of the public, the cost of which facilities and services are most efficiently shared by the general public.” (Shorewood Comprehensive Plan or SCP) ? “The efforts of varying government agencies shall be coordinated to avoid duplication of efforts, unnecessary expense and improper location of public facilities.” (SCP) ? “The City shall establish a basis for developing and maintaining a sound financial planning program for capital improvements, relating such improvements to actual need, proper location and timing.” (SCP) SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION WORK SESSION TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1997 page 3 ? Policies for Pedestrians and Bicycles ? “Where possible and economically feasible, a separated traveled surface shall be provided for pedestrians and cyclists.” (SCP) ? “Special attention shall be directed and facilities provided for pedestrian movement and access in areas in and surrounding schools, churches, parks, commercial and service centers.” (SCP) ? “Pedestrian street crossings on heavily traveled streets shall be clearly marked and lighted.” (SCP) ? “All street improvement programs and projects shall include consideration of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles.” (SCP) ? “Major streets in Shorewood shall be designed to protect pedestrian and bicycle movement paralleling traffic.” (SCP) ? “Encourage new development to respect the pedestrian/bicycle system and where possible to contribute to the City right-of-way and development costs.” (SCP) Plans, Projects, Programs ? Emphasize importance of citizen input early in the project process ? What would make this acceptable to residents? ? No loss of trees? ? Additional landscaping? Implementation ? Emphasis on neighborhood meetings ? Make changes to plan based on neighborhood/citizen input Chair Colopoulos noted that everything the Park Commission will do from the planning stages of this project to its implementation is directly related to the communication plan, which provides the skeleton of how the entire project will be developed. Administrator Hurm suggested a review of the proposed trail system and to prioritize the sections. City Planner Nielsen suggested at a public information meeting, look for citizens willing to participate in a “focus group” to help develop options for the trail. Visual aids such as computer drawings of the trail abutting private property and maps highlighting affected areas may be helpful during public information meetings. Common questions and answers may be written out and placed on bulletin boards during the meetings. “Public information meetings” could be entitled “neighborhood meeting” or “open house” to suggest a more informal atmosphere. Commissioner Arnst inquired about the expense of computer drawings. City staff will research the expense of computer drawings. Greg Elwell, 5720 Star Lane, appreciated the concern for aesthetics, but he noted nothing has been mentioned about the impact of additional walkers/bicycles traveling along private properties. SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION WORK SESSION TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1997 page 4 Commissioner Arnst stated that an estimated 135,000 people used the LRT in the summer of 1995. The Park Commission may want to look at using a small area as a “test case” to monitor the effects of the trail in a particular neighborhood. Shirley Bergslien, 24785 Smithtown Road, said that the bicycles often ride four bicycles wide on Smithtown Road, thus creating an unsafe situation for themselves and automobiles. A solution may be to pave the LRT to get bicycles off of Smithtown Road. Scott Zerby, 5680 Christopher Road, said that his two children are “held prisoner” in their neighborhood because there is no access to the park except to cross Smithtown Road, and they are too young to cross Smithtown without an adult. A trail would provide a safe access to the park for his children. Tom Swanson, 25405 Smithtown Road, asked why the Regional Path is not being utilized as a bicycle path. Nielsen said that the intent of a trail on Smithtown Road is to take care of the traffic which already exists from bicycles and pedestrians. Some issues which warrant examination include the volume of traffic on Smithtown Road; different types of trails; and does the City have enough right-of-way to construct a side trail? Nielsen stated that one successful key in presenting an idea to the public involves the terms used to describe the proposal – will it be called a “trail” or a “sidewalk” or something else? Commissioner Wilson has seen wood-chip trails in areas of the wetlands which would not have the same environmental impact as paved trails. Different types of trails need to be reviewed. Commissioner Dallman was concerned about the lack of a trail on Smithtown Road because a car is now legally required to allow three feet between the vehicle and a bicyclist, and if the car swings out that far, the vehicle is probably over the yellow solid line and has created a traffic violation. The City has to provide alternatives for safe and effective transportation systems. Councilmember McCarty stated that the City of Orono walked an area where a proposed project may be located. The Shorewood City Engineer, other City staff, and Park Commissioners could invite neighbors to accompany them on a walk of a proposed trail location. Representatives of the City could address alternatives or potential problems at that time. Wilson referred to the priority of trail segments in the Trail Plan. The first priority is to examine an off-street walkway/bikeway trail along Smithtown Road from the Victoria city limits to County Road 19. Wilson suggested the Park Commission begin examination of this area. SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION WORK SESSION TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1997 page 5 A consensus of information needed to study this first section included: ? Smithtown Road traffic counts ? Right-of-Way ? Survey results which generated this Trail Plan and citizen input from minutes ? Aerial maps (where are the properties/trees, etc.?) ? Larger viewing maps for the public’s use Other issues to examine include responsibility for trail maintenance; signage specifications (for allowed uses of trail) ; and rules for dogs/leashes/cleanup duty. Nielsen asked the Park Commission for a time line. It was agreed that the information needed to study the Smithtown trail proposal would be prepared for evaluation at the next Park Commission meeting on March 25, 1997. 5. FINALIZE CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A VENDOR FOR FREEMAN PARK CONCESSIONAIRE It was suggested that the Freeman Park Concessionaire Request For Proposal be sent to three additional organizations: Junior Achievement; Excelsior Rotary; an “Ice Cream Lady” in Deephaven (Ruth Duffy, 18605 Northome Blvd.); and also to check with Dan Puzak for a name of the mentor group at the high school. Colopoulos will inquire about the high school health class’ requirement for community service projects. Hurm noted again that a goal of this project is to support soccer and softball associations and to get them excited about working together and raising funds to finance a permanent concession building. He also stated that Dan Kuzlik, Director of Minnetonka Community Education Services, is supportive of these efforts, and also supports the idea of acting as a facilitator for this project. No requests for the RFP have been received as of today’s date. 6. ESTABLISH NEXT MEETING DATE The next regular meeting date is scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, 1997 at 7:30 P.M. 7. ADJOURNMENT SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION WORK SESSION TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1997 page 6 Dallman moved, Arnst seconded, to adjourn the meeting There being no further business, at 9:55 P.M. Motion carried unanimously. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,