1994 12 13 Agenda
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FILE
AGENDA
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
TUESDA Y, DECEMBER 13, 1994, 6:30 P.M.
CHANHASSEN CITY HALL, 690 COULTER DRIVE
6:30 P.M. . CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF AGENDA (Commission may add or delete items at this time.)
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Approval of minutes for October 25, 1994 and November 15, 1994.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
Commission procedures allow for presentations from the audience at this time. If a motion is required, the item
will be forwarded to the next available agenda to allow for publication and review of items prior to
consideration.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Identification of Potential Park, Open Space and Trail Acquisition and Development Referendum items.
NEW BUSINESS
2. Land Subdivision Proposal: Preliminary Plat to subdivide a 2.22 acre parcel into 4 lots on property
zoned RSF, Residential Single Family and located at 6660 Powers Boulevard, Golden Glow Acres:
James Ravis
6660 Powers Blvd.
Chanhassen, MN 55317
3. Program Reports:
a. Senior Center.
b. February Festival.
c. Tree Lighting Ceremony.
4. Administrative Presentations:
a. February Festival Fireworks Contract.
b. Establish 1995 Group Reservation Picnic Fees.
c. Establish 1995 Gate Attendant Program and Lake Ann Entrance Fees.
5. Commission Member Presentations.
6. Administrative Section
ADJOURNMENT
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dOI\.JLJ (. j
C I TV 0 F II-fP'd;'J,;)
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM ~JOIf~~~
TO: Chanhassen Park and Recreation Commission and all Park and Recreation Staff
FROM:
Todd Hoffman, Director of Parks and RecreatiOn.~
November 30, 1994 / ~
DATE:
SUBJ:
Holiday Social
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In keeping with our holiday tradition, we are planning a holiday social immediately following
our December 13 meeting. Commissioner Huff n has been kind enough to coordinate
arrangements at Frankie's in Chanhassen. Dav ded to some connections he holds with
Frankie's management (remember, it's Chicag S ) and guarantees a good time for all.
Current thoughts, depending upon the length 0 eeting/discussions, have us arriving at
Frankie's by 8:45 p.m. To accomplish this, g will be starting at 6:30 p.m.
ce of o~ holiday cheer. Hope to
Please bring a food shelf item to the mee
see you all on the 13th.
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CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREA nON COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
OcrOBER 25, 1994
Chairman Andrews called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Dave Huffman, Jane Meger, Jan Lash, Fred Berg, Jim Manders, Ron
Roeser, and Jim Andrews
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director; Jerry Ruegemer,
Recreation Supervisor; and Dawn Lemme, Recreation Supervisor
ESTABLISH PROPOSED SPEED LIMITS AND HOURS OF USE FOR SNOWMOBILES
ON TIlE SOUTHWEST REGIONAL LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT ROUTE.
Todd Hoffman gave the staff presentation on this item for the commission.
Andrews: Thank you Todd. At this time I'll invite people from the audience to make
comments. I'll just remind you, this is not an opportunity to discuss pro or con. Do we want
snowmobiles anymore? It's to discuss speed limits and curfew times. If there's anybody from
the audience that wishes to make a comment regarding the speed limits or the curfew times,
please step forward now. State your name and address and make a brief comment for the
record please.
LeRoy Biteler: LeRoy Biteler, 910 Penamint Court, Chanhassen. I don't have a great deal to
comment at all. Todd pretty much summed up exactly what we would like to see. The 30
mph speed limit, 11 :00 curfew. Numbers have been tossed around from 20 mph to 40 mph.
We actually have a number of 30 mph speed limit signs. We'd like to use those up. I guess
the other comment that I'd like to make, with our thinking of patrolling this trail, when we
can't get the DNR out there or the Carver County out there, and what I would personally tell
them, if they were putting up a speed trap, is that anything over 40 mph would automatically
get a ticket. No questions asked. No irs, and's or but's about it. 30 mph just keeps them
down that much slower. That's all really I have to comment unless you have questions.
Berg: What's the speed limit in Chaska? I know in Shorewood it's 20. Do you know what it
was in Chaska?
LeRoy Biteler: They really don't have any trails where they have a posted speed limit, other
than the inner city, in town and that might be 10 or 15 or 20 mph. Otherwise, statewide the
speed limit is 50 mph unless it's posted by a roadway or something like that.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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Hoffman: The memo from Greg...states that no speed limit. Speed limit. No snowmobile
may be operated in excess of 10 mph on any street or in excess of 20 mph at any other
location within the city.
Andrews: Is there anybody else from the audience that wishes to make a comment? Okay.
I'll ask for comments from commission members please. Or a motion would be.
Berg: I have a couple of comments. I guess I'd like to see uniformity and I'd suggest
uniformity across the board and maybe because I suggested 20 mph originally when I was
talking about it a few weeks ago. In my mind, because Chaska has a 20 mph and as does the
Shorewood trail and we're consistent with our time curfew, I would just as soon see it
consistent with our speed limit as well. Just a suggestion.
Andrews: Personally I feel 20 mph, especially in the daylight, is a crawl. I mean that is
really slow and I just think it would be ignored. That's unnecessarily slow and I'm, I don't
know a snowmobile. I hate them, to be honest. I'd much prefer to walk or cross country ski
but 20 mph is, I mean they don't like to run at that speed.
Lash: You know I'm not actually, I'm not super knowledgeable about them but I know that
you have a lot of problems with over heating too and at slower speeds if the air temperature .
is a certain amount. Do you know more about that Dave?
Huffman: I know if I go faster, I get there sooner.
Lash: I know but I have snowmobiled in the past and I tend to.
Huffman: It's a doppler effect. I have a smaller doppler effect.
Lash: I tend to be kind of a conservative driver and I don't drive very fast and I've been
yelled at many times for driving too slow and then my engine starts to over heat and then you
have to stop and...
Roeser: I think that Shorewood trail has lots and lots of roads crossing it. You know from
Hopkins and Victoria, you go through a lot of intersections. On this trail down here, there's
two. I think 30 is really reasonable.
Lash: Do you know what it is going to be in Chaska? Have they decided yet or not? For
this section. Their section of this trail.
LeRoy Biteler: They've made no decisions and don't intend to.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Lash: So they're not going to post it at all?
LeRoy Biteler: You're speaking about a speed limit in Chaska which is on city streets to get
on and off.
Roeser: Yeah, that's a different thing. City streets is different than a trail.
LeRoy Biteler: Yeah, we're not, Chaska isn't talking about a speed limit of 20 mph
throughout their entire trail system. As you get out into the further countryside of Chaska,
there's additional speed limits going up.
Lash: So it'd be the State guidelines.
LeRoy Biteler: That would be the State guidelines at that point.
Lash: And they have not discussed posting this particular trail?
LeRoy Biteler: No.
Hoffman: This trail property ends right at Chaska.
Huffman: The other thing is this trail is very small. It's a very tiny segment of this whole
thing and all you're doing is this is a highway. It's not an off and on ramp. It's getting from
Point A to Point B and trying to get out farther. That's my understanding.
Andrews: I also think for people that may get on this trail in Eden Prairie with the hope of
getting out to the countryside, you know the difference between 20 mph and 30 mph adds a
significant amount of trail time to get out to the open country. I don't think 30 is an
unreasonable time. I think Mr. Biteler's comment about that they already have an inventory
of 30 mph signs, I mean that may sound silly but that's a good reason in my opinion to use
them too. If there's a problem, we can always make a change at a future date. I mean we're
not bound forever to stick with a posted limit.
Lash: When this comes up for the annual review, will it come to us first and then go to City
Councilor just come to us or what kind of a process do you think that will be?
Andrews: I don't believe that City Council put this up for annual review, did they?
Lash: Yes they did.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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Andrews: Okay.
Hoffman: Annual review. Come back to the Park Commission.
Huffman: Could I make a recommendation? I'm sorry, if somebody else wants to. I was
just going to make a motion that we offer the 30 mph speed limit on our section of the trail,
11 :00 curfew 7 days a week.
Andrews: I guess one clarification Todd. Is there a starting time? I mean if you curfew
people off at 11 :00, what time are we letting them on?
Huffman: Let me amend that motion to 11 :00 p.m. off trails to 7:00 a.m. to be consistent
with Chaska.
Andrews: Is there a second to that motion?
Meger: I'll second that.
Andrews: Any further discussion?
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Huffman moved, Meger seconded that the PaIk and Recreation Commission recommend a 30
mph speed limit and an 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., seven days a week, cuafew be established for
the Southwest Regional Light Rail Transit Route. All voted in favor and the motion canied
unanimously.
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LAND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL: REZONING OF 49.9 ACRES OF PROPERTY
ZONED A2. AGRICULTURAL ESTATE TO R4. MIXED LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
AND PRELIMINARY PLAT OF 49.9 ACRES INTO 982 lWIN HOME LOTS AND ONE
OUTLOT. LOCATED NORTH OF HIGHWAY 5 APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE ON THE
EAST SIDE OF GALPIN BOULEVARD. LOTUS REALTY SERVICES. LAKE ANN
HIGHLANDS.
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: Is the applicant here?
Hoffman: No, he's not.
Andrews: Or a representative of the applicant.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Hoffman: No.
Andrews: None, okay. If you'd like to make a comment. State your name and address
please.
John Hennesey: My name is John Hennesey. I'm at 7305 Galpin Blvd. I have, Jerry can
point those out for me please. Those two parcels there. I have to wonder, there has been no
decision as far as I know as far as putting a trail on the east or the west side of Galpin yet.
Andrews: I believe we're leaning towards.
Hoffman: Both sides.
Andrews: Both sides, okay.
John Hennesey: A trail on both sides of Galpin?
Hoffman: At least on the south side of Highway 5 and the north side of Highway 5, it will
carry less traffic. South of TH 5 you'll see a four lane road. North of TH 5 it's at least
anticipated at this time that will remain a two lane road. We have not designated east or
west. Usually one will go first and then the other one would come later as things fill in but
we haven't designed east or west at this time.
Lash: I know we did acquire an easement, didn't we on the Lundgren site on the west side.
John Hennesey: Yeah, because I know I haven't been approached at all as far as acquiring an
easement along my 450 feet of frontage on Galpin yet. This whole project's a little bit, looks
to me like putting the cart in front of the horse inasmuch as there is no determination yet
where the parkway paralleling TH 5 is going to go. Whether it will be on the east side of the
creek, which would be to the south of my southern border, or on the north side of the creek
which would cut that lower parcel of mine in half. Without knowing that, how can you make
any type of dedication?
Andrews: I can probably answer that. I served on the Highway 5 task force. The people
that own the land have the right to develop and not wait for the ultimate decision as to where
the road will be placed. I think this may be just somebody seizing the opportunity to say, I'd
rather have it my way rather than wait for the State and the City to come by and tell us what
they would prefer. So this might be their way of trying to do the best they can for
themselves. And you're right, there's been no decision yet as to the exact layouts of the road.
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The last time I heard I think we're talking what, 2000. I think they pushed it out some more
years I know that.
Hoffman: ...they can enter this from the north but all those types of questions would be
appropriately brought up at the Planning Commission.
John Hennesey: I notice on the plan here he's got a fairly large stretch of road from here...
Andrews: Again, the Highway 5 access boulevard was designed as a wide collector. It also
had a right-of-way to allow for a separate trail. Separated by, I think it was at least 12 feet of
buffer so it's a fairly wide right-of-way. So it would look, on a map, significantly larger than
a standard side street.
John Hennesey: But that still hasn't been determined whether it's going north or south.
Andrews: On the creek?
John Hennesey: Yes.
Andrews: There was a preference but there's been no decision and to be honest, I don't recall
which way the preference was anymore. But there was a preference but that, like I said, has
not been approved.
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John Hennesey: Okay. So as far as what he's dedicating, is that still up in the air?
Andrews: As far as the roadway goes?
John Hennesey: No, what he'd be dedicating land wise for this trail and park.
Andrews: What we're asking is he dedicate money. What Todd was saying is that this whole
plat is within a service area of other park areas so rather than for us to take land, the
recommendation would be to take cash.
Lash: Yeah, we'd take cash and then is it not that we would take easement along TH 41?
Hoffman: Along CR 117, Galpin?
Lash: Yeah, that's what I mean.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Hoffman: They're requiring additional right-of-way for the road, this county road so we'll go
ahead and construct our trail within that right-of-way.
John Hennesey: Thank you.
Andrew: Sure. I guess the only comment I'd like to add here is 94 twin homes, that's about
180 plus kids. Boy, I would hope the developer might find it within their pockets to put up a
play structure. Perhaps that would be appreciated.
John Hennesey: Excuse me sir, I think what his plans, in talking with Brad, he's telling me
that these are mostly designed as more single level, geared towards retirement.
Andrews: Okay. I guess I would assume if a developer could sell one of these to a family,
that they'd be happy to take the money.
Roeser: Yeah, I think they've been using that a lot lately.
Huffman: My 64 year old grandmother went horse bike riding and bowling with us this past
weekend and I think she likes to have a little area to call her own too.
Lash: And a lot of retired people have grandkids that come and visit and then they have
nothing to do when they go to grandma's.
Huffman: Say Todd, a quick question. I don't understand this one as much. Maybe this has
already been conversed, and I don't want to hold this one up at all. This sounds like Rottlund
on TH 101. They're pushing a lot of townhouses in here. They're telling us they're going to
bring in the kindly old people who don't want a lot of space. We're about to go and push for
a referendum asking for space. They're going to have to go across a major collector to get to
their designated play area across Highway 5, which only the Lord in his infinite wisdom, or
her infinite wisdom, knows when that underpass will ever be built. So we're going to tell 180
families, which they will sell it to quicker than will get built, there's no park there for you. If
you drive to it.
Andrews: That's correct.
Huffman: I'm trying, I don't like this.
Andrews: It doesn't make economic sense for us to build a park across the street from
another park.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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Huffman: I understand that.
Lash: Well especially when you've got Stockdale. You've got the elementary site. And then,
granted they are both across major collectors and I don't like that either and then you have
Lake Ann, which by the time these are filled up, I'm assuming we may be getting close to the
point where there will be a trail along TH 5 where they could go by foot to Lake Ann. And
crossing Galpin between now and then I don't look at as being as big a problem as crossing
TH 5. That's obviously going to be a problem, even if there is a light there, which is
supposed to go in sometime in the near future but that still will be a dangerous proposition.
But I'd be hard pressed to ask for property. I don't necessarily like it either Dave but it's hard
when we're trying to build up some money in a fund too to acquire property when it's within
the radius of three different parks.
Berg: Particularly when other areas are deficient. It'd be hard to justify a park across the
street when there's other areas that don't have one across the street or even close.
Huffman: Are we talking about a park or an open space here? I mean I'm asking at this
point.
Lash: Either way you look at it, it's money out of our fund so if we don't take the money, .
the park at Stockdale's never going to get developed. You know it could be that this could be
the money that's going to come in that's going to give us the money to develop Stockdale.
Andrews: Yeah, it's a trade.
Hoffman: At Mission Hills you got both the open space and the park fee because it was a
PUD. As far as I know, this is not a PUD. At least I don't see it referenced anywhere in the
materials that I have and I've not heard...conversations with the planner. So the Mission Hills
we were able to go ahead and ask for that open space because we were giving them
something so that's why we asked for some open space. This one, if it's not a PUD, you don't
have the luxury but if any of you want to...make it public space, I can't advocate that because
we're not into building breast pocket parks. So then it would need...
Andrews: Yeah. I guess I think the best we can do here is to state for the Council that we're
concerned about access to the neighboring parks, which are waiting for development. That
being the trails. The access trails. They need to be built. And maybe this means we've got
to push the Highway 5 upgrade a little harder because I think what Dave said is true too.
These things will be occupied probably before the road is even built. There's going to be 180
potential families that are landlocked. They can't get out of there and as somebody that lives
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
in a landlocked neighborhood right now, it's pretty frustrating to not feel safe to travel out of
your neighborhood so.
Hoffman: 94 home sites total. So we double...
Lash: That is twin. That's counting them each separate?
Hoffman: Yeah, they each have their own lot. The density is considerably less than that of
Mission Hills. Mission Hills was R12...this is R4. 4 units per acre. These people will have
a yard, front and back.
Roeser: We're just talking Phase I too right now, is that right?
Hoffman: No, Phase I and Phase II and the outlot.
John Hennesey: Of course Phase II can't develop until sewer is accessed to that Highway 5
side. Phase I will access from the back...Windmill Run.
Lash: And when is that?
John Hennesey: Pardon?
Lash: When is that going to happen, do you know?
John Hennesey: The Phase II? ...Kate told me the other day.
Lash: Is that the '95 study area?
Andrews: No.
Huffman: I've seen miraculous things happen when Phase I sells out though. It's amazing
how quickly Phase II can go into action.
Andrews: Well this might be the kind of development too that will kind of push things
along. Get the road built. Get the trails built. Sometimes that's the push you need. Can we
have a motion?
Lash: I'd be willing to make a motion. I recommend that the Park and Rec Commission
recommend to the City Council to approve the Lake Ann Highlands and collect full park and
trail fees, to be collected per city ordinance in lieu of land dedication and/or trail construction.
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Andrews: Is there a second?
Berg: Second.
Andrews: Any further discussion?
Lash moved, Berg seconded that the Pmk and Recreation Commission recommend that the
City Council require full pmk and trail fees be collected per city ordinance in lieu of land
dedication and/or trail construction for Lake Ann Highlands. All voted in favor and the
motion canied unanimously.
Andrews: Again, I'd like to add the comment for the Council that we're concerned about
construction of trails to provide access to neighboring park sites.
ESTABLISH AN AGENDA FOR THE WORK SESSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN
REGARD TO THE PROPOSED PARK. OPEN SPACE AND TRAIL ACOUISmON AND
DEVELOPMENT REFERENDUM AND PARK AND RECREA nON GOALS.
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Andrews: Todd, I don't know how much detail you need on an agenda for this. For what it's .
worth, I took a stab at one. I guess I'll throw this out as an idea and this is pretty vague. I
don't know if you need more specifics. I just put item 1 as goal setting. Item 2 as
referendum. And I put a sub-hearing (a), discuss overall needs of capital. (b), prioritize
needs. (c), establish time frame and number of dollars necessary.
Berg: What did you have in mind when you said goal setting?
Andrews: That's the overall Park Board goal setting that we go through annually to talk
about what do we want to accomplish next year. And I guess I put that first because I figure
the referendum would be part of that goal and that way we could get that accepted as a goal
first and then push through it to provide details to what the referendum would be.
Lash: And I'd like to have that clarified that, and no offense you guys but that it not
necessarily be staff goals because that ate up our whole meeting last time.
Manders: Frankly I think that goal setting could be at the end and the assumption is that the
goal is to get this referendum through and deal with these other goals as a secondary issue.
Lash: Well my goal for meeting with them is to convince them that we need to pursue at
least having a task force to study this issue and the task force I thought was the one who was
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supposed to be coming up with all the different things that we want the referendum to cover
and dollar estimates for that. Was that correct? That was my understanding.
Hoffman: Yeah. It's really a give and take process. You have a back and forth process as
far as referendum. The City Council has not asked all the specific questions on how much
information they're going to want to see prior to establishing a task force. So what we need
to bring in is as much information as we can. Why go out and cheat the moon when they're
going to come back and say, well we don't...so the task force is going to do the detailed work.
It's kind of how obstructionist do you want to be and how many questions you can ask... If
the City Council backs us, they'll go along with it and ask some questions.
Andrews: Well you were asking for us to have an agenda so you could have material ready
for us, correct? And to me, to discuss the overall needs of capital, that's the most critical
thing. We have to show them why do we need money? Bandimere. The trails. Lake
Minnewashta, the new park there. We've got Stockdale. We've got the desire to buy some
forested land. Some open space or prairie space. I think those are all.
Lash: Some more park property too. Is that what you want from us? Just some ideas of
what it is that we're looking at things that we would want to have fall under the referendum
to be financed by the referendum so that you can pull together more information, or what do
you want?
Hoffman: I want your ideas on what we should discuss with the City Council. What are the
key factors that are important to you in order to convince them that they should go ahead
with this thing. We just want to set an agenda. Now if you want to, and I need to know
which one goes first. If you want the referendum first or goal setting. You know how goal
setting, I don't care if they're your goals or our goals, but try to make it specific because I
don't want to sit there and talk about staff goals for the entire.
Andrews: Why don't we put the referendum first so we don't get bogged down and eat up all
our time.
Lash: Well actually it ends up, it's hand and glove. I mean if we have to say, we want to
have a task force. We want to study the possibility of having a referendum and these are the
reasons why. We need to develop Bandimere. We want to try and preserve some mature
treed areas along with construction of TH 212, whenever that happens.
Huffman: Bluff Creek charette.
Lash: Right. Preserve Bluff Creek. We want.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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Huffman: A golf course.
Lash: Well whatever. I mean as that goes on we're going to be listing the kinds of reasons
for the kinds of things that we would like to see happen and that we don't have the funding
for and I think it's the same thing. Goals and, the goals will be met by the referendum...a
referendum and then we can go home.
Berg: Jan's brought up a couple times, one of the things that I'd like to make sure we see is
some sort of condensed version of the map that we had on the floor. Showing where the
needs are and how quickly they're disappearing and how many there aren't. Sometimes just
the shock value of that is enough to shake them out of their...too. They might not be able to
see the forest through the trees and really not have an idea of what we don't have anymore.
Andrews: That was a surprising experience to me because I was assuming that basically all
of western Chanhassen was out there. We could go pick what we wanted.
Lash: And southern too.
Andrews: Yeah, and southern too. When I saw that geez, we're down to 3 spots.
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Berg: And if it surprised you, and it's our business to know, they might not be totally aware
of it either.
Meger: How difficult would it be to do that map too and maybe in different colors show the
things that were developed in '94. Things in '93 and '92 so they can see too how quickly
every year it's going fast.
Lash: Well and the things that are up for development or that have been plotted or that you
know are coming in that are out of our reach. Basically it narrows down to you're going to
end up with about 3 little green squares, and green I would say would be anything that we
would want to try and preserve. So whether it be the treed areas or Bluff Creek or possible
park sites, that's going to narrow it down and a picture will be worth a 1,000 words.
Roeser: Just to know what's available or what's left of the town that we can look at is really
what we need to know.
Andrews: That's sort of the preservation side. I also think as we talked about before, we
need to look at the development of our active use parks, Bandimere being the big one. To
me it seems just ridiculous that we're sitting on what, 30+ acres and we can't do anything
with it. That seems really silly.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Meger: I think they also need to be aware too, we're upgrading a little more about some of
the ADA requirements and how expensive that can get.
Lash: And not even just for upgrading. For anything new that we're putting in.
Andrews: Yeah.
Hoffman: Your items (a) and (b) Jim?
Andrews: You could paraphrase or alter it but I think what we're looking at here is to discuss
the overall need of capital. I think we could break that down into preservation and
development of park property. Preservation being, would be to purchase. I was going to say,
preservation would include, or mainly include acquisition. B was to try to prioritize those
items and then a third item was to try to identify some sort of timeframe and the number of
dollars necessary to accomplish the task. But at some point we have to come up with a dollar
figure.
Lash: I don't think we'll be able to do that that night.
Andrews: Well, we won't be able to get it. I agree, we won't get a dollar figure but I think
we have to have some idea. I mean we've got to have, you half a million, million, whatever
it is.
Berg: Is it best to do that or is it good to point out again the fact that we don't have any
money so no matter what it costs, we couldn't do it without a referendum.
Lash: Right. And the other thing is, we don't know for sure at this point, or I don't know for
sure at this point how this referendum is going to shake out. Before when there was a
referendum, it covered items were separated. There was expansion of Lake Ann Park. There
was acquiring property in southern Chanhassen and there was trails. Were those the 3 things.
So it may end up being broken down somehow like that and dollar amounts if it goes to the
voters so, and I think it would be hard for us to come up with.
Andrews: Maybe it's premature.
Lash: Yeah, I can't see how we can come up with something. Well once we get, I think if
we communicate these needs to them and if they're in agreement with us, then we can look at
it and come up with a logical grouping. So if we want to have procurement of new, future
properties. Development of already acquired property and preservation of wooded and open
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lands, or something like that. And if we want to have a trails one on there too, so maybe
there would be four logical categories that they would fall into.
Huffman: My understanding is though, the way the City Council really works is if they look,
they will take whatever lump sum you offer them and then pare down and come back and say
to you at some point, okay. You wanted a half a million, we give you 350 or 250 or
whatever. I mean do we go with them with a very specific force, specific ideas within
preservation. We have to have a, b, c, d. I mean we cannot just give you this nebulous. I
think we have to be very specific about what we want.
Lash: I don't think voters would ever approve something that would be a blank check type
thing.
Huffman: Well that's what I'm saying but if we go in with again offering the general, but
even more specific. I mean what do we want?
Andrews: Well I think though that, first of all this isn't a budget item so they don't need to
cut anything. This is new dollars they're looking at so there might be less of a temptation to
say, well we just can't afford that. Cut it. And I think again a task force would help
prioritize. Maybe decide that this fourth priority item is just, doesn't meet the same priorities
that the other three do and that's the recommendation.
.
Lash: Well once we get, once, if and when we get the blessing to go for the referendum and
if it's split into different categories, it doesn't make any difference to the City Councilor to
anyone because it's the same amount of money to put out a referendum. It's what, $10,000.00
or something to put a referendum out to the vote so if we want to have 50 different things for
people to vote on, it isn't going to make any difference and so then we need to start getting
more specific with the money amount because we don't want to under estimate and say we
want a million dollars to purchase new land and then find out we can't do anything with a
million dollars. Or say we want we want $500,000.00 for Bandimere and find out it costs 2
million.
Huffman: So this is not the time to deal, we do not need to do this right now.
Berg: What I've seen of the City Council in the last 3 years, I think if we can get them to
agree to a task force, we've got a victory at this point.
Lash: And I think the task force can spend the time and the energy researching how much,
you know with staffs help, how much would be a reasonable amount to plug into each of the
different categories that we want to have. And maybe we don't want to have it split into
.
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different categories. I mean there's up and downs, pluses and minuses to both of them. If
you split it into different things, you have the opportunity of one passing and the rest of them
aren't.
Berg: The school district hired a firm to test the community and see what exactly they did
want before they shot the referendum on the schools and that might be something they want
to look at too.
Andrews: I'm sure we will do that.
Berg: That will tell us, do we want to break it up into two sections or four sections. We
should get a feel from the community in that regard.
Andrews: We've done that before and I'm sure we would do that again if we're going out for
a big referendum.
Lash: But the up side is, that you break it into smaller pieces, chances are you're liable to get
at least 1 or 2 to pass where if you have a multi million dollar one, the whole thing may fail
and you'll get nothing. So a little is better than nothing. We kind of have to weigh the.
. Berg: Maybe, maybe not.
Huffman: I go for the fences. That's just my personal philosophy. I think if you nickel and
dime it, people will say well if we do this little bit here, then they'll get off our back and we
won't see us for 5 years. As it was pointed out last time, '95 may be our window of
opportunity. '96 something else is coming up. '97 there's another. I mean there's 3 or 4
things out there already and this is our window and if we don't present something that is
palatable but with need. You know Jim and Fred both said, it's going. We're losing it.
We're not going to have a '96. We're not going to have a '97. It's going to be gone and
people are going to look at us 10 years from now and go, the Tim McGee article. A very
misleading, very erroneous in it's assumptions and his statements but somebody's read it.
Lash: A lot of people have read it.
Huffman: Yeah. And I called the gentleman. Left the name and number at the Villager. He
did call back twice. I was at work both times. Didn't connect and haven't heard back but to
me one statement of untruth and falsehood is going to hurt us. I mean we've got to come up
really on an upswing.
.
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Lash: But we need, Jane and I were talking about that before the meeting started and I said
my knee jerk, initial reaction to that was I was going to call them or I was going to write a
rebuttal or something but I think we need to be really careful how we do this because one of
the things we've discussed a couple of different times, we do not want to appear, I do not
want to appear that we're trying to force anything on anyone or jam it down someone's throat
and if we start getting too defensive about everything that comes out in the paper, it's going
to look like we're trying to sell something instead of just trying to provide people the
opportunity of making a choice based on the fact that we're providing...
Huffman: I accept that but.
Lash: I mean we do have to do some things.
Andrews: Excuse me, I have to leave so Jan, I have to ask you to take over for me at this
point.
Lash: So when I said the comments about breaking it into pieces or having one, I don't
know. I know nothing about, I'm just thinking to myself, there'~ probably pluses and minuses
to both of them and I don't know enough about it. We would need to talk to somebody who
knows a lot more about those kinds of factors before we would decide how we would want to
present it to voters and I think that's a ways down the road. Like Fred said, I think if we can
sell this to the City Council to at least get the task force together and start getting figures
together and a plan together, that's our first hurdle. Then we'll have to figure out where to go
from then based on the research that's done and getting back to us.
.
Manders: Personally I have a good sense that it's not going to take a lot of convincing to get
the approval for this task force so to deal with a lot of detail, I'm not dismissing it. To have
a nice outline of our say the four objectives, be it preservation, parks, trails, what are they. I
mean that certainly should be there and if we have some kind of feel for, guesstimate on
dollars, how many miles of trails are we looking for that we need short term? Not way down
the road and what are some of our initial ballpark guesses. There's no need to get into a lot
of detail and if they can't buy off on that, then we're out in left field on this whole thing.
Lash: Maybe we could go with those four subcategories and under each category put the
things that we consider to be our priorities. If it's development, it will be Bandimere and
what else? Minnewashta? I mean I don't know if we're talking neighborhood parks too or if
we're just talking big ticket things here. And then under preservation it would be Bluff Creek
and some of these other wooded areas that are down south and acquirement of future park
properties. I mean we can earmark. There's 2 or 3 sites available and it wouldn't be too hard
to get an idea of what those would cost.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Huffman: Can you, I'm throwing this out because I'm going to come back to this time and
time again but another category, a revenue producer in this city. Something that will allow
the Park and Rec Commission over the years to have something instead of going back to the
City Council time and time again, a golf course. Chaska's building an 18 holer. We're
looking around you can read the stats. They've had people present it here before. It may not
be hot with everybody but here is a way for this commission to establish income over years
and years and years. After the first year it's breaking even. It's a revenue producing part of
recreation that this community could grow on and develop on. It doesn't have to be an 18
holer, whatever but is this something that I'm going to stand up here alone and push, because
if it is, I'll dump it now.
Lash: Well this is not a new discussion. We've discussed it several times and in the end
we've always sort of dumped it and the last time, wasn't it because there was no sites. We
didn't think there was anyplace that we could put one. Wasn't that the, in the end we decided
if it ever happens, it would be somehow that the city would end up acquiring Bluff Creek.
Huffman: If we're talking about long range goals here I mean, and I know for a fact there
have been presentations made before the City Council and this group. It is a money maker.
It pays for itself. It brings revenue into the community. You look at Bluff Creek. It's poorly
maintained from a golfers standpoint as that thing is. It brings people from all parts of the
city. From the community it makes money.
Lash: Was it not that we looked at the city and said there was no place that would work for
a golf course.
Hoffman: Well, I don't think there's anyplace that would work for an 18 hole golf course.
That would be ideal but Chanhassen certainly has enough open available space where we
could do a 9 hole course.
Huffman: An executive course. A 9 holer.
Lash: Isn't that something Mike Gorra is looking at too? Or he's kicked around hasn't he, or
not?
Hoffman: Yeah. Just as one concept for that property. But Bluff Creek as well...developer
buys that and wants to put houses on it...so golf course. Chaska's they've got 100 acres south
of Lake Bavaria. They may add to that and put up another municipal golf course. Hennepin
County is going to take the property that they have...
Roeser: Glen Lake?
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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Hoffman: Glen Lake, yeah and put a golf course up there but certainly the thing to do, I
spoke to the Director of Roseville...at the conference and they just have one little executive 9
hole course that's very, very short and it's just a gold mine.
Huffman: Look what Bloomington did with that thing right off of, well not even Dwawn.
Right down there. The Normandale Executive course again. They took a million and half
dollars and put it back in there. They've already made their money in one summer. It's paid
for already and it's a tiny little course. It takes an hour to play and you can't get on it. You
can't get on it. We talk about what people's needs and services are but here's a way, and I
don't know, if we structure it, that it's our toy. This will take care of acquisition and
preservation. How do we upgrade our parks? Well, 20% of everything that comes out of that
golf course comes back to the Park and Rec department and then we don't have to go back
every November or January and beg to a constantly changing City Council with political
whims and motivations, for their reason for being there. We have something that we can
actually do and improving the community constantly. And I don't know if I'm blowing up the
wrong tree but I've read enough and heard enough that's just been presented here that, and
especially with the population we have now. This is an unbelievable idea. Am I on the
wrong course?
Roeser: Not necessarily. I just can't think of where, I'm thinking of the town and I don't see .
where you could put a golf course in town.
Huffman: I'm not talking 18 holes anymore. We're not talking Bearpath.
Roeser: Talking 9, I don't know where.
Lash: We're open to ideas here. I mean if that's what this task force is going to do...and find
out different things that could fill the needs and residents in town. Put that on the list and
add a task force to study it.
Huffman: Maybe that's part of our deal.
Lash: Maybe it's feasible, maybe it's not. I don't know.
Huffman: It's a referendum to buy a spot. Buy however many acres to put one on. Develop
and grow it and have it.
Manders: I think the point that Todd made was most important and that being, if Bluff Creek
gets sold, how are you going to react.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Huffman: I don't think that's a question of if. I mean it's a question of when.
Manders: Okay, so how can we position ourselves to take advantage of that. To me that's
the perfect spot to put it. It's already there. How could we acquire that and make that work?
Hoffman: Buy it.
Berg: I support the golf course idea. I'll preface my comment with that, but I see the golf
course concept as taking a philosophical shift from what we've been talking about concerning
acquisition of parkland and improving parkland. You used the word toy. It is and I think
that's the way it might be perceived by a lot of the community.
Huffman: I would look at it as, at this point in our development history, my short period
here, the one thing I have heard time and time again is money. We all like open space. We
all want parks. Every day I drive down to work I go down TH 101 and I look over on the
left hand side and I see that sign weather another day. Future site of Bandimere Park. If it
takes a toy to pay for the good things that we want and that toy is a benefit to the
community, which is also a recreational amenity, that is our mission statement that Jan was so
eloquently quoted at the last City Council meeting. I mean if there may be a philosophical
problem with that some people may have but I also see it, maybe in this case, the end
justifies the means because it puts it where we truly wish to be in some areas.
Berg: Intellectually Dave I agree with you. But if I'm a voter and I'm trying to decide, if we
put this all into one referendum let's say. One lump and I have to decide and I'm looking, on
one hand you're going to provide softball fields for my daughter. You're going to provide
soccer fields at Bandimere. But you're also going to build a golf course that a select few
number are going to use. And a select number will use Bandimere too, if I can anticipate
what you'll say. I see that as a real big difference. I see we're gearing ourselves to families
at every aspect of those four things that we're talking about. Whether it be preservation of
land, improvement and development of Bandimere, acquisition of more land either for
preservation or for development later on. I see that differently than I do seeing buying a golf
course.
Huffman: See I can't philosophically separate those because I look at then at the University
of Minnesota. There's an active structure based within the University of Minnesota that is a
public entity. That is a money making profit center. One of only profitable athletic tools
they have over there. There is construction on that course which would fall right into what
Jerry and Dawn want to use as a teaching tool in this community. To me appealing to two
segments. If all of a sudden I have appealed to another segment who doesn't have daughters
and sons playing on softball, what do I care. I mean you want to tax another $135.00 on
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something that realistically I will not use because I don't have kids. We've got 94 twin town
homes full of old people here and all of a sudden I've got 94 twin townhomes where I could
set up a driving range for $100.00 a year. They can come out and hit golf balls all summer.
Berg: Or they can walk across the street to swings.
Huffman: Or they can come and get $100.00 deal and get a heck of a lot better deal than we
can gIve.
Roeser: I think what Dave is saying, you're talking about something that will make money.
That's basically what you're telling us. You're talking about something that may...
Huffman: I think it has the capability of establishing, one. I don't think there's a lot of
people that perceive that as a negative. I think there's a lot of people who would say, wow.
Berg: I'm one of them but I see, that Ron, that crystalize it a little bit too. You're saying a
money maker versus a play area or a trail.
Huffman: Well how do we take every person who has ever called up here Todd, and you tell
them why can't we put something in their park. What don't we have? We don't have the .
funds to put it into your park. We get a 9 hole golf course, that is our toy. Our folly.
Berg: We won't have to say it as often.
Huffman: We don't do that, but you know what that will allow us to do? 20% of every
dollar that comes off the top of there, goes right into the Park and Rec budget. The State
lottery publicus itself as education's best friend. Raise crime against nature. The lottery.
Here we have something that actually puts back into the community and will put the toy back
on your property, which is your new swingset. Which is the new accessibility to the park.
To the rec area. I'm agreeing with you. I mean I'm understanding but.
Berg: Yeah, I'm understanding your point of view but, intellectually I understand it. I just
don't think it's appropriate to be on the same referendum with the acquisition of.
Lash: Unless the referendum were to be broke down.
Berg: Unless it were to be broken down.
Huffman: Well see I would go for that but I would really like to push for that.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Lash: We're obviously not deciding tonight what's going to go on the referendum. All we're
trying to do, what I feel our goal here tonight is to brainstorm the kinds of things we want to
put forward to the City Council. Ultimately they're going to have the power and if they all
think a golf course is a poor idea, it's not going to go on there anyway. So why don't
you...open it up for discussion.
Huffman: But I don't want to waste the time if I'm sitting here blowing smoke because
you've all given a good idea.
Roeser: No, I don't think so at all. I think that if it comes up, if we're going to make
recommendations to the task force, there's no reason why a golf course can't be one of the
things that the Park and Rec certainly lays open for them to discuss.
Manders: Peaks my interest in this whole thing is revenue generation. We need it and any
way we could...
Lash: Well Jane brought up a point earlier tonight. What's going to happen when all of
these, when the land is gone and it's all developed? What are we going to do then? Granted
we'll probably all be gone but there will be no money coming in for maintenance. And for
upgrading of things and then there's going to have to be money coming from somewhere.
Whether it's the tax roll or it's coming from a golf course or user fees or wherever, it's going
to have to come from somewhere and this may be a possible solution. The one problem that
I see with it, and again that would be totally up to the voters, is they're not going to
understand the financial concept or the implications behind the golf course. They're just
going to say, I don't play golL.or I play golf.
Huffman: No, that's not true.
Roeser: That's not true. I think that's got to be pointed out.
Lash: But I don't know that it will be enough for them to grasp it.
Roeser: The people that are going to be, the people on this task force, the people on the Park
and Rec Commission and certainly the people on the Council, we're hoping are going to be
backing this referendum if and when it happens and certainly they're going to point out the
fact that if we build a golf course it's going to be used for what Dave is talking about.
Huffman: I mean we're not building, the obvious thing is a lot of people golf on Friday and
Saturdays and Sundays and go play and everything but the reality is, this is a growing sport
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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that will allow us a couple, offer another opportunities in this community to have summer
activities for kids.
Lash: Summer jobs.
Huffman: There's an opportunity for a lot of different things. There's an opportunity for rec
programs that present another option for kids. But where are we going to get the cash to take
care of the new park we have done with. And I understand that people are going to go, oh
wow. We're not building Bearpath. You know I want to build a little bit better than Chaska
Par 30. But try to get on that thing on a Wednesday morning at 7:00. It's a mile long out
there and they're all paying $12.00 a pop. Knowing that that money goes into the city park
fees and it goes into there. I mean you're going to have people who will go, well now
chemicals and the environmental impact and we're going to have to deal with that issue. But
we could do away with fertilizers and pesticides everywhere and shut down a lot of things.
I'm willing to play the game. I'm willing to run with this because I'm not smart enough to
not.
Lash: Are you willing to have it on the agenda to discuss with City Council?
Huffman: That's what I'm asking. If you, Fred seriously, if you feel that, I won't bring it up .
because if it's a volatile issue.
Roeser: I don't think it's that volatile that we can't discuss it with them, right.
Huffman: I want to be real sensitive here I mean because I know.
Berg: A lot of it depends on the way it's brought up, quite frankly. I think if we're talking
about things that we would like to have the task force consider, as a fifth item I would say, I
can go along with it. I don't want, my own personal opinion, I don't want it to have any
higher priority than that. I want the other four things first. Just speaking for myself.
Huffman: I completely, and you know what, I'll concur with that because what I will do at
the very end, and my tag line on everything will be, and nobody will like it. You may not
like it but it will be, and one of the ways that we're going to be able to supplement every one
of these other 4 things is right down here, this bottom thing. I know that. I don't believe it.
I know it. All you have to do is go to Chaska and Eden Prairie. When Eden Prairie, when
what's the little private golf course over there now?
Roeser: Edenvale?
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Huffman: Edenvale. You know they had a chance to buy that. Didn't want to do that. That
guy bought it and all of a sudden he turned it private, he's making it after 2 years now. It is
a way, I don't even believe it, I know it. It's a way to really make some of the dreams that
we want to have possible, come true. But I will sit back and I will bring it the very back
side and I don't want to step on anybody's toes and I don't want to offend anybody with it. If
it is that bad, I'll jump off the idea.
Berg: I'd like to see the task force investigate it.
Huffman: Okay. And I'll broach it very quietly and very silently.
Berg: You will?
Huffman: When I have to dance, I can dance.
Berg: Is someone coming in to speak for you?
Ruegemer: Did you prioritize...?
Lash: I don't think that we prioritized. Do you want them prioritized?
Hoffman: Well, you put golf on the bottom at 5.
Huffman: Well golfs 5. Or 6. Or whatever is last.
Hoffman: Okay. I don't think I have 4 other ones. I have trails.
Lash: It was development of existing.
Hoffman: I've got Bandimere.
Lash: Okay. It's acquiring future properties. It's preservation. And I'm thinking like active
facilities or parks. And then there'd be preservation of natural areas or open areas and trails.
Hoffman: Procurement of natural areas, procurement of park areas are two different things?
Lash: I look at it as.
Roeser: Why don't you just make it procurement.
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Huffman: Procurement of (a) and (b).
Berg: Yeah, we're spelling out everything else in detail. I think that could cover it.
Hoffman: So you've got...Land procurement, trails, Bandimere.
Huffman: Figure out something else and put golf down one farther then.
Lash: Can you put procurement/preservation so that we...Is there anything else that anyone
feels the need to have on the agenda?
Hoffman: We've all gone through the exercises with the big map and we've all drawn
squiggly lines. Land procurement is going to be pretty easy to spell out...We can either roll
out the big map and start the meeting. Then we can add the smaller maps showing what's
been developed in the past 5 years and what's left. We can even start to put, we know we
need to pay $24,000.00 to $30,000.00 per acre plus in the MUSA line and we still haven't got
a definitive number outside the MUSA line but it's going to be somewhere around
$15,000.00, even as high as $20,000.00 per acre at the present day so we can start to get
some...What you've all been tossing around, $100,000.00, you'd better get into the millions .
and you'd better get into the $5 to $10 million range fairly quickly here or we're not going to
get far. Trails, that's a little tougher one. I, as Director of your department have a lot of
ideas on where we're going to pick up a trail segment and go ahead and build it. We've taken
policies that we'll build the trails with road improvements and we're on line and Powers
Blvd's going to go in on both sides in 1995.
Lash: The whole way?
Roeser: So maybe trails should be moved down.
Berg: Maybe trails should be fourth. If they're going to develop anyway.
Hoffman: Yeah, TH 101 north may go on there. TH 101 north is not yet decided. That
would be half a million dollars in itself and nobody's...that that road is going to be built so
there's a push right now to build the trails and let them think about the road for the next 10
years.
Roeser: Did anybody ever consider connecting those neighborhoods away from Highway
101? Is that a possibility? Bringing them all the way up to Kurvers Point at least. And then
get somehow.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Hoffman: Jim Andrews wanted to do that.
Roeser: I think it would require some cooperation from neighbors and neighborhoods.
Hoffman: There's no way.
Lash: They want to be able to get through town but not just through their neighborhood.
Roeser: Yeah, not through my road.
Hoffman: There's a lot of houses, there's 2 houses needed between every street.
Roeser: That's what I'm thinking. If you could get from neighborhood to the street and then
next neighborhood and then hit, you know. It's just not possible. ...And just getting away
from TH 101 and let TH 101 be there.
Lash: Is the trail something that if you gave us some thought, you'd be able to come up with
some things or is it something we just need to...
. (There was a tape change at this point in the discussion.)
Hoffman: TH 101 is the only one at the present time. We don't have these properties...Bluff
Creek trail is going to take some funding.
Lash: How about the underpass under TH 5? Is that something we're going to try and get a
grant for or how is that ever going to be a reality?
Hoffman: Yeah, the grants and then the road construction itself...will be built when
development goes in but not very many of them. Heritage will be. And then once you drop
south of the railroad tracks, all of those have already been developed. We've taken the
easements but we would have to build the trail segment so that would be a portion. At least
they'd want to build that from Highway 5...
Berg: Yeah but to show our fiscal responsibility, it might not be a bad idea to say we
considered trails and decided that at this point it's not appropriate. But mention that to the
City Council and also the task force and if the task force comes back with trails as a
necessity, so be it.
Hoffman: Oh yeah. Trails is the number one request by.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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Roeser: Most people that you talk to.
Huffman: Where does trail maintenance come from? I mean upgrading and maintaining and.
Hoffman: Currently it's taken out of your 410 fund. This year we switched it all into park
maintenance which is about $30,000.00...
Lash: Well I think it's definitely something that the task force can study more and maybe
they'll see that it isn't worth a chunk of money right now and to do it as we've done it over
the years with road construction is the most responsible way to do it. We don't know yet. I
guess I don't want to rule anything out until people have really spent the time to review it.
Meger: I would say leave it on there too because it could be a potential vote getter with that
many people that walk and run and Rollerblade and what not. Even just seeing that word
trail on the referendum.
Huffman: You could trail right to the golf course. Carry...up on the bike.
Hoffman: ...but moving up through Saddlebrook next summer.
.
Lash: Oh, when you said Powers that's what I thought you were talking about.
Hoffman: No, Powers south of Highway 5 where Lyman will go in both sides.
Lash: Because there's really a gaping hole there.
Berg: What about Lyman?
Hoffman: Lyman will have to...
Berg: So I can finally get to Chaska without fighting semi's. That would be nice.
Hoffman: Yeah, the trail's going to go onto Audubon...went through Lyman and down to
Chaska. So we're almost to the...right to the front door of the new high school and then
Powers Blvd would go from Highway 5 south on both sides and Lyman would be a cross
piece and the county will upgrade that as a part of that.
Huffman: Isn't there a trail in Chaska coming up behind the new high school too? Isn't there
something down in that ditch? That's already built in there.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Hoffman: We love that trail.
Manders: It's excellent.
Huffman: Hasn't it got a little stream or something down there too. I've seen it from the
highway.
Manders: It's not paved but yeah, it's outstanding.
Roeser: It's like limestone isn't it, or something.
Manders: H's...stone.
Hoffman: As far as park development for Bandimere Park and Minnewashta West, is that the
figure that's going on there?
Lash: What about the elementary school?
Berg: That's budgeted in already, isn't it? Most of it.
Lash: All of it? Equipment and ballfields and tennis and everything.
Hoffman: Tennis is in but no playground equipment.
Lash: That gets spendy real fast.
Hoffman: We could spend $90,000.00.
Lash: How about ballfield lights anywhere? I mean we know that's close to $100,000.00 any
time we want to put that on. But that's more...
Ruegemer: I agree Jan.
Huffman: Is that a good idea? I mean is that a positive?
Hoffman: Absolutely.
Lash: Dave, I wouldn't say it if it wasn't a good idea.
Huffman: Yes ma'am. You had pearls before...
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
.
Hoffman: But again, we get up to the City Council and we're wishy washy, they're going to
send us right down...
Huffman: I mean you've got 4 or 5 specific items in terms of the major category. The catch
line it sounds like that night though is, these are our major goals. Now the task force may
deem trails a positive or negative but we can't decide that for them and is that your walk
away line? Is that our catch phrase that night?
Hoffman: See I would urge you not to argue with them at that meeting.
Huffman: I guess I'm out of my league here.
Hoffman: If you want to leave it to the task force to talk about ballfield lights, fine. Do that
and just bring up these 4 items and say, beyond that we want the task force to go ahead and
tackle these issues and we start this haggling back and forth and they're going to.
Lash: So under the categories, say we had park development. We could put ballfield lights.
.
We could Bandimere. We could put.
Hoffman: Do you want to?
.
Lash: I don't know.
Berg: Well what do they want to hear?
Hoffman: They want to hear what we have to say.
Lash: Well we need to tell them there's a lot of big projects out there and we can't pay for
any of those things unless we go this way. And if I was them I would want to know, well
what kind of big projects are you talking here.
Berg: Right, and if we start getting nitty gritty about every, about lights and this and this,
they're going to say well maybe you don't need that, back to what you were saying before.
Maybe we don't need that. We don't want this session to revolve into that either.
Lash: I don't know if it's going to be too nitty gritty. It's just going to say, these are big
ticket items. We're not saying for sure right now that this is going to be in there. We just
want this task force to be able to research this and say, is there really. We perceive the need
to be there. Do they perceive that need and is it worth putting it in this package or should it
be down the road?
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Berg: Well let's get some specifics then so we have something in concrete for when we talk.
Lash: I think if we just had the 4 categories, that sounds pretty ambiguous. I think it would
be nice under the categories to at least have a few concrete things, and I think we do know
some of those concrete things.
Berg: So we've got park development. We have Bandimere and Minnewashta.
Hoffman: Minnewashta and Lake Ann lights and Lake Susan lights.
Huffman: Great, absolutely.
Berg: Playground equipment at the new school site. For the recreation site.
Lash: And is that going to be, is the rec site center all pretty much decked out the way we
want that or does there need to be more money put in there? ...How about City Center?
We've gone round and round about that over the years that we've wanted to acquire the extra
couple of acres if possible and to reconfigure that whole thing with new hockey and new
warming house and all of that. Is that something we want to put in there? It will never
happen if we don't have it in.
Berg: I missed the first part of what you said.
Lash: Listen up over there Fred. City Center.
Hoffman: City Center, we've all been confused over the years because of the future
expansion and acquisition of the land out in front of City Hall and moving the road to the
back. But there is going to be...that whole project's not going to be paid for out of one pot of
money so whether or not you can answer Mr. McGee's question and the voters questions on
do you want half a million dollars for the future City Center park expansion, probably not
going to tell you. So there's lots of time to put it on...
Huffman: And if we don't, this is a terrible way to put it but if we don't have to pay for it,
why should we bring it up.
Hoffman: Well if you've seen, we don't want to lose the opportunity to expand that site so
that land's only going to get more expensive but you could put that on as acquisition. You
could acquire that extra 2 1/2 acres. That would be very specific.
Berg: That would be fine.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
.
Hoffman: So that would be under land procurements.
Huffman: That was a great pearl.
Hoffman: Anything else in development? Hockey rinks. Warming houses. Park buildings.
Berg: What did we have on line at one point as a goal, 6 hockey rinks? Is that too high?
Wasn't it 5 or 6 and then we decided to go with 1 or 2 this year sort as trial balloons. See
how they're used.
Roeser: Over in Chan Hills.
Lash: That's just a figure skating. And the one up at North Lotus, that's just pleasure this
winter too isn't it and then the next year hockey?
Hoffman: Yep.
Berg: How big a ticket is that?
.
Hoffman: Under the lights, $40,000.00.
Meger: How about a Rollerblade rink?
Lash: Did we get that in over at the elementary school?
Hoffman: $75,000.00 total. No, it's an extra $70,000.00 for concrete to put in two rinks.
Lash: Now at the elementary site the tennis and the hockey and all of that is already in?
Hoffman: Four tennis, lighted. Two hockey rinks. Two areas for hockey, lighted. We have
to provide the boards. And these are things that the task force, when you get down to that,
when you put something in somebody's neighborhood and start to liven up the capital
improvement program for the neighborhood parks system..J think we've got big ones. I don't
know that there's any missing there. Land procurements. We start with City Center and then
if you recall the map. We have Bluff Creek as one of our's. We have the Fox Woods. The
large piece of woods in southern Chanhassen. You had on there at one point the Halla
property. Now that's been, at least...
Lash: So could we just say that we're interested in x number of acres to be developed.
Specific site?
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Hoffman: You need a specific site...curse of dwelling in the public sector, these people want
to know. You can't beat around the bush. Everybody wants to know. I've spoken personally
with most of the landowners who we're looking at and saying that the Park Commission is
considering future acquisition of a portion of your property and if people are not very careful
in that regard, we talk a lot about what their dreams are for their property and to quote Sever
Peterson. He says well, that piece of property is going to bring the ship in for my family and
I and if you're aboard that ship, I don't have a problem. So I mean, they're all out there.
They've all been approached and they're not going to be adverse to being approached by the
city either. Talked with a lot of folks of the land preservation trust recently. Both down at
the conference and then back here from the... There's another alternative to looking into a
professional easement, conservation easement. And so you pay for an easement. They get
the tax credits because it's a...easement. It's preserved forever in open space but they still
own the property. It's less expensive than other alternatives we look at so there's a lot of
things to take a look at. Some people have said we don't have a enough time to put on a
referendum in 1995 but I went to a session at the National, which was supposed to be on
some California referendums and legislation where they put a levy on for 15 years for land
acquisitions and they put another levy on for park maintenance for about that same time
period. Those people did not show up so at the last minute they called up Eden Prairie... they
put on their land acquisition effort in 6 weeks. From the day they said let's do it to the day
they voted 6 weeks later. They had a 3 to 1 vote to go ahead and buy those 4 pieces of
property in the city of Eden Prairie. So they had 6 weeks. We have at least 6 months.
Roeser: They have a really good promotional issue there though.
Hoffman: You have the same. Chanhassen, there's been enough talk about land development
in this city that you have the potential for the same emotional issue. You just have to...
Meger: Todd do you have, I don't know, a referendum file which would have some
information of some other referendums that have passed and just different information, even
about what is a referendum and how can they be done. Just even for myself more for
education because.
Hoffman: Yeah, you bet.
Manders: A couple of other preservation areas, I know we've talked about one in particular
being the wooded area around Lake Ann.
Hoffman: That's where we're at. It's a million and a half right there...
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Manders: And then the other one, I don't know if there's much in terms of acquisition
required but the wetlands by the school. That Opus area. I don't know what the requirements
are there. If there's anything.
Hoffman: We're presently in negotiation with the property owner there and what the eventual
tally will come out, if she would like to donate portions of that wetland portions for tax
credits and the rest would be purchased by the city.
Manders: The other areas would be the wetlands that the Lundgren development surrounds.
You know I don't know that all factors in and then there was some triangle tree areas off of
TH 41. Those are the only ones that I can think of.
Roeser: What about across from Bandimere? South of Bandimere Park. When you're going
on TH 101 to the south there where the pond is and all that wetland. Is that?
Hoffman: Currently it's at least planned to be at the front door of Tim Erhart's new home.
Roeser: Who's?
Hoffman: Tim Erhart came in. He sat in on quite a few of the meetings on the update... The
Frank Fox property just to the north of that, that's the woods. So the pond there is owned by
Tim Erhart. The rest of the property, approximately 100 acres right through here. It was
agricultural when he purchased it but he's now, he since has planted a tree farm... The tract of
land just north of there is Frank Fox who runs all the way from Highway 101 through the
wetland area, back to an old maple forest which is slated for acquisition. I had a conversation
or potential acquisition. With him he said he's not adverse to that at all. Then you have 212
which cuts right down through the middle there and the State will be picking that up. The
city is presently going ahead with administering that RALF application which is the right-of-
way acquisition loan fund. Where the Met Council pays the property owner off for their
property. The city has to underwrite that loan and then when MnDot comes through with TH
212, they pay everybody back and the acquisition goes away. Everything's... Why that has
come about is because TH 212 has been mapped for so dam long that there's been a lot of
land owners out there that have held property for 20 years and they became so incensed with
having to live underneath that designation that they just said, you need to give us some
opportunity for relief. If this is going to be mapped, and we want to sell our land, go ahead
and buy it from us. They couldn't do it directly so they started this RALF thing. So there's
going to be that, and then you have the wooded knoll to the west of there and he said, you
know my dream for that is to put some type of a residential subdivision unit there and then I
can have my summer home up here in Minnesota on that piece of property... So those are the
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
type of concepts you get from landowners. They certainly have ideas for their property as
well and then we talk to each individual owners about that, that's a long explanation...
Lash: And how many sites are there actually then would be possibilities? There's only like 2
or 3 isn't there? I mean for park, to develop an active park.
Hoffman: Yeah, we looked at the site north of Highway 5 and up to the Dolejsi property and
Mills Fleet Farm property. We looked at the...farm down south across from Lyman Blvd.
Lash: Where the new lift station is?
Hoffman: Thank you, Gayle Degler. And that piece of property. And then we're looking,
there's not much left... I thought there was a lot of com fields left and we wouldn't have to
worry about this for quite some time but that is certainly not true.
Lash: What about straight down Powers at Lyman? Right across Lyman.
Hoffman: I think that would be, in fact I caught wind that a developer is looking at that as a
speculation site. If you go out there and look at it, if you extend that road across and create a
trail head, if you see the oak. It's kind of like the oak savannah that run through there. It's
the cows are grazing underneath the oak trees and if you put residential in, you can kiss those
oak trees good-bye but if you can do a picnic grounds underneath those oak trees. Bring in a
road directly south of Powers, you create a trail head for your Bluff Creek trail going south
and north and create somewhat of a community park in that location. Something akin to the
Shakopee, you know oak picnic area just off of TH 169. That would be a designation, or
destination point for people to start on Bluff Creek.
Lash: But is there a potential for flat, active use too?
Hoffman: For the, if you go up the hill and the public works building sits there now. That
little pump house building.. You go over to the west, up towards the farm house and we
looked at that. You'd have to tier it. Something similar to Lake Ann to make it happen.
There's not a lot of flat land there. On the back side there is...walk over the hill and there's
still a lot of property back there and some of it is relatively flat. So there's plenty of
opportunities up here for us to take a look at.
Berg: Should that be on our list?
Hoffman: Yeah.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
.
Lash: That sounds like it'd be a nice choice.
Hoffman: The other piece which was on there and we haven't mentioned was the Camp
Tanadoona. So there will be some paring away at that point. You can't buy every single
piece of property itself but.
Huffman: But the point there could be, these are the 5 major pieces we've identified left in
the city and once they're gone, we will have no chance to acquire anything anywhere.
Hoffman: Yeah. We can do that.
Berg: When you see it on the map of the whole city, that becomes 5 real small pieces.
Hoffman: And as far as the golf course, it would simply be build new or acquire.
Lash: Okay. Anything else? Can we move
Hoffman: What do we want to do with the goal setting Jan?
.
Lash: I think we just did that. I consider that in our goals. The goal is for the task force to
study some of those. Do we have to get more?
.
Hoffman: The task force can accomplish your goals.
Lash: So should our goal be to have a task force to review all of these priorities and see
which are.
Hoffman: The City Council's going to ask you, well once that's done, what...rest of the year.
Lash: What's what?
Berg: Well we can have another meeting. This is such a high priority.
Huffman: I think he is exactly 100% right. If they want to twist and turn and say what else
is going to go on. Say at this point there is nothing else to go on. Management and the daily
activities and housekeeping continue monthly and weekly and daily the same they do for you.
There is nothing else for us and if they don't want to play with us on this level, I agree with
you sir. That's enough. We've done it. Thank you very much for your night. Let's go
home.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Berg: Yeah, if they want to get any more specific than that, I don't know.
Huffman: There's no reason to. I mean here it is. We're not voting on anything. They don't
have to vote on any issues at this point. This is reality and if they want to play with this,
that's fine. And if they don't, we'll.
Berg: This delivers a real clear message to them what our priorities are.
Lash: I think we have the right to expect a real clear message from them in that we don't
want to exert any more energy or time into this or have a task force if it's a dead issue before
it even gets going so I don't want to play a game here and put a bunch of time and work into
this and then come back and have them say, you know what. The time is just not right for a
referendum. We're just not going to do it.
Huffman: What is the election going to, I mean I'm asking for speculation here but the
election. 3 of them are up for vote. They've got people running against. I mean are they
going to do anything?
Hoffman: This is the day after the election.
Huffman: Okay.
Hoffman: First thing they'll do is canvas the votes there under 1 and then they're going to sit
down and talk to you folks. Remember...5:30 p.m. They scheduled it for that time and they
simply...change the election results...
Huffman: Todd do we need to come together even, I don't know..,just prepare for a couple of
minutes so I mean. Are we going to see this ahead enough time so everybody can think so
we can proceed in not an illogical fashion. So if Jan has something, about acquisition, maybe
one person could take the role in something or, and give thoughts. But I mean make a logical
spearheaded effort as opposed to seeming a little scattershodit, or I don't know. Is that even
better? I mean you want to look good, you want to sound good and you want to walk the
right walk. Do we need to even be prepared to present this in a better presentation package
instead of saying, well we think we'd like to do this. We'd like to do this and maybe Jan
says, these are our goals. That we have come up with and sat with you know and she talks
about one and Jane talks about one, you know whoever. But really hammers them or do we
even need to do anything like that or is that just too?
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
.
Hoffman: No, I think it's a good idea. In fact if you want to have either your Chair and/or
designated people present the issues very clearly and concisely and then shut your mouth,
that's the best way to approach it.
Lash: Yeah, I think we can present it and then ask for questions.
Berg: I'd be willing to let Jim and Jan do that too as the Chair and Co-Chair.
Hoffman: Okay...
Lash: So that's on November 9th, correct? And then will our regular meeting be on the 22nd
then?
Hoffman: Correct.
Lash: Okay, let's move on.
PROGRAM REPORTS:
.
A. SENIOR CENTER
B. SUMMER SOFTBALL
C. FALL SOFTBALL
D. HALLOWEEN PARTY
Lemme: ...1 really don't have anything else to add to that. I just want to let you know what
programs are at the senior center, that's my job. If you have any questions, you certainly can
ask them otherwise we can go onto Jerry's reports...
Lash: Okay Jerry, how about the summer softball.
Ruegemer: As we wrap up our summer season now, we did increase 'our teams to 68 this
year. General comments through each league and comments that I collected in going through
the evaluations that were sent out. We did receive a fair amount from each of the leagues.
We do have a fair representation...and then spelled out specifically in the category here. Just
general comments. A lot of feedback coming back from the parking fees at Lake Ann Park
and that's not only on the softball evaluations but also on a lot of the picnic evaluations as
well, as you may have seen at the administrative packet. I know that we need to take a look
at that and that horse has been beat a few times around here but.
Hoffman: It's an annual review I think.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Ruegemer: Yes it will be coming back so we'll need to take a look at that again. Just other
general comments. We did make up our rain outs on the weekends this year, on Saturday
morning preferably. That did not work out...few rain outs this summer. We were going to
take the weekend on the 4th of July open...next year and just do it then. Another item that
we touched on last night was a lot of comments about lights at Lake Ann Park. That's
certainly a way that we can expand our leagues that we are getting to full capacity on with 3
out of 5 nights booked to capacity already on 16 teams. That's a way that we can go to 4
games a night per field if we have the lights to do that. So that's something that's certainly
important that we are getting feedback. It is, people are talking about it out there in the
leagues right now so... Their kids are growing up and finding other things to do and those
types of things. We did lose quite a few umpires this year so that's always a remaining
concern. Finding quality umpires and...to help us out in our leagues. One way that we're
going to increase that next year is certainly to, we're going to increase our fee per game. I
felt that we were relatively competitive with everybody else but I think what we need to do is
maybe take that one step farther. The Eden Prairie's...Minnetonka's...set the tone and that
doesn't help us being a neighboring community. It's certainly something we need to take a
look at so we will be paying umpires more next year. And as you see, just on the revenue
sheets, we did take in, for revenue, $26,520.00...
. (There was a tape change during Jerry's presentation.)
Lash: Any questions for Jerry on that? Fall softball evaluation.
Ruegemer: Basically the same line. We were down this year from fall softball last year. We
had 15 teams which just talking to different people throughout the Twin City area, I think
everybody was down this year. I don't know why. People just had enough and I know
people's lives are busy these days but I don't have a logical explanation why it was down this
year. The fee was the same as last year so I think the teams that played up here had a good
time. They played more games this year. We had 10 games. Double headers so I think
everybody enjoyed that. So this year we did try to offer the co-rec and women's fall league...
again this year but had little or no interest again with that but we will continue to offer that...
The revenue reports are back there as well. We're losing $12.10...
Berg: Yeah, scratch the program. If we're not going to make money, scratch it.
Ruegemer: Anybody have any questions on fall softball?
Lash: Okay, let's move on to the Halloween party.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
.
Ruegemer: Our annual Halloween party is coming up Monday, October 31st over at
Chanhassen Elementary school. At 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. We will be setting up around 3:00 p.m.
with targeting being through with all those types of things and try to get ready for our big
night here so we're going to be working around the after school program this year, which we
didn't have to contend with last year but in conversations with both the instructor of that
program and also at the community education level, there's flexibility there and we can work
around it and compliment each other that night so we will proceed as planned on that and we
will be in there sooner than 5:30-6:00 during that night...We'll be there at 3:00 for set up.
Lash: And do you still need more volunteers?
Ruegemer: Yes we do Jan.
Lash: Did you check the high school?
Ruegemer: In fact I left a phone message with Jean Strauss today. She's our youth services
coordinator for the school district so she's real in tune with volunteer opportunities that the
kids might need to complete for their community service hours.
.
Berg: Not so much that any more but isn't the Honor Society also been involved in the past,
or is that Easter?
Ruegemer: It's Easter and they have a little bit in the past with the Halloween party but it's
tougher at the beginning of the year, from what I understand. They aren't in place yet.
Berg: That's right, they aren't. You're right.
Lash: What about, it's too late probably to try this for this year but I was kind of wondering
like, is there a drama club or something like that at the high school?
Berg: No.
Lash: I just thought it would be something that kids would get more into you know dressing
up in costumes and being characters. I would think they would think that would be kind of
fun. Are there any commissioners who are highly motivated to volunteer for this event?
Ruegemer: We have costumes so if anybody would like to.
Lemme: You don't have to dress in a costume to help...serving refreshments as well.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
.
Ruegemer: Right. Registration table.
Lash: ...if anyone is interested, why don't you notify Jerry. It doesn't sound like anybody is.
Okay, thanks Jerry. We'll move on to the administrative presentations.
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS:
A. WINTER NEWSLETTER CHANGES.
Lemme: Just another little update to let you know that we're doing things a little bit
differently. You have made comments in the past in regards to how you think the newsletter
looks and those kinds of things so I'm always looking for more ideas. New ideas. If you see
other newsletters from other cities or different places, bring them in to me. We're not
opposed to stealing ideas if they've got good ones. And also with pictures. If you're out at
an event that's a Park and Rec event and you, or if you're out on your bike and you bring
your camera and you're on some Chanhassen trail, take some photos and we'll reimburse you
or whatever for the pictures as well. So just wanted to let you know what's going on with the
newsletter.
. Lash: Any comments or questions? Okay, thanks Dawn.
B. NEIGHBORHOOD BALLFIELD AND WEEKEND RESERVATION POLICY.
Ruegemer: Thank you. We discussed this item at our last September meeting. The Park and
Rec Commission did direct me to develop that policy with input that we did have that night.
I did do that and I take your feedback...policy statement here. Do you want me to read those
real quick?
Berg: No. We can read them.
Ruegemer: Everybody's had a chance to read them? Okay. I'll take any comments or
questions at this time. If everybody's fine with that, we do need a motion.
Huffman: A much gentler way of saying if the grass at the new fields is established at that
time...Carver Beach and Rice Marsh Lake as opposed to me saying, shoot them. A much
gentler way of saying that.
Lash: Is this something that you think is going to fill your needs request for next year?
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
.
Ruegemer: I think it certainly will make that a lot clearer. That's something that we certainly
can incorporate it into like the picnic. I have a picnic information sheet that I send out with
every reservation so it's certainly something that can be incorporated into that literature about
the ballfields and just clear up any types of questions.
Lash: No, I guess what I was meaning by that was, do you think that most everyone will
have the opportunity to play who wants to play with these limitations?
Ruegemer: I think the majority of the use is going to be at Lake Ann in the way that we do
have more fields out there. You know if you'd like to review this again next year, we can
certainly do that but I think I'm confident that this will take care of our needs for the near
future.
Lash: Do you think that the third item, the third bullet here addresses clearly enough for
people if they call and say we'd like to schedule practices one night a week at some
neighborhood park, I can't even think of one. Pheasant Hills or something. Say that's done.
Will you be able to say I'm sorry, we don't schedule things and that's our policy? Does this
address that clearly enough for people?
.
Ruegemer: This doesn't address that specifically but if you'd like, I know we had talked
about trying to specify I guess what location they wanted to do that at the last meeting.
Lash: Well I know with the request, we had the request from the soccer club to use.
Ruegemer: Minnewashta Heights.
Lash: Yeah, that one and.
Hoffman: CAA wanted Sunset and Curry.
Lash: Right, so those requests are going to be coming in. Are we.
Ruegemer: I know we had talked about, do we want to define neighborhood park or not.
That's great if you want to get into the specific establishing.
Hoffman: That's your current policy.
Lash: That is the current policy. That we don't schedule organized sports in neighborhood
parks.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Hoffman: Absolutely, except Carver Beach and Rice Marsh Lake and Meadow Green.
Roeser: And we're hoping to be done with that in 2 years.
Hoffman: So I guess you could preface this, I don't think the policy statement it can be
written... neighborhood parks shall not schedule organized sporting activities during the soccer
season with the exception of those...
Lash: Okay. And the elimination of just the two. Didn't we consider leaving it.
Berg: I'd move that we accept staff's recommendation regarding the ballfield reservation
policy as stated.
Manders: Second.
Berg moved, Mandel'S seconded that the P3IK and Recreation Commission adopt the following
ballfield reselvation policy:
1. Lake Ann Park may be scheduled for practices and games by non-profit organizations who
provide services to youth under 18 years of age on weekends on Fields Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6
depending upon availability. Lake Ann Field Nos. 3 and 4 will not be scheduled and will
be kept available for park users and picnickers.
2. Lake Susan Park may be scheduled by non-profit organizations who provide services to
youth under 18 years for practices and games on weekends but not between the hours of
12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. These blocked out times were established in order to serve the
requests and needs of our scheduled picnics and general use of the park.
3. Looking at scheduled activities in neighborhood parks, it is staff's recommendation that
until the new Chanhassen Recreation Center outdoor facilities are complete, that the Park
and Recreation Commission allow the use of scheduled games and practices in the
neighborhood parks of Carver Beach Park and Rice Marsh Lake Park. the Park and
Recreation Commission will review the availability of the new recreation center's fields
during early spring of 1996 and make the decision at that time to allow or discontinue the
use of these two neighborhood parks for scheduled activities. If the grass at the new field
is established enough at that time, eliminate use at Carver Beach and Rice Marsh Lake
Parks.
All voted in favor and the motion camed unanimously.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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COMMISSION MEMBER PRESENTA nONS:
Berg: I had a question. I was down at Rochester this weekend, and feeding the geese at
Silver Lake and I noticed the park across the street. I don't know what you know about
Rochester parks but it was the park adopted by the Sertoma Club. What do you know about
that and is that something that we'd be interested in pursuing at least investigating?
Hoffman: You bet. An intern, it's been probably two summers ago, prepared a variety of
documents on adopt a park program. The partnership program with the City of Chanhassen
so those remain in a file in my office...My present thought that we get away from an adopt a
park and turn it into a partners in parks concept. Say you auction off like a Lake Ann Park
to one exclusive club. Well there's... there's a lot of things that could be done at Lake Ann
Park that different organizations could become a partner in...city landscape businesses actually
came in and maintained landscapes and landscaping flowering beds, that type of thing in a
variety of city parks because it was good for their business. So we need to refine this thing.
You know at one point I was almost ready to put it out there and present it to the Park
Commission but I didn't want it to be premature. So I'm still flushing out all of the concepts.
All of the partnerships that could be formed and then make no mistake about it, it's a ton of
administrative work to organize that thing and to then form the partnerships with our park .
maintenance division and park maintenance that has just come in now to park administration.
Prior to that, when you start saying well, we're going to be adding flowers beds, we're going
to be doing this and park maintenance starts going, well wait a minute here. We've heard this
kind of stuff before. Are you sure you're going to do that so the program has to be well
thought out and I would say within the next 2 years that program will be on it's way and the
Park Commission will play a key role in that. It can be a budget reducer but it can be a cost
as well with the initial set up. Many communities do it. Adopt a roadway. Adopt a
boulevard. Adopt a green space. Mankato Park Property does the same thing. In the bigger
cities, and just really park departments...in Chanhassen we're a little bit different. We've got a
lot of things to do in our parks and our parks are a lot newer. Our community's a lot newer
so there's not the decay that you see in a lot of...Excellent program. We just need to let it
fully develop and mature and the file is getting much thicker with all the information I've
received.
Manders: I just wanted to comment on the opportunity that I had to attend the National
Congress exhibit hall. There were several things there but two that kind of caught my eye.
One being a golf driving arrangement that had this netting and it was like a driving range
type of set up that, I don't know what it went for. It seemed to me, what was it, $30,000.00.
But beyond that, I ended up hitting a couple of good balls so that's why I liked it.
Hoffman: You hit it into the net and it tells you how far you drove it?
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Manders: Yeah, there was kind of a radar detector thing that projected or estimated distance
so.
Huffman: A lot of people in that line.
Manders: I had the longest drive, so that's why. No.
Lash: Just wanted everybody to know.
Manders: That was fun. And then the other thing was a play structure, and I apologize for
not bringing the brochure that they gave me but it was the koala one with the tubes and the
ball thing. Very colorful. I don't know if that was necessarily a product of Australia so it
would be an arm and a leg to get a hold of one of those but I thought that was a real nice set
up I thought. Very different structure. It's hard to explain so I won't even try.
Hoffman: ...it had three little bubbles all connected by tubes...
Meger: I guess I too would like to comment on the opportunity to attend the National
Congress and would like to thank staff and the city for allowing me that opportunity. I was
able to sit in on a couple of sessions as well as go to the exhibit hall. Some very interesting
sessions that I attended as far as commissioners and how to get them to work together and
commission board members and differences between cities as far as a group like our's that is
more of an appointed or selected group versus an elected group of Park and Rec
Commissioners. There was a lot of interesting conversation on how those boards do different
and operate. I thought the one, I don't know if you purchased the tapes of either of those but
one thing that I thought was real interesting that I thought would be something that we could
work on in the future or a good intern project, was setting out something a little bit more
detailed as new commissioners come on. A packet introducing them to the commission. I
think when I first came on I did a lot of good materials but they really had some good ideas
about bringing on a new commissioner and kind of bringing them up to date and getting them
to be able to be jump right in and so on. And I went to some other things that were useful
for me as far as my other job. I went to a session on an employee incentive programs which
was very interesting so. Saw some people that I hadn't seen since college so it was fun too.
Lemme: Do you have the papers still...
Meger: Yeah, they had 3 major topics in that. One was using a money maker type venture,
like a golf course. This was a rec center where the incentive was that the employees would
actually give up a percentage of their income, 5%, 10% or whatever they deemed appropriate
and they would not be paid that amount throughout the year but they would have particular
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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goals in mind that if attained, they would certainly get that 5% or 10% back but they also had
the opportunity to attain much more than that. So in the example that they used, one
individual gave about $1,500.00 up as an incentive and ended up at the end of the year
getting a check for about $4,500.00 so that was one example. Another example was more,
not monetary but more, well it ended up somewhat being monetary but where staff members
had little cards that were kind of, way to go cards that if somebody did something that they
thought was unique or they did a good job at, they could give them a card and it was worth a
certain amount of points and then at the end of the year they would have a party and they
could purchase different things, depending on how many points they had obtained. The other
was more one definitely tied to performance and they went through performance appraisals
and how to tie it directly back to employee's salary, which was very helpful for me too so.
Lash: I could see parking permits at Lake Ann as being sort of an employee incentive.
Reach your goal so you get a parking permit for the next year. Get in free.
Hoffman: Never happen. No free...
Lash: Then we'll have to make sure we keep them.
Hoffman: Dawn, do you want to comment on your...parking permits at Lake Ann Park for .
city employees. Pass?
Lemme: I'll pass.
Lash: Anyone else have commission presentations? I had one quick one. It really isn't Park
and Rec I don't think, although it does affect Bandimere somewhat in that personally I, in the
last week experienced a great deal of frustration with the fact that the compost site at
Bandimere has been closed down already. Just when we reached the peak of.
Hoffman: I think we re-opened it.
Lash: They did? Great. Now that we already dumped our leaves somewhere.
Roeser: Out by the gate.
Hoffman: Not operated by our department but they did close it and too many requests so
they re-opened it.
Berg: When was it open?
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
Ruegemer: I think it was a Saturday.
Lash: I think it's generally just open Saturday. Maybe part of the day on Sunday..J guess I
was frustrated because it opened in the spring and it's open all summer and then when all the
leaves fall, it was closed.
Roeser: I spent 3 hours down there dumping bags one night. Ever tell you the first time
Lucy, you know Lucy don't you? The first time she was down there, they didn't have the
dumpster there so there were bags all over the place and they brought it in late that afternoon.
So Lucy come over and she said we've got to unload these things into the dumpster. So we
went down there. We worked for about 2 hours. It was the dirtiest job I have ever done in
my life and 1...so we worked for at least 2 hours dumping these bags and stink. You wouldn't
believe it. It's just horrible stuff.
Lemme: I think Ron would be a good candidate to run it the next time.
Roeser: And then we had to go back the next morning, Sunday morning. I said Lucy, I've
got to quit. This is it. I can't do this anymore and we were just covered with mud so we
went back on Sunday morning and it had dried out a little bit more and so we finished up the
job. We dumped all these things into this dumb dumpster. I never did get paid for that. She
did.
Lash: I guess I'm really feeling with the tree preservation board and the big push that the city
is putting forward to plant trees and to make residents plant trees and all that, we need
somehow and I know it's not for us but it could be passed onto the Tree Board that we need
to provide some place for brush and leaves for all these trees that we're trying to get people
to plant. And I know there are most of the homes have 1 or 2 little trees with 6 leaves on
each but there are a few homes that have a considerable amount of leaves, mine being one of
them. And people, we need to provide that for people. Otherwise we're asking for abuse.
Hoffman: We're going...all staff members spent the better part of 4 days down there so we're
still catching up on the day to day responsibilities but the investment of time and money is
well worth the inspiration received. The materials and context, etc, etc. One thing I took
away was that we in the profession of Park and Recreation, you in your individual
professions, spend a lot of time trying to figure what everybody else is doing so we can be
like one another. It's especially true with city government. We always want to know, what's
the other cities doing and something that clearly came across was that if you want to be a
leader, don't do that. Don't even pick up the phone. Just do what's right for you and
Chanhassen's been noted for that in a lot of different instances with wetland preservations and
water. The parks and open spaces that we have and are attempting to preserve so as we
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
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launch into this new era of parks and open space acquisition, I just would like to let the
commissioners know to keep that in mind. We don't have to do what everybody else is
doing. We don't even have to go the traditional way. We simply do what we think is right
and what you think is right for the city of Chanhassen. The other thing, I did peruse in the
old exhibit hall on a couple of occasions and should let the commission know that I spent
some of your 1995 budgeted money on a 50% off deal, factory direct from these...systems so
you have the money budgeted for a piece of play equipment for Rice Marsh Lake Park. The
one behind...so they had a $6,000.00 piece of equipment on the show floor. They didn't want
to take it back to...Pennsylvania so they sold it us for $2,000.00.
Lash: So what is it?
Hoffman: It's a three platform structure with a roof on it and some of your first roof
structures in the city. It has some entrance and exits, spiral climbing and that...tube slide
with...so $6,000.00, 50%. Can't beat it.
Lash: Sounds good. Okay, any other presentations here?
.
Hoffman: Oh and then as far as...in the same vein...! let him know that they did not meet
their specifications for 5 week delivery time. In fact they're closer to 8 now so...
.
Berg: This is the group that we all said it but Ian laid it out, clearly how this was it. Okay.
Huffman: Was there any penalty fee? I was out of town that meeting. Was there any
penalty fee or anything.
Lash: No future orders.
Huffman: Okay, we're done.
Hoffman: That's what I told the resident today who called and asked where their play
structure was. I said it was supposed to be here but it's not. He said is there a penalty clause
for not meeting the specification. I said well...
Lash: I think we made that very clear, did we not?
Berg: Yes we did.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - October 25, 1994
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Lash: Okay, can I have a motion to approve the Minutes from August 9th. Or are there any
additions or deletions?
Manders moved, Huffman seconded to approve the Minutes of the Pari< and Recreation
Commission meeting dated August 9, 1994 as presented. All voted in favor and the motion
canied.
Meger moved, Roeser seconded to approve the Minutes of the Pari< and Recreation
Commission meeting dated September 27, 1994 as presented. All voted in favor and the
motion canied.
Lash: And Administrative Section, I believe that was pretty well we covered everything in
there. Were there any questions or comments on any of that? Okay, is there a motion to
adjourn?
Mandel'S moved, Meger seconded to adjoum the meeting. All voted in favor and the motion
canied. The meeting was adjoumed.
Submitted by Todd Hoffman
Park and Recreation Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
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CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREA nON COMMISSION
REGUlAR MEETING
NOVEMBER 15, 1994
Chairman Andrews called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim Andrews, Jan Lash, Fred Berg, Jim Manders, Ron Roeser, Dave
Huffman and Jane Meger
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park and Rec Director; Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation
Supervisor; and Dawn Lemme, Recreation Supervisor
Andrews: To make the best use of the time of the people in the audience, we'll jump
immediately to item 5 which is a land subdivision proposal.
CONCEPTUAL PIAN AND SUBDIVISION. REZONING FROM A2. AGRICULTURAL
ESTA TE TO PUD. PlANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT FOR AN OFFICE
CAMPUS/RESIDENTIAL USE ON 20 ACRES OF PROPERTY; LOCATED AT 1350
FLYING CLOUD DRIVE (FORMER ASSUMPTION SEMINARY PROPERTY);
FRANKLIN SVOBODA ASSOCIATES.
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: Thank you Todd. Is the applicant here? And if so, please step forward and tell us
more about this proposed development. For those people who just arrived, we skipped to
item 5 but we'll be going back to the beginning of our agenda here in just a few minutes.
Steve Schwanke: Mr. Chair, members of the commission, my name is Steve Schwanke with
RLK Associates. Weare serving as consultants for Mr. Svoboda for site planning and his
landscape architecture and engineering services relative to his proposed redevelopment of the
Assumption Seminary site. I just have a couple of comments here and what we'd really like
to do is take care of a couple of things and actually have Brian come up and speak relative to
his vision and some of his thoughts that he has relative to the redevelopment of the property.
Actually Frank is, as many of you know, a nationally renown wetland and wildlife biologist
and has a company here located currently in Shorewood and through very good fortune the
company has grown considerably and unfortunately he is unable to continue to office out of
the Shorewood residence that he's in right now, which has created a bit of a good problem so
to speak, but unfortunately what he needs to do is find some new office space. This site here
actually creates the perfect opportunity for Mr. Svoboda given the type of work that he does.
In many cases the natural features and some of the environmentally sensitive areas that create
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
problems for the more traditional developers actually serves as a benefit and a major attribute
to people like Mr. Svoboda and the type of work and the business that he's in. So I'll actually
let Frank speak to that, and of course he speaks to that much better than I ever could. A
couple of items though, and Todd actually has set this up perfectly relative to the subdivision
that is shown here. When we first began working with Frank and the city on this proposal
here, and you can imagine the number of major environmental redevelopment issues
associated with this property here. You're all familiar with it. As part of speaking with city
staff about the possibility of granting a redevelopment district for tax increment and in doing
so we realize to subdivide the property as generally shown here. Since then, and specifically
related to a conversation this afternoon with city staff, we've chosen to no longer subdivide
the property and no longer show the property as shown as it is in three lots but continue
through the process without any subdivision and without any further division of the property.
Primarily because we've chosen to discontinue our efforts to, at this time anyway, to pursue
the redevelopment tax increment project. So that part will be revised as we continue through
the concept PUD process. We will be continuing with that obviously because we do want to
rezone the property to PUD and as Todd mentioned, the comprehensive plan amendment that
is required, we've already met and of course everything else that will be required as part of
the redevelopment process. So with that in mind, unless there's any questions for me, I'd like
to introduce Frank and have him come up and talk about his proposal.
Frank Svoboda: Thanks Steve, members of the commission. Before I elaborate on what we'd
like to accomplish here I'd like to just bring to closure the issue of the subdivision. On
Monday we had an appraiser out at the property and he's looking at two things. One is the
rehabilitation of the existing 3 story building on the property. Secondly, and what it might
cost to rehabilitate that. And secondly, the other option would be to demolish the building if
it's not possible to rehabilitate it. Late this afternoon when I had a conversation with Todd
Gerhardt, that also came up as a subject in our conversation and that is, if the building cannot
be rehabilitated for some reason or another and it has to be demolished, then we would not be
able to put up another building within that footprint based on the Met Council's guidelines
and requirements. So in light of that most recent information I had to rethink the concept of
the subdivision because if we subdivide this and a portion of it is residential, a portion is
commercial, and then later we cannot use a portion of it as commercial property, I think it's
ultimate value, should our business continue to grow and we can no longer remain at this
location, if we can't use that building, then we would have to look at selling that property as a
20 acre residential parcel. Right now our intention, as I think this is a good transition into
what our business is all about. Right now our intention is to remain on this property over the
long term assuming that we can make commercial use out of that building. From what we
have been told it is an extremely sound structurally. The bigger question relative to the
property are some of the environmental concerns given the particular location and as the
configuration of the landscape. So with that I'll explain a little bit about who we are as a
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
business. What we do and what our vision is about this property and then from there I'll
explain to you what we're faced with in terms of some of the very serious environmental
constraints that occur on this parcel. My background is in wildlife management. I received a
degree from the University of Minnesota in 1966. A masters degree in 1987 and have had a
variety of sort of employment experiences ranging from some work with the University. For
several years at the Department of Natural Resources. Department of Transportation. Then
back in about 1979 started working for the private sector and we came to get more and more
involved with wetlands starting about the late 1970's as the Clean Water Act passed and
wetland permitting began more and more of a, and wetland mitigation, wetland impacts, just
began more and more of an aspect of doing business. So in 1991, August of 1991 I left a
consulting company here in the Twin Cities and ventured out on my own with the
anticipation of remaining a one person operation and it's doing what I like doing. That was
getting out in the field and working with wetlands and going out of doors. That wasn't quite,
or so far the plan hasn't quite turned out that way. We now have 8 employees. This past
May, or this past summer we added about 5 employees and the result of that was that
originally we were operating as a home base business in Shorewood and we are now the size
that we can no longer operate out of our home. About the time we realized that we were
going to have to make a change, this property came up for sale and so we began the steps to
acquire that. So the attributes that really attracted us to this particular parcel of land is that I
was looking for some permanent office space that was essentially similar to what we have
now in Shorewood. We have a wetland that's right outside the back yard. We have a
wooded area. A lot that's quite sizeable and a house certainly that's large enough to
accommodate the individuals that we have in our employment but we can't run a business of
our size in a residential neighborhood. So I was looking for something similar to that. A
wooded area. High quality wetlands. Some space in which we could have an opportunity to,
like if our employees need a chance to just get outside and walk around and do some
thinking. Have a place that has that kind of a setting and also the other attractive part of this
particular site, in addition to those features was that perhaps as most of you are aware, there's
a large tract, a large marsh that surrounds this parcel on the north all the way up to the
railroad, the regional trail. That is one of four calcarious fens in the Twin Cities metropolitan
area and so being in such close proximity to that fen would be of our individuals, the people
on my staff, a chance for us to start doing some research being that close to this particular
resource. In addition to myself, other staff members have disciplines in aquatic ecology. One
of my employees, the aquatic ecologist has a very strong background in doing some research
on trout. We have a could of terrestrial ecologists. Water quality specialists and then some
graphic support people. So we have a good solid nucleus of individuals that could really start
making some interesting studies of this particular fen. Also I'm sure as you're aware, this
trout stream is perhaps one, or one of two or maybe three trout streams in the Twin Cities
area. And this particular trout stream as reported has a naturally reproducing population of
native trout so it makes it a fairly unique resource. And again, it's something that we would
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
be very interesting in managing and maintaining the quality of that resource and our staff has
the knowledge and expertise to do that. So this particular site was especially attractive in that
regard. Then as we began to start examining before making some commitments in terms of
purchasing this property, originally our closing was set for December 1 st. Now that likely
will be pushed back for a couple of weeks because of some environmental problems but
particularly given the shape of this land. You'll notice that it's confined on one side by
Highway 212. On the other side by the trout stream so it's a triangular peninsula and we
don't have a lot of space to work with. What we discovered was that back in the late 80's
there was a report of solvents being disposed of on the property. This property has been
cleaned up as near as we can tell. We don't have any documentation from either the EP A or
PCA. That essentially closes the book on that clean-up process so we're pursuing that. The
houses, most being fairly old residences have old hot water systems with asbestos lined pipes.
The floors llre covered with asbestos floor tiles so again we're told that asbestos is not as
much of a concern as it was historically but again the asbestos lined pipes, or the asbestos
covered pipes will have to be removed. The septic systems are old and antiquated and those
will have to be replaced. These are all things that we're faced with environmentally. I think
also as you're aware the building probably is, I don't know, it has a reputation for being a
hangout for young kids. Last Halloween the Carver County Sheriff's Department issued 30
citations to some individuals that were there for a party. Typically they'll get 2 to 3 calls per
week for trespassing so we have some security problems we have to deal with. So there's
some real challenges ahead of us in terms of developing the property but presuming that we
can overcome those in the purchase process and get some of these environmental problems
either resolved or get a mechanism in place to resolve them, it's our intent to move into the
home and occupy that as both a business and a residence. We would remodel the upstairs,
the third floor into an apartment for my wife and myself and then the first and second floor
would be available as office space for our staff. And again right now, given the size of that
house, which is quite sizeable, it would meet our needs for we would anticipate a year or two
years. And as we would restore the house, which is also in a fairly severe state of disrepair,
there's no insulation. The wiring is all old wiring. It has to be replaced. The furnace is
broken down. There's no central heating so we'd need central heating here. It's going to take
a lot of work to bring the house up to specifications. So we would occupy that for about 2
years and then depending upon what the results of the appraisal are, we would start either
making a decision to rehabilitate that large building and under that option what we would
intend to do is part of our business, in addition to doing wetland delineation and natural
resources studies, is also to organize and sponsor information and education programs in the
area of natural resources. Our company has sponsored over the last two summers 5 classes
instructing individuals how to conduct wetland delineations and we also sponsored a statewide
conference last February for the Wetland Conservation Act...regulations. At that conference
we had about 167 in attendance. This March we are planning a National Conference for
wetland delineators with some of the major players in the wetland delineation process who
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have said that they will attend this conference. We're expecting somewhere in the
neighborhood of 500 to 700 people from throughout the United States and we've also had an
inquiry from Madrid, Spain about this conference so we're pretty excited about that. So part
of this office, this front building has a space within it that could accommodate somewhere
between probably 50 to 75 individuals so we would continue to have, or offer training
sessions on a day use basis. For example, when we were doing our wetland delineation
training classes we would rent space at the Chaska Community Center for our classroom
training and then we were using the picnic shelter out at Minnewashta Park for field
exercises. Given the fact that we have a fairly sizeable wetland on this side of TH 212 and a
fen on this side, I think we could probably meet most of our training requirements right on
this site, although there's specialized requirements... We have to look for an alternative
location as far as the field exercises but certainly the classroom training we could accomplish
in this building. Beyond the conference space we would then look to rehabilitate the building
in stages with rehabing the front part of the building first and then perhaps, depending on the
demand for office space, doing it in three phases. The front part of the building first and then
each of the wings separately. The building does also have a full basement under it and it's a
walkout basement out the rear so there is also natural lighting in the basement so there's some
possibility that that would be useful for class space or something like that. So our long term
plan is perhaps over 5 to 6 years would be to rehabilitate that space into a combination of day
use conference and office space and we think that the amenities surrounding that building
would make an ideal location for sort of a natural resource base. Environmentally oriented
companies with similar hours as office space. In fact the Department of Natural Resources, a
year or so ago had looked at purchasing this house and using that as their office space for the
West Metro headquarters but it was going to be too costly in order to make it handicap
accessible so they dropped that. But we think that this building would be attractive for
tenants of that sort. Again we're faced with several constraints because of the configuration
of the property. In order to make that happen, right now as we understand it, there is a sewer
system in front of this building. We had that checked Sunday. We don't believe that that
system has the capacity to accommodate even office use, which is fairly limited in it's water
usage. We haven't checked it out completely. That's something that we would still intend to
do at a later date but assuming that that system would not have adequate capacity based on
the current code requirements, what the individual told us that examined the system was we'd
have to go to a mound system, which would have to be placed somewhere in this area. And
again, because of the wetland requirements from the wetlands to the south of TH 212 and the
wetlands to the north, we would likely be encroaching on that parking lot and as it is right
now, this dimension to the west is about as far as people would be willing to walk to get to
the building. We also, again because of my experience with storm water ponds and the fact
that this is a natural trout stream, I didn't want that storm water pond discharging through a
single point outletting into the stream so what we designed is a pond that will essentially
overflow in a deep flow fashion and then flow over land with the water gradually dissipating
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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and filter into the ground so that...fairly significant events that we get any sort of direct runoff
into the stream. So I think we've been fairly innovative in dealing with the storm water
storage problem but again, because of the configuration and shape of the space, it's sort of
like pushing a balloon around. If you squeeze it in one spot, it sort of pops out in another
spot and so if you're trying to get a mound system in there, then we're going to be starting to
pinch the pond and parking so we can't really move the parking much in this direction
because even to accommodate the small amount of parking we have here, we would have to
do a modest amount of filling off of this terrace and then removing some of the natural
vegetation which occurs there which I'm very reluctant to do at this point. And if we try
pushing it any farther here, we start coming up against the existing residence so it's a very
difficult site to work with. But I've worked with developers for close to 20 years and I know
the problems that they've had to contend with. Now I'm here standing before you having to
deal with the same problems and come up with some creative solutions.
Andrews: I guess I have a couple questions.
get back to what the facts are at the moment.
property, is that correct?
This is a long discussion and I think I need to
Right now you are not asking to divide the
Frank Svoboda: That's correct.
.
Andrews: So at this point it's a non decision for us, the way I understand it. I mean I
appreciate and I agree with a lot of things you'd like to do and I'd love to see those things
done if this property were to be developed. I guess I look at your background as being ideal
as someone to own a piece of property like this. I think the one thing that Todd had
mentioned about looking for an easement along that trout stream, that'd be something we'd
love to see done but at this point we have no way to do business between us and yourself.
Frank Svoboda: At this point you know I appreciate your attention and what I really need is
as much support within the city as I possibly can get because this is going to be a tough
project. You know the more people that are aware of what we're facing here and want to
support...! think the more chance we have of success.
Andrews: If this goes to PUD though, that would still come back for some sort of fee for
park and trail or would that be all part of the negotiation of the PUD contract?
Hoffman: Only if the property is subdivided do you have to...and considerations for park and
open space as part of the project.
Andrews: I think a PUD is certainly a better way to attack this piece of property. More
flexibility and I think from what you've described here, what you're trying to accomplish is
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
along the lines that we're interested in seeing happen. I guess my biggest fear, if this were to
be divided and we did not take any action, is that we have no assurance that you may not
turn around and sell the property. I mean you could be unfortunate enough, as the owner of
Nash Finch was recently, and get hit by a bus and the property be liquidated. So from that
standpoint I guess I'd say as a park board we probably would still be looking to extract fees if
this were being divided. I guess I'd feel like we have a responsibility to do that. Also I
would not want to be sued by other developers that have asked us to do the same thing and
we have consistently really given no favorites.
Frank Svoboda: No, we're not closing the door on this. On the subdivision at this point. I
think given what we've recently discovered, I think it's premature for us to do that because if
we have to demolish that building, then we can't put anything else on that property, then
we're stuck.
Roeser: You're saying if you would demolish the building that you wouldn't replace it? You
wouldn't build there?
Frank Svoboda: From what I've been told, we can't replace it because the city, Todd told me
this afternoon the city has about 300 acres of excess commercial/industrial and the Met
Council, in whatever fashion it gets involved in the process, with that excess. I mean
assuming that excess was still there in 2 years or wherever we are, they would never approve,
even if we built right within the existing footprint of that building, they would not take a
favorable view towards replacing that within the commercial structure.
Andrews: That's only if it's split that this becomes an issue, or subdivided?
Frank Svoboda: Can't have the building?
Andrews: Yes.
Hoffman: No, it's an existing non-conforming use.
Andrews: I guess another question I would have is if there's a fire that destroys the building,
where does that leave you? Are you out of business?
Hoffman: Just as you have a non-existing use in any other cabin that's within a setback,
where now you have a more restrictive setback. If the cabin bums down, they're going to
make you build it back...
Andrews: You've got a lot of complicated issues to tie up here at once.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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Frank Svoboda: I'm just going to take them one at a time.
Andrews: Well I commend you for the project and I for one hope it happens. I think this
would be a fantastic use of the property. It certainly would enhance and protect the wetland
area and perhaps give us a centerpiece for other people to come and study.
Frank Svoboda: And certainly it's a gateway to Chanhassen down here in the southwest
entrance right off of TH 212 so our intention is to...
Andrews: Any other comments?
Manders: Sounds good to me.
Berg: Good luck.
Frank Svoboda: I need a lot of that.
Andrews: We thank you and we hope we get a chance to see this come to pass.
Frank Svoboda: Thank you.
.
Huffman: You know the plan we just saw Todd is a great idea. If you're going to do the
Bluff Creek charette, it's something that we're going to do, and for the plans that Mr. Svoboda
has in terms of an interpretative center and research and nature, I mean maybe that's
something the city could tie into and help eventually classes, learning. The trout stream...are
the goals that the commission has.
Andrews: Okay, now we're going to turn back to the beginning of the agenda.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: None.
METES AND BOUNDS SUBDIVISION TO SUBDIVIDE WT 3. MINNEWASHTA PARK
INTO 2 WTS WCA TED NORm OF ORCHARD LANE AND soum OF HIGHWAY 7.
OBED AND MILDRED MEWM.
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: This is a routine item. I think we can just move on this one. Is the applicant
here? No, okay, fine. Let's just move on this one then.
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Lash: I would move that we recommend to City Council that full park and trail fees be
collected per city ordinance in lieu of land dedication or trail construction in regard to the
metes and bounds subdivision.
Roeser: Second.
Lash moved, Roeser seconded that the Pam and Recreation Commission recommend that the
City Council require full pam and trail fees be collected per city ordinance in lieu of land
dedication and/or trail construction (1 lot, cummt residential pam and trail fees are 5900.00
and 5300.00, respectively per lot) for the Melom Subdivision. All voted in favor and the
motion carried.
PRELIMINARY PLAT TO SUBDIVIDE 8 ACRES INTO 2 SINGLE FAMILY WTS
ZONED RSF. RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY; WCATED WEST OF HIGHWAY 7.
EAST OF HENNEPIN COUNTY REGIONAL RAILROAD AUTHORITY. AND SOUTH
OF PIPEWOOD CURVE; DELWICHE ADDmON.
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: I guess I look at this again as a routine item. If the applicant wishes to add any
comments, you're free to do so. I'm not sure it's really. I don't know what questions there
could be here. Is there a motion to take action on this item? Or any discussion that would
like to need.
Lash: I move that we recommend to City Council that we recommend the Delwiche Addition
subdivision with conditions of full park and trail fees be collected per city ordinance in lieu
of land dedication or trail construction.
Meger: Second.
Lash moved, Meger seconded that the Pam and Recreation Commission recommend that the
City Council require full pam and trail fees to be collected per city ordinance in lieu of land
dedication and/or trail construction, (1 lot, current residential pm and trail fees are 5900.00
and 5300.00 respectively per lot) for the Delwiche Addition. All voted in favor and the
motion carried.
CONCEPTUAL AND PRELIMINARY PLANNED UNIT DEVEWPMENT TO REZONE
89.59 ACRES OF PROPERTY ZONED A2. AGRICULTURAL ESTATE TO PUD:
PRELIMINARY PLAT ONE BWCK (48 UNITS - 141WIN HOME BUILDINGS AND 5
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
.
FOUR PLEX BUILDINGS). AND 2 OUTWTS: WCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST
CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 5 AND GALPIN BOULEVARD:
AUTUMN RIDGE. GOOD VALUE HOMES. INe. (O'SHAUGHNESSY PROPERlY).
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: Is this the property that's directly to the east of the Opus property?
Hoffman: Exactly.
Lash: I've got to get some of this stuff clear because I'm clearly confused. Are we only
looking at the thing that's on the first page of the blueprint as the proposal? Because that
doesn't look the same as what's on the overhead. Are we just looking at the bottom?
Hoffman: Just the bottom half.
Lash: Okay. And so is that sitting up there the way we're looking at that, is that Highway 5
to the right?
Hoffman: Highway 5 is to the north? Sorry, this is to the north.
.
Lash: Okay, so it's turned. Okay, this is why I'm confused. Highway 5 on this thing is
running along the right hand side. No, the other way. Yeah. So now which one are we
looking at now?
Hoffman: It's subdivided here and you're looking at the lower half.
Lash: Okay, that's what we're looking at here. And the blue thing that you filled in is what
they're saying they're proposing as open space.
Hoffman: As a land transfer, yes.
Lash: And isn't that all wetland up there anyway?
Hoffman: It's all wetland around this. This is that marsh...talked about during the discussion
whether or not we should put ballfields down in there. It's kind of the low, sandy low spongy
stuff. It's really...if we did a lot of corrective measures and.
Lash: Essentially no one else would ever probably build on it and we wouldn't either would
we?
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
Hoffman: No, we decided as a commission that we wouldn't do that.
Lash: So why would we then accept that 2.8 acres or whatever to remain open as something
that's going to transfer density when it probably would never be built on.
Hoffman: Sure, it could be. It's buildable property. The thing we're not discussing is that
this is just one piece of this and that we're attempting to make the land transaction with Mrs.
O'Shaughnessy and the rest of the property. So right now Good Value Homes does not even
own this piece of property. It's under the ownership of Betty O'Shaughnessy and I'm not sure
how the City Attorney would ask that to happen. Whether or not Good Value Homes would
have to go ahead and transfer ownership of this to the city at that time so they would have to
have ownership of both of these sites. So there's still some of those type of things to be
figured out as far as the land, overall land transaction.
Lash: Okay, and then one last question. On the northern, or the edge of the wetland, or the
development where it abuts against the wetland. Is that supposed to be just a walking path or
is that a road there with a walking path?
Hoffman: This one is just a road. This is a trail. This is a road.
Andrews: That's that proposed south boulevard?
Hoffman: Yep.
Huffman: Todd, is there also another development just to the, I want to say east of that.
There's also a multi-residential area we talked about a month ago. 94 twin homes or
something.
Hoffman: Oh yeah, across from the school property. You have to come all the way back to
this direction.
Roeser: To Audubon?
Hoffman: Yeah.
Lash: So it's on the other side of the creek from the school property.
Hoffman:
Yeah, the other side of the creek.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
.
Andrews: What's interesting is that during the Highway 5 study that most of the developers
were coming in and saying this was not going to be developable property and it's coming in
before the road's even being built.
Huffman: My question is, and I want to be delicate about this but you're building a school
and you're jamming a lot of things in and around the school when one of our main concerns
is ballfields, open space, scenic area. We're cramming a bunch of stuff in there. I mean is
that any of our business? Do we care?
Andrews: It's kind of what was zoned or anticipated for the property.
Lash: We care. I think we all care. Whether we can do anything about it is.
Berg: Are you concerned because of the use? That we're getting so many people in there
that the use is going to be overwhelming.
Huffman: I'm concerned about, you know you've got your school. You've got some open
space and then all of a sudden we keep saying, well this is dedicated to the school. This is
dedicated and then all of a sudden you've got the school's use is already taken over by
neighborhood. You've got so many families in there and I've got nothing against duplexes .
and twin family homes and things like that but the use has already piled up. I mean you have
already loaded that school down to it's max and we haven't even opened the thing up. I mean
if I'm not mistaken, I was told the other time, there's got to be a ramp built under Highway 5
to get to the school. There's got to be this way coming to the school. Maybe it will be
natural because, well no only old people are going to live in these things I've been told. So
there won't be anybody there so that's not an issue I guess.
Hoffman: I just got...with our planning department and in fact it came up in conversations
that the landowner can market this as a commercial property. To nurture that residential
type...you have a school on a state highway so we wanted to try and mitigate that back a little
bit and push around the...surrounding the school is a good thing. The fact that it's zoned
medium density, that's what it's zoned currently so that's what the applicant is coming in at.
Now they're squeezing things slighting because they're asking for this land transfer.
Andrews: It's not a huge variance.
Hoffman: Yeah, the residential mass that will be around the school will obviously
accumulate in the future but right now it's fairly limited.
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Huffman: Okay. I mean the hard thing is you want to put it right. I don't have any
underlying reason. I'm not trying to keep out any income level. I'm not trying to keep out
anything anywhere. I'm just asking, that many people in that area for what we've got as a
dedicated space, I mean is it already built up? I mean is the land use already obsolete with
the amount of families and bodies of people who will be coming in there. I don't know.
Manders: I guess one observation that I have is that the concentration is certainly a thought
and you've expressed it well but I wonder if the appeal of the open space by having that extra
open space and be assured that that isn't going to be developed inside that wetlands isn't of
some benefit. I think it is to have that entire area assured that it's going to be open instead of
having some site or whatever might be put up in there. But that would be nice.
Andrews: In my opinion this is a pretty good use of the property. It is sort of an anticipated
use. I mean you've got a commercial development to the west. The school to the east and
this provides some sort of a transition between a residential and a commercial use. To try to
sell single family houses perhaps right next to a large industrial complex would not be easy,
and probably inappropriate. So I guess I'm okay with this one. I guess the trick is to get the
100 acres from the O'Shaughnessy's to close it all up. ·
Roeser: It rides on that anyway, right? That they have that property from the
O'Shaughnessy's. That they acquire that property.
Hoffman: Right. That piece of land.
Roeser: Otherwise it would have to come back and be done all over again right.
Lash: I have one more question then and, if I'm still fuzzy about this then I'm going to guess
other people are too. This is a PUD, right?
Hoffman: That's correct.
Lash: Okay so, and I've seen this other times. And my understanding of a PUD is that a
developer is granted flexibility in what they're trying to do in return for providing us above
and beyond what we would normally be able to ask. Is that correct? Okay. And then how
come when we're, and I'm not picking on this specific proposal. I'm just trying to find this
out for myself. When we look at this and the recommendation then would be that we would
collect full park and trail fees and that we would ask for a 20 foot easement for trail purposes
and then ask the developer to construct, which the first two to me would be just normal.
That's what we would ask of anyone. Then when we ask them to construct an 8 foot wide
trail, why would we then reimburse them if we could, under the PUD agreement, we are
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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entitled to ask above and beyond what's normally required. Why couldn't we just ask them to
do that without reversing them?
Andrews: We could.
Hoffman: We have typically in any of the PUD's we've not asked for that piece of the pie.
We've gone ahead and championed an unwritten policy that we're going to...construction in
PUD's and surrounding development...comprehensive plan and you have to build it as part of
your development. The city is going to take responsibility for that. There is quite a bit of
flexibility in the planned unit development process that most of these comes in zoning in
other areas. The one item which...park and recreation as parks and open space...we're giving
you I think it's 2.1 acres of it...
Andrews: I agree with Jan.
Lash: Thanks Jim. I mean that's the one time we can ask above and beyond and we haven't
been doing it, I don't think.
Andrews: That's right.
Lash: We get what we would normally get and then if we ask them to do anything else, we
turn around and reimburse them for it so I don't think we've been asking above and beyond.
.
Huffman: I lived in a townhouse for the first 7 years we were up here in S1. Louis Park and
when we hit a piece of swamp over off of TH 101 that's not even a useable swamp. I can't
even see it. Every day I drive by there, I don't even know where it is anymore. I mean if
you can show it to me because there's nothing but dirt there. But you know it was required
that they have a natural area at our place and when they talk about the amenities of park, we
had a swimming pool, two tennis courts. The association, everything took care of. I mean
there was something there besides a little duck pupal. And I guess that's what it comes back
to my concern is that yes, they can get over to the school. They can get all these things but
people live in the neighborhoods too and what do they do in their neighborhood when mom
and dad look out the window or grampa or gramma, especially in these areas look out their
windows. You know where are they going to go? And that's my concern. I guess I haven't
caught onto that one yet and if it's zoned for that, that's fine but you know, where will the
children play, is that what Cat Steven's says.
Hoffman: Your observations are right on. We have not leveraged PUD's nearly as much as...
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Andrews: Well couple points. That 2.81 acres, is that an area that's, is it hilly or is it flat?
Is it an area that could be, not necessarily turned into a playfield but it is a field that's
suitable to play on?
Hoffman: No, it's a knoll with box elders on it. Pretty much...
Andrews: I guess the other comment I was going to make is as we saw in our last exercise at
the City Council, land is scarce. Land is valuable. We're the ones with it. Why don't we get
what we can from it. I mean we're having to pay more and more to get the land that we need
as well and I agree completely with Ian here. I mean they'd be here under a standard
proposal if that was to their advantage. Now they're coming to us with a PUD because that's
to their advantage. I think we need to extract the extra piece for that for the privilege. I
mean why should they do all the winning and we just sit here and say well we'll be nice and
we'll just treat you the same as any other developer when they're not coming to us the same
as any other developer. So I guess in this particular situation I think that the developer
should construct the trail at their cost and if they don't like it, they can appeal to the City
Council and the Council has the authority to do what they wish. In my opinion I think our
recommendation should be that point number 3 be done at the developer's cost.
Berg: I would agree. Past practice is fine but there's time to change past practice too. I
think the time has come to do that.
Andrews: Any more discussion?
Lash: I guess I would, the other thing with this.
Huffman: Oh don't change your mind.
Lash: I won't change my mind Dave. But on this site, if it is 2.8 acres, is there a possibility
of, I'm going to back Dave up on his comments...mutual admiration society here. It gets kind
of sickening. But is there a possibility in the future that we would just at least be able to
clear out a portion of that if it's not, if it's just some scrub trees and put in a little play
structure someday in the future if the need arose? Could we use it for something? Would it
support that, or will it support nothing?
Hoffman: We can, we're not accepting it as parkland...open space due to the fact that it's a
land transfer. There's other locations where you could put play equipment on in the city
property which we're pursuing to the west and the Opus site where we want to obtain that
peninsula. Essentially the first industrial lot which they have identified would be a location
for a parking lot and trail head, nature center, if you wanted to do that future piece of play
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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equipment...kind of a central location. ...it's essentially right in the middle of this big 100
acre site and that's exactly what Jim was saying. We're trying to keep...out of that and keep it
as a whole...
Lash: But there is the future of the potential for future something somewhere besides the
school site?
Hoffman: Yes.
Lash: You think to the west, okay.
Andrews: Can I have a motion? Does somebody want to make a motion please? Well I'll
make the motion that we accept the staff recommendation as proposed with item 1 and item 2
and I would change item 3 only in that our recommendation would be that we do not
reimburse the applicant. That the applicant install the trail at their cost.
Huffman: To city specs.
Andrews: Well yeah, that's, I'm not modifying any of that. I'm just saying that they not be .
reimbursed for that being this is a PUD.
Lash: So item 3 would go all the way to the end of the sentence where it would say Director
and City Engineer?
Andrews: Yep. That's what it would say. Is there a second to that?
Lash: I would second it.
Andrews: Any further discussion?
Andrews moved, Lash seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend the
City Council require the following conditions of approval in regard to parks and trails for the
proposed Autumn Ridge planned unit development:
1. Full park and trail fees be collected per city ordinance.
2. Dedication of a 20 foot easement for trail purposes as identified on the preliminary plat
for Autumn Ridge dated October 18, 1994.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
3. The developer shall construct an 8 foot wide asphalt trail per city specifications within the
trail easement. This construction shall be completed in conjunction with street
construction. Final alignment of this trail shall be staked by the developer and approved
by the Park and Recreation Director and City Engineer.
All voted in favor and the motion eanied unanimously.
Andrews: Land is too scarce for us to be.
Lash: Well and money's too scarce and for us to move forward and try and accomplish
anything, we've got to get it where we can.
PROGRAM REPORTS:
A. LAKE ANN PARKING/GATE A TIENDANT YEAR END REPORT.
Jerry Ruegemer presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: Y ou're looking at like a billboard map or maybe.
Ruegemer: Some kind of a handout.
Andrews: Postcard? You know postcard, drive to here. Okay.
Ruegemer: There's always ways, we're looking for ways to motivate the people that are out
there.
Andrews: I've got an idea for that one. Put them on a commission.
Ruegemer: Other park and rec commissions, or other park and rec departments do have, as
far as some type of commission, they do it on a per hour basis. You work x amount of hours
over the summer, you get a bonus of some kind. I don't know if the Park and Rec
Commission would entertain anything like that.
Andrews: I meant like a commission on what they collect. Really motivate them. If you
want to see your revenues go up, boy that'd do it.
Jerry Ruegemer continued with his staff report on the 1994 gate attendant report.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
.
Lash: I had one question about South Lotus. Do you remember the gentleman who was here
earlier this year who lived adjacent.
Ruegemer: Mr. Melby?
Lash: Yes, that was his name. I guess I just want to follow up and see how things are going
with him. Is anything new? Did the problems get solved?
Hoffman: We went ahead and completed what was requested.
Andrews: Put up some screening was it?
Hoffman: Put the sign back up.
Lash: And does he seem to be content with the situation now?.
Hoffman: I would expect that he'll be calling us again.
Ruegemer: We haven't heard anything, or I haven't heard anything for the rest of the
summer.
.
Todd Hoffman made a comment that was not heard on the tape.
Manders: Jerry, that speedboat. Number 677. I assume that it's talking about Lotus Lake?
Ruegemer: Correct. Lake Ann Park is a non-motorized lake. We don't keep those kind of
numbers out there. People bring their canoe, that type of thing...
Lash: Are you still going to do some kind of brochure or handout or something for Lake
Ann? I think it's nice if on it there was some way to condense it and have the rules and a
little map layout and maybe the amenities, all printed so people would know what was
available there.
Ruegemer: Does anybody have any other questions in regards to that?
Andrews: Let's move on to item B then.
HALLOWEEN PARTY EVALUATION.
Jerry Ruegemer presented the staff report on this item.
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
.
Lash: How about a contest? Costume contest. Creative and maybe do it by age brackets or
something. We always have a big parade. It's not for Halloween. It's for Fairy Tales, which
just happens to fall at the end of October every year so we have a costume parade and boy
you see some really creative things come through. And you see 75 Power Rangers but you
see a couple of really creative ones and I think it'd be kind of fun. It maybe would encourage
kids to get a little more creative too in their costuming.
Andrews: I think moving it back to Saturday will be a big help too. I had a number of
people in our neighborhood mention that was the very reason they didn't go so.
Lash: And you may have a better time getting volunteers too.
.
Ruegemer: Yeah, it was tough getting volunteers this year. Very tough. We got by...the last
half of the week here it really was nice that we had the people but like you said, that will be
easier to get. It'd be easier for set up too. We'd have more time to set up. You don't have to
worry about the after school programs that was there, which really wasn't a problem. They
were very flexible and that but it worked ouLto have more time would be great too so.
Those are just the type of things that we were experiencing this.year. I think people really
liked the touch and feel area that was added. I know some kids were scared in putting their
hands in the box. They weren't sure what was going to happen but I think kids really enjoyed
it. So that was quite fun. Some were gory in some areas but the kids seem to get a kick out
of it so, and the...so that was a good time. We'll definitely do that again. Just looking ahead
to next year too you know we're going to be having a new school site next year so that's one
area too that I'd like to get the commission to become really involved in that and we
discussed possibly doing a ball of some kind. Where the parents can come with their kids
and have entertainment and possibly a meal. I know that hasn't worked much in the past but
we'd certainly try to offer new activities for that. And then we have some entertainment type
of thing and I'd love to have the commission get involved in that. We will certainly try to
plan that for the... Do you have any questions on this or general comments? I think parents
really liked the door prizes. We gave away probably over $150.00 in Festival Foods gift
certificates and some other gift certificates as well so...Do you have any questions?
Andrews: No. Dave wanted to make a comment. He has to leave here briefly to attend to
some sick kids at home.
Huffman: I'm sorry. You're going to talk about the agenda for the City Council and I just
wanted to get on record that the five things we had talked about beforehand, or four, whatever
your better discretion comes up with, you know so I support 100% whatever I can do to help.
I would absolutely be delighted to and I think Todd and Dawn and Jerry should be
commended for what they did at the City Council meeting. They did a great job. It was fun
.
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for me and if I can do anything to help, whatever. And I support everything 100% and I will
let Fred vote in my best conscience on every bit and piece and article that come out here.
Whatever he says goes.
Andrews: That means Dave has just volunteered for any committee that gets formed.
Huffman: I didn't say that.
Andrews: He said he would help any way that he could. Alright, thanks for that comment.
Let's move to item 6(c) and that's with Dawn.
FEBRUARY FESTIVAL CROSS COUNTRY FUN SKI.
Dawn Lemme presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: You know the Ski Patrol of Hennepin County has a cross country patrol and they
usually would be happy to help with something like that.
Lemme: Yeah, that's in some of our notes...and possibly get the snowmobile club out there
too have a few snowmobiles in case we really need to get out there.
.
Berg: Yeah, they owe us.
Lash: Yeah, I was just going to suggest them because I'm sure they'd be happy to do that.
To have some strategically located or some walkie talkies or something in case you really did
have an emergency, it'd be nice to have.
Lemme: Yeah, people we have on the course all have walkie talkies...
Manders: What is the route?
Lemme: Excuse me.
Manders: What is the 4 mile route?
Lemme: It's actually a combination of two that you have and that's another reason we have
to have people all along the areas of the course because there's areas where people can come
in off of their property and if we're going in the opposite direction that you might normally be
going in, if you were to hop onto their trail.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
Manders: So it's all within the Arboretum?
Lemme: Yes. It's all within the Arboretum. Basically...the half mile just cuts off, it's a very
short route. If people want to do it 2-3 times, they can do that. If you're a beginner skier,
children. We want it to be really...
Lash: Talking about February Festival and not necessarily the skiing thing but I know I've
said this before and this sounds like a broken record. I still think that it'd be fun to try a
sweatshirt sale or maybe more of a long sleeve t-shirt. You know have a thing set up where
people can buy those things. I think those things go pretty well and if we had a sweatshirt
and maybe it was more generic and didn't say February Fest or something on it, were the
ones that didn't sell, we could put out again in the fall at Octoberfest or.
Andrews: Say Chanhassen on it with the maple leaf or something.
Lash: Yeah, something a little more generic maybe would be fine. Or maybe a beanie thing
for February Fest. Or mittens. I just think it'd be kind of fun and I think a lot of stuff goes.
People tend to buy that stuff.
. Hoffman: Beanie?
Berg: A beanie has a propeller on it.
Lash: At least I think it's worth checking into. If you think they're really cost prohibitive or
something.
Berg: Well I liked the shirts last year.
Lash: You know those new Lake Ann ones, the just generic Lake Ann, those were very
popular. I saw a lot of people who won them as prizes wanting to know where they could
buy them. They were nice. Sometimes the ones with the ears are nice but then it's a little
embarrassing when you wearing a nice...and everyone knows it's 7 years old.
KREA TIVE KIDS.
Dawn Lemme presented the staff report on this item.
SENIOR CENTER.
Dawn Lemme presented the staff report on this item.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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Andrews: I see the sweatshirt making item there. I just wonder if there's any coordination
between that and some sort of a theme for the February Festival. Maybe do something with
the seniors to make something or do something.
Lemme: That's possible and possibly do, we have a small crafts room and something like this
is really just a specialty thing. They come in for 3 hours and they just...paint on the
sweatshirts and generally low cost...
Andrews: Alright, thank you.
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTA nONS:
PROPOSED PARK. OPEN SPACE AND TRAIL ACOUlSmON AND DEVEWPMENT
REFERENDUM.
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item.
Andrews: I guess I'd like to see this particular item, which really wasn't prepared for tonight
but to have that come back like a grid of millions bonded or voted in a referendum. Home .
values across the top. Approximate estimated tax implication of that. That was something
we could probably just keep with us every time we meet because that's going to, that's going
to give us some guidance as to what might be possible. And then you said you're going to be
working on some estimates, Bandimere and some of these other wish lists.
Hoffman: Land acquisition.
Andrews: Yep.
Hoffman: Development of lights.
Andrews: Trails.
Lash: When we put this package together for the Council, how specific do you think we
need to be? Not dollar amount but say we wanted to earmark x amount for land acquisition
for community park or open space preservation. Do we need to get site specific as far as the
open space or I know specifically we had two large treed areas in mind. Do we need to be
specific about that?
Hoffman: We'll be site specific based on the work that we you did last year...and without
that...say we'll buy 150 acres over the next 5 years somewhere out in Chanhassen, it's going
.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
to cost you this much. I think you can see from the first editorial in the paper, that's not
going to fly. People want to know. In fact we want to take them out, walk them on the
property so we'll schedule as part of this, if it goes forward, public tours of the property
which we're taking a look at. And I will be including the Prince Nelson's property and the
Camp Tanadoona property but there being a caveat that these are probably not available at the
present time so you couldn't go out and purchase them.
Lash: So how do we address that problem?
Hoffman: Well I've approached some of the land owners and they're willing to sell.
Lash: Yeah but take those two specific sites. Do we put that then on the referendum so that
we've got the money in pocket in case they do come open? Because otherwise then if they
come open, say they come open in 3 years and then we don't have the money.
Hoffman: It's a tough sell to put something on a contingency. It's a really tough sell in a
referendum. People like, when they vote, at least and history tells you they like to see it
happen and continue to see...
Andrews: It will go somewhere else. I think the position we would have to perhaps be in is
to have some money available where we could convince the owner to hold it and then you
scramble. Emergency referendum. If that peninsula at Lake Ann came up and we scrambled
out and said this is our one shot. One time to do it, I think you could get support for it.
Hoffman: ...Eden Prairie in 6 weeks.
Andrews: Yeah, I think for us to say we need to hold $3 million in the bank in case
someday that comes, that ain't going to go. People aren't going to vote for it...
Lash: So if we get site specific, we need to identify a site for a community park too? I
know the last one was, it was general. It was community park in southern Chanhassen.
Hoffman: We don't have that any longer. I'll take a look at some of those and offer up some
recommendations.. .
Meger: Can you give us more information too. It seemed like Mayor Chmiel had quite a bit
of concern about our Chanhassen tax, was it...I mean I don't understand it that well so I
would like some more information just to be able to.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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Lash: Well they're going to say, would never authorize something that's going to jeopardize
our bond rating so I don't think we have to worry about that.
Hoffman: Typically when Moody's comes out and says you...does not hurt your bond rating.
Andrews: I don't have any concern at all about our bond rating. With the amount of
construction going on out here, the tax capacity here is growing far faster than what's been
projected.
Hoffman: ...$6 million dollar, that doesn't even touch our coverage.
Andrews: Then if you look at what it is you just bought with that $6 million, I mean if the
city ever did go in the tank, they could put one of those pieces of property on the market and
sell it for a profit.
Lash: So how far down our wish list, just ballpark, do you think we're going to be able to go
with a $6 million figure? If that were the figure we went with.
Hoffman: I don't have a priority yet so I can't tell you how far it would get down there. .
You'd be able to choose...Bandimere is over a million dollars to develop so there's a...but we
shouldn't be disappointed in what we can accomplish for that amount of money and obviously
we need items which are...community which we're serving right now...We need to be able to
market those as...
Andrews: We've got to move fast because District 276 is talking about another school bond
referendum. If that comes out before this comes out, there's no chance that will go in
Minnetonka. They're already starting to do it. There are a lot of disgruntled property owners
that said, why couldn't you talk about this a year ago.
Lash: We would have had a different referendum a year ago.
Andrews: Well, they knew it was coming. I mean it's just how to politically solve something
In pIeces.
Berg: 112 has another one coming too.
Hoffman: ...the Council will hear your comments on December 10th and what you'd like to
receive, so if you have anything else on that.
Andrews: So our project, on the 10th is going to be.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
Lash: Is that our last meeting?
Andrews: Yeah, this is it for this month.
Lash: I guess I figured we'd have on in two weeks. That'd be the 29th.
Manders: That's Thanksgiving week.
Lash: No, it would be the week after Thanksgiving.
Manders: No, it's the third week which is Thanksgiving week.
Andrews: So the 10th would be focusing on the referendum primarily or other tasks that
we've kind of let slide too or.
Hoffman: There'd be any subdivision proposals which come forward, year end type of...
Lash: That's supposed to be our Christmas celebration so we aren't going to want the meeting
to go.
Berg: Do you want to start a little earlier?
Hoffman: Yeah, we can meet on the referendum at 6:30 to 7:30...
Lash: Dave took on that, the job of planning that and he mentioned to me that he was going
to, he's thinking of Frankie's so I did voice my concern about their limited menu after
following our meetings here. We had a little trouble there. I think he knows Frankie
personally.
Andrews: Oh there's Byerly's now too and that's another place we haven't tried yet.
Hoffman: Another short thing under Administrative Presentations. If you notice the Green
Sense. The publication. There are a lot of tie in's into our proposal for a referendum. It
covers...they're also starting a west metro chapter which...out of the Eden Prairie referendum
effort. They're having a meeting tomorrow night in City Hall of Chanhassen, up in the
courtyard conference room. I will be at the school. Our planning staff will be at Planning
Commission meeting and thus we don't know who is going to represent the city of
Chanhassen... If any of you are interested at 7:00, and what they talk about is other ways of
preserving open space, which is private, as really public open space as a professional
presentation. They do a lot with easements. Special easements over the property and they're
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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very active and this does mention I believe the Eden Prairie effort...ln regards to tomorrow
night's Planning Commission meeting, the item of Heritage Development which is the east of
the Timberwood Estates is on the agenda. Typically that is my responsibility to represent the
Parks Department and the Commission at that meeting. However I do have to attend school
tomorrow evening. I missed last week due to the other meeting so I can't miss a second
week. I will have somebody there from the staff level to represent us. Any park
commissioner who would like to represent the commission there, you're more than willing to
do that and you know how effective that can be.
Andrews: That's back at Planning you said?
Hoffman: Planning Commission and their contention is that they don't want to cough off the
open space for the park. The little comer of trees and so they've submitted a proposal
without that and we will be defending that as a position that we want that as park.
Lash: Is this the one with the boulevard and we asked them to move it east so that it was
more along the creek?
Hoffman: And they did not do that and our final position was we'll continue to have a trail at .
the back side of the homes and what we want is to preserve those...and they're still showing 3
or 4 lots in that area...
Lash: And this is the Planning Commission, right?
Hoffman: Correct.
Manders: What argument do they bring forth?
Hoffman: Well they're meeting their land dedication through the dedication of easement and
trail.
Andrews: Hooey. What a bunch of hooey. I want that on the record, hooey.
Lash: Could you spell that?
Hoffman: Does anybody want to go to that meeting?
Andrews: Tomorrow night?
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
Lash: Personally I don't want to go to the meeting if I don't have to but can you have the
staff person who represents Park and Rec, again say that there's a consensus with the
commission that this is a bunch of hooey and if they go along with that, you know then we'll
have to bring it up when it goes to City Council and make a major stink at that level so why
not just nit it in the bud at the Planning Commission level and be done with it.
Andrews: It's inconsistent.
Lash: You know I really think the commissions seriously need to respect each others
recommendations and back each other up when it's in the planning stage rather than have to
wait until it goes to City Council so I would respectfully request that they respect our
recommendation in this situation.
Andrews: You don't have a copy of the agenda do you for that meeting?
Hoffman: No, but I could call you tomorrow night.
Andrews: Give me a call. I may be able to make it.
Hoffman: Okay. And lastly, you will have a year end date, up to date update on the revenue
charges for the park and trail acquisition and development but it was just dropped on my desk
today so I thought I'd spread the good news. Collected year to date is $432,526.31. So we
have budgeted revenue of $170,000.00 this year so we're obviously able to bankroll that
money but we also have been very aggressive in setting aside reserves so where we're at
now...we're able to meet our...which we had set aside so you can be happy about that
situation...but we don't have that big old nest egg set aside just yet for something such as the
Lake Ann...spend everything that we make. Although we do get a lot of pressure from
neighborhoods to continue to develop the neighborhood parks. We...
Lash: I have a question regarding the applicants for the commission. Did Jane and I need to
do anything with the information we gathered tonight?
Hoffman: Yeah, you should update the rest of the commission as to your thoughts and if you
feel that we should forward this, if you want to make a recommendation...City Council.
Lash: Well I guess what I want to know is what we're supposed to do. Generally we
prioritize the candidates or something.
Hoffman: You can do that as well. I'll handle this one. Obviously we have applicants who...
we had one application coming in thus far and that person is...a Planning Commission
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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applicant with a park and rec as an alternate. And Jane and Jan interviewed...and I have a
feeling that the City Counci1...will probably choose to interview Mr. Stubic regardless of any
recommendation here so and then they can make their choice.
Andrews: At this point, both Fred and Jim have re-applied?
Hoffman: Correct.
Andrews: Okay. We commend you. And we wonder why but.
Lash: So you want us to tell you now how we're feeling or do you want us to write it down
or what do you want us to do?
Hoffman: If you want to make a motion to the City Council, you can do that. And the
commission has done that in the past where they've prioritized people or recommended
people. The policy for reappointment is noLto that specifics. It says you shall interview on
this date City Council shall interview on this date but the process between there is somewhat
gray. And we are entering into a political realm there so if you want to make
recommendations, let's say you push for your two candidates right now, they might say well
why are they pushing their two candidates now...
.
Lash: Although part of our criteria here is membership should consider reappointment of
current outstanding members wishing to be reappointed. So I mean we'd be following criteria
if we recommended Fred and Jim.
Todd Hoffman made some statements that were not heard on the tape.
Andrews: I'd like to see us, personally I'd like to see us make a motion to support
reappointment of those reapplying.
Lash: Yes, I would second that.
Andrews moved, Lash seconded that the Pmk and Recreation Commission recommend that
the City Council reappoint Fred Berg and Jim Mande~ to the Pmk and Recreation
Commission. All voted in favor and the motion canied.
Meger: I would just suggest that, seeing as Bob does obviously have a great interest and he's
applied for the two commissions, that should we get to the point where we have a task force
for a referendum, that we strongly consider him as a viable candidate.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
Lash: And if there needs to be any back up support as to the recommendation, it would be
based on a criteria of current members of the commission being reappointed, and I think also
on the face of the referendum, or possible upcoming referendum, that it would be in our best
interest to have experienced commissioners here who are already knowledgeable in the
process.
Andrews: Agreed. Any other business?
Manders: I had a couple questions. One, I just wanted to recognize the Cub Scouts on the
tree thing. My question there was, did they come to you with this option and is there similar
things out there that they just don't know enough to come into the city and ask about trees
and plantings and whatever else?
Hoffman: Sure, to kind of align yourself with Fred's comments on the Friends for the Parks
and that type of an organizational effort and our response being that we need to go down that
road but typically where...in districts which have matured somewhat. You don't have to take
that. We have a growing...this person went out and made some contacts. You can't
develop...so they go out and make some contacts and...benefits for the Boy Scouts or Girl
Scouts as well.
Manders: Well it was great.
Hoffman: And we try to encourage that through our contact. If Public Safety doesn't get
them first, we pick right up on it.
Manders: Second comment was on the Lake Ann irrigation. Have you gotten a response
back on that?
Hoffman: No, I have given him his last notification. Sent the contract over to the City
Attorney. The City Attorney said you, if you want to close this contract you need to get
them certified mail notification that they have 10 days to complete their contract.
And...basically we will do it at our own expense and we will retain that money from their
contract retain age by $5,200.00...
Manders: And my last question is on the status of the playground equipment.
Hoffman: At Pheasant Hills? Pheasant Hills playground equipment was delivered 2 1/2-3
weeks late so it really came in more than what Earl F. Anderson would have expected for
delivery so it did not meet the promised date to be delivered. I've always...satisfaction with
them. In fact...
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting - November 15, 1994
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Manders: So is it installed then or what's the?
Hoffman: Yeah, the equipment is in about the 75% finished stage, 80% installed. We're
installing it. They did not deliver a couple of posts. That counts up for about 2 days on the
installation. That came a week ago last Friday and then the slides, which were delivered to
the, I'll call them Jet Slide, our installer Dean Schmieg is very quick to catch these type of
things and when he installed it before...basin holds water. The runout of the slide...shallow
enough so after a night of rain and they slide down, the person is going to get soaked pants
so this is not a good thing. So then he thought, well a couple of things...our installer drilled
homes into the slide and let the water drain out of it and my response was, direct response
was that, I'm not going to bring my Park Commission out here and say I just bought
$20,000.00 worth of play equipment and now we have to bring...drilling holes in the slide to
let the water drain...so we'll go back to the fact where we ask them how we can solve this
and I asked them to create a change order in that regard that they can solve this with
factory...they'll redo those slides for you but they're coming out with brand new slides which
are slightly different. A quicker runoff and then level off after that and these slides will be
available in January or February. Would you like those so I said, well typically when a
company manufactures something new and improved, it's new and improved for a reason so
unless you tell me otherwise we'll take the new slide so we'll be getting a change out on those
slides to get the new slides.
.
Andrews: No extra cost?
Hoffman: No extra cost.
Lash: So how does it look?
Hoffman: It looks great.
Lash: Good. Any comments from the residents about it?
Hoffman: ...again, it's not that we don't get the service. We have to twist arms...to make
things happen.
Lash: That's a tough one because, and we were all in full agreement that we were getting
more equipment for the money and we want to do that but yet on the other hand, the trade off
for us should not be arm twisting to get service. I'd like to continue to get the most
equipment for the money I can but sometimes the headaches just are not worth it.
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Andrews: I guess I'd like to see a letter go from you Todd, basically expressing just that.
That we saw their bid as providing a greater value of equipment and that in the future if they
wish to have favorable consideration, we'd appreciate the service to be.
Berg: Yeah, and he stood 15 feet away from us when we told him that face to face and then
he still comes back and says well we don't consider 2 weeks to be a problem. We told him 2 .
weeks was a problem. We told him the date, we needed it on the date that he specified.
Lash: Yeah, I think I was pretty.
Hoffman: You were specific.
Lash: Very.
Berg: And you didn't change your mind 4 times.
Andrews: Any other comments? Motion to adjourn.
.
Berg moved, Lash seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and the motion
. canied. The meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by Todd Hoffman
Park and Recreation Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
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C ITV OF
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Park and Recreation Commission
-/1
FROM:
Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director
DATE:
December 8, 1994
SUBJ:
Identification of Potential Park, Open Space and Trail Acquisition and
Development Referendum Items
On November 9, the Commission and City Coq,ncj.l discussed the aforementioned issue. At
the conclusion of that meeting, the City Counqil directed the Park and Recreation Commission
to develop a proposal to present to the city cQ1.mcilin this regard. Comments referring to the
Park and Recreation Commission and staff as the "professionals" who should determine and
recommend what should be included in a referendumitroubled me at that time. Since then, I
have concluded that in our desire to purS\1~ parks and1.'ecreation within our city, we need to
involve the real professionals, our residents, from the start. Included with this memorandum
you will find a reproduction of a manual produced for If>workshop sponsored by the Trust for
Public Lands on October 8 of this y~at. Please note in the table of contents the section listed
as "Referendum Campaigns-Thinking Through an Open~pace Referendum Campaign."
Item No.1 is background rese.arch. This information as ifpertains to Chanhassen is
summarized for you in an attachment to this report. Item 2is titled, "Set up a Citizens
CommitteefTask Force"'.... This issue was the topic of consid~Jible debate at our joint meeting
with the City Counci1.lamnGt.ocatingib~smgmet6uncil's direction not to form a
task force at th~time. ..HoweYel'~~~cqI)~~g..tq~l.i.~~9f.ref~~eJlq~.mi~~ms, I am
recommending theeommtssion hold a town meeting soliciting public inputiJl~is regard. It
is imperative that we confirm~~ values (as to what are the prioriti~~)~atleling those of the
commission are also held by the publici>Shon of 4oini~.~>riskofbeing "dead before we
get out of the water" is too great.
Follow Up of November 15 Park and Rec~lon Commission Meeting: During a
discussion of this issue at your November 15 meeting, Chairperson Andrews requested that a
"cost grid" be prepared showing the annual cost per million in referendum dollars for homes
of various values in Chanhassen. That document has been prepared by the City Manager's
office and is attached. In conversation with the City Manager, he wishes to communicate his
support of the process being directed by the commission. However, he also expressed
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Park and Recreation Commission
December 8, 1994
Page 2
concern over the timing of the sale of an additional $2 to $6 million in bonds. Simply stated,
the city has a lot of irons in the fire which also require bonding, i.e. numerous road projects,
senior housing, recreation center. Again, timing is the key. The projects which emerge first
will take priority. Those that follow will have to get in line.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Park and Recreation Commission schedule a town meeting to
allow for public comment regarding the expansion of park, recreation, trail and open space
services within the city. Potential dates for such a meeting are Tuesday, January 10 or
Tuesday, January 24, 1995.
Attachments
1. History of past referendums.
2. Cost grid.
3. Work Book: The Last Stand Workshop
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I CITY OF CHANHASSEN
. HISTORY OF PAST PARK AND RECREA nON REFERENDUMS
November 6, 1990
Failed Passed Yes No Man!in
x 1609 3745 2136 Shall the City of Chanhassen borrow
money by selling its General Obligation
Bonds in an amount not to exceed
$4,100,000 to pay for the acquisition,
construction, betterment and equipping of a
community center facility in the City?
November 8, 1988
Failed Passed Yes No Margin
x 2586 2594 8 Shall the City of Chanhassen issue and sell
its General Obligation Bonds in an amount
not to exceed $800,000 for the construction
of a multipurpose trail system in the City?
. February 24, 1988
Failed Passed Yes No Margin
x 773 934 161 Shall the City of Chanhassen issue and sell
its General Obligation Bonds in an amount
not to exceed $2,600,000 for the
construction and equipping of a
multipurpose community center?
x 934 771 163 Shall the City of Chanhassen issue and sell
its General Obligation Bonds in an amount
not to exceed $300,000 for the
improvement of Lake Ann Park.
x 852 854 2 Shall the City of Chanhassen issue and sell
its General Obligation Bonds in an amount
not to exceed $800,000 for the construction
of a multipurpose trail system in the City?
x 854 850 4 Shall the City of Chanhassen issue and sell
its General Obligation Bonds in an amount
. not to exceed $300,000 for the acquisition
of parklands in the City?
November 4, 1969
Failed Passed
x
Yes No Margin
452 350
102
Shall the Village of Chanhassen borrow
money by issuing its General Obligation
Bonds in the amount of $250,000 to
provide funds for the acquisition and
betterment of parks?
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16:47
08- Dec-94
TAX IMPLICATIONS
PARK & RECREATION REFERENDUM
1995
PRIN 2,000,000
INT 1 ,000,000
TOT 3,000,000
15 YR AVER 200,000
STR COST 130,000
END COST 280,000
INCR IN TAX
CAPACITY RATE = 1.0 %
TAXES ON VARIOUS VALUED HOMES TO SUPPORT A 2,000,000 REFERENDUM
100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000
. 72,000 72,000 72,000 72,000 72,000 72,000
28,000 78,000 128,000 178,000 228,000 278,000
@1% 720 720 720 720 720 720
@2% 560 1560 2560 3560 4560 5560
TC 1280 2280 3280 4280 5280 6280
TAX
INCR $12.80 $22.80 $32.80 $42.80 $52.80 $62.80
TAX INCR TO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING LEVELS OF FUNDING
.5 MILLION $3.20 $5.70 $8.20 $10.70 $13.20 $15.70
1 MILLION $6.40 $11.40 $16.40 $21 .40 $26.40 $31.40
2 MILLION $12.80 $22.80 $32.80 $42.80 $52.80 $62.80
3 MILLION $19.20 $34.20 $49.20 $64.20 $79.20 $94.20
4 MILLION $25.60 $45.60 $65.60 $85.60 $105.60 $125.60
5 MILLION $32.00 $57.00 $82.00 $107.00 $132.00 $157.00
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The Last Stand
Workshop
Saturda}"
October 8, 1994
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
University of Minnesota
Earle BrOWll Center
1890 Buford Street
St. Paul, Minnesota
THE
TRUST
FOR
PUBLIC
LAND
I I
I
Many thanks to our generous sponsors:
Deloitte & Touche
Evenson-Dodge, Inc.
LeOlUJrd Street & DeilUJrd
Public Finance Division, Norwest Investments, Inc.
This booklet is a compendium of articles, outlines and examples. It is intended to remind .
you of what you heard, give a taste of a session you could not attend and point the way to
articles and resources to help in your conservation efforts.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Referendum Campaigns
... Thinking Through an Open Space Referendum Campaign
* Evaluating the Feasibility of Pursuing a Ballot Measure
* The Proposition A Story: How Los Angeles County Voters
Gained $540 Million for Parks, Recreation, and Natural Lands
2. Evaluating Land in Your Community
* Sample Consultant Report
* Maplewood Open Space Committee Evaluation
* Eden Prairie Site Evaluation Criteria
* Researching Land Ownership
3. Bond Basics
4. The Critical Importance of Research
*Research: What Do You Need to Know?
*Public Opinion Polling: Your Road Map to Success
*Sample (old) Eden Prairie Survey
.
5. Additional Ways to Protect Land
* Watershed Planning
* Protecting Minnesota Wetlands: The Role of the Public
* The Minnesota Environmental Rights Act
* Environmental Impact Statements
* Don't Forget Zoning
6. The Trust for Public Land
* Mission
* Roles
7. Resources
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REFERENDUM
CAMPAIGNS
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THINKING THROUGH AN OPEN SPACE REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN
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1. Background Research
Understand any other referenda proposed in the last ten years; what it was for, who worked
on it, supporters/detractors, passed/failed - by how much, how were votes distributed; what
were the issues involved in success or failure? What will your voters support?
Understand your City Council - voting history on related issues, what are their issues, how
likely is it they will vote to put your referendum on the ballot?
2. Set up a Citizens Committee/Task Force
This group will grow as you get going and may well become two or more groups: one to
evaluate properties and one to plan and run the campaign. Specific areas to assign to
individual leaders, possibly with their own committees, include: fundraising, speakers
bureau, phone bank, communications. Think about accountability and coordination when you
design your campaign structure; you all need to be marching in the same direction.
3. Have Clear Goals
Determine what you want to preserve, and why. All larger green space because development
is proceeding so rapidly? Emphasis on woods or prairies or ravines? Are you trying to serve .
all parts of your city equally or compensate an under-served area?
Have a clear answer to management questions: will this land become an active park with
picnic benches, a passive preserve without trails, a green way for bikes and skaters? Who
will manage it, how will that be paid for?
You most likely will want to have specific projects that people are voting to fund but you
also want to think about flexibility in the wording of the referendum to take advantage of
properties that might become available after its passed.
4. To Option or Not To Option
If you base your campaign around specific properties or areas of your community, you need
to know with reasonable certainty whether you will be able to buy them. One way to do this
is to negotiate an option with the landowner, with the sale contingent upon passage of the
referendum. This is the area where TPL can be most helpful.
s. Referendum Requirements
Try to get a commitment early on for which staff people will be assigned to work on this;
understand their roles and limitations on their time. As soon as you can -establish a timeline .
for what has to be done to put the referendum on the ballot - what city council action by
what date; when to print brochures, etc. Follow it!
. FROM: THE OPEN SPACE TOOL BOX, Eugene Duvomey. Reprinted with Permission.
Evaluating The Feasibility Of Pursuing A Ballot Measure.
Prior to spending any serious time or resources on the development of a ballot
measure an informed and realistic assessment should be made of the feasibility of
such an endeavor. Issues to consider, include:
1. The legal authority of jurisdictions to issue voter approved, general
obligation bonds or other voter approved revenue. The
requirements/restrictions imposed on the jurisdictions to issue debt (Le.
debt capacity, voter/council approval required, etc.).
.
2. The authority and capacity of the jurisdiction to issue non-voter approved
debt or use other non-voter approved revenue sources. (e.g. Can
sufficient funds be raised without resorting to the ballot?)
3. The validation and majority requirements for passage of voter approved
funding.
4. The range of likely interest and issuance costs for the types of debt
available.
5. The need to finance other capitol projects (schools. fire, police, sewer, etc.)
of equal or higher priority. (e.g. Is their competition for place on the
ballot?)
7. The potential property acquisitions and a first order estimates of their costs
8. The procedures available to the jurisdiction for development of the
acquisition program and funding proposal.
9. The likely increase in property taxes under several financing scenarios.
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10. The likelihood of approval by the jurisdiction's voters. (e.g. Consider:
existing media support, support of community leadership and elected
officials, available polling information, track records or prior ballot
measures, interest group support. known opposition?)
11. The likelihood of raising the funds to cover costs of a pre-campaign and
campaign.
.:~_U;7';;'~:~i'r2fl~'0f~~~'~~f^i~i!!;1tir~~t%t;::-:}r~..
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THE PROPOSITION:A~si6iii<:<
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How Los ANGELES COUNTY VOTERS GAINED ,$540 MaLlON
FOR PARKS, RECREATION, AND NATURAL LANDS
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11\."'TRODVCTlON
INTRODUCTION
In November of 1992, 64% of Los Angeles County voters
approved Proposition A, the Los Angeles County Safe
Neighborhood Parks Act. Proposition A provided $540 million to
buy new park and natural lands, itnprove parks. beaches and
recreation facilities, build facilities for at-risk youth and gang
prevention purposes. restore rivers and streams, build trails and .
plant trees throughout the county. Placed on the ballot
unanimously by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and
supported by an unprecedented and diverse coalition of local
leaders and organizations, Proposition A is a pioneer in the world
of providing public funding for parks, recreation. and the
conservation and restoration of natural lands.
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It is increasingly difficult to find funds to protect our
disappearing natural. wildlife, park and recreation lands.
Particularly in times of economic hardship and local budget
shortfalls. funding for parks. recreation. beaches and natural areas
preservation is often the first to be cut. Yet our need for places in
which to rest, relax and recreate only increases. and continued
urban development pressures threaten many of our remaining
natural and wild areas. We all need quiet places in which to take a
walk, go for a picnic, jog, ride a bike or just get away from the
stress, traffic and urban congestion that we deal with every day.
This need for parks. recreation areas and natural places is
perhaps nowhere felt more keenly than in Los Angeles County.
home to nine million people and growing. and more park-poor
than most of the rest of urban California. While the national
average recommended by the National Recreation and Park
Association in 1987 was five to ten acres of easily accessible park
lands per 1,000 people, many areas in Los Angeles County have as
few as one to two acres per 1,000 people. Regional parks
frequently have to turn people away on holiday weekends. and
easily-accessible natural areas such as mountain and canyon parks
are in high demand. Urban growth places increasing pressures on
wildlife. making it more and more difficult for a diverse population
r' C ......1 '..... .'.~ 1 .~ ..' l
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THrNGS TO REMEMBER
PART II:
How TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN LOCAL PARK
ASSESSMENT MEASURE
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1 . The goal is to win: Campaign.
campaign. campaign
2. Think big!
3. Listen to the voters: Do a
public opinion poll!
4. Strength lies in numbers : You
need to build a coalirion
5. LeadershiP: Someone must be
In charge
. Vital Things to Remember
. Getting Started
. Research: What do You Need to Know?
. Citizen Participation
. Legal and Legislative Requirements
. Engineer's Report
. Legal Review
. Getting on the Ballot
VITAL THINGS TO REMEMBER
.
1. The Goal is to Win: Campaign, Campaign, Campaign
You want to win voter approval of your measure. whether it is a
regular ballot measure or an advisory vote. You must bear this goal
in mind throughout all of your efforts, and throughout every single
.
o Melr'eney Park. Los Angeles.
Photo: TPI
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thing you do to carry out the steps discussed in the following
pages. There is no point in deyeloping a measure and a financing
mechanism that haye little or no chance of being passed by yoters.
Your measure and the technical parts of the assessment and related
financing elements must not only be functional: they must also be
marketable to the voters.
Keep in mind that you will need to run a campaign. All of your
efforts should reflect this goal.
THlNQS TO REMEMBER
.
2. Think Big!
There are many different ~'ays to address the park. recreation.
open space and related needs in any area. If you have rarely had
any local funding sources for your park and park-related needs.
there could very well be natural or park-type resources specific to
your area that haye not been addressed.
Keep an eye out for new ideas that may specifically ""ork in
your local area. Examples: recreation facilities for at-risk youth:
urban creeks and stream restoration: specific categories of natural
lands: wetlands: agriculruralland consen'ation.
3. Listen to the Voters: Do a Public Opinion Poll!
;\0 maner how well you know your area or your field of
expertise. there will be pieces of information that you probably
never needed to know up until now which are critical to ma:l;imize
your chances of Sllccess as you develop a park funding measure.
Do not let yourself be deceived by your own expertise. You don't
kno~' eve~1hing. even though you're an expert. You need to ask
questions.
Do a public opinion poll. DO NOT BYPASS THIS STEP! Sure.
sure. you say. You know your community like the back of your
hand. ~o surprises here. CACTIO!\'~ RED LIGHT! WARNII'\G~
Public opinion surveys. if carried out by an expert with
experience in ballot measures and campaigns. will tell you a
tremendous amount about what you should and should not do.
Remember. it is l'Oters ,,-'ho approve ballot measures. not all
members of a community. Polls help you find out what voters
think. and, if done well. will provide invaluable information on
what yoters will and will not support. Hnt need 10 knou' this kind of
infomlatiol1 ifYOll hope to draft a measure that cal1 u'ill.
.
What should you include in your poll? An experienced pollster
will help you tailor your poll to the needs and interest,> of your
particular city. coumy or area. You must make sure to hire a
pollster who has experience in conducting public opinion surveys
on funding measures and for campaign purposes. At a minimum.
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15
THCNGS TO REMEMBER
you should poll to find out answers to the following question~:
. What types of park. recreation or natural land~
projects will voters pay for?
. \\"hich specific projects do voters dislike?
. 'What total dollar amount will they support?
. What level of assessment or fee ~"ill they supporti
. 'What subject areas are most and least important to
voters?
.
. Who are your voters and what is their \"oting history?
See the additional discussion on polling in this section. under
Research.
.
4. Strength lies in Numbers: Why You Need to BuDd a
Coalition
It is very important to begin building a team and a coalition of
support right a~"ay. The more people v.ho feel they have a hand in
developing your measure. the greater the support you will have
when you get to public hearings and the campaign. A broad base
of support increases the strength of your measure as well as your
chances of winning. It takes a long time to communicate with the
diverse organizations and leaders in any community. hut you
should look at this effort as a fundamental part of your overall
project. It is vital to take the time to communicate with and gain
the support of representatives from all areas of the community as
you move forward.
The key to building a strong coalition is to listen Regardless of
what your primary interest might be. it is very important that you
be anentive and sensitive to the needs of the many different
organizations in your community. YOll can make your measure
inclusive enough to satisfy the needs of a variety of groups. and
this will only make your measure and therefore your efforts
stronger.
If you take the time to build a coalition from the very beginning.
you will create a group willing to help in the development of your
measure and in the campaign.
Diversity is a key element in building a successful coalition. Do
not limit yourself to building support only v..ithin t1""Jditional park.
recreation or environmental groups. There are many different ch'jc
and community leaders and organizations whose interests and
needs can be addressed in your measure. Your polling will help
identify subject areas which have public support. and will also
identify those groups and individuals ",;hose support YOll need.
Listen to your poll!
.
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NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY
PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA
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y City of Plymouth Parks and Recreation
Department and Open Space
Committee
Features
y Field evaluating 800 acres (30 sites) of
privately owned lands
y MNDNR ecological grading and
ranking system
y Recommending natural areas
management needs
y Recommending highest priority sites
for protection
y Advising open space committee, staff,
and council on integrating the
ecological inventory into open space
social and cultural issues
y Guided naturalist tour of best
remaining natural areas inventoried
city-wide
Cost
y $10,000
SEH Services
y Public involvement
y Natural areas preservation
recommendations
y Off-site delineation of native plant
communities
y High priority upland and wetland
areas determination
y Plant species inventory
y Natural areas inventory summary
report with site maps
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MAPLEWOOD OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE
ItA TING FORM
lM"tffic.tio" NumNr.'
761 A
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OWNER'
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CRITERIA (.t."'d t:ttt.,. ~ M tJOmP/'t'd itI 1M '.'d. an otM" IMI N ~t.tJ .. ." b<<:oma
.~il.bl,)
LOCATION
1. DiSt.nct to oth" O~n aplt:e (mor, IMn "." mil')
6. DisUnCf to oth" ()~n SPict (mer' IMno". mill)
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4. Lat Sultlbl, Sit'
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LlNEAf/l CORf/://f'JORILfNKAGE
t. UnI., Open S;Mt:e CO"ifJOf
7. Adjlf:enr to t1Isigfllt'd open aplf:e (dt)' Of =unty)
,. AdjlClflt to City Dr County P.rle
NUMBE~ O~ RESIDENCES IN IMMEOIATE Af/tIEA
t, S.r~s Hlgf? D'nslty N"g~OrhtJ06 (R,." RM)
fD, /IlIpld PDpulllion GroWl'"
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ESTHEiIC VAL UE
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ECOLOGICAL FACTORS
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UNIOUE NA rURAL RESOURCE
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HA"MONY WfTH CITY COM""E~ENS'VE ~LANS "
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.PECIAL OPPORTUNTTIES
G. ~Ci" Circum,t.nce, I 0
M. IIIt.rgollemm.nUI Coo~'.tion , l'J
I'U'LfC ACCESS ~~ -,7) ~k. ,
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41. Atassl:JilJty (R0I:J111It1 HitJh""1I) f :Ii:: ~)
41. I'wIUng f
flUL TlP!.E OPEN SPACE USE :t
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.UfTASILfTY OF TRAfL.S ()
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EDEN PRAIRIE
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srm NUMBER:
COMl\1,U J."U SITE EV ALVAnON CRIrEluA
Provide a brief statement addressing the foUowia.g questions pJ2tmg to each lite:
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IDCAMPL~ OP UNTOm; NA'T\'1RAL RRC:OURQ;
1. Is this the only suitable lite for the PUJpOse of protecdou of a particular ~?
2. Is the site threatened or ill imminent danger to Iosi by development?
3. Does the site have historical or archeolo:ical sil";*'t"Uec?
-
4. Does the site have Icologica1 siJDificance?
5.
.
Do the edges of this site contain a transition zone. valuable to wildlife?
6.
Docs the site contain a creek. wetland or river?
7.
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n. SITE.USE ~At"
1. Is the property part of alin= open space corridor?
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2. Is the site adjacent 10 a park or Proposed part?
3. Is the site part of a public U3iI system?
.'
4.
Could the site provide year-round zec:readon? (actfve or passive)
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PtmLTC ACCR~S
1. Will the site have access to a public road?
2. Is there adequate public parkinJ near the site or could public parldng he
developed on this site or adjacent to it without it <1estroyinl the resource?
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s. Does the site provide educaJionaIlscientitie potential? (Dature study)
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3. Can this site serve IS a J're$Cr'Vation arcaIparJc with proper dcsilI1 and
management? Would multiple use be compatible or would it d=:roy the
teSow-ce1
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IV.
AESTmo'TrC V ALTW - wrrnLIFE D~~l1"X
1. Does the site provide the size and unique character that will atUact residents for
repeat visits to this site?
2. Is the site anique to lIDY oller type of IalId P=:lltIy ~ within the )lIrIc
system?
3. Does the site provide any of the foDowiug:
a. vistas, sceaic views
b. seasonal color/texture
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4.
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v. COMMTTN'rTV STTPPoRT - ~AL USBRg.
1.
Is this type of propsrty recommended for acquUition in tbe Parle and Open Space
System PIan? .
Would the PreservatiOI1 of this land be compatible with the Guide Plan?
Would this site Provide a buffer betw=n land use types? _
Is the ~ of this site proposed to be lCquized Jazze enoup so the public use of
this site would not provide confIjcts with adjacent land uses?
2.
3.
4.
5.
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6.
7.
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VI. . ~UT~~CQ P~O=ON ANn MONrr:oRIN'G. M4NAGF-Mlo>.rr ANQ
I. Of the seven Jiles being ~1l3led. how does this site Ian/c 011 !he C$limated COOl
for acquisition?
.
2. What is the estirMted cost.range of this site? _
3. What .... !be positive ~. of ocIllDg this JIte 10 lhe public for a refen:ocIum?
4. What ....!be JlI'DIeCtiOll a!tcmalives.. deasity lI3rIsfer. 5l:enic __. RI"""
zoning?
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6.
7.
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YD. Mut:m)LE USE p~ A L
1. Is this site a Preservation area only and Iboulcf it be rrnr"~ecr IS such?
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2. Could this site adequat.eIy protect the le$Ource and accommodate other U3CS such
as picnickinJ, hiJdnC and other passive ..,
3. What types of controls would be D~SIIy to ICCOmmoclam any multiple use of
this %WUraI ~?
, 4.
s.
VIlI. 1WLn~OPHTCAL OUF..mof\T,S
1. What is the major reason to Preserve this site for the citizens of Eden Pmirie?
2.
3.
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DC. P01"F.NTr A L sm PROB~&
1-
2.
3.
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4.
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WHO OWNS THE LAND?
.
Basic tools needed:
Property address
Telephone
Patience
1. Call County Tax Information
Different counties name departments differently - public records, property records, county
assessor, etc. For each address, ask for:
*Name & Address of owner and taxpayer of record
(they can be different because of contracts-for-deed)
*Estimated market value
*Tax classification: homestead/non-homestead/green acres
*Whether taxes are current; if not, get dates & amounts for taxes owed
*Amount of special assessments - and what they are for (roads, storm sewers, etc.)
Legal description
2. Get information on Property Transactions
.
Ask how to do this, usually you need the legal description.
You want to ask if there are any:
*mortgages
*mechanics or other liens
*Bankruptcies
*most recent transfer - how long have current owners owned the property?
If transferred recently, ask them to look up the document and tell you the amount of the
state deed tax stamped on the deed. Use this formula to estimate the purchase price:
$ state deed tax divided by $1.65, multiply result by $500.
.
ALTERNATIVE: If you have more money than time or if you don't want to indicate
interest in the property, you can get the information above through a title company. Ask for
an Owner and Encumbrance report ( 0 & E); this should cost around $100 per property.
4. Get information on zoning
*Call city hall, ask for zoning administrator, ask zoning for each address.
Also ask for an explanation of the zoning (does this mean half- acre lots, 10 acre lots; what
kind of commercial uses are permitted in this zoning?)
*If the property is being proposed for development, ask if a preliminary plat has been
submitted or approved, if any environmental assessment has been/is required to be done, if
any zoning variance requests have been heard. Be sure to get very specific information on
the timing of the public hearings of these various procedures. .
*Ask if there are any pending assessments, and what they're for, i.e. roads, sewers.
.
s. Get the Size of the property
At city hall or a library there will be a platbook, which has drawings of all the properties in
the city. These are scaled so you can determine the size of the property in acres. You can
also easily locate the owners of adjacent properties.
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6. Check out the Owners
*If its a corporation, call the Secretary of State:296-2803; ask who the incorporators are and
the date of incorporation.
*Go to the District Court (the County Court) and ask if the individuals or corporation have
been names in any lawsuits. Call your police department to check if people have criminal
records.
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HOLMES & GRAVEN
CHARTERED
." PtIIIbury c....... Mill........ MIa....u u.o2
T*Ph- (612) 337-9.
Faau.o. ('12) 337-1310
BOND BASICS
Types:
General Obligation Bond -- an obligation that promises the full faith and credit and
taxing power of the issuing governmental unit to payment of principal and interest.
Revenue Bond -- an obligation that pledges only certain identified revenues to
payment of principal and interest. Typically, the revenues are those generated by
the facility financed with proceeds of the bonds, but other revenues may be pledged
as well, depending on the statute under which the bonds are issued.
Issuers: Generally, any city however organized, counties, towns (with certain
restrictions) and school districts. Other special purposes entities, such as housing
and redevelopment authorities and economic development authorities, also have the
authority the issue bonds for certain purposes.
Debt Limit: The general rule is that municipalities may not incur debt in excess of
2% of the market value of taxable property in the municipality. However, almost all
obligations for which some other source of revenue is pledged, besides the taxing
power, are excluded from the 2% limit. Aside from the legal debt limit, there may be
practical limitations regarding the creditworthiness of the municipality and the effect
of additional debt on the municipality's credit rating.
Election Requirement: The general rule is that issuance of must bonds must be
approved by a majority of voters voting on the question. However, no election is
required for: bonds issued to pay a judgment; refunding bonds; improvement or tax
increment bonds where special assessments or tax increments pay at least 20\ of the
cost of the project financed; revenue bonds; and bonds issued under a charter
provision or statute that permits issuance without an election.
Requirements to put on ballot: In most cases, a simple majority vote of the issuer's
governing body is required to put the issuance to the voters.
Ballot requirements: The ballot must contain detailed information about the financial
effect of approval of the bond ballot question, such as the amount of taxes that
would be raised in the first year of levy for the bonds, the maximum amount of taxes
in any subsequent year, and how the maximum tax levy for the bonds relates to the
taxable market value of the municipality. The ballot must specifically state that by
voting "yes" to the proposition, voters are voting for a property tax increase. Also,
the ballot must generally be limited to a single question.
s.m77133
FIJIM-3
How levy is made: Under current law, the levy for a general obligation bond
approval by voters is applied against the estimated market value of all taxable
property, rather than against the tax capacity. (Regular property taxes are applied
after first reducing market values to tax capacities by applying various percentages.
For example, the tax capacity of homestead property with a market value of $72,000
or less has a tax capacity equal to 1% of the market value). Homeowners therefore
share a larger burden of the levy for a voter-approved bond than they pay for
general property taxes.
Promotion of the question: The issuing governmental entity may not promote
approval of the ballot question. It may provide factual information related to the
bonds and the project to be financed.
After the election: If the proposition wins, there is no clear rule as to how long the
voter authorization remains alive. The best policy is to time the election such that
bonds will be issued reasonably soon thereafter. If the proposition fails, the same
question for the same amount may not be resubmitted to voters for six months. If
it fails a second time, a one-year delay is required.
The above information is a genera1s11mlnA""Y only. Bond counsel should be consulted
for specific questions regarding issuance of bonds.
Prepared for: The Trust for Public Land, October 8, 1994.
8J!l771JJ
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THE CRITICAL
IMPORTANCE
OF RESEARCH
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THE PROPOSITION A STORY
How Los ANGELES COUNTY VOTERS
GAINED $540 MILLION FOR PARKS,
RECREATION, AND NATURAL LANDS
By Esther Feldman
For The Trust for Public Land
RESEARCH: WHAT Do You NEED TO KNow?
Listed belm'; are eight basic questions that you need to ask. and
answer thoroughly. before you undenake any local financing or
b::lllot measure.
It is \'ery imponant that you do sufficient research in your own
area. and that you carefully evaluate your chances for success. The
results of your research will help you: 1) make the case for placing
your measure before the \.oters: 2) build support for your efforts:
and 3) prepare necessary materials and public information.
Careful research will also help you develop winning campaign
themes once your measure is on the ballot. and will help you
choose a dollar level of assessment that voters will accept. Running
RESEARCH
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Fundamental Questions
You Need to Ask
1, \Hlat are :vour local park.
recreation. and land
consm'ation needs,'
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2, W'hat are :,'our fundin~
options!
3. What is the t'oring hIStory an
similar issues In :"our cif) .
counf)'. dismct. or state.'
4. W'hat is :"our local fIscal and
bonded Indebtedness status.'
5. W'ho u'ill supporr :vou and
u,ho u,m oppose :"ou.'
6. Wno are :"our \'Oters and u:har
do the,:. think?
7. W'hat let'el of assessment U:ill.
\'Oters support.'
8. W'hat themes. argani::-anom
and communir:v leaders will
haw the greatesr Impact Oil
t'oters'
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RESEARCH
a strong and strategic campaign is yital to your chances of success
Since there is often yery linle time during a campaign. doing <.:areful
research early on really pays off later.
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1. What are your park, recreation, and land conservation
needs?
It is very important that you carefully assess your specific local
(or statewide) park. recreation and open space needs before you
begin to develop your measure. This will allow you to establish a
basis for your efforts. and will also allow you to establish contact
with a wide number of indh'iduals and organizations in your area.
When we first considered placing a park funding measure before
Los Angeles County \'oters. one of our initial actions was to
conduct a detailed survey of park. recreation. coastal and natural
lands' needs in the county. We suryeyed all cities. the county parks
depanment. and other park agencies in the county. The
consen'ative dollar estimate of our local need for park. recreation
and natural lands was well over 52 billion~ This sun'ey identified
our own specific needs locally. v,hich included not only land
acquisition but also a great deal of park development and
improvements to existing park and recreation facilities.
In addition to the wrinen sun'ey we held numerous meetings all
over the county. We met with representatives from nearly all of the
county's eigh~'-eight cities. coun~' depanrnents. park-related
citizen's groups and many other important organizations. This
allowed us to directly assess our local needs and potential problem
areas. and to begin assembling a specific project list. W'e also met
with many different communi~' groups of all ~'pes. political leaders
and civic leaders.
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Polling is also very important to help you determine park needs,
Our initial poll helped us identify specific projects and purposes
that voters care about. It is essential to know not only what you
need in terms of parks. recreation and open space but also to be
able [0 identify what types of projects voters will actually suppon.
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2. What are your funding options?
It is important to establish early whether a local assessment is the
best or most feasible funding mechanism available to you. The
amount of money you need to generate will also determine ,,'hich
type of funding method makes the most sense. We explored a
number of different financing methods before '~\'e chose an
assessment district. W'e evaluated each method's ability to generate
the amount of revenue we needed as well as the likelihood that
each method we considered could successfully be approved hy
yoters. The abili~' that a given funding method can "'in voter
approval is clearly a determining factor. Polling v.'ill help you
determine levels of voter suppon as well.
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There are other types of funding mechanisms available for parks.
recreation and natural lands which this manual will nor address.
After all of our research. we felt that an assessment was the most
likely funding mechanism for our needs,
REsEARCH
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3. What is the voting history on similar issues in your city,
county, district, or state?
'You need to compile the past election results for natural
resource-related bailor measures in your area and for other local
funding measures (local sales taxes. utility taXes. bond measures.
ete. ) that have appeared on your area's ballots to gain an indication
of the le\'els of yorer support (or opposition) you can expect.
Re\'iew your area's election results on all relevant state funding
measures as well, If a measure failed. examine the reasons why.
. \\'hich measures have passed~
. Which haye failed~
ICy ou need to
carefull)' evaluate
the levels of past
voter support as well
as poll results in
making your
determination to
proceed."
. Passage or failure by what margins?
. Are measures more likely to be passed if they appear on
a June or !\oyember ballot?
. Are measures more likely to be passed if they appear on
a statewide ballot. rather than an off-year election bailor?
'You need to carefully evaluate the levels of past vorer support as
well as poll results in making your determination to proceed,
One of our initial pieces of research was an exhaustiye analysis
of Los Angeles County's voting history. The results showed that
county yoters had a long record of strongly supporting funding
measures for environmental purposes. Between 196-1 and 1988. Los
Angeles County \'orers approved t~velve of seventeen statewide
em'ironmental funding measures v.'hich appeared on state ballots
during that time.
'We also reviewed all funding measures ",'hich had appeared on
the county's baIlor or on any city bailor in the county ",'ithin the last
ten years, The level of support we found. combined ",'ith our poll
results. justified our going for\l;ard to develop a countywide
assessment district.
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4. What is your local flsca1 and bonded indebtedness status?
'You must be able to show that your city. county or state can
afford to issue bonds in the amount you are proposing. Annual
assessments will pay the principal and interest on bonds issued to
fund land acquisition and capital improvements. 'You should also
research the assessed value of property in your area. and \\'hat
other fees or charges are currently being levied on property
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REsEARCH
owners. You should fmd out the following things:
. Debt service of the agency v.ho will administer tht'
assessment district you are proposing. This means tht'
percentage of the agency's general fund that is used [0
pay back bonds or other types of debt (both principal
and interest) each year. Credit rating agencies
recommend a level of not more than S<J.u.
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REMEMBER:
You don'r knou' all the ansu.'ers.
no matter how long you' l.Ie been
workzng m your area. A public
opinion poll IS essential.
. Credit rating of the agency by Standard and Poor's and
Moody's (the nation's leading credit rating agencies).
You can obtain this information by contacting these
agencies or through most financial advisors.
. Total assessed value of property in your city. county.
state. (Local Assessor's office. State Controller. State
Board of Equalization.)
. Rate of change in assessed property value of your city.
county. state over the last few years. (The State
Controller and State Board of Equalization publish this
information annually.)
. Existing assessments on property in your area. and
amount and purpose of each.
. Any other funding measutes or assessments being
planned by your City Council. Board of Supervisors or
State Legislature.
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This information will help you carefully evaluate the fiscal status
of the local agency considering a funding measure. You need [0 be
able to clearly demonstrate that the agency is fiscally sound and
.emleth Hah'l State Recreation
Area. Photu. Scon Parker
24
can afford to issue assessment bonds or other types of debt. if
applicable.
5-8. The Need for Polling
5. Who will support you and who will oppose you?
6. Who are your voters and what do they think?
7. What level of assessment will voters support?
8. Which themes. organizations and community leaders
will have the greatest impact on voters?
These four questions illustrate why you need to conduct a public
opinion survey. also called a poll. Accurate answers to these
questions are critical to the success of your measure. It would be
extremely difficult to answer these questions without polling. and
you need to determine whether or not you have enough public
support to make your efforts worthwhile. You also must determine
early on which issues and potential projects are likely to be
supported and which could cause you problems.
A good poll will survey the opinions of registered voters who are
most likely to vote. and will indicate who is supportive and who is
more likely to oppose your measure. An initial poll will tell you
whether or not you have enough voter support to justify
proceeding. The amount of funds you can generate for your park.
recreation and open space projects will be determined by how
much you can assess the typical property owner each year, so a
poll is essential to test voter acceptance of different assessment
amounts.
CITIZEN PARTJCJPATlm:
1 . Citizen's Adt'isCJ"ry Commit!.
2. Local meetings
3. Work u.~th potential
opposition: start earl,:;:
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It is vital that you conduct public opinion surveys. We did
several polls during a three year period to determine what types of
projects Los Angeles County voters would support in a countywide
park funding measure. what they would oppose. what level of
overall funding they would support and how much they were
willing to pay for the items they wanted. This information was
absolutely essential to designing a measure that voters would
actually support. and to ensure that the measure's contents would
be positive and non-controversial.
\f1hile polls are a snapshot in time and are never a complete
a11SU'er. they give you important guidance. Failure to conduct a
professional poll is one of the most common and ultimately costly
mistakes that people make. It is important to hire a professional
pollster who can help you interpret the poll results in a logical and
statistically relevant manner.
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PUBIJC OPINION POLLING
Your R.oad Map to Success
by Corey Brown
A public opinion poll is one of the most important investments - and tools - that a
campaign will have. If you want to win, conduct a valid scimtific poll ~ deaigning
your ballot measure or deciding to definitely go' forward. A good poll will help you
understand:
· whether you can win;
· what themes and arguments you will need to make to win;
· what opposition themes and argumems can cause you to lose;
· what your measure must include to win;
· whose endorsement will help you get votes and whose endonement doesn't really
matter;
which voters you can count on to support your measure and which ones you can
expect to oppose your measure;
which voters comprise the key .swing- voting blocks you will Deed to focus ,on to
win;
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· bow to appeal to the swing voters and whicb swing voting bloclcs you need to win;
· how to design your ballot measure; and
· how to design your campaign.
One of the most common - and fatal - mistakes you can make is to assume you know
your community well enough to go forward without a poll. PoDs are your road map to
success. That's why expert campaign IDaDIgerS develop their campaign strategies around
them. It is also vitally important to work with professional pollsters and expert campaip
consultants in designing and interpreting your poll.
What follows will help you understand the basic things you need to know about public
opinion polls.
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During the fIDal few daya of the c:ompoip. you may have tho DIJI'l to conduct another poD. I
Unless you have a lot of unaUocated money to spend at the end of the campaign. a late poll
may consume a lot of your msources aDd provide you with infonnation you really cannot I
use. Bven if you find out that things have changed, you still need the funds to get a revised
message to the voters. If you are tempted to do a poll close to the election. carefully
consider instead allocating your funds for additional voter contacts (e.g., direct mail or radio ..
advertisements). .
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Selectin& a PoUster
Select a qualified and professional pollster woo bas experience with ballot measure polling.
If there are .several to choose from in your community, try to use one woo bas some
experience with ballot measures that affect the environment and. that relate to the local
jurisdiction. in question. But the key is competeoce.
Your pollster should be able to help iDterpret your poll results and be accessible to you
during the campaign for advice. Even 10, you should also work with experts who have run
winning ballot m~re campaigns when writiDgand intmpreting your pop, designing your
ballot measure and developing your campaign strategy and materials.
Check with elected officials and campaign managers in your state who have run
sophisticated campaigns and ask them to reCommend pollsters. Meet with the pollsters and
find out what services they provide, what experience they have in polling for ballot measure
campaigns, and bow much on-going advice they will provide the campaign in interpreting
the poll results and guiding campaign strategy development. Also ask them bow much the
poll will cost and whether they can provide you with the poll.results you need when you
need them.
.
In California, a valid scientific pon \1Iith a sample survey of 600 persons that takes about 20
minutes each to complete costs abOut SlO,()oo'lS,OOO. Assess your campaign resources, the
number of voters that will be eligible to vote on the measure and the number of questions
you need to ask in detenDining how much you can spend on your pon.
Beware of experts who tell you that you can save money by using volunteers to make the
phone calls or IeCOmmend other steps that compromise the poll's accuracy. Don't cut
comers unless you are ~ and don't have any other options.
.When You Should Poll
Consult with your campaign experts as to when you should conduct your polls. Certainly,
you should poll before you design your ballot measure aDd make any decision to go
forward. This will help you design a measure that will likely be approved. It will also save
you the grief of going forward with an effort that is destined to lose. Unless your campaign
budget forbids it, po~ again a few months before the olectiOD before fltUl1i7.i1lg your
campaign materials. This sec:ond poll will show you shifts ill voter attitudes since the last
poll and help you test more specifIC campaign tbemeS.
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The Threshold Question: CaD You Win?
Ballot measure campaigns require a lot of hard wort, money, political capital and expertise.
They bum up a tremendous amoUDt of opportunity time - something DODe of us have
enough of to waste. Winning is nearlyevcrythiDg. We just don't have the time to waste on
measures that ClDDot win. Doc of the most important things a poll can help you understand
is whelher you can win. That is ODe of the reasons wby it is vital to coDduct a poll before
iIreversibly committing yourself to go forward. .
The poll should ask the respondents whether they would li.kcly support or oppose the
measure at least twice:
· once near the beginning of the poll to let you know how a voter wbo bas beard little
about the measure would likely vote, and
· once DC2l' the end of the poll to let you know how the voter would likely vote after
having htZ'd both supporting and opposing arpmems.
All poll questions should be objectively written and should identify whether the respondents
strongly support (oppose) the measure, or whether they somewhat support (oppose) the
measure, or whether they are undecided.
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For example, the initial question could read:
Would you be inclined 10 support or oppose a 1MlUure which ?
Do you strongly support (oppose) Ihe1MlUure or 10mtwhDJ suppon (oppose)
the measure?
The follow-up question towards the end of the poll could read:
Now that you 've htlJ1'd some of the arguments in favor ttnd in opposition to 1M
measure, would you IUpport or oppose the metl.fure? Would you
strongly support (oppose) the meDSun or somewhat luppon (oppose) the
measure ?
You sbould receive from the pollster a breakdown of votes that shows bow many voters
would: (l) strongly suppon the measure, (2) somewhat. support the measu:e, (3) strongly
oppose the measure, (4) somewhat oppose the measure, or (5) are undecided. ADswers to
the initial question described above will let you know bow a voter DOt influenced by a
campaign might vote. Answers to the follow-up question will let you know bow voters
would likely act on the measure after taring both support aDd opposition arguments that
may be raised during the campaign.
While there is no clear role on this, we would like to provide the following guidelines to
consider. Remember, these are only guidelines. IDdividual situations can vary lignificantly
and many factors need to be fully considered. Furthermore, public opinion can quickly
change.
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(1) Probably do not proceed if:
· the combined strong support and the somewhat support tota1less than 509b of
those perIODS polled; or
· the strong oppose is more tban 40 9b; or
· the combined strong ~ and somewhat oppose is more ~ 45"
(2) Probably do proceed further if the combined strong support and the somewhat
support total more than 6S", with at kut 45" indil'JSti"! strong support.
(3) If your support falls between the amounts listed above, base your tWision on the
following factors:
· level of strong support and strong oppose;
· level of somewhat support and somewhat oppose, and your ability to deliver
messages that work with the key swing voting groups;
· the amount of resources (e.g., campaip funds, volunteers, editorial support)
that you will be able to gemate for the measure, with an emphasis on
campaign fuQd raising; aDd
· whether the measure will have opposition, and if so, the amount of resources
the opposition will be able to allocate to deftatmg the measure.
In making these determinations, consider the JeSUIts of the support and opposition questions
placed at both the beginning and the end of your pon. You also want to candidly consider
your ability to effectively communicate your m~sage during the campaign, the resources
available. to your opponents and other circumstances Illrrounding your particular baBot
measure. Remember that polls only provide a snapshot of public opinion at the time the
poll was taken - voter attitudes change with time. Above all else, consult with the expens.
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Bow Much Are Voters WilliDI"to Spend?
A $40 million measure that succeeds will protect a lot more land than an $80 million
measure that loses. 1bat is why it is important to fmd out how much money the voters are
willing to spend on .your measure.
A possible question might be:
One 01 the lIIcely 1MQSUTU on the June btJllot wiU k II rrw.uure ctzlld the
park and wildlife bond lICt. If the toliJlll17lOU1U of money in the rrw.uure was
, would yo" Illppon it or oppose It? Is lhDl strOngly or with
reservations ?
$ 25 million
$ 40 milUon
$1 ()() million
Suppon Oppose No Opinion
Strong " SomewhtJt
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In 1992, Los Angeles County voters approved a benefit assessment district measure that
added a charge onto each property owner's annual property tax bill (Proposition A, which is
covered elsewhere in thisbandbook). 1bc poll for the measure asked the voters how much
they would likely be willing to spend each month. WbcD the poll showed ready acceptance
of a charge of about $11 month but not $2/month, the measure's price tag was siguificant1y .
reduced to place it within a safe comfort ZODC. The poll also let the campaign mSlnAgers
know that they could safely state that the measure would cost only about $1 per month.
It is very important to identify your wswing voters.. Tbesc are voters who will likely vote
your way if they are provided with the proper arguments. They also include voters you
could lose if they receive the wrong arguments. Your pollster and campaign experts can
help you identify these voting blocks.
Pay particular attention to bow much money your swing voting blocks are willing to spend.
For example, if you need strong support from senior men who are very concerned about the
cost of the measure, try DOt to exceed a price tag that is beyond their comfort zone.
What Themes Are Winners?
Your campaign will more likely succeed if you use themes that the voters will ~nd to -
which mayor may not directly correspond to your personal reasons for supporting the
measure. Especially in larger cities and for statewide campaigns, you will have little
opportunity to effectively educate the voters at any level of dctaiI about why they should
support the ballot m~re. However. you can still run an ~ective campaign if you build
on themes that the voters arc already inclined to respond to.
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DECISION RESOURCES, LTD.
3128 Dean Court
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55416
CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE .
Fast Track Survey I
January, 1992
Hello, I'm of Decision Resources, Ltd., a polling firm
located in Minneapolis. We're talking with people in your city
this evening about local issues and problems. We'd like to ask
you some questions on a strictly confidential basis.
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ALWAYS VOTED............1
USUALLY VOTED...........2
OCCASIONALLY VOTED......3
GENERALLY NOT VOTED.....4
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED......5
1. In the past, when your city or
school district has held a bond
referendum or tax levy election,
have you always voted, usually
voted, occasionally voted, or
generally not voted?
If the City of Eden Prairie were to ask voters for an increase in
property taxes to improve and expand park and recreational
facilities....
2.
Which of these three statements
best describes your feelings?
A. I would vote AGAINST almost
any tax increase for city parks.
B. I would vote FOR a tax in-
crease under some conditions, but
AGAINST it under other conditions.
C. I would vote FOR almost any
tax increase for city parks.
STATEMENT A.............1~
STATEMENT B.............2n
STATEMENT C.............3i
NONE OF THE ABOVE.......4
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED......5
.
-I-IF "A" OR "c" IS CHOSEN, ASK: r
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3. Could you tell me one or two reasons why you feel that I
way?
~ IF "B" IS CHOSEN A~'K.
4. Under what conditions would you vote for a tax increase
for the expansion and improvement of city parks?
,
If the City of Eden prairie were to hold a park bond referendum
this coming year, how likely would you be to vote -- whether for
or against it...
5.
Would you be very likely to vote,
somewhat likely, not too likely,
or not at all likely to vote?
Let's be more specific....
1
VERY LIKELy............. 1
SOMEWHAT LIKELY.........2
NOT TOO LIKELY..........3
NOT AT ALL LlKELY.......4
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED......5
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9.
If the election were today, would
you favor or oppose this bond
referendum? (WAIT FOR RESPONSE)
And do you feel strongly that way?
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.,.:IF AN OPINION IS GIVEN, ASK:
STRONGLY FAVOR..........l~
SOMEWHAT FAVOR..........2~
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE.........3~
STRONGLY OPPOSE.........4~
UNDECIDED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
REFUSED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
10. Could you tell me one or two reasons for your decision?
Now just a few more questions for demographic purposes....
11. What is your age, please?
18-24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
25-34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
35 -44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
45-54.................. .4
55-64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
65 AND OVER............. 6
REFUSED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
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12. Is any member of this household a YES.....................l
member of an athletic association NO......................2
using Eden prairie facilities? DON'T KNOW/REFUSED......3
13. Are there pre-schoolers or school- YES.....................l
aged children in this household? NO......................2
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED......3
14. Do you own or rent your present
residence?
15. Gender (DO NOT ASK)
Thanks very much for your time. Good-bye.
16. ZONE:
TELEPHONE NUMBER
INTERVIEWER
DATE
.
3
OWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
RE}l~. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED......3
MALE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
FEMALE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
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THE PHALEN CHAIN
OF LAKES WATERSHED PROJECT
. A partnership for local protection and
management of natural resources ...
. t
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How IT ONCE WAS ...
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The Chain of Lakes and the watershed were
blessed with rich natural resources - dean
water, diverse vegetation, abundant birds
and wildlife.
During the past 35,000 years the landscape of
the watershed was worked and reworked by
glaciers. The glaciers left a landscape of
rolling, well-drained uplands dotted with lakes
and wetlands in low areas. The Chain of Lakes
t
Early settlers nur Kohlman LaIce in LIttle
Canada
t.
lie along an old river valley of the Sl Croix
River, During the last glaciation, gravels and
soils were deposited in the valley, and large
chunks of ice were left in low areas, forming
the chain of lakes.
i
At the time of the original land survey (1845-
47) most of the watershed was covered by oak
woodland or oak savannah, with scattered
groves of northern pin oak, bur oak, white oak,
and aspen trees, and an underbrush of young
oak and aspen sprouts, hazel shrubs, prairie
grasses and flowering plants.
i
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Isaac Higbee surveyed much of the Phalen
Watershed area in 1847. He described the area
near Lake Phalen in the following way: "This
..
township is rough and broken sandy land.
Tunber is Bun; Black (northem pin) and white
oak, maple, tlm and ash, nothing mNlrkable
about it. The Town of St. Paul on section 6 is a
beautiful site, and will some day be a place of
some importlJ1lCe. "
While the vegetation and original landscape of
the watershed have changed greatly since the
time of settlement, some evidence of the
original landscape remains:
Scattered clusters of large, pre-settlement oaks
remain in some older neighborhoods and
parks. A few acres of remnant prairies remain
along railroad traCks, near wetlands, and in
other undeveloped open spaces.
ADd beginDlng with the native peoples who
hunted here and set fires that maintained
the prairies and oak wooc1lands, people have
been part of the Phalen Watershed land-
scape for many generations.
Oak ..".,.,. Md woodlands In the northern
1WIn CIties .....; aim'" to thou present at
eettIen'MInt
PHALEN CHAIN OF LAKES WATfISHED PIOIfCT
WHAT HAPPENED
From settlement in the 1850's until World War
n, the watershed was dominated by vegetable
and dairy farming. Farmers drained wetlands,
channelized creeks, and created early roads.
White Bear Lake and North S1. Paul developed
early, as resort and manufacturing communi-
ties, but most of the watershed developed as an
urban area after World War n. Residential
areas developed on areas of flat, dry soils and
around lakes, with many areas near wetlands
remaining undeveloped.
In the 1970's, construction of Interstate 35E
and large commercial areas like Maplewood
Mall accelerated urban development in the
watershed. Urbanization has affected natural
resources in the watershed in many ways:
. Settlement has nearly eliminated the
native vegetation of the area, replacing
it with buildings, paved surfaces, and
lawns. With these changes, habitat
diversity and the varieties of birds and
animals that inhabit the area have been
much reduced. Non-native species
such as loosestrife have also gained a
foothold in the watershed and become
problems.
. The way water moves across the land
has changed. Soils, vegetation and
wetlands present at settlement easily
absorbed much of the water that fell on
the land. Urban development has
increased soil compaction, paved
surfaces, channelized creeks, and
eliminated over half the wetlands in the
watershed. These changes cause more
water to run off the land with each
storm at a faster rate, creating flooding
and erosion problems.
PHALEN CHAIN OF LAKES WATERSHED PRO/ECT.
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Conatruction of J.35E .... H~ 36 In
Meplewoocl Met development of ~
tlal_
. Higher volumes of runoff carry pollut-
. . .
ants and nutrients to lakes, wetlands
and creeks, causing declines in water
clarity and quality, and reduce the
quality of fish and wildlife habitat.
Algae blooms on area lakes are evi-
dence of these changes.
. Without conscious efforts to manage
land and water resources differently,
ongoiDg development in the water-
shed will continue these trends:
inc:reasing volumes of stormwater
runoff', with additional sediments
and nutrients transported to wet-
lands, c:reeks, and lakes; decliDiDg
water quaUty; loss of aquatic vegeta-
tion and reduced habitat for fish and
other aquatic: organisms; increasing
fragmentation of upland and wetland
habitat and loss of plant and animal
diversity; and loss of open space.
..
WHAT'S
BEING
.
In early 1993 a partnership was formed to
address concerns about declining natUral
resources quality in the watershed. The part-
nership included
. local city governments
. Ramsey County
. Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed
District
. citizens
. developers and businesses
. University of Minnesota Department of
Landscape Architecture
. Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources.
.
The partnership received a grant from the
McKnight Foundation to develop a compre-
hensive natural resources plan for the water-
shed. A Steering Committee including repre-
sentatives of all interested groups in the water-
shed completed the plan in April. 1994.
The plan includes seven major goals, and many
recommended action steps to protect. restore
and manage natural resources in the watershed
in the short and long-term.
The action recommendations in the plan focus
on concrete demonstration projects that cities,
the county, residents. businesses and agencies
can complete to show better ways to m,nage
resources. The plan also describes how all
interests can work together to make needed
changes and achieve the vision for natural
resources developed by watershed residents.
Major goals included in the 7-pointAction
Plan for the Watershed include the following:
. Improve, restore and protect surface
water quality.
. Restore, enhance and protect wet-
lands and creeks.
.
. Protect the ground water resources
of the watershed.
III
DONE
. . .
Restoring native wgetation lit H.B. Fuller
CompanY. WIllow ..... NIdu.. PreHrve
. Develop and support a CODDected
system of "creen corridors" to pro-
tect water resources, enhance fish
and wildlife habitat, and provide
natural resources recreation and
education opportunities.
. Restore and expand forest cover and
diverse native veaetation.
. Increase pubUc awareness and in-
volvement In natural resources
",.nagement In yards, pubUc and
private lands, and aU areas of the
watershed.
. Emablish a local natural resources
board to coordinate implementation
of the watershed plan.
PHALEN CHAIN OF LAKES WATERSHED PROJECT
TAKING ACTION
During the summer of 1994, the Watershed
Project partners, local residents, cities. busi-
nesses and others in the watershed will begin
to implement the watershed plan to improve
natural resources through a variety of projects.
These include the following:
. an innovative stormwater management
project in Maplewood that will infil-
trate stormwater within a neighborhood
and eliminate the need for new storm
sewers that would empty into lake
Phalen. This neighborhood will serve
as a model for stormwater management
in other urban areas.
. work with the City of St Paul and
District 2 Community to obtain funding
for the Phalen Wetland Park restoration
as part of the Phalen Village Small
Area Plan.
;;......".-',
Proposed Phalen Wetland Perk in St. Paul
. projects to restore aquatic shoreline
vegetation, and work with parks depart-
ments and landowners to manage
vegetation around wetlands and lakes
to benefit fish, wildlife, and water
quality.
. completion of a watershed-wide wet-
lands plan, based on the functions and
values of wetlands in the watershed.
that will help the watershed district and
PHALEN CHAIN OF LAKES WATERSHED P,O/ECT.
. . .
local governments sets priorities for
purchase. protection or management of
the wetlands.
. complete field work to identify the
re'l'laining natural areas. prairie frag-
ments. and inventory open space areas
to assist in development of the "green
corridors" network for the watershed.
. complete restoration projects at the
H.B. Fuller Company Willow Lake
Nature Preserve to restore aquatic
vegetation and other natural communi-
ties.
. develop a workshop for teachers in five
local school districts on watershed
issues and identification of student
projects to benefit natural resources.
. work with neighborhood and citizen
groups on creative plantings and
projects to b6nefit natural resources in
parks and residential areas of the
watershed.
The Phalen Watershed Project Committee
will continue to work with local govern-
ments, businesses, citizens and natural
resources agencies to identify projects and
opportunities to benefit land, water, plants
and ,nimals and local communities.
This project could not have realized without the
cooperation and dedication of local communities,
citizens, and other project partners. Partners
include the cities of Little Canada, Maplewood,
North St. Paul, St. Paul, Oakdale, Vadnais
Heights, White Bear Lake, Ramsey-Washington
Metro Watershed District, Ra~ County, A.B.
Fuller Company, Rossbach Construction Com-
pany, St. Paul District 2, 4 and 5 Community
Councils, North East Metro Environmental Coa-
lition, Izaak Walton League, University of Minne-
IOta Department of Landscape Architecture, and
Minnesota DNR.
For more Information about thePMlen Chain
of Lakes Watershed Project, please contact:
Phalen Watershed Project
1200 Warner Road
St. Paul, Minnesota 551 OS
(612) n2-7980
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Protecting Minnesota Wetlands:
The Role of the Public
.
Until a few years ago, wetlands had few friends. Their only advocates were a handful of
understaffed governmental agencies authorized to regulate - but not necessarily to prohibit -
wetlands destruction. When a landowner or developer applied for a permit to drain or fill
a wetland, few citizens or environmental groups stepped forward to speak on the wetland's
behalf. , Today that is changing. Concerned individuals, wildlife groups. and environmental
organizations have added a pro-wetlands voice to the debate - pressing state and federal agencies
to strengthen and fully enforce existing regulations, fighting for the protection of particular
wetlands, and urging local governments to include wetlands protection in planning decisions.
, Strategies to protect wetlands vary with particular situations: they may be proactive efforts
to inventory wetlands and educate the community about their importance; or they may be
reactive, in response to threats against particular wetlands. In the latter case, mounting a
successful campaign requires effective participation in the regulatory process, often combined
with grassroots organizing to influence officials. , This, the third issue in the Minnesota
Audubon Council's Citizens' Guide to Protecting Minnesota Wetlands, introduces Section 404
of the federal Clean Water Act and Minnesota's Wetland Conservation Act, two crucial laws that
are designed not to stop development but to reduce its impact on wetlands. We explain how
private citizens can effectively participate in the regulatory process and organize public support
for wetlands protection. , This publication was written by and for members of Wetlands
Watch, a statewide network of citizens who monitor wetlands and advocate for their protection.
Won't you join us? The Editors
.
MINNESOTA
&- NATIONAL
AUDUBON
AUDUBON
COUNCIL
SOCIETY
CONTENTS
Introduction 3
Wetlands Protectian:
Underlying concepts and present realities
Wetlands Regulations 5
The Regulatory Process 7
The Oean Water Act, Sectian 404 Program
Minnesota's Wetland Conservatian Act
Participating Effectively
in the Regulatory Process 10.
Advance preparatian
Evaluating the proiect
Writing your camments
Fallawing up
Organizing Grassroots
Opposition 16
Proactive Wetlands
Protection 18
Appendices 19
Acknawledgements 23
Copyright C 1994 Minnesom Audubcm Council
"Protecting Minnesom Wetlands: The role of the public" is the third in a series of
monographs titled "The Citizens' Guide to Protecting Minnesota Wetlands,"
edited by Cheryl Miller aM Nancy Goetzinger, and published by the Minnesota
Council of National Audubon Society. Other monographs in the series are "Wetlands
Regulations of Minnesota" and "Minnesota Wetlands: A primer on their nature and
function." Inquiries about the series should be made to National Audubon Societ)\
26 East E.x&hange Street, Suite 207. Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101 (6u) .225-1830.
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ADDITIONAL WAYS TO PROTECT LAND
1. Minnesota Environmental Rights Act
This law allows citizens to go to court to protect a natural resource which is being damaged
or destroyed.
2. Environmental Assessment Worksheets, Environmental Impact Statements,
Alternative Urban Area Reviews
Many kinds of development require local, county or state government to undertake studies to
evaluate the effect of the proposed development on the environment. The reports and public
hearings, if required, are public.
3. Zoning
Zoning is established by each municipality to regulate the uses permitted for each parcel of
land. Within limitations, changes in permitted land uses can be proposed and enacted by
local City Councils.
4. Watershed Districts and Watershed Management Organizations
These are special purpose local units of government whose boundaries follow those of a
natural watershed. They issue permits, can acquire property, and do other work to protect
water quality.
Call City Hall or your county to find out your district.
5. Board of Water and SoU Resources, SoU and Water Conservation Districts
Local units of government whose purpose is to manage and direct conservation programs.
The Board administers grants, approves local plans for conformance with applicable law.
Call 297-5616 to find out your district.
.
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THE
IlillS.I
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, Consm.rin.g Und
fCll' People .
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MISSION: CONSERVING LAND FOR PEOPLE
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) emerged in 1972 from a unique blend of environmental and
social concerns. The founders of TPL saw a country newly aware of its environmental
responsibilities, but increasingly urban and disconnected from the land. TPL was created to
bring together America's land and its people. Since its founding, TPL has worked closely with
both urban and rural people across the country, acquiring and preserving open space for the
benefit of people, pioneering techniques for land conservation, and sharing with others its
knowledge of nonprofit land acquisition processes.
Today, The Trust for Public Land is a leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to
protecting land for the public's use and enjoyment. Our conservation projects range from vast
tracts of wilderness to suburban green ways to single lot-sized neighborhood parks. TPL works
with government agencies, land trusts and other conservation groups to add key parcels to forests
and parks, protect agricultural land and blend open space with needed development. Rather than
advocate for political solutions, TPL works in the marketplace. We negotiate complex real estate
transactions to protect the land until public funds are available.
If we are to preserve a deep and enduring environmental ethic, people must have the opportunity
to stroll across an undeveloped meadow, to raise a garden from seed to harvest, to know that
diverse expanses of American land will remain forever wild. The Trust for Public Land works
to protect this distinct and important heritage with sensitivity, spirit, and a practical focus on the
realities of land acquisition and conservation.
TPL IN THE MIDWEST
During our twenty-two years of work in the Midwest, TPL has protected over 80,000 acres of
land. Yet the midwestern landscape, a mosaic of farmland, forests, glacial lakes, prairies and
open space in rural communities and urban areas, is increasingly endangered. In June of 1990,
TPL opened its Midwest Office in Minneapolis/St. Paul, to better serve the region. The Midwest
region encompasses twelve states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
a. ~e Trust for Public Land
~idwest Region
420 North Fifth Street
Suite 865
Minneapolis. MN 55401
(612) 338.8494
Fax (612) 338.8467
o
WORKING TO EXPAND OUR WEALTH OF PUBLIC LANDS...
TPL recently conveyed Michigan's Grand Island, a 13,OOO-acre island in Lake Superior, to the
Hiawatha National Forest. Once home to the Ojibwas, Grand Island was discovered in 1657 by
explorer Pierre Radisson. In the early 1800's, explorer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft wrote of Indian
life there, and his work inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's .Song of Hiawatha". Once
threatened with development, the island has now been designated a national recreation area,
allowing people to enjoy its unique natural resources, which include a large beaver-formed lake,
endangered bald eagles, bears and 20 miles of shoreline.
We are working to add thousands more acres to national parks and forests in Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.
...TO CREATE AND PROTECT URBAN OPEN SPACES...
The varied urban communities in the Midwest, like the landscape in which they developed, have
been shaped by a wide range of cultural, economic, and environmental issues. The open space
and agricultural land base within and surrounding cities and towns is increasingly threatened.
TPL works with local agencies and land trusts to acquire significant urban open space and to
establish and protect community parks and gardens.
.
TPL has completed several successful urban projects in Cleveland. In 1984 TPL bought and
conveyed the abandoned Euclid Beach Amusement Park to the City of Cleveland and ultimately
to the state of Ohio, adding 16 acres of parkland and one third of a mile of prime shoreline to
Cleveland's lakefront park system.
We are developing urban programs in Minneapolis, Chicago and St. Louis.
.. .AND WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH LOCAL LAND TRUSTS
TPL's land trust program fosters the development of local land trusts to serve as preservation-
minded stewards of private lands, and to expand and enrich the patchwork of protected lands
across the country. To date, only ten percent of the country's land trusts are located in the
Midwest. As TPL expands its programs in the region, we expect to help form new local trusts
and to foster excellence in existing trusts.
Our work in Ohio's Chagrin River Valley since the mid 1980's demonstrates TPL's ability to
stimulate land trust activity in the region. Despite the Chagrin's status as a state-designated
scenic river, its water quality and scenic and recreational resources face intense pressure from
dense residential and industrial development. Responding to the concerns of local residents,
TPL created a framework within which a chain of local trusts were developed to protect a
greenway along the river. Among these trusts is the Russell Land Conservancy, formed in 1986
as the region's first land trust.
a.
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HOW THE TRUST FOR PUBUC LAND WORKS
As a nonprofit, TPL can become involved in a community in a variety of ways. We can be
asked by the city or another public agency, by a citizens group or open space or park
committee, by a landowner or by a conservation group.
TPL's expertise is in real estate. We can be most helpful:
1) Evaluating the feasibility of a specific parcel of land for particular kinds of funding.
2) Developing a property acquisition strategy once a community has developed its priorities.
3) Assessing a landowner's willingness to sell and developing an estimate of value.
4) Optioning a property to hold it until funding is available.
5) Purchasing properties and reselling to the public agency.
6) Sharing information about local and national land preservation techniques and efforts.
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RESOURCES:
Everybody's Tele.phone. Address ~d Pux:pose:
Minnesota Environmental Sourcebook I 437-4079
P.O. Box 4114
Hastings, Minnesota 55033
Natural Resource Information:
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Metro Division I 772- 7900
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy I 223-5969
Information on laws and administrative procedures
Scenic America Technical Information Series
21 Dupont Circle, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-833-4300
Publications on the value of open space, such as:
.
Wetlands, notWas~lands
Trees Make Cents
On the Value of Open Spaces
The Value of Nature and Scenery
Campaign Strate~y and Pollinf::
Minnesota Recreation and Park Association I 920-6906
Decision Resources,Ltd. I 920-0337
Capital Partnerships I 371-0233
Finance Issues:
Public Finance Division, Norwest Investments, Inc. I 667-5535
Evenson-Dodge, Inc. - 338-3535
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CITY OF
CHAHHASSEN
PRC DATE: 12-13-94
PC DATE:
CC DATE: (/
HOFFMAN:v ~
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STAFF REPORT
PROPOSAL:
Preliminary plat to subdivide a 2.22 acre parcel into 4 single family lots,
Golden Glow Acres
LOCATION:
6600 Powers Boulevard
APPLICANT:
James Ravis
6600 Powers Boulevard
Chanhassen, MN 55317
PRESENT ZONING:
RSF, Residential Single Family
ADJACENT ZONING
AND LAND USE:
N . RSF
S - RSF
E - Powers Boulevard
W - RSF
COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN: The city's comprehensive plan identifies this site as lying
within the park service areas of Curry Farms Park, Greenwood Shores Park and Carver Beach
playground.
COMPREHENSIVE TRAIL PLAN: The comprehensive trail plan identifies Powers Boulevard
as a trail corridor. Currently, a trail is progressing north from Hwy. 5 along the east side of Powers
Boulevard. This section is complete or scheduled for completion from Hwy. 5 to Saddlebrook Trail.
This trail will continue north to Shorewood at some time in the future. The west side of Powers
(abutting the subject property) does not contain any completed or planned trail segments from Hwy.
5 north to Shorewood. If these improvements were to be completed at a future date, much of this
trail would be constructed within the right-of-way of Powers Boulevard.
Park and Recreation Commission
December 13. 1994
Page 2
.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend that the City
Council require the following conditions of approval in regard to parks and trails for the
Golden Glow Acres:
1. Full park and trail fees be collected per city ordinance in lieu of land dedication and/or
trail construction.
.
.
.
.
.
C ITV OF
CHARHASSER
3a-
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900 . FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO: Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director
FROM:
'7\ --}-
Dawn Lemme, Recreation Supervisor y
DATE:
December 7, 1994
SUBJ:
Senior Center Report
Current activities in the center as follows:
Women's and Men's Club: Both clubs hav
Women's Club has done some crafts and M
to PROP.
ued to meet preparing for the holidays.
collected new toys which were donated
Tony Sandler Show: Nine people atte.
Senior Center trip to the Tony SandIe
themselves.
mmunity Education/Chanhassen
had front row seats and enjoyed
Souper Seniors: Eight peopl(f chased soup at this mo
Soup was bean and ham, iously not a popular choice b
's soup day on November 17.
on the numbers in attendance.
Movie Day: The
movie (unknow
Orchestra Hall:
December 4.
Holiday Party: This is coming up on Satur
signed up. This event will include refres
favors.
ecember 10 and currently 59 people have
entertainment, a sing-a-Iong, and party
Also coming up this month (December) is a trip to the Minneapolis Art Institute and lunch at
Nora's.
.
CITY OF 36
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO: Park and Recreation Commission
FROM:
Dawn Lemme, Recreation Supervisor
L>::+ .
DATE:
December 7, 1994
SUBJ:
February Festival - 1995
This year's Febru
2000 people for
as held on Tuesday, December 6.
al aspect of the festival-what items need
e and color logo recognition, and
.
The fIrst meeting for the 1995 February Festiv
Discussed at this meeting was mainly the pro
to be revised, what should be eliminated, fes .
overall marketing campaign.
Deb Kind Design is the designer of last ye
again this year. Other aspects of the Feb
activities to take place on that day and
concessions, ice marshals, prize board
., and she will be doing the revisions
y Festiv ....that are being worked on include new
s to improv on the various services such as food
c.
mber 13 (see attachment). All
orming and organizational
The fIrst FebFest team meeting
involved groups are invited to
purposes.
. occur on Tuesday,
nd that meeting for brai
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. .
. Expected participation is
* Snow Sculpture Contest
.
* Conc
* Ice Fi
* Dog S emonstration
* Ice Skating
* Moonlight Skiing
* S'more Cookout/BonfIre
* Fireworks
C ITV OF
CHAHHASSEH
.
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
November 28, 1994
Dear Prospective February Festival Team Member:
The City of Chanhassen would like to extend our appreciation again for making Chanhassen' s
first February Festival a big success. Despite the unseasonably warm weather and the four
inches of standing water, February Festival drew 1200 people. Not bad for a brand new
event.
sinc1rel .'
f)
, tL~) \~
Jerry Ruegemer
Recreation Sup
bruary Festival team again this year. Some
. tment and contributions; it is vital for
We would like you to become a member of the
of you may well know the importance of your
the success of this second year special event
A team member meeting will be held TuesdtlY, Dec
a.m. in the Chanhassen City Council ChaIIjers. Pie.
representative.
ber 13, 1994, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30
join us or send a willing
.-
I hope to see you on the thirteenth, if~t enjoy your h ay season!
JR:ns
.
.
CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
3~
---
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director Q
Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Supervisor /l ~
December 7, 1994 I
TO:
FROM:
SUBJ:
Tree Lighting Ceremony
Last night was Chanhassen's Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. Approximately 50-75
people attended despite the cold, blustery night. e ceremony was brief and began with
Mayor Chmiel giving a speech and then flippi e switch to light the holiday tree. The
crowd joined in singing three holiday carols ere led by Mayor Chmiel. Santa Claus
made a surprise visit and listened to children ts, as well as distributing candy canes to
. everyone.
After caroling, everyone enjoyed hot app,.; ider and
enjoy themselves even though the weatl]l was chilly.
event year after year and making it a . of their holid
tter cookies. People appeared to
e same people are attending this
tradition.
.
,
.
C ITV OF
CHANHASSEN
1-~
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director
DATE:
December 8, 1994
R
FROM:
Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Supervisor
SUBJ:
February Festival Fireworks Contract
;;;:/'-<"
.
The fIrst annual February Festival was very sucOessful. A big portion of the celebration was
the fireworks over Lake Susan. Chanhassen i,cn~,()f a handful of cities doing winter
fireworks which makes this event very speciat \~.
t<
Banner Fireworks Display Company from Zimmernuin has drafted a description of the show
and the contract. The money for the f1fe~rks was approved as part of the 1995 budget cycle
in park and recreation Fund 145. The f1l'eworks and o$er expenses from February Festival
will be offset from revenues collected"from the 1995 sPonsorship program. If the Park and
Recreation Commission approves the '$4,500 show, the contract will be signed and returned to
Banner Fireworks.
Recommendation
'w
It is staff s recommendation that the.'PattIDdRcCeatiOtfc.oliunission accept the contract of
$4,500 with a public liabilitylDd .~~..9!~~~~~~ ount of $1
million for the Februery.Festival Celebration.
'~';v,:::::-
.
February, 1995
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!
BANNER
FIREWORKS
DISPLA Y CO.
9840 . 271 st Avenue
ZIMMERMAN, MINNESOTA 55398
(612) 856.2838
.
.
\
CHANHASSEN WINTERFEST 95'
$ 4,500.00 Display - $1,000.000.00 INSURANCE
i
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60 2 1/2" Assorted Color
60 3" Assorted Color
18 4" Assorted Color
3 5" Assorted Color
72 3" Titanium Salutes with Tails
213 Rounds
Main Body
3" Shells
Quantity
Description
2 2 Break: Color to Report
9 Gold Comets
2 Gold Stickless to Report
6 Dragon Eggs
25 Assorted Chrysanthmums, Peonys and Special Effect Shells
44 Rounds
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CHANHASSEN WINTERFEST 95'
Februanr, 1995
$ 4,500.00 Display - $1,000,000.00 INSURANCE
Description
Kamuro to Silver
Aqua Spreader
Blue Meteor
Silver Comets wi~n Rea Poin~s
Sparkling Willow
Charcoal Crossette
White Spider to Strobe
Purple Chandelier
Treasure Chest
2 Break: Ruby to Charcoal
2 Break: Violet/Silver to
Battle in the CloudS
6 Timed Reports
Thunder and Rainbow
Whistles with Variegated Color
Assorted Chrysanthemums, Peonys and Special Effect Shells
.
Spider
Report
Description
Palm Tree
Aqua Crown Crossette
Blue Meteor with Shimmer Mag Core
Salute
Blue Crown Crossette
Cherry Blossom: Gold/Green
Tremalon Octopus with Red and Green
Shimmer Mag with Green
5 Timed Reports
Tourbillions with Green
Assorted Chrysanthemums, Peonys and Special Effect Shells
6" Shells
Quantity
1
1
1
1
1
1
24
30 Rounds
8" Shells
Quantity
6
.
CHANHASSEN WINTERFEST 95'
February, 1995
$ 4,500.00 Display - $1,000,000.00 INSURANCE
Description
Kamuro
Shimmer Mag with Tails
Purple Octopus to Report
Gold Comet to Report
Starburst with Ruby Core
Hourglass with Blue Ring
Assorted Chrysanthemums, Peonys and Special Effect Shells
Description
.
.
Assorted Chrysanthemums and Peonys
Main Body Summary
3" -
4" -
5" -
6" -
8" -
44 Rounds
51 Rounds
47 Rounds
30 Rounds
6 Rounds
178 Rounds
213 Finale Rounds
391 Total Rounds
.
.
6.
. 7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
.
BANNER FIREWORKS DISPLAY CO.
FIREWORKS DISPLAY CONTRACT
THIS CONTRACT, entered this 6th day of December
Company, 9840 - 271 st Avenue. Zimmerman. Minnesota 55398 (hereinafter"8anner") and
(hereinafter "Customer'1.
, 1~, by and between Benner Rrewortcs Display
City of Chanhassen
1.
Benner, for and in ccrsideratiOn of the sum of $ 4 5 0 0 . 00 to be P8Id . herlIinafter lilt forth. egA188 to fumish
to Customer .fjrewortcs Display ProgI8lTl . eubmlUed and ct.crIbed in Allachment 1
of this contract to be given on .to" eo. 1 8, 1 ~ 9 5 " The ~ ~ree thai should inclement weIIher p1'lMlI'lt the
display program on the day specified above. the dilplay will be gMln on 2 - 1 9 - 9 5 .
Benner agrees to provide all personnel and equipment needed to prepare. fire and dI8menlIe IMf dllplay. a.nner ehall be fully in-
charge of and responsible for the preparation. firing, and dismantling of the display. Customer egA188 to fumIIh. eliis' cost, to Benner.
sufficient space for the safe and proper preeentation of the fireworks and necessary police and fire protection.
In the event Customer cancels the progl8lTl entirely, for any reaeon. Customer egrees to pay Benner 1 0 percent of this
Contract. and Benner shall retain ownership of all fireworks. unless wriIlen notice of canoaIIaIion is reoelved by Banner within ten days
of the display date.
Upon execution of this Contract, Customer shall make a down payment of - 0 - Dollars
($ I. The balance of the Oontract price shall be paid by the Customer on or before
2 - 2 9 - 9 5 as follows:
2.
3.
4.
All cleferred payments on this Contract shall be due on the claWs specified and, If not paid. lIhaIl be8r an interest rate of Eighteen Percent
(18'lb) par year (1-1/2% per month) on any remaining balance.
5. Benner agrees to provide, Public Liability and Property Damage Insurance in the MlOUnt of 51 .000.000. oe favor of
C i t Y 0 f Ch an has s en" A Certificate evidencing liability insurance must be provided to the
Customer with the above named as additional insured.
Banner agrees to fully comply with all applicable National Rre Protection Association (NFPA) codes and IIland8rds in eftecl el the time
of the display and to comply with all provisions of the Uniform Rre Code.
The parties agree thel this Contract shall not be construed . intending to eIIect a pIIftnelShip. nor a joint venture. Each p&rty agrees
thai it shall be responsible for its' separate and individual debts. Both parties acknowledge thallhere are no egrMm8I1la.lIllOIPl as are
contained herein. Any amendments to this Contract shall be in writing and executed by the parties in ~ same manner as this Contract.
In the event Customer fails to pay any amounts due under this Contract. the coetII of coIlectlon. Including reasonable 8ltoI"ney's fees.
shall be paid by the Customer.
This Contract shall be interpreted under the laws of the St8le of Minnesota and any disputes arl8ing out of this Contract lIhaIl be resoIwd
by arbitration through and in accordance with the rules of the AmerIcan ArbItndIon A88ociation.
The parties mutually and severally guarantee the terms, conditions, and payments of this Contract which lIhaIl be binding upon the
parties heirs, executors, administrators, successors and 888igns.
Other Provisions:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF. Banner and Customer, by and through their authorlz8d agents. have lIll8CUt8d this Agreement on the d8le first
Ihown above.
BANNER FIREWORKS DISF~:
r'-~ ~--._ ... '
By: ". ~ -----~~~~
Its: '7, of. <<; I ;: Iv~-")
CUSTOMER
Sigl'llllure
(Print or type name)
TIlle
Organization
c:misc\3085.con
, A
ALLIED SPECIALTY INSURANCE, INC.
10451 GuLf BouLevard
Treasure Island, FL 33706
TolL Free 1-800-237-3355 National
1-800-282-6776 FLorida
.
Certificate Number: 00031
CERT IF ICATE OF INSURANCE
FIREWORKS DISPLAY
NAME & ADDRESS OF INSURED
Banner Fireworks
9840 271 Avenue
Zimmerman, MN 55398
ADDITIONAL INSURED
City of Chanhassen
eBItJeBI_CO!liEB8aE
CO MF'AN Y : I .t.1i ....e: L_ln aU [.a DC e_ ~Q.t.
-.. -- -- -- -.... -..... -..... -- -- ---
POLICY NUMBER: _____~LM~~~a2_______
LIABILITY LIMIT:
BI/F'D Occun"ence: __ilLQQQ.t.QQQCSL.!___
Aggr egat e: __I.l...QQQ...tH22___!___
EXCESS _CCNEBeGE
ClasS B f.'i- od UC ts
PO L ICY PER IOD:
From:
To:
'I nc luOeO
:;/01/94
:;/01/9:1
___I____________!___
Excess of
___I____________!___
___1______----------
0/00/00
0/00/00
___I____________!__
Excess of
___I____________!__
___1______---------
0/00/00
0/00/00
* - COMBINED SINGLE LIMIT
In thl? >?y't?rtt of' any material change in, Oi- cancelLation of said poLicy(ies),
:the company wi tl endeavor to give written notlce.tothe party whom thl~ c.r:
,tif i"ate ii; issued, but fai Lu)-e to give such notice shalL impose no llab'llty.
(',\" CI L l I 9 ~ 1: ion UP 0 nth E' Co mp any.
NAt'1E & ADDRESS OF CERTIFICATE HOL.1IER: DATE OF DISPLAY; -t,"i!LlA-:&t 85
Cit f Ch h RAIN DATE: __':.l.i':.~
y 0 an assen DISPLAY AMOUNT: . 4500.00
City Hall LOCATION OF DISPLAY:
690 Coulter Dr Lake Susan Park
lIt Cr~I1hal(~rJ1J'tt1N1 os,s3.J?e policy that all displays be reported to the Company at
. le.a<:,1: 24 tHiurs in adv.nce of the disp lay date.
Thi ,:" Cf?l-tit' icate neither affil-matively nor ne9atively amends, extends or alters
the ;::OVl;?l'o':,;e affol-ded by the PO licy(Jes) desc,-tbed hereon. NOTE: In the event
:that i-ain 01- imcl.ement weathe)- prohibits this dlspLaYt covel-age will applY
Ion a SUbsequent date on which the display is held, within the terms of the
;pOl icY contract. Cleanup and policing of the dIsplay are the responsibi Lity
: of the sp':> n so '"S .
.The "fol.loi<.ling ,He additional Insureds: any fair, orexhibition, associatIon
spo)"!,:.:or ing o,-g,anizat.ion 0'- committee, the owne,- or lessee of any p'-emlses used
by ne Naif/ed Insured, 01- any pUblic authorIty 9rantlng a permIt to the Named
,Insured, but only as ,-espects accidents arising outof negligenCe of the
: NillTlt?i! InSU'(t?i:l u''- the Named Insured's employees acting in the course and scope
!of i:t",eir e'fftployment. Also, as .additional Named Insured, any Independant Con-
tl"aCto',- wti(! fiTes the display on behalf of the NalRed Insul-ed. Thtslnsurance
doe'~~ Mt apply to any fal llJre to police or cleanup the displaY, 0\- liability
a 1- is, n(] the j- e fro m ~ ~
Th is ce)-tlflcate Is not vaLId unless an original slgnafureappears below.
( COP I es Not Va 11 d)
Cov,;.:.\-ag'2 tindel- the pOlicy Is condltlonttd upon full eompll
wi nl ..il,t applicable NationaL Fire Protection Association
st'~lIdaj..j~, in effect at the time of the dis Lay. ~
__,__errll_2Q~_122~___________
Da+0 of Certiflcate Issuance
nee by all I nsu)"eds
NFPA) codes and
~---
.
.
~ ALLIEr;> SPECIALTY INSURANCE, INC,
.
CITY OF
CHIHHISSEN
46
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900 . FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director
FROM:
Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Supervisor
1R
DATE:
December 7, 1994
SUBJ:
Establish 1995 Group Picnic Reservation Fees
.
The 1994 picnic 'season was our department's best year yet, having booked over 80 picnics
and generating $6,542.82 in revenues. The c picnic prices represent an increase in fees
prior to the 1994 picnic season. It is staff's re endation that the same rates be applied to
the 1995 season. Keeping rates at the same p r 2-3 years is beneficial to our
department with public perception being that .... ing to keep our rates down instead of
increasing them yearly. The following rates)are list below for review and approval from
the Park and Recreation Commission.
Lake Susan Park
Resident Group
Non-Resident Group
Chanhassen Business
Non-Chanhassen Business
District 112/276 Schools
All Other School I?i~~~s
Non-Profit/Senior Group
Refundable D
$60.00 (tax included)
$180.00 (tax included)
$85.00 (tax included)
$225.00 (tax included)
$30.00 (tax included)
$90.00 (tax included)
25%
.
Lake Ann Park . Park
Resident Group
Non-Resident Group
Chanhassen Business
Non-Chanhassen Business
District 112/276 Schools
All Other School Districts
Non-Profit/Senior Group Discount
Refundable Damage Deposit
(tax included)
$90.00 (tax included)
$40.00 (tax included)
$115.00 (tax included)
$15.00 (tax included)
$45.00 (tax included)
25%
$200.00
Mr. Todd Hoffman
December 7, 1994
Page 2
Lake Ann Park . Picnic PavilionIRecreation Shelter
Resident Group
Non-Resident Group
Chanhassen Business
Non-Chanhassen Business
District 112/276 Schools
All Other School Districts
Non-Profit/Senior Group Discount
Refundable Damage Deposit
.
$90.00 (tax included)
$200.00 (tax included)
$115.00 (tax included)
$260.00 (tax included)
$45.00 (tax included)
$135.00 (tax included)
25%
$200.00 (tax included)
.
.
\
.
CITY OF
CHAHHASSEH
4C!-.
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
Todd Hoffman, Parks and Recreation Director n
Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Supervisor 1 K
December 7, 1994
TO:
FROM:
SUBJ:
Establish 1995 Gate Attendant Program and Lake Ann Entrance Fees
The gate attendant program was discussed briefly at the November 15 Park and Recreation
Commission meeting when the annual gate at t report was presented. The Park and
Recreation Commission debates the effectiven the gate attendant program annually, and
it is again time to review the program. ·
Daily Park Pass
Seasonal Pass for
Seasonal Passi:
this year and the Park and
I will include the gate attendant report
. on Commission.
.
Similar comments from previous years will
Recreation Commission will weigh the pro nd con
from our last meeting for you and the P and Recr
If the Park and Recreation Commissi
recommends the following fees be
going to ado
roved.
1995 Lake Ann entrance fees, staff
$2.00
$5.00
$10.00
.
CITY OF
CHARHASSER
.
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO: Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director
FROM:
Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Supervisor
1~
DATE:
November 10, 1994
SUBJ:
1994 Gate Attendant Report
The 1994 gate attendant season was busy with our nicest summer in the past two years. Our
total revenue, without the softball teams, was $ 21.04, which is a $4,000 increase over
1993. Lake Ann Park witnessed an increase' 'cs, youth and adult sports, beach activity,
concession sales and general use to make 199 f the most exciting summers we've seen
in a while.
..
In looking at the effectiveness of a gate a~.dant at ~uth Lotus Lake the daily hours were
reduced. The daily hours this summer \\,.~ from 4-8,~m. compared to 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
weekends stayed the same. The weekdl:tyhours were . uced because of the low usage of
boaters during the mid-morning/earlyernoon hours. . g later in the day, the gate
attendants were on duty for the peo launching their to ski or fish after work.
Reducing the gate attendant hour rtainly saved the ci oney with little to no problems
occurring. However, the Park. Recreation Commissio ill need to make the decision
whether they would like t hase out the gate attendant pro ...am at South Lotus Lake. For
the hours a staff p~r~~>.....~~~~: ~e....\\,~ ~ff'c:~ve..in~u:ati?~. the public on Eurasian Water
Milfoil? Or are boatersa~:.ii_~iGf:.hIIf.fI i.e;ltnow the residents around Lotus
Lake would not happy'Mm:_..,di~.._;; es of
concerns.
Establish daily and weekend hours.
Have a layout of Lake Ann Park so g ttendants can direct park users to certain
areas.
Look for new methods to motivate gate attendants.
Add additional materials to educate staff.
The following are a few general co
.
\,
.
Mr. Todd Hoffman
November 10, 1994
Page 2
Illustrated below is the watercraft totals, gate attendant hours/wages, and revenues collected at
Lake Ann Park from parking fees.
1994 Watercraft Totals
Speed boats 677
Fishing boats 639
Personal watercraft 57
Canoes 7
Pontoon 5
Kayak 1
Sailboat 1
Total 1,387
1993 Total 1,361
Revenue Collected from Lake Ann Parking Fees
Daily Passes 5098 x $2 = $10,196
Seasonal (Resident) 1061 x $5 = 5,305
. Seasonal (Non-resident) 372 x $10 372
Subtotal 6531 passes = $19,221
Softball Registration 68 teams x $75 5,100
1994 Grand Totals $24,321
Printing expense-Lake Ann passes $1,284.35
1993 Passes $14,947
1993 Softball Reg. 67 teams x $75 5,025
1993 Grand Totals $19,972
1994 Gate Attendant Total Hours and Wages
Lucy Atkins 195.75 hrs x 5.25 = $1,027.69
Pat Brown 249.00 hrs x 5.25= 1,307.26
Angela Dorfner 247.50 hrs x 5.25= 1,299.38
Mark Ozeck 255.75 hrs x 5.50= 1,406.63
Stacey Pauling 299.75 hrs x 5.50= 1,648.88
. Stefania Stokke 81.50 hrs x 5.25= 427.88
1329.25 hrs worked $7,117.49
;'\ ...
.
ADMINISTRATIVE SECTION
.
.
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SANTA'S
MAILBOX
Santa Claus will have a s cial direct-to-the-North
Pole mailbox at
Chanhassen City Hall.
690 Coulter
Drive. Boys
and girls can
drop off or mail .
their letters to
Santa's mailbox begin-
ning December 5 and
continuing through
December 22. Santa's
helpers will then pick up
the letters each evening
and deliver them straight to
the North Pole. Santa Claus
requests that each letter
include the full name and
address of each sender, so he and his elves can
reply to each. one. Santa looks forward to hearing .
from you!! . .
SPONSORED BY
CHANHASSEN PARK AND RECREATION
.
Chanhassen's Annual
Tree Ughting
Ceremony
Light up the city's fabulous community tree on
Monday, December S at 6:00 p.m. with Mayor Don
Chmiel. The colored lights decorating Chanhassen's
permanent 22 ft. blue spruce Holiday tree is truly a sight to
see. Listen to the wide variety of holiday carols and sample
refreshments during this festive time of year. ,
Join us in downtown
Chanhassen on the corner
of West 78th Street and
Great Plains Boulevard
by the clock tower. Santa
will be handing out candy
canes to everyone
attending.
Sponsored by the Chanhassen
Parks & Recreation Department
CHANHASSEN PARK AND RECREA nON DEPARTMENT
690 COULTER DRIVE. CHANHASSEN. MN 55317
937.1900
~IRTHDAY BONANZA ~VALUAnON FORM .
- ' '(J Q
Which party did you have:
Please take a few minutes to answer the following questio so we can better serve our participants in the
Birthday Bonanza program. Thank you.
234
234
234
234
1 ' 2 3 4
--J~ :~aJ >H~-.1 ~~/t
/' ,7>'''L-L''';~ M<if>' J t-~. ~.vu.,.~.
/
Overall impression of the party
Facility/Location
Length of Party
Organization
Instructor
Comments:
-
/7A-,Cc-
Excellent
Qggd
(Circle One)
AVerl\~e Em
!,IIJ9/qLj
Egg{
s
S
5
S
5
Please drop off or mail to Chanhassen City Hall (address listed above). Hope you enjoyed your party!
.
CHANHASSEN PARK AND RECREA nON DEPARTMENT
690 COULTER DRIVE. CHANHASSEN. MN 55317
937.1900
.-
12/3/ q~
BIRTHDAY BONANZA EV ALUAnON FORM
Which party did you have: I. v..J ( hc...~
Please take a few minutes to answer the following questions so we can bener serve our participants in the
Birthday Bonanza program. Thank you.
Overall impression of the party
Facility /Location
Length of Party
Organization
Instructor
Comments :
. \. (i '''' i' /,J- -
~/t . I (
it.... i I--~ I..,:.~" l -r,--
(Circle One)
Excellent Qggd A vera Ie Em :&wI
.'7\ 2 3 4 5
: 1,
111 2 3 4 5
w: 2 3 4 5
.1 J 2 3 4 5
D 2 3 4 5
. \7 (01'..-;';- _h~(~ J'U J. . ~-d~
. , ' It J (
C'-j u.. a.).. C~"-{...: t/,-- __~(.......u l<--t..vL .
".
.
Please drop off or mail to Chanhassen City Hall (address listed above). Hope you enjoyed your party!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------..--------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANHASSEN PARK AND RECREA nON DEPARTMENT
690 COULTER DRIVE, CHANHASSEN, MN 55317
937-1900
12/3/QY
.
BIRTHDAY BONANZA EV ALUA nON FORM
Which party did you have: /1 It I)L cc..fL/ F.t./f IYJ / fO,by-ti::!.
Please take a few minutes to answer the following questions so we can better serve our participants in the
Birthday Bonanza program. Thank you.
(Circle One)
Excellent ~ A vera we fail fggt
Overall impression of the party 1 (t) 3 4 5
FacilitylLocation ~ 2 3 4 5
Length of Party 2 3 4 5
Organization 1; 2 3 4 5
Instructor ~ 2 3 4 5
,
I .
\. '. ,. ~ .
, t' " (; ;{ ';' (f' c{ t<.. 1-: r {.{1 -1-11~;~4/:/'
:/ '/ :/ ' (/
: ;,"t; ':, ~ (. ~ _iCi {.', ( Ji 4~L 4~ A f - .,dli..C-~ .c/
v / {/
I (.: ( t' 'k 3-1 C/L~.,.......~..kl t~ c: rui a it'-i(. Ao /; .
v v
Comments:
Please drop off or mail to Chanhassen City Hall (address listed above). Hope you enjoyed your party!
.
)'...,..~~~-~p,~'.-,;-
'~-'"~
.
.
CHANHASSEN SENIOR CENTER
ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
AGENDA FOR
DECEMBER 14, 1994
WEDNESDAY, 9:00-10:30 A.M.
1. Review November Minutes
2. Holiday Party Evaluation
3. New Advisory Board Members
4. Trips and Events - Upcoming
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Oriental Night
Souper Seniors
Movie Day
Station Tour
Casino Trip .
.-
Patsy Kline
5. Treasurer's Report
6. Miscellaneous
Note: Sharrnin AI-Jaff from the City's Planning Department will be visiting to update us on
the plans for senior housing.
.
.
.
.
CHANHASSEN SENIOR CENTER
ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 16. 1994
Due to the illness of Fred Prinz. President; Marion Stultz conducted the meeting.
Minutes of the previous meeting were approved with corrections.
As no agenda was available, meeting began with plans for the Christmas Party to be held on
December 10th from 1 to 3:00 p.m Buffet style food service. Sherol Howard and Marion
Stultz to get prices on cost. Lola will be in charge of the punch. Entertainment by several
members of the Senior Chorus. This will be discussed with Lou Zachariasen and said
members. Sherol will speak to Lou. Prizes will be given. Girl Scouts will be asked to help
in the serving.
Further discussion was on future plans for the coming year:
January 7th - Saturday Night - Oriental Dinner.
January 23rd and 25th - Driver's Education from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
January 30th - A trip to television station KSTP. followed by lunch on your own. Cost
$8.00.
February 4th - Afternoon Bingo, "pot-luck" at 12:00 noon.
February - Date open to go to Plymouth Playhouse (patsy Kline).
March - Date open for trip to a casino.
April - Date open for Ethnic Dance Theater. with lunch.
There will also be a class for Beginners Bridge, conducted by Byron Meyer.
Registration is necessary for this and for all trips and Center activities.
It was moved and seconded that we vote on the new offices to replace those stepping out. It
ended in a tie, a tie breaker will have to be made.
Meeting closed at 10:30 a.m.
Respectfully submitted.
Selda Heinlein. Secretary
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Holiday Party
December 10,
Saturday
Mark your calendar
for the annual
Holiday Party in the
Chanhassen Senior
Center from 1-3 pm
on Sat., Dec. 10.
Entertainment,
refreshments,
Christmas carols
and plenty of cheer!
All seniors are
welcome. FREE
Mpls. Institute
of Arts Tour
December 20
View the beautiful
Victorian-style
period rooms on
this guided tour.
Prior to the
Institute of Arts,
we'll eat lunch (on
your own) at Nora's .
in St. Louis Park.
11 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
$8
MinfMax: 12f20
Call 937-1900 ext. 145 for more information.
U~It. InJtftute of Atb
---------------------------------------
RegIlt. by December 16
RegllfHltlon ~Otm
N.me:
Amount PtleI:
Addtea:
~tetelZl~:
Phone:
PhillIe tetutn fNIyment IInd completed fotrn to: CNlnhulen gen'. Cent., 690 Coulter DtJve, CNlnhulen, UN SSg17 .
.
Tile
CIl all Il a.ue 11
Park allt!
R ecreal;oll
Department
Presents:
VVI~r-rE:~
~<>~E:I><>1VI
~-U-Sr-rE:~S
CROSS COUNTRY
SKIING LESSONS
SATURDAYS
Learn or improve on
basic cross-country ski
techniques taught by
Prairie Ski and Cycle.
.
January 14
ASKI9510 (Grades 1-6)
10:00 a.m.-12 noon
ASKI9511 (Grades 7 & Up)
1 :00-3:00 p.m.
January 28
ASKI9512 (Grades 1-6)
10:00 a.m.-12 Noon
ASKI9513 (Grades 7 & Up)
1 :00-3:00 p.m.
BLOCK. BUSTER BOWLING PARTY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1-4 P.M.
Kids In Grades 1-5 will enjoy 3 games of bowling at the
Chanhassen Bowl and a lunch buffet with beverage. No
previous bowling experience necessary. Join the funl
YBOW9410 ~
$8.50 Includes bowling, ahoes and buffet.
location: Chanhaaaen Bowl, 581 West 78th Street
Register by December 28
Maximum: 75
fEE.i
'10/person
(ski rental included)
, 5/person
(without ski rental)
Lessons begin at
Chanhassen City Hall
.
Minimum/Maximum:
10/30 per session
SANTA'S MAILBOX
Boys and girls! Santa'a Mailbox Ie at City Hall! Mail
or drop off your letter to Santa at City Hall, 690
Coulter Drive, Chanhassen, MN 55317 between
December 5 and 22. Don't forget to Include your full
name and address so he can respond to your letter.
Santa looks forward to hearing from youl
KINDER KORNER
FRIDAYS
KINDERGARTNERS
Make a special craft at each class plus
enjoy a snack.
~
January 13 - February 17, 1 :00.2:00 p.m.
Location: Old Village Hall
Fee: '20.00/6 weeks
MinlmumlMaxlmum: 6/12
Call 937-1900 For More Information!
- ------.-- ..-- - -+-- -.---.------------------
.
@ .0% Pre.consumer Content -1004 Post.consumer Content
'rnpnsal
ILLmE
ELECTRIC Co., Inc.
9702 85th Avenue North ..... Grewe. ........... 553.
(112) 425-2525 '_'
of
Page No.
PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO
Ci t~. of Chanhassen
DATE
PHONE
937-1900 ext121
JOB NAME
ink and Lot Li~hting
.11-28-94
STREET
690 Coulter Street
CITY, STATE AND ZIP CODE
Chanhassen. M~
Joe lOCATION
Lotus Lake Park
55317
ARCHITECT DATE OF PlANS
Attn: Todd Hoffman
We hereby submit specifications and estimates for:
Killmer Electric Co., purpose to Furnish and Install the
foJ]c.wing:
1 - Coreten 30' Pole
- Concerte Base for light Pole
.
2 - 400 ~att Metal Halide floods (Ifor Rink
1 for
Parking Lot).
- tOOA 11 Service
1 - Power Connection for Wa~ming Trailier
Sk~tJng Rink light controlled by circuit breaker.
Parkjn~ Lot light controlled by photo cell.
Pages
JU1' 'rUpUS1' hereby to furnish material and labor - complete in accordance with above specifications. for the sum of:
Three thousand one hundred seventy one. 3,171.00
dollars ($
Payment to be made as follows:
All mlterill is IUlrlnteec! to be IS specified. All work to be completed in I workmlnlllle
mlnner Iccordinl to stlndlrd prlctices. Any Itterltion Of deviation from .bOw IPKlfica.
tions involvinl extra costs will be executed only upon written ordlrs; Ind will btc:ome In
.xtrl charle over Ind Iboye the estimlte. All I.r..ments continpnt upon millls. ecciclents
or dellYS beyond our control. Owner to Clrry fire, tornado Ind OIlIer necessary insurence.
Our worke.. Ire fully covered by Workmen's Compensation Insurlnce.
Authorized
Sianalure
Note: This proposal may be
withdrawn by us if not accepted within
Atttptantt of Jroposal- The above prices, speeifj~jons
and conditions are satisfactory and are hereby accepted. You are authorized
to do the work as specified. Pa~i11 be made as outlined above.
Date of Accepfance: ~?.2 /r:; po
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C ITV OF
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
November 28, 1994
Ms. Michelle Foster
Opus Corporation
800 Opus Center
9900 Bren Road East
Minnetonka, MN 55343-9600
Mr. Howard Dahlgren
Dahlgren, Shardlow & Uban
300 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Mr. Paul Steiner
Steiner Development, Inc.
3610 South Highway 101
Wayzata, MN 55391
"
Dear Ms. Foster and Messrs. Dahlgren and Steiner:
Please find enclosed copies of a concept paIt plan for the large wetland based park/open space site
located south of Highway 5 and west of Galpin Boulevard. In past meetings, the "park" issue has
been a point of contention and this concept bas been prepared to communicate the city's desire
regarding land retention for open space purposes. During our last meeting (with Mr. Steiner and Mr.
Dahlgren), it was concluded that in order for the Gateway Partnership to continue to move forward
this information was needed. The plan deviates from the original Gateway West Business Pm
concept plan by including the "land bridge" situated in the east/center portion of the property within
the park boundary. In doing so. the integrity of the open space site is preserved. The proposed road
alignment has also been shifted southerly to make use of a portion of this land for roadway purposes.
The resulting alignment minimizes the need for wetland filling/permitting and takes advantage of the
economies of what appears to be an alignment more conducive to road consauction. The calculations
listed in the legend are based on the wetland delineations of Summit f~.
I hope this information is of assistanee in moving your project forward. Please contact me if you
would like to meet to discuss this proposal.
Sincerely.
.~ 'h-4/ L
/</?~;~pt.,(
Todd Hoffman
PaIt and Recreation Director
pc:
Don Ashworth, City Manager
Kate Aanenson, Planning Director
Charles Folch, City Engineer
C ITV OF
CHANHASSEN
.
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
November 28, 1994
Ms. Berry O'Shaughnessy
1000 Hesse Farm Road
Chaska, MN 55318
Dear Ms. O'Shaughnessy:
In response to our last meeting, the enclosed concept parle plan has been developed. As you recall, we
concluded that all parties with an interest in your Highway 5/Galpin Boulevard propeIty would like to
expedite negotiations and move forward with a transaction. In regard to the concept, the park
boundary to the south of the east/west collector is consistent with the proposed plat being processed by
Good Value Homes. The parle boundary to the north of the same road has been modified to include
the wooded knoll adjacent to a drainage way and the wetland. This designation is proposed for the
following reasons:
.
1. To preserve this stand of trees from destruction and/or damage which could result during
development of the adjacent propeIty.
2. To preserve the integrity of the trail alignment afforded by this stand of trees.
3. To enforce numerous findings of the City's Highway ~ Conidor Land Use Design Study, i.e.
preserve native woodlands and tree massings, minimize ftmoval of vegetation adjacent to
historic fence lines or drainage ways. In addition, this stIDd of trees will soften the edge of the
open "window" from eastbound Highway S to the multi-family site. I hope you find this
concept plan to be in bannony with your develoJ:mentIsae of the north parcel.
Please contact me at your earliest convenience to continue negotiations in this regard.
Sincerely, ~-
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Todd Hoffman
Park and Recreation Director
pc:
Don Ashworth, City Manager
Kate Aanenson, Planning Director
Richard Marks, Universal Valuation Services
.
E,12-83=,-3160
HOISINGTON KOEGLER
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COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Su.CO....ITTII~
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S.fClAllY CIIIO'S AfrfO N...,u....t ~HOUIllCH
E"VIIII()firIlMf"'" CIIIIDIT ..IlIO AUIIIAl Oh.UO....INT
S",eco""""TlUS
TICMNOLOGy EfIlvtIllOfilll..'fiIIll 1."'0 AVla'lON
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November 14, 1994
WASHINGTON OFFICE:
1508 LONGWORTH BUILDING
WASHINGTON. DC 205 I 5
(202) 225-233 I
DISTRICT OFFICE.
(SOUTH TOWN PL"Z'"
5.2 FIRST STREn SOUTH
MONTEVIDEO. MN 56265
(6 I 2, 269-93 I I
(CITT SOU"RE)
108 EA.ST THIRD STREET
CHU.... MN 553 I 8
(612) U8-6567
COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE. SPACE.
, AND TECHNOLOGv
(COURTHOUSE SouuE)
938 FOURTH AVENUE
P.O. Box 367
WINDOM. MN 56101
d h Am, 'th D' b'l" \5071831-0115
In 1990 Congress passe t e erl.cans Wl. l.sa l. l.tl.eSTOLLFREEH800r-.53_9392
Act (ADA), President Bush has cited passage of the ADA as
one of his administration's accomplishments. I was not in Congress
at that time and am not familiar with the provisions of the ADA.
However, I know this was the culmination of several years of work,
is far-reaching, and imposes substantial unfunded mandates on state
and local governments and the private sector. I am determined we
work together to ensure the implementation of the ADA is reasonable
and does not break us financially.
Dear Public Facilities Manager:
To comply with the ADA and the Architectural Barriers Act of
1968, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance
Board (also known as the Access Board) is currently developing
guidelines for newly constructed and altered recreational
facilities and outdoor developed areas, Thes~guidelines will
address areas such as parks, trails, boating and fishing
facilities, beaches, pools and other aquatic facilities, .
playgrounds and related equipment, indoor and outdoor sports
facilities, amusement parks, and golf courses,
In July 1993, the Access Board formed the Recreation Access
Advisory Committee to obtain information and advice on making these
areas accessible to individuals with disabilities. Their recom-
mendations are detailed in a 200-page report entitled, "Recommen-
dations for Accessibility Guidelines: Recreational Facilities and
Outdoor Developed Areas" (publication 826). I have enclosed an
executive summary for your review. You can obtain the complete
report by calling the Access Board at (202) 272-5449. Comments on
the report are welcome; the comment Deriod deadline is December 20,
~, Please send comments directly to: Access Board, Recreation
Report, 1331 F Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20004-1111.
I encourage you to examine the recommendations and comment on
them, It is important that local government and schools be active
participants in drafting the regulations. Once adopted the
requirements will be expensive and they will be difficult to
change, While I support the objectives of the ADA, we must ensure
that compliance steps are not cost-prohibitive for municipalities,
counties or schools in southwestern Minnesota. Let me know if you
conclude I should take any role in this matter. Although Congress
does not act on the recommendations or guidelines, we should work
together on problems that arise.
Sincerely,
.
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Executive
Summary
Recommendations for Accessibility
Guidelines:
Recreational Facilities and Outdoor
Developed Areas
developed for:
U.s. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
July 1994
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
REPORT OF THE
RECREATION ACCESS ADVISORY COM:MITTEE
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INTRODUCTION
The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
(Access Board) is developing accessibility guidelines for newly
constructed and altered recreational facilities and outdoor developed
areas under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and
the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968. The guidelines will
address areas such as: amusement parks, outdoor developed areas
which include parks, trails, and boating and fishing facilities,
beaches, pools and other aquatics facilities, playgrounds and related
equipment, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, and golf facilities.
.
In July 1993, the Access Board established a Recrea tion Access
Advisory Committee to obtain information and advice on issues
related to making recreational facilities and outdoor developed areas
accessible to individuals with disabilities. During the past year, the
Committee met in July 1993 in Washington, D.C.; in October 1993 in
San Jose, California; and in January, March, and May 1994 in
Washington, D.C. Members of the public were welcomed at all of
these open sessions and were encouraged to comment formally
during public forum segments of the meetings and to participate
informally in the work of the six subcommittees which met more
frequently during 1993 and 1994. Between 50,000 and 60,000
person-hours of work are estimated to have gone into the efforts to
prod uce the report and recommenda tions.
COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES
The Committee was charged with the following objectives:
. Identify the types of recreational facilities and outdoor
developed areas covered by the Americans with Disabilities
Act and the Architectural Barriers Act.
. Identify the unique design elements of various specific
recreational facilities and outdoor developed areas.
. Identify the design issues related to providing access in
various recreational facilities and outdoor developed areas.
.
Review voluntary guidelines for recreational facilities and
outdoor developed areas.
.
o. -....
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· Provide recommended design guidelines for making
recreational facilities and outdoor developed areas accessible
to individuals with disabilities.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Examples of the types of recommendations provided by the various
subcommittees are offered to provide examples of the design areas
that were addressed and the diversity of the subject areas.
Recommendations by the Committee are not easily translated into
summary statements due to the complexity and technical nature of
the report in each area. A complete review of the report will provide
the reader with further background and rationale for these and other
recommendations. Comments from the public are encouraged on the
report which will be available in late August 1994.
The report is divided in six sections as they were addressed in
subcommittees:
.
Sports Facilities
Places of Amusement
Play Settings
Golf
Recreational Boating and Fishing Facilities
Developed Outdoor Areas
.
SPORTS FACILmES
Examples of facilities:
field sports
court sports
rink sports
aquatic facilities
indoor multipurpose facilities
bowling centers
horse racing facilities
Some of the subcommittee's recommendations include:
. -
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One means of access into the water in aquatic facilities should
be provided. For pools that exceed a certain size, two means
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of access should be required. Designers would have the
option to select the means of access as long as it allowed
individuals with disabilities to use the facility independently
and in a dignified manner.
.
An accessible route should be required in the settee (scoring
area) within bowling centers.
.
An accessible route should be required to the field of play on
court, field, and rink sports and to certain areas adiacent to
the field of play.
.
Doors to court sports such as handball, racquetball, and
squash courts should comply with existing ADAAG
requirements in terms of door width and clearances.
PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
Examples of facilities:
amusement parks
water parks
zoos
family fun centers
carnivals and fairs
specialty theaters
wild animal parks
Some of the subcommittee's recommendations include:
· Rides should be designed to accommodate a wheelchair or to
allow for a transfer. The designer would decide which type
of access to provide. This decision would be based on
whether providing access would fundamentally alter the
_ nature of the ride experience.
. At least one accessible route or "accessible way" connecting
accessible buildings, facilities, and elements should be
provided in temporary and mobile places of amusement.
.
Ramps and lifts should not be required to provide access to
water slides.
3
· Platform lifts should be permitted as part of an accessible
route for newly constructed facilities to access amusement
devices. If the lift is used for a change in elevation greater
than 30 inches, the lift should also accommodate a companion.
.
· To the maximum extent feasible, the accessible route to the
amusement device, attraction, or specialty theater should
coincide with the route of the general public. Where this is not
possible, an alternate accessible route should be provided that
may include loading and unloading at the same location or
only at the load or unload area.
PLAY SETI1NGS
Play settings can be found in:
schools
parks
day care centers
fast food restaurants
amusement parks
.
Some of the subcommittee's recommendations include:
· An accessible route connecting accessible activities within the
play area should have a surface that is stable, firm, and slip
resistant and resilient within the use zone of equipment.
· Where more than one of the same activity is provided withi
n close proximity, a minimum of one piece of the play
equipment should be accessible. Where they are not in close
proximity, each piece should be accessible.
· For larger play structures having 12 or more elevated play
activities, both a ramp and a transfer system should be
provided. The ramp should provide access to a minimum of
one-half of the play components on the structure.
· One swing in each group of swings should have an accessible
surface that allows for access up to the swing and for
pushing.
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GOLF
Examples of facilities:
18 and 9 hole golf courses
miniature golf courses
driving ranges
practice facilities
Some of the subcommittee's recommendations include:
. An accessible route should be provided from golf car paths to
the teeing ground and other accessible elements. An
accessible route should not be required for playing golf
through the green.
. An accessible route should be provided on a miniature golf
course. Each hole on the course should be accessible.
. One teeing ground on each hole of an 18/9 hole golf course
should be accessible.
.
Accessibility guidelines have not been recommended for
greens.
. Practice bunkers should be accessible; accessibility guidelines
are not recommended for hazards on the course.
BOATING AND FISHING
Examples of facilities:
marinas
boat launching facilities
fishing piers
Some of the subcommittee's recommendations include:
. The slope of boat launching facilities should be exempt from
existing ADAAG ramp slope requirements.
.
An accessible boat slip should be on an accessible route and
include a 60 inch wide "finger pier."
5
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Three different options have been recommended for providing
access on gangways. Each option is a departure from curre
nt ADAAG requirements.
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All new fishing piers should be accessible and where railings
are provided, a minimum of 25 per cent of the railing area
should be accessible.
OUTDOOR DEVELOPED AREAS
Examples of facilities:
park trails
picnic areas
camping areas
beaches
equestrian facilities
snow facilities
.
Some of the subcommittee's recommendations include:
.
· To address access in outdoor recreation areas, degrees of
accessibility have been recommended to fit the diversity of
recreation settings ranging from highly developed, moderately
developed, and minimally developed areas.
· Accessibility guidelines are recommended for two different
types of outdoor paths:
· outdoor recreation access routes - these connect accessible
parking, and other elements and is less than 1/4 mile in
length
· recreation trails - are typically designed for a recreational
activity (i.e. hiking)
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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR
OUTDOOR RECREATION ACCESS ROUTES
Level of Development High Moderate Minimal
Ease of Access Easier Moderate Difficult
clear width (minimum) 48 inches 36 inches 36 inches
sustained running grade" 5% 5% 8%
maximum grade 8% 10 % 10 %
for a maximum distance of 30 feet 50 feet 50 feet
cross slope 3% 3% 3%
passing space interval 200 feet 300 feet 400 feet
rest area interval 400 feet 900 feet 1200 feet
level changes 1/2 inch 1/2 inch 1 inch
.. Note: No more than 20% of the total length of the outdoor recreation access route
shall exceed the maximum sustained running grade.
.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED DESIGN GUIDELINES
FOR RECREATION TRAILS
Type of Development Urban/Rural Natural Back Country
Ease of Access Easier Moderate Difficult
clear width (minimum) 48 inches 36 inches 28 inches
sustained running grade" 5% 8% 12 %
maximum grade 10 % 14 % 20 %
for a maximum distance of 30 feet 50% 50 %
cross slope..... 3% 5% 8%
passing space interval 200 feet 300 feet 400 feet
rest area interval 400 feet 900 feet 1200 feet
level changes 1 inch 2 inches 3 inches
.. Note: No more than 20% of the total trail length shall exceed the sustained running
grade.
..... Note: Cross slope may not exceed 3% in maximum grade segments.
7
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The Committee recommends that the highest degree of access
practicable and feasible be provided when designing outdoor
recreation access routes and recreation rails. To determine the
appropriate degree of accessibility at an outdoor recreation
site two alternatives are proposed:
Alternative A: This approach bases the determination on five
interrelated factors present in the outdoor recreation
environment: recreation setting, condition of the natural
environment, amount of structural modification, recreation
experience, and consultations with people with disabilities.
This approach strives to balance the highest degree of access
with protecting the fundamental nature of the recreation
setting or experience.
Alternative B: This approach defines the highest degree of
access at th~ outset to be the easiest degree for all recreation
settings and environments unless it would change the
fundamental nature of the activity or environment.
Exceptions are then invoked to modify the degree of access, .
on an element by element basis because of severe elevations,
geologic features, historic character, or the specific purpose of
a trail. Documentation for the exception must include
evidence that people with disabilities were involved in the
decision.
.
An accessible route is recommended to the water's edge of a
beach. The surface of this route should be stable, firm, and
slip resistant and can be either permanent or temporary.
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March 3-4, 1995
Sher.ton Mldw.y
St. Paul, Mionesota
The State Bicycle Advisory Board is pleased to annOU"lce the 1995
annual State Bicycle Conference. The conference pro nises to bring
exciting speakers and topics related to this yearc; ,:c If(>I .!nce theme
"BIKES 95: BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION"
The State Bicycle Advisory Board has planned an i ';Jenda to appeal
to b~cycle enthusiasts and professionals from a varrev of
backgrounds. Mark your calendar for the State ti,cyc.' ' .onference
~ '95,. and ~atch y~ur mail the first week of Ja~ar~' k - q;>mple, )
~ regIstration details. .. /" //'~
~ ' 1'\ <~ "
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:1 Complete registration fees: $45 per day, or '$70 for ~. ~th~:J . " ~
; P'O,S:T, credits will be 'V'i1'bl~o 901;~ ,~f( 05.t\
. :'ease share this notice with others. : '" ''....(L ~.. r . "/
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HENNEPIN PARKS
Memorandum / November 14, 1994
TO: Southwest Regional LRT Trail !
Community Representatives
Karen Bowen, Director of Operati~
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SUBJ:
Status Report/Winter Activity Plans
The response to newly-developed segments of the Southwest Trail Corridors was immediate
and enthusiastic. It's obvious that the public was/is eager to make use of the new mileage.
I'm grateful to those of you who called with feedback and suggestions for modifications.
There's no question but that we still have glitches to work through, but I'm confident that
we'11 be off to a good start next spring.
We're aware of duplicative signage in several areas and are working with individual
communities to correct those situations. Identifying signage has been installed along both the
north and south corridors and informational kiosks constructed in six separate locations.
Hennepin Parks will install mile markers (including trail regulations) before the spring season
begins. Excellent progress has been made on mapslbrochures describing both corridors and I
think you'11 be pleased with the results.
Last month I met with representatives of Hennepin County and Twin City Tree Trust io work
out the details of having youth and adult work crews provide maintenance assistance in the
form of litter removal, trail brushing and weed removal. I will distribute copies of the
agreement to each of you.
My most urgent reason for this memo is to remind you of the need to notify Hennepin Parks
if you have plans to support any kind of winter trail use along portions of the trail that abut
your community. The Operations Plan sent to each of you specifies that "Any winter activity
must be supported by wntten approval from the communities involved and will require
certificates of insurance, including a 'hold harmless' clause." Winter maintenance (and
signage) will be the responsibility of the local unit of government.
I have received requests from Chanhassen for snowmobiling and Minnetonka for winter
walking. The Hennepin Parks Board of Commissioners will act on these requests on
December S. Please notify me by November 28 of any other winter plans. Thank you.
winterlrt
t
Minutes ofVoutb Commission Meeting
Wednesday, November 2, 1994
Early Childbood Center
North Conference Room
.
The meeting was brought to order at 7: 10 p.m. by Chairperson Lori Wellens. Those
present: Lori Wellens. Kathy Wellens. Cathryn Campbell, Bob Kraemer, Matt Kearney.
Bert Mueller. Phyllis Lindstrand, Jeanne Straus. Kristin Jendro. Jason Thompson.
Attendance was taken by asking. "When do you plan to start your Christmas shopping?"
Motion/Campbell & SecondIKearney to accept minutes.
Old Business
I. Discussed evaluations of Spaghetti Dinner. New ideas: look at night of week and
maybe make from 5:30-8:30. tally people leaving. coming. etc.. invite church
representatives. Re-plan voting process. Plan more large discussion time.
Hors d'oeuvres vs. meal. theme orientation.
Thank you to everyone for help with Spaghetti Dinner.
.
3 goals established at the Spaghetti Dinner.
I. Mentorship program for all new students.
2. Awareness Programs (Festival of Nations, River City Days. etc.)
3. High school students working with elementary students.
.-
Additional YC Priorities
-Survey of needs (students)
-Starting languages earlier
2. Mentoring new students at CHS. Suggestions: pizza party to meet people and
then request mentor after meeting them. similar to "Big Brother, Big Sister"
approach. Committee Chair-Matt, MotionIHoltmeier & SecondlKraemer.
Motion passed. A meeting with Deans - date and time to be announced.
3. Volunteer Directory - new ideas to hand out. Talk to Dr. O'Connell. If given
o.k.. pass out during 4th block, November 18! Lori W. possibly distribute to
business?
4. Loaves & Fishes - Nov. 10. Meet at 3:45 at high school to leave by 4:00 p.m.
Bring permission slips.
5.
Learning to Lead - Nov. 5th & 6th. Get permission slips in or bring on Saturday.
Leave 7:30 a.m. eHS.
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6.
Deans List 11- Herald doesn't print due to 400 names. Matt will inquire further.
,
7.
Flower Bed Update - Jeanne and Kathy W. Letter written up to ask various
organizations to "Adopt a Flower Bed". Youtb Commission and Art Club will
sponsor. MotionlWellens & Second!Tbompson. Motion passed.
New Business
1. Call Youth Commission Agencies. This must be done in the month of
November. Let Jeanne know when appointment is made. An adult must go with.
Call Jeanne if you have any questions or concerns. Handouts are available.
2. Holiday Gift Drive - organization starting early. Focusing on "Winter Survival"
for those in need of mittens, bats, socks, etc. Co-chairs: Cathryn Campbell and
Jason Thompson. Subcommittee: Kerry Holtmeier, Kathy W-ellens, Lori
Wellens, Bob Kraemer and Jeanne. MotionIHoltmeier & SecondlLindstrand -
vote to sponsor tbe project. Motion passed. Meet A.S.A.P.
3. Public Relations Committee - Chair-Matt Kearney & Cathy Campbell. To gain
publicity for YC and wbat we are doing. To get local papers interested in us and
possibly T.V. news media.
Motion/Campbell & SecondlLindstrand to adjourn meeting 8:53 p.m.
.
. See attached for Spagbetti Dinner brainstorm ideas.
Other Matters for Future Discussion.
.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Newspaper notices of meeting times/dates.
Working with Key Club and other student groups/projects.
Discuss environment, pop can collection, use of money for Values Week.
Mindworks Topics at the high school.
Grant proposals. Self-esteem for girls. (2 sources.) Also, grant to attend Festival
of Nations in April, 1995.
Survey of youth about teen activities. Present to Chanhassen Park & Rec.
Age limit for Youth Commission members.
Judy Colby, coordinator of senior program in Cbanbassen, shared an idea for an
intergenerational project between teens and senior citizens. Teens could help
seniors with spring cleaning, lawn mowing, etc. Seniors could be resources to
teens on term papers and speak in classrooms. Jeanne asked the youth members
present to share their thoughts on this type of project. Comments were positive.
Judy Colby will be contacted to come and address the group at a future meeting.
6.
7.
8.
.
1.
2.
SPAGHETTI DINNER
LIST OF IDEAS/CONCERNS ON "HUMAN WORTH & DIGNITY"
.
-Signs in community in other languages.
-League of Women Voters - Diversity meeting.
-More knowledge of people moving into our community.
Teach ways of our culture.
· Holidays
· Culture
· Traditions
-Presentations for different school levels.
-Create a community (or school) mixer event.
-Increase availability ofESL.
-"Adopt a Family" community connector.
· Language classes
-Look at recreational needs.
-Include other cultures in process to meet their needs.
1.
2.
3.
4.
15.
Everyone has value. You have worth because you are you!
Use all the skills you have.
Break down prejudice.
Stand against peer pressure.
· Stand up for what you believe in.
Build opportunities to appreciate our differences.
Stand up for people that are being discriminated.
Define fundamental values.
Everyone has equal value.
Defend others. Everyone has good in them!
Focus on positive things. Do Community Service.
TEACH Skills. Encourage role models.
Think of good features first, then you can complain.
People should be noticed for being l1icelkind to others.
Have high school students discuss prejudice with elementaJy/middle school
students.
We)come newcomers.
.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
i
Are we valuing human worth/dignity in athletics?
· year end summary, survey participants
· community discussion
Find ways to involve everyone in community.
· Newsletter
· Offer optional foreign language to school/community employees
· Define Diversity/Educate
.
.
.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
. 6.
3.
Give everyone in school sense of pride, also community.
- Give new students ways to be proud
- Celebrate success in school/community
- Athletics
-Coordinate strategy to build pride in everyone
- New buildings
- Keeping parks clean
- Require community service - letter in service clubs
t
-Counseling/Referral service for minority students.
-Directory for Hispanic and Hmong residents in their native language.
-Survey for minority groups' needs.
-Education of various cultures.
-Student awareness week.
-Celebrate "months" - African American month, etc.
-Support groups.
-Identify problems on individual basis.
-Cultural values.
-Fear of the unknown.
-Unskilled labor.
-Employer/Employee education.
)
-Hispanic kids (mentor, advocate)
- Spanish students paired w/Hispanic students (community service, group)
-Gangs in school?
-Economic division.
-Religious tolerance.
- Tools (dictionary) for communication.
-Diverse family (single parent, abuse)
- Help struggling kids cope
-Someone to help w/emotional problems.
Cultural Diversity Garden
Spotlight different cultures through various activities, holidays, student exchange
by involving community and alVwhole families.
Mentorship program through school for ESL population.
Various speakers to provide information to student body.
Find out resources available within the community to assist with ESL. Ex.
interpreters, translate written materials.
Teach languages at the elementary level.
)
-.----- -- -..--..-, .~_.O
Chub scenes. are on sale at several
outlets in down town Chasb. As pan
of a series. produced by the Chub
Chamber of Commerce. this year's
ornament is pearl white with gold de-
si~. It features an artist's view of the
bnck kilns that were used to dry the
brick once manufactured in Cbaska.
It was drawn by local artist Susan
Denison.
The ornaments sell for SS.SO each.
They are available at the Chamber
office. Snyder Drug.. Palace Drug. the
three banks and elsewhere. ,
A limited edition creation. this is the
ninth in a series. Four of the series -
those issued in 1986, 1987. 1989 and
1992 - have been sold out. Some
inventory of the remaining years still
can be purchased at the Chamber of-
fice.
9R1tf<,
........... ~
-
City rec programs feeling
the stress of.growth
Recreation programs. provided by
the City of Chasb. are increasing in
participation. sometimes at phenom-
enal rates. That is the message city
council members heard Monday
evening, when two members of the
Chasb Community Center staff pre-
sented a report on recreational pro-
grammin~ and participation.
Kathy Skinner told the council there
had been been an .11 percent increase
in participation from last year. add-
ing. "I think that's the trend.....It.s
going to be a challenge to us to pro-
vide enough service."
With the growing number of partic-
ipants. a move has been made to give
city residents preferential treabnent
One of that ways city residents are
being accommodated is by having
earlier sign-up periods for them. then
following with a general sign-up.
Community center members. wheth-
er residents of Chasb or not, are treat-
ed as city residents. the council was
told.
Also, according to Skinner. Wendy
Beltrand and Administrator David
Pokomef. city preference !lPPliesu':[
where City facilities are belDg .
In programs that rely on school dis-
trict facilities that preference cannot
be given.
Still. in 1992. just S3 percent of the
city youth participation came from
residents. That rate rose to 64 percent
in 1993 and 73.percent iR 1994.,".'
Since 1990. participation in 'JY!D-
Dllties program~ has nearly tripled
with J.413 plrticipants..tbis year.
Those numbers may reflect some du-
plication in the number of children, if
they move from one session or pro-
All of the city programs. coupled
with the school district's programs
and those of other cities. are putting a
stress on the available spaces. As a
- result, said Beltrand. the Chub and
Chanhassen recreation programs are
moving toward doing some programs
together. Combining programs should
provide greater flexibility in schedul-
ing facility space.
Skinner also spoke about the certi-
fication that is beina offered to coach-
es for a nominal cost of S15. half of
which is paid by the city and the rest
by the youth athletic usociation.
Skinner also pointed out that coach-
es and parents are given written in-
formation concerning the mission of
the city's programs. That mission is
to stress full and participation over
excellence. And some rUles for par-
ticipation have been cbanpd over the
years to reflect tbatempbuis. Par in-
stance. Olle of tile rules. said Skinner.
"is to make sure everybody's played.
(and) played every position."
Still, in a commentary section of the
report written by the two presenters
and Tom Redman. who directs the
department, it was DOted that "our
society still prioritizes youth sports at
a competitive and championship lev-
el as an important part of community
and faniily." It DOted the blah inci-
dence of involvement in the early
years. which drops down as ~ of a
.f. . - ."._ ~. ,I .. J _.. '
"'weeding out' process" during the
hiah school and college years.
"Pinally." said the report. "it (stress
on excellence in sports) is compound-
ed by cities. including Chaska, that
incorporate the worth of champion-
ship teams for that which may signif-
icantly contribute to a 'small town.'
welcome home parades on rue truck,
etc.
"'Ibis national involvement towards
a 'championship mentality' is still
movina in an upward or neaative di-
rection with no sign of peaking.
"Its focus is on individuals at the
expense of teams. schools. socializa-
tion. fun and community to name a
few. "
Althoup the Cbaska recreation pro-
JI'8IDS bad 7,587 participants this year.
there also are other proarams provid-
ed by the city's park, recreation and
an department
Beltrand reported on "intcrgenera-
tional" programmina such as the arts
classes and workshops. the pre-
schooVparcnt programs. the summer
playaround program. and the special
events that are held each year.
Her report prompted Mayor Robert
Roepke to comment that "interaener-
monal programs" are the kinds of
programs that are a "classic example
ofbuilding a sense of community," He
added those mentioned "are areat ex-
amples."
,.
11'5 Au. 'I'HE Powa Yo
= - -fI
RECIPRO S'
VARIABLE SPE
MODEl JR3lIGOV
· one of our mOIl NIUt
· "rilble ,peed
· IIIIlIOIh 1-3/1""".
· Idjullable frOIIllllot ,
· biD ,lid IIIfdIe .""1
· comtI comp/tll...
""'l0oi CIIf f
· double l.lllfld ,
:. .....
t'Ll:tu, ........vIW&1I6 ,,'" W.....&I.....'-'&, .."",uwJ
BelU'and and Administrator David
Pokor'ner, city preference appJies~
, where City facilities are beIDg .
In programs that rely on school dis-
trict facilities that preference cannot
be given.
Still, in 1992, just S3 percent of the
e:ity youth participation came from
sidents. That rate rose to 64 percent
18 1993-and 73 percent ia 1994."':;"
Since 1990, participation in gym-
nastics programs bas nearly tripled
with 1,413 participants this year.
Those numbers may reflect some du-
plication in the number of children, if
they move from one session or pro-
~ level to another.
The first year the community cen-
ter offered swimming, it bad 903 par-
ticipants. This year the number is
2,099. Again. those numbers may re-
flect one person's participation in
more than one session. Also, these
numbers are separate from those be-
ing generated by School District 112,
which also offers swimming pro-
grams.
Baseball participation has grown by
more than a third since 1990, as bas
softball. Hockey now bas nearly twice
the number of participants in had in
1990.
Some participation levels, while
doubling over the last five years. still
appear small. Volleyball is one such
example. It had 91 participants this
year. The program run by the city is
only for fifth and sixth graders, how-
.. ever. and does not include the young
ople participating in the junior
Olympic volleyball program.
On the surface. baseball would ap-
pear to be a more popular sport, since
the city had 823 participants in 1994.
But the city baseball program is more
expansive than the volleyball pro-
JI'IDl, including those from age nine
to 15.
Some of these distinction were
brought out this week. as council
members asked questions about the
data presented to them.
....--, .... - ...--.-........- J ---- -- --
report written by the two presenters
and Tom Redman, who directs the
department, it was noted that "our
society still prioritizes youth sports at
a competitive and championship lev-
el as an important part of community
and faniily." It noted the hip inci-
dence of involvement in the early
y~, which drops down as part of a
". ,~.~.~,_.., .~.....
-------.r----- ~--IiilI'----" --- ---------
playground program, and the special
events that are held each year.
Her report prompted Mayor Robert
Roepke to comment that "intergener-
ational programs" are the kinds of
programs that are a "classic example
of building a sense of community." He
added those mentioned "are great ex-
amples."
Winter.....lt's back
Winter in Minnesota is back. With
the promise of snow in the forecast,
the Minnesota De~ent of Trans-
portation (MnDOT) reminds motor-
ISts that sharing the road means shar-
ing responsibility for maintaining
safety.
Last winter, according to MnDOT,
there were 112 accidents with state
snowplows, resulting in seven fatali-
ales and 70 personal injuries. Forty-
~ven of the accidents involved rear-
end collisions with a plow. Said Rod-
ney Pletan, state maintenance enli-
Deer, "These statistics should provide
an early reminder of just how danger-
ous winter drivinS in Minnesota can
be."
MnDOT sunests that whenever it
snows, there are three key points to
remember:
. Plows travel slower than other
vehicles, therefore motorists should
reduce their speeds;
. It is unsafe to drive behind a
snowcloud; and
. Motorists should be sure which
lane a plow and its blade are in be-
fOR trying to pass.
The difference in speed between
snowplows and other vehicles can be
much greater than many drivers ex-
~le sometime fOllet that snow-
plow trucks can have a plow blade on
either the right or left side of the ve-
hicle. On multi-lane roadways, the
plow itself can also be in either the
ript or left lane.
Coyer from peg8 one
the amount of inflation totaled and MasterCard credit card bills. 'Ibe 'Ibe U.S. Secret Service investigat-
...,.. "'..",.". :....._ 401":'" .1..... ....... __..____. _ _A ....... -.......... A_A ........:11 -......-........
. .
Insurar
ArDoId J. -..
Fie
1962 ParkRi,
Chaaka, MN :
(612) 448-38~
W
PI
Ri~
. .,
10M" UDDe !NIne
Pojeets promote 'sense of eom.munity'
i
~
t
i
t
.
1be a.ta City Oxmdl recemJy
approved three major city pro~
nier iDcJuded a DeW fiN ItatiOa, ID
additim 10 the c:ammWlity ceatcr,
and cmtiDuing m witb I muDicfpIJ
golf course project.
. The DCW fire statioa ill 53 mil.
lion project. fbis rxofClCt Is I re-
sponse 10 a space ileffcieDcy ....
entJy beiDg experieaced It our CUt.
ing SUltioo. In additioa, the DeW ,.
cillty will be more ceatrlUy Jocared
in our community, ~ more
efficient service to the eo&Jre caa-
munity.
To maiDlIiD the bfgb quaJfty of ftre
protectim povided by our ~
volunteers, it is ililperatiw tbat
modem, up-to-date tadlitiea be 1YIiJ.
Ible.
Our volunteer fire ~t baI
been a pan of defining the project
requirements and bas worked clCllely
with the architects in the buDding'.
design stages. The aJUadJ IppO..-ed
the project, whicb will be UDder
comll'UClim in the spring of '9S witb
completion iD NovembcrlDecembcr
'95.
. The Community Forum additioa
to the community center was ap-
~ed with c:onstruClim beginnf"l
m Apil of next year, and ~let1oD
lIrgeled for Marcb 1996.1biS poj.
ect will consist of I DeW c:ammunity
presentationlperfOl'lDllnCe center with
220 seats along witb Otber c:cmmu.
nity gathering spIceS far aol( ID
incloor playground lad a COIIUDWlity
center cafe.
Building costs are projected to be
within our S2.5 milJioa budgeL The
performance c:ompcoent is Cltimated
to cost between S1.4-S1.5 millioD of
the IOlIl CCSl.
We bad a Jot of dilalssion lbout
ensuring we can cover our operatin,
a:ss BOdated witb tbI:ac new SI*I8
---=-
Mayor
Robert Roepke
_ witb IOIDC multi... IICtiYidel
IUCb -CQ~. ~Ja tile 220-
- ~, we feel ~AcJa we
CIa puricIe 1Uf!Jdeat QpenItina Ja.
CXXDe. 1bia poject wiD aim reqUbe I
c:IaIe ~ witb our -_
cultural ~ 10 emure we
defJDe lad tab IdYIarap of all of
rbc poteatiIJ IWOIble to .. fa tbia
area.
. FiDaUy, we IA-"-d the next
pbaea of oUr ~ty JOlfcaurae
poject. We leJec:ted the I.IIce SIv.
a *.1fDae Ibe ~ site Ifq)Jy
was DOt OCClnOudcaJly feasible.
We also IeJec:ted .lld1ileCl, Anbur
Hills, 10 desilll the Q)Urse and n
very plCMed witb die CXIIUDftmeat to
enviri3ameallJ paIeMtiaa _
fmpr'O\'elDeDt, ~ witb tbis firm.
~ have I Mtlaaal reputatioa in
tbis area.
Course designs n expected Jater
tbia ~ ar early am year. If we
povKIe final pOject approvaJs, we
lpin would be UDder CDnIII'Uaica in
die ~ of am year _ able to
open for play in tbC fall of 1996-
We beDeW tbis project CIa be I
tremendous ClDlDlnwdty buDding
poject Iddreuing multiple CIDIDInu.
iJit)' 1Ctivitiea. We wiD be def'nf.
various part IDd .... needI_ we
move CCl..wd in die -111m of
tIdI projec:t. We IIUI UDdi ...
IpICeIIDd Ilft_ na.tion needI
blend In tbla project .. or may be
pru.ided In otbei' .. of die caa-
mUDity.
lD 1ddftiaJ, die developer ~.
Ited With this project is 0Jaska In-
wstment and their interest is iD de-
~ rtSidentiaJ sites abutting the
aolt CX)Wse. However. the utility
IeI'Yicas ere DOt available for such
a:atructi0ll, since this area is not
~ the. ~~JilaD Urban Serv.
ice Area (MUSA), so the developer
is ~ a risk iD providiDg propeny
fDr tbii pojec:t, without CCSt, witb
Ibo idea tbat at some point this area
would be JncJuded witbin the MUSA
area. At this poiDt, no projection can
be made oa wbeD sudJ approvaJ might
be provided, since the MetropoJilaD
CoiiaciJ mates the decision of ex-
PIDdinIthe MUSA area.
- AU oltbele projects are ones we
caasider as investment in our com.
muni~ and the future of our cxxnmu-
nity. lbey are community-buiJdiDg,
wbich aeates pride in our commu-
nityand its identitf as a quality, true
community appeabng to the interests
of all people and aU ages. It is what
defineS community.
The year 1995 wiJJ be a year of
city-driven projects. We are able to
eftord these projectS and hold the
line oa the city's portion of the prop-
eny .. dollar by applyiDg cerlaiD
flnimcing options and Ippr08Ches
IYIiJabJe to us, along with being able
10 pepere far these projects since
tb9 bave been identified as high
priority projectS In our long-term
CBlrilaJ pJanmng pocess.
We are ~mely pleased that we
CIa IIIOYe forward witb these proj_
ects witbout asking for propeny tax
dollars 1i'cm our residents to make
tbese projects a reality. All of tbese
pojects ~~w exdtiDg and sumg
ClDlDlDunity-oriented projects com-
IDiUed 10 the best interea of tbe total
cammunity.
IIqJe you aU have an enjoyable,
life boJiday ICISOD.
j ~
.
I Letters
Media wi
To tbe EdItor:
You read it here i
papers and 1V stIl;
one year. WeRle
with pathos.
I'\'C obseMld ell
~nipulatiat and ~
Jty. The oppxtun
Republica~ conare
ible and cli~.
The only questfo
wiJJ be ovenumec:
misery exploited. 1
slapped with ICXDetb
toddlers, GrandmotJ
ing dads. More like
proven problems wit
Anotha \
To tbe EdJ~
I would like to c
anicle appearing in t1
of this newspaper, fi
ria's pI'DpOIIed stud)
annexatioa of Latei
In the micle, Carol
as sayiDg tbIt die tc
very good 1InanciaJ Ii
'94 was a good year,
I Jive in 0aIcW00d
Laketown Townsbip.
in major disrepair. 1i
this road entered fnb
with the tOWDSbfp t
In Newt we trust:
The Republkans are in power and _ musb~~gber pow
Newt is ill beaveo. All toptber now: Even 'aau BiD ;
Let .. PI'IY. religioa. Havill, beer
Cmaa AD.fca. OM tbInb to Ilumblina, empty bull
(cbcae ODe): God' AlJeb' Yabweb; liberal. Oinloa is de
The Great Spirit; Worsbipped AD- invent himself _ I bo
cellar; ~ Goddess O(Wisdami Cllte. reaching out 10
The M)'Illc Crystal; Great Homed' cans wbo will control
One;arDeity~ofyour grasbyomiE'n .
cboJceIetbaiC cultural belief (please 1be b!gpt ~
aeJect Deity 1taD 8pprO\Ied Ocxl List). ftom ~
WbIt'. tbe matter, Tunmy? You traveling, that be WI
doa't feel like praying? Well, you caasider' . constitution.
CIa IMI'dI your bead:aen bectiide permitting ICbooI pray
cbwn 10 die piDcipeJ'. office, you Big~. The rea
JiUJe civil UbCrtariaD, you. You will taD's poJiticil1 deatb-bt
prey Jib the... of.. ar you will RX is tbat ICbool prayer is
fa defeatiaD. We are lIJldDs YIluea empty rbetariC tbet "
tJae, r.ouDJ IDIa, lad we In . ,
\
~
1___~7YZ C
.
C ITV OF
CHAHHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN. MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900 . FAX (612) 937-5739
November 30, 1994
Chanhassen Elementary School
Business Partnership
c/o Chanhassen APT and Kitty Sitter
7600 Laredo Drive
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Dear Partners:
*"':0
.
The City of Chanhassen and its Park and Recr@pn Department.are thrilled with your
interest in helping protect and maintain Ch~sseijPond Park. The field trips which were
organized last spring resulted in "a lot" of garbage being picked up. The resulting letters to
the Chanhassen Villager expressing studen(~;conce~ over the amount of garbage being left
behind in the park demonstrated a cOmmitIJ!Cnt to thi~'project.
~fI. "1/>,
The attached work sheet which was prepted to the citfcontains some great ideas on how to
further our partnership. I am markinginy calendar for ~bruary 1, 1995 to contact you in
order to establish a spring agenda. ease keep in touch ~,f til then.
Sincerely,
~~
. .. ~.',~. >y~~~;~~";:~B'~~~.:?'
Todd Hoffman 4wi.
Park and Recreatioo'"Director
TH:k
pc: Mayor and City Council
Park and Recreation Commission
Attachment: School/Business Partnership Goal Work Sheet
.
fV~(~ N~ Swt.
.
SCHOOL -- BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP GOAL:
APRIL 7, 1994
To do this we Must:
We will help maintain the quality and cleanliness of
Chanhassen Pond Park.
A. Eliminate Dog problem
B. Eliminate litter
C. Increase respect for habitat
D. Increase respect for wildlife
This will be an on-going project with the focus this year on
AWARENESS.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR SPRING. 1994:
~. Walk to Pond Park to foster awareness of both the beauty and the
problems of the park. .
2. Have speakers from the city talk to the students (grade level ?)
explaining rules of the park, what the city does to maintain the
park, and what the students can do.
3. Sign up on the school calendar when a class visits the park.
4. Have the city supply bags which individual classes will take on any
"trips" to the park for collecting litter.
OTHER ACTIVITIES SUGGESTED:
(Option this year - more development for next year)
1. Assign specific grade levels for cleaning up litter.
2. writing letters to the editor to promote awareness and possible
solutions to the problem.
3. Having a contest to design a n No Dogs ~lowed n sign~
4. Compiling an ecological video library to promote environmentalism.
5. Making a video of the park (and our efforts?)
6. Educate students on the importance of leaving nature as it is _ .
(Check Project Wild Field Ethics) ( Page 344,)
"
~'1.. :
kll !"::...
CC ~/I///!/..r"
/~- /t::-
.\ , ,l \. :'~ "
\\ ,"-:'
Arej"treIS
....-~ ....
r.
< . , :'~ ~~
:~... ~.-:-1
.
III
199'::
:\"'" hltl..llU.....
,..,.. L~.s.-:\ ~-t..::.;~:.<:\~~lil\..rh" l)l...I~11
, -. '1"1.1111111";
November 16,1994
Todd Hoffman
Park & Recreation Director
Chanhassen Parks & Recreation
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Dear Todd,
In today's economy, many communities desiring the benefits of a public recreational facility have
critical questions and concerns about operating costs and cost-recovery. For example, if the
community invests in a multi-purpose recreation community center, will it generate enough revenue
to recover operating costs? Is it inevitable that the facility operate with some type of defidt?
Which recreational and social components will generate the most revenue?
.
To help you think about these and similar questions, we have enclosed an article about a
community center success story-the Chaska Community Center. As the architects responsible for
planning and designing the award-winning, multi-purpose recreational facility, we are proud of
the positive impact it has had on the Chaska community, and its incredible 100 percent
cost-recovery rate.
We are very pleased that the City of Chaska has again recently commissioned us to work with
them--this time on the design of a new theater addition to the community center.
Besides the Chaska facility, our recreational facility experience includes Merriam Park
Community Center, Hopkins Activity Center, Cuyuna Country Community Center in Crosby,
Minnesota, and, most recently, a $10 million community center project for the City of Maplewood.
Completed in late October of this year, the new Maplewood Community Center features similar
recreational and social components to Chaska's facility.
In addition to planning and designing your recreational facility, AKRW can also help you
determine the feasibility of your project, as we have for the Cities of Shakopee, Eagan,
Champlin, Owatonna, Nisswa, and St. Paul.
If we, at AKRW, can be of service to you, please let us know. We would be happy to assist you in
any way we can.
Sincerely,
ANKENY, KELL, RICHTER, WALSH ARCHITECTS, P.A.
.
lions II $1,166,000. The bulk of the revenue
CllIIle5 from three sourcea: admiIsic.na, antic-
ipated to bring in S290,000; memberships,
$358,000; and the ie.! arena, $145,000.
There are several reuons the e.!nter is
IbIe to achieve a l00-percent cost-recovery
rate, most important of which, Redman says,
is that the city, which bas a population of
12,000, began with a dear philosophy of what
it was building.
"I think that if it's a city council you're
operating with and under, you have to start
out with a pLlt sounds kind of corny, but
you have to have a purpose as to why you're
building a community a!Dter," says Redman.
--n.e reason this city buih a a!Dter was to be
a family gathering place that's ~ncompass.
1ng.It's not a health dub, ifs not a racquetball
fIldIity, it's DOt where the jocb come.lfs sup-
posed to be MI)'thing to MI')'OI1e."
To becane even IIIOft famiIy-oriented,
plans are underway to add an arts component
to the fIldIity. The propelled 12.5 million
1dditi0l'l wm include presentation space for
the arts, a cafe and an indoor JIIa>1round. To
inaeue the area's menue potential, plans
Ire being mIde to.. the buement area
out, peIiIIpI far I)'DUIUtics ar indoor golf.
The arts puup wm also c:ontn"bute fiDandIIIy,
AIthou8b a.u itlelf isllDlll, the c:eDter draws beaYlIy from the sur-
roundin8 area. Redman estimatea about one-third or memberships come
from IlCIIHeIidentI, II does 1240,000 orthe 1290,000 in daily Idmissions.
Fees Ire a bIrpin - 0IIIb youth and IeIIion pi)' S75 a year, IduJt resi.
dentI pi)' $100 and fImiIies pi)' $175. Far DOIl-raidenll, the fees Ire S118,
$1561Dd rns, 1IIpeCtiveIy.
Redman feels the leisure pool is the a!Dter'. bfaest draw, followed by
the fa! arena. Other IDIJor componentJ or the 97,094-square.foot e.!nter
include a IIrJe amount of I)'IMUlmn spICe, weight-training and aerobics
ueas, rICqueIbaII courts and a irick.
A second major JWOIl for the center'. success. Redman feels, is the
Iize of his staft
'1bat'. where a c:ansiclerlble amouDt or dollars Ire IpeI1t in a community
center IDd we're somewbat lean, ".. Recbnan. ., Imow aim of communi.
onstructing a beautiful new
multipurpose reueation
center is the dream of
many a parks and recre.
ation departmenL Unfortu-
nately, all too many
departments plunge forward
into a project with the expectation
that their new center ",ill break even or better
yet, make money.
To be realistic, that's hardly ever the case.
Cities planning a new recreation facility need
to realize up front theylllikely be operating
with some type of deficil Except in extreme~'
rare cases, most recreation centers are unable
to J"eC'O\Ier 1 00 percent of their costs, especially
if they include several low- or no-revenue com.
ponents like meeting rooms, tennis courts,
theaters and teerv'child areas (see page 34).
l<<ation can also be an immediate negative
- centers in ruraJ areas are much less likely
to recoup costs than their urban counterparts.
WeD-informed parks and recreation depart-
ments approach the planning process know-
ing they will carT)' a deficit, and plan for this
with the full support of their city council.
Those that don't - and that end up experi.
encing a decline in revenue or need large
sums of money for capital improvements after only a few years of operation
- are apt to incur serious scrutiny from their councils. To avoid this, It'.
best to determine the potential cost-recovery rate from the beaiMlng,
which in turn will help administrators and council members understand
the anticipated budgetary performane.! of the center.
- ;~: .;.
'.>~ Recreanon cen1ersin .., ·
L11aska, Minn., and Green
River. Wqo., are two faciliNes
on opposite ends of file
cost -recoverq spectrum.
By Sue Schmid
ecoYeriDg 100 percent ol)lOUJ' ceuter'. operatIq
costs can be done, but It isn't done often. One city recre-
ation facility thai planned to bell the odds from the
beginning - and has - is the Cbaska (Minn.) Conmlu-
nity Center. Just the right combination ofplanning, Iize and
location has made the e.!nter,1ocated in a rapidly growing community 18
miles IOUthwest of MiMeapoIis-SL Paul, profitable.ln fiIcaI)'ear 1994,
11)'I Tom Redman, director of the Cbaska Parks, Recrution and Art
Oepar1ment, expenses are budgeted at S1.1 million. with menue projec.
28 ATHLETIC B.JS'NESS October 199A Reprinted by permtssion,copyright '''4, Athletic: Businn.
.
.
.
.
:..." are'going in the other direction and saying
they need more staff, but we started out lean."
In addition, a corporate/civic organization
program, in which companies and groups that
seD a minimum of 10 memberships get a 10 per-
cent discount, has successfully brought in many
new members.
"This program created a lot of discussion,"
says Redman. "Whatever group it was, they
talked among themselves, so it's a way of pro-
moting the building and having people talk
about iL"
The center also has an agreement with the
school district (elementary, middle and high
schools are located adjacent to the center in a
campus-like setting), which uses the center for
girls' preseason softball practice, a gymnastics
program and hockey practices and games. as
weD as for workshops and physical education
classes. The original agreement called for the
school to contribute 45 percent of any operating
deficit, or a 515.000 minimum if there is no
deficiL The schools also pay for ice time.
eanwhile, across the country
in southwestern Wyoming, the
54.000-square.foot Green
River Recreation Center's goal
is to meet SO percent of its operat.
ing costs. Although Green River (population
12,500) is dose in size to Chaska, that's where the
similarity ends. While Chaska is Iocaled in a grow.
ing, afBuent area. Green River's population base is
just 15,000 people - and that's drawing from as
far away as 30 miles in any direction. In addition,
thert are l\W competing centers in Rock Springs,
which is just 12 miles away.
Two years ago, when the center was rec0up-
ing approximately 44 percent of its costs, the city
council felt offering dasses and I'ICqUetbaII
courts free would bring more people into the
center, thus reducing the deficiL
Instead, the cost-recovery rate dropped to 38
percenL 'We didn't attract any new people; we
bad the same people using the center at a
cheaper cost, " says Brenda Roosa, recreation
center supervisor.
Early last year, the cooncil g&\'e the center the
goal of bringing the cost.recovery rate up to 50
percent within the nexI three years. Besides rein-
stituting charges for I1lCqUetbaD courts and
classes, the center has added more programming
for families, brought vending operations in-house,
expanded sales ofT -shirts and fitness gear, and
committed additional capital money to new
amenities, such as cardiOY8SCUlar equipment and
smaD pool slides. As a result, the center so far has
brought the cost-recovery rate up to 46 percenL
"ContinuaDy upgrading equipment is obvi.
ousIy an important thing," says Roosa. "Every
time we get something new, it gets a big promo-
tion.lncreasing the amenities and making it
more fun is aJways a plus."
bat percentile of cost.
recovery is adIiewed reaDy
depends on )'OW' market and
philosophy. While Cbaska and
Green RMr Ire on opposite ends
II the spectrum, the S-reco't'el)' rates of most
centers fIB somewhere in between. The key is to
establish ahead or time a '* )'OW' city is comfort.
IbIe with, and then work to achieYe that goal .
I To dIImnint aJSIoftCOOefy I'IIIeS at 1f!C WI-
IIn fI/IIiorIJ.DiM, AB II!fll Q .swvey to fTII1lII1gm
ol5IJpiIfIo""'_ _In ""ns
I, 1M initi4J .swvey, we found wide swings in
1M inIormIltion we receiJJed. For exomple,
, ont city c/u1rJes nothing for its resident.s to
I UIe its center, while fJlIO/her tooIt over the
optrDtion of Q1/ existing prilXlk fDCilit)', thus
sID1ting out with Q built.in membership"
We'~ IIiJ/ falherin8 informIItion on cost
~ AS ptII1 of an ongoing survey. If you it
IliIte to supply informotion about your center,
I CJJI/ us at 8IXY!22-8764 or fDX us at 60&249.
I 1153 ond we'D promptly send Q.swvey.
I
.
.'..., , . . .
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I
41r~
CITY OF ee ~;-
CRARRASSER ·
MEMORANDUM
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
441".1" e", .....,...:! - "f1... <t
I "'1 fA.: h,t.I
c....,.c-I
...L A ot.-t'
('(,f'" T IlK'" ".,... f
-//11,,- "" ,..,./ ~d
. IN""" J. ,f: ; .,... -
Todd Hoffman, Park and Recreation Director
;.4~
c
fA.:
TO:
Don Ashworth, City Manager
FROM:
DATE:
November 16, 1994
SUBJ:
Departmental Programming Relationships, School Districts 276 and 112
The provision of recreation services in Chanhassen has grown through many changes over the
past ten years. Historically, recreation and social programs were provided to Chanhassen
residents primarily through our two school districts. With the maturation of the City's Park
and Recreation Department, the city progressively assumed responsibility for providing
recreation and leisure programs. As our relationships with Districts 276 and 112 have
changed, it has been apparent that closer Des were being held with District 112. This
practice, however, was not a conscious effort, but a natural outcome of the environment in
which we deliver services.
.'
\:
This phenomenon of School District 276 becoming a "welker sister" to District 112 has
raised more than a few eyebrows over the years. To date, 'the city has not been able to fully
compensate for existing traffic patterns, service boundaries,'environmental constraints and
existing allegiances which skew our service patterns. How~, we continue to foster more
participation by and service to District 216 RlSideats who&ve and work within the Oty of
Chanhassen.
Facilities play an essential role in service delivery. Currently a sin$1e each
district is located in Chanhassen.Next fIIl~C!~1t"iI!cJp.ri'second elementary school
in Chanhassen. The city will also be openin"its #CODtfindoor recreation center which is
"built-in" to the new school at this time. ~. tor center was the city's first endeavor).
With the presence of this new facility at the ' r of our city, the department is again
realigning ourselves to better meet the recreational, physical and social needs of our residents.
In the past, the department has cooperatively offered adult programs with the Oty of Chaska.
I have informed their department that it is our desire to discontinue this practice. In lieu of .
this, the department will offer all "Chanhassen" programs open to residents of Chanhassen
and/or School Districts 276 and 112. In addition to utilizing the new recreation center, the
.
.
.
Mr. Don Ashworth
November 16, 1994
Page 2
department will secure space in facilities governed by both districts. By this policy, we can
alleviate discrimination against persons residing outside of Chanhassen who live in one of our
two school districts. In doing so, I do not fear a rush of non-resident participation. Again,
our service environment precludes this. The benefits of allowing friendships! relationships
which cross governmental boundaries to grow and prosper through recreation far outweigh
any arguments of "taking care of our own." Our department has always aspired to be a
facilitator of community and good will. I believe these changes in course, which I have
briefly described herein, align with this philosophy.
pc: Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Supervisor
Dawn Lemme, Recreation Supervisor/Senior Coordinator
Mayor and City Council
Park and Recreation Commission
CITY OF
CRARRASSER
.
,
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O. BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
November 14, 1994
District 112 School Board
110600 Village Road
Chaska, MN 55318
Dear School Board Members:
Please consider naming the new elementary school located in Chanhassen Bluft' Creek
Elementary. The site on which the school, recreation center and park are located borders
this waterway for over 800 feet. Bluff Creek will be the location for a future pedestrian
underpass of State Highway 5. Bluff Creek originates from large wetlands north and west of .
the elementary school and flows over six miles to its outlet into Rice Lake located in
southeastern Chanhassen. The connection to Bluff Cleek, which this site offers, is a natural
one-literally.
Please consider the merits of the name Bluff Creek Elementary during your deliberations.
S incerel y ,
--::?;ii
/t<"~tt 0
to
~
Todd Hoffman
Park and Recreation Director
TH:k
pc: -/ Mayor and City Council
Park and Recreation Commission
Don Ashworth, Oty Manager
Todd Gerhardt, Assistant Oty Manager
.
.
State of Minnesota
September 1994
Part I: Assessment and Policy Plan
..~,..,;::.t::~1!;~W.':<,
~""'IIl'!""-"."',~,".J"'.~.. ;ii".
., .
~ PLAN
~~(,~
.
.
.
Recreation Issues and Strategies to Guide
Planning in the Late 1990s
(1995 -1999)
Prepared by the Minnesota De~rtment of Natural Resources
Office of Planning
STATE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN
.
EX EC UTI VE SUMMARY ........................................................................... 2
I NT ROD U CT ION .................................................................................... 8
I. HISTORICAL CONTEXT .............................................................. 11
II. SOC lET AL TREN OS ...................................................................... 11
III. OUTDOOR RECREATION ISSUES
A. BACKGROUND ISSUES .............................................................. 14
B.
RECREA liON I 5SUES ................................................................. 18
.
1. SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION .................................... 18
2. RECREATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ............................. 19
3 . CAPITAL INVESTMENT .......................................................... 21
4. LIABILITY AND LITIGATION .................................................. 23
s. OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ......................................... 24
6. RECREATION INFORMATION AND RESEARCH ............................ 26
IV. APPENDIX
A. PUBLIC RECREATION FUNDING .................................................. 30
.
1 995
.
minnesota
scorp.
STATE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN
.
.
> This Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) includes the issues
and strategies that will guide recreation-related land acquisition, facility development and
oferations, and recreation programming for the period 1995-1999. It is the sixtfi in a series
o plans developed as part of the state's commitment to continuous planning for outdoor
recreation. It satisfies requirements of the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund
(L&WCF) Act of 1965 (P.L. 88-578), which requires states to have an approved SCORP on
file with the National Park Service in order to participate in L&WCF cost-share funding.
This document was prepared by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources with
assistance of the Outdoor Recreation Planning Advisory Committee (ORPAC). The
following individuals served on ORPAC.
Dorothy Anderson, University of Minnesota
Al Brodie, Minnesota Campground Operators Association
Mary Barrick, Minneapolis Parks Board
Maureen Durand, Minneapolis Parks Board
Jeff Erickson, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Al Farmes, Fish and Wildlife Association
Tun Glines, Minnesota Historical Society .
Greg Lais, Wilderness Inquiry
JoAnn Kyral, National Park Service
Linda Limback, Minnesota Department of Tourism
Hank Lindsey, Minnesota Recreation Trail Users Association
Brian McCann, Department of Natural Resources
Jack Mauritz, Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission
John VonDeLinde, Minnesota Recreation and Parks Association and
City of Eagan
Charles Wocken, Stearns County Parks Department
Comments on this plan can be delivered in writing to:
Joe Stinchfield
Office of Planning Box 10
Department of Natural Resources
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, Mn 55155 .
~ 97' ./Ij/5
.
;
/~'
;I'.;
1995. minnesota scorP.
EXECl:Jmte.=:&lJMMARY
INTRODUCTION
> This State Comprehensive Outdoor
Recreation Plan (SCORP) includes the is-
sues and strategies that will guide recre-
a tion providers, researches and policy
makers in the 1995 -1999 period. This plan
was prepared with the assistance of an ad-
visory group of individuals from the pub-
lic and private sectors (See the inside cover
for a list of advisory p-oup members.) and
facilitated by the Minnesota Department
of Natural Resources DNR. Aaditional
input was sought from individuals and
organizations throughout the state via
public meetings and mailings.
Outdoor recreation patterns continue to
change and evolve In response to social
and economic forces. See Section ll, Soci-
etal Trends, Page 11. Although socio-eco-
nomic changes usually are gradual, they
may prompt new demands for recreation
facilities and programs over the long term.
With the growing diversity of the Ameri-
canJ'opuIation, recreation providers will
nee to "stay close to the customer" and
carefully monitor patterns in order to meet
new and changin~ outdoor recreation de-
mands.
At the same tim~, recreation providers
must continue to address a ran~e of long-
standing issues. The most crucfa1 of these
continues to be funding for acquisition,
development, redevelopment, new pro-
grams and research. Minnesotans will
need to aggressively explore opportunities
for cooperative approaches among agen-
cies ana between the public and private
sectors in addressing these challenges.
The concepts of sustainable recreation and
integrated management approaches are
new and unfamiliar to many. But they are
concepts that provide a piding frame-
work for meeting recreation challenges.
They will become increasingly important
themes for the DNR and other recreation
organizations. .
.1995. minnesota scorp
6l
.
SUMMARY OF ISSUES, GOALS AND STRATECIES
>- As recreation interests diversify and so-
ciety becomes more complex, outdoor rec-
reation issues increase and often become
more difficult to resolve. SCORP identi-
fies six high-priority issues that provide a
focus for strategies and actions. These is-
sues are summarized below along with
appropriate goals and strategies.
1. Sustainable Outdoor Recreation: Inte-
grated, interdisciplinary recreation plan-
ning and resource management is needed
to ensure a balanced, coordinated and en-
vironmentally sustainable approach to
meeting future needs of Minnesotans and
their visitors for outdoor recreation.
Goal: Mtlnage and restore the long-temz health
of natural resource systems such that their rec-
reation potential can be enjoyed by present and
future generations.
Strategy: Employ integrated resource
management methods to promote an
ecologically sustainable approach to
acquiring, managing and aeveloping
outdoor recreation resources.
.
Strategy: Employ biodiversity mea-
sures as one 6enclunark to gauge the
lon~-~rm sustainability of recreation
poliCIes, programs and management
actions.
StratesJ: Employ measures of public
recreational experiences and benefits as
a second benChmark for gauging the
lon~-term sustainability of recreation
policies, programs and management
actions.
.
. Roles and Responsibilities: There is a
eed to more clearly identify the appro-
priate roles and responsibilities of public
and private sector outdoor recreation pro-
viders, and to forge stronger, more effec-
tiye p~rtnerships betw~n providers that
Yleld lmproved recreation programs, ser-
vices ana facilities for Minnesotans and
their visitors.
ation facilities and programs where
appropriate.
3. Capital Investment: Capital investment
need is crucial in order to allow outdoor
recreation facilities to meet the growing
needs for recreation space, especially in
rapidly growing areas.
Goal: Provide a stable and reliable source of
Goal: Seek greater clarity and unity of direc- funding for capital investment projects.
tion among public and private recreation in-
terests.
.
Strategy: Clarify outdoor recreation
roles, responsibilities and identify the
mix of recreation opportunities pro-
vided by the public ana private sectors.
Strategy: Establish a statewide outdoor
recreation forum to promote dialogue
between outdoor recreation enthusi-
asts, public and private sector provid-
ers, elected officials, business and civic
leaders, potential funding providers,
and other interested stakeholders.
Goal: Greatly expand opportunities for pub-
lic/private partnerships in addressing recre-
ation needs and opportunities.
Strategy: Assess the extent to which
private entrepreneurial investments in
public recreation areas are feasible and
consistent with public recreation goals
and objectives.
Strategy: Aggressively seek out appro-
priate opportunities for private entre-
preneurial investments 11\ public rec-
reation areas.
.
Strategy: Foster wider use of partner-
ships between agencies and &etween
the public and private sectors to en-
hance the delivery of recreation ser-
vices and opportunities.
Strategy: Provide incentives and re-
move barriers to providing public rec-
reation opportumties on private lands.
Strategy: Explore opportunities for
greater privatization of public recre-
Strategy: Secure alternative funding
sources for land acquisition and recre-
ation facility development in both the
public and the private sectors.
Strategy: Encourage all government
recreation providers to develop ratio-
nal and consistent processes for setting
priorities on recreation investments.
An example of such an approach is the
open selection process usea by the Out-
door Recreation Grant Program.
Strategy: Establish better state tax in-
centives to encourage donation of pri-
vate land to public recreation provid-
ers.
Strategy: Urge Congress to increase
federal L&tWCF funding levels and to
appropriate a larger share of the avail-
able L&tWCF revenues to state and lo-
cal park and open space programs.
Goal: Increase land acquisition in areas of
heavy recreational demand.
Strate$Y= Identify critical areas of need
including rapidly urbanizing areas and
communities that currently lack ad-
equate recreational facilities.
Strategy: Focus land ac~ition in pri-
ority areas on criticall'iabitat, unique
natural and cultural resources, recre-
ational rivers, lakes and streams, sce-
nic blufflands and other high amenity
areas.
Strategy: Develop stronger cooperative
working relationships with the public
and between federal, state and local
1995. minnesota scorP.
agencies and the private sector in ac-
quiring land in areas of heavy recre-
ation demand.
Strategy: Explore acquisition ap-
proaches through means other than fee
title (e.g. easements, leases).
Goal: Acquire open space for future use and/
or protection from encroachment, development
or other incompatible land uses.
Strategy: Accelerate acquisition of land
with critical habitat, rare biotic commu-
nities, and endangered species habitat
in areas threatened with land use con-
version.
Strategy: Encourage local governments
in rapidly urbanizing areas to antici-
pate recreation needs and to set land
aside for future recreation facilities and
development.
Strategy: Continue the practice of ac-
quiring abandoned railioad ri~hts-of-
way in order to meet future trail recre-
ation needs and to link existing trail
segments.
Goal: Complete land acquisition in existing
outdoor recreation sites and facilities.
Strategy: Identify and acquire high
priority inholdings in parkS and oilier
recreation facilities crucial to the use
and access of recreation facilities.
Goal: Develop/redevelop facilitieS needed to
meet growing and changzng public demands
for outdoor recreation.
Strategy: Identify high use recreation
facilities that cannot sustain current use
levels and redevelop those facilities.
Goal: Ensure approP.'. iate use and development
of recreational facilzties.
Strategy: Develop year around, multi-
use recreation facilities that are both
durable and flexible in their use.
Strategy: Ensure that intensive recre-
.1995. minnesota scorp
ational uses, especially uses that can
seriously damage natural systems and .
cultural resources, occur in areas suited
to use levels. Redirect those uses when
needed and feasible to areas that can
accommodate the pressure they create
on natural systems and cultural re-
sources.
Strategy: Recognize the inherent con-
flicts between certain types of recre-
ation experiences and separate conflict-
ing uses.
Strategy: Ensure a balanced distribu-
tion of opportunities for both active
and passive recreation activities.
Strategy: Recognize that costs for en-
forcement and rescue services can in-
crease whenever facilities are devel-
oped, especially where conflicting and
intensive use occurs. Often costs are
not born by the facility managing
agency but are passed on to other ju-
riSdictions.
.
Goal: Ensure broader access to outdoor recre-
ation facilities and programs.
Strategy: Maximize access to recreation
facilities by removing physical and
other barriers and by providing appro-
priate visitor information. Strive for
total compliance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.)
4. Liability and Litigation: Uability and
litigation concerns seriously limit recre-
ation ~portunities and increase costs to
recreation providers. This may lead to an
inadequate supply of outdoor recreation
opportunities, especially for some higher
nsk activities.
Goal: kduce lillbility exposure of outdoor
recreation ~ by uPK!ading high-risk
recreation facilities and by developing and
implementing improved mlZ7Ulgement tech-
niques to relfuce risk.
Strategy: Develop and disseminate in-
fonnation and technical assistance to
outdoor recreation providers to help
.
.
them design safer facilities, operate and
maintain facilities in ways that will in-
crease safety and reduce liability, and
encourage them to undertake risk as-
sessments.
Strategy: Focus law enforcement ef-
forts on the need to assist and protect
recreation visitors, facilities and re-
sources.
.
Strategy: Provide state funding to en-
courage local governments and school
districts to upgrade the safety and ac-
cessibility of playgrounds and trails.
Goal: Reduce liability exposure of public
and private recreation providers by amend-
ing current state tort legislation.
Strategy: Develop a coalition of public
and private recreation providers to rec-
ommend changes in state laws related
to tort liability.
s. Operations and Maintenance: Funding
constraints are impairing the maintenance
of many outdoor recreation facilities. Fa-
cility deterioration poses liability risks and
diminishes the value of facilities and the
quali ty of the recreation experience.
Goal: Strengthen the focus on long,-range
planning for the maintenance, rehabzlitation
and on the redevelopment of existing recre-
ational facilities.
Strategy: Develop / update comprehen-
sive facility and grounds management
standards and schedules at all levels of
government.
Strategy: Minimize facility mainte-
nance costs by designing and con-
structing low-maintenance and vandal
resistant facilities.
.
Strategy: Encourage management ini-
tiatives and actions that enhance and
protect natural resources in areas out-
side of designated facilities where out-
door recreation activities occur.
Goal: Provide the staff, training and equip-
ment needed to operate outdoor recreation fa-
cilities and programs at appropriate levels of
public service.
Strategy: Encourage development of
professional standards for recreation
maintenance and technician positions.
Strategy: Explore creative methods of
performing op'erations and mainte-
nance responsibilities.
Strategy: Develop opportunities to net-
work operations and maintenance
strat~gies and information between
prov1ders.
Strategy: Evaluate and quantify the
need for expanded law enforcement
services in response to expanded out-
door recreation activities.
Goal: Provide a reliable and steady source of
funding to maintain and rehabilitate recreation
facilities.
Strategy: Assess a broad range of fund-
ing options to support state and local
park maintenance and rehabilitation.
This can include dedication of a por-
tion of municipal utility bills, increased
users fees, use of the interest from park
dedication funds, and other options.
Strategy: Encourage recreation provid-
ers to dedicate a specific portion of
operating budgets to future rehabilita-
tion of existing facilities.
Strategy: Encourage providers to dedi-
cate o~rations and maintenance funds
by including priori~ ranking criteria
in the ()pen Project Selection Process
for L&WCF funding.
Strategy: Encourage le~lative sup-
port for a secure and stable source of
funding for recreation facilities and
programs.
.
1995. minnesota scorp.
6. Recreation Research: Lack of current
information hampers the ability of recre-
ation providers to establish effective pri-
orities for facility and program devefop-
ment.
Goal: Develop a comprehensive inventory of
public and private outdoor recreation facilities.
Strategy: Determine the types of infor-
mation the public and recreation pro-
viders use from recreation inventories.
Strategy: Assess the quality and cur-
rency of outdoor recreation facilities
information in various recreation in-
ventories (RECFAC, Minnesota Office
of Tourism and others).
Strategy: Update and collect data on
facility inventories to meet facility in-
formation needs.
Strategy: Use computer networking
systems to link recreation providers in
order to enhance access to recreation
facility and program data and to foster
cooperation in recreation planning and
management.
Strategy: Establish a central clearing
house -for recreation information, re-
ports and plans from the private and
public sectors in Minnesota.
Goal: Document the social, economic, envi-
ronmental and personal benefits that Minne-
sotans (and tourists) derivefrom outdoor rec-
reation activities and experiences.
Strategy: Clarify the benefits of out-
door recreation on personal, ~al, cul-
tural and economic interests at the state
and local level.
Strategy: Where data are unavailable,
apply recreation models to describe
how outdoor recreation activities ben-
efit social, cultural, environmental and
economic interests.
Goal: Periodically collect comprehensive data
on outdoor recreation activities.
Strategy: Identify recreation activity
.1995. minnesota scorp
data needed by recreation providers to
understand and meet recreation de-
mands.
.
Strategy: Develop a trend scanning
process (Delphi, Nominal Group, etc.)
to identify new developments in out-
door recreation and to identify non-rec-
reation trends that will impact recre-
ation patterns.
Strategy: Initiate a broadly seoped pro-
gram to coordinate and collect outdoor
recreation activity data on a regular
basis.
Goal: Broadly share information among rec-
reation providers on the recreation programs,
maintenance standards, rehabilitation stan-
dards, etc.
Strategy: Determine the types of infor-
mation recreation providers need on
program effectiveness, successful
maintenance and rehabilitation stan-
dards, etc.
Strategy: Suggest guidelines for types
of facilities ana area needed to provide
outdoor recreation activities for a com-
munity or population.
Strategy: Explore opportunities for ex-
changing information between recre-
ation providers. +
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
t;
/~'
/'.::
?
1 995
innesota
. m
scarp.
INTRQDUCI'ION
MINNESOTA'S RECREATION RESOURCE BASE
> Minnesota is endowed with many out-
door recreation resources. With over
12,000 lakes, 90,000 miles of streams and
rivers, 17 million acres of forest land, and
an extensive array of public and private
recreation facilities, Minnesota off~rs a
wealth of recreational opportunity.
Outdoor recreation is a major component
of the Minnesota economy. Over 500,000
hunters, 2 million anglers, 200,000 regis-
tered snowmobilers and 700,000 registeled
boat owners are among those who contrib-
ute nearly $2 billion annually to the state's
economy. Outdoor recreation provides
income and employment for th?usands of
state residents, and an economIc boost for
local economies.
Annual Redistribution of Dollars Among
Minnesotans Due to Outdoor Recreation
Travel
I
i
-113 MIIioII
Source: MN DNR. 1985-86 Outdoor Rec:realion Participa-
tion and Expenditure Survey of MiDMsotans.
MINNESOTA'S OUTDOOR RECREATION
SYSTEM
Minnesota's "Outdoor Reaeation System"
as defined by Minnesota Statutes, Chap-
ter 86A (1975) includes all lands and fa-
cilities established by the Minnesota De-
partments of Natural Resources and Trans-
portation to provide public access to out-
Cioor recreation. Examples include State
Parks, State Trails, State Forests, State Wild,
Scenic and Recreational Rivers, Scientific
and Natural Areas, Wildlife Management
Areas, Public Water Accesses, Public Way-
sides and Rest Stops. Historic Sites, as
defined by Minnesota S~atutes 138.5~ -
138.59, provide a recreation opportunity
that complements the state's ~utdoor rec-
reation system. Federal agenCles also pro-
vide a range of public recreation facilities
and services in Minnesota.
County, township and municipal govern-
ments provide a network of local parks,
athletic facilities, nature preserves, golf
courses, swimming beaches, picnic sites
and urban open space. Regional (or multi-
county) parb and open space agencies not
only operate parks systems but they also
coordinate planning and development of
area-wide recreation systems and operate
a wide range of recreation facilities.
Private sector recreation vendors often
provide activities and facilities with a
higher level of services or amenities than
provided by the public sector, and those
with greater potential for generating profit.
For example, private providers supply
hotel/motel rooms, recreational vehlcle
parks, alpine ski areas, swimming beaches,
resorts and marinas, golf courses, group
camps and, to a lesser extent, camping anCi
picnic sites, water access sites ana trills.
.
.-
Providers of Minnesota Recreation Facilities
100
10
10
I:
I :
20
10
o ~
." /.;..,;.;."., ..."
'ecIIlty Type
C Private 21 CIy . TOWl'IIhip . County C Stat. . Federal
Saara: MN DNR. Oftice of PlaMinl. RECFAC Data Base.
Undeveloped public lands and waters Local and regional government and state
complement the state's recreation facilities agencies can look to a variety of sources
. by chrOViding opportunities for activities, for recreation funding including the
su as hunting and fishing, that do not Intermodal Surface Transportation Effi-
need to occur in devel~ed recreation fa- ciency Act (ISTEA), several programs
cilities. These areas w' become increas- through the state legislature and others.
in~ly important as private lands are de- See the appendix for a broader description
ve oped or posted against public use and of funding sources.
access.
PLANNING PRODUCTS
Together, recreation providers at the fed-
eral, state, regional, regional, local and SCORP has four parts.
municipal levels and in the private sector
supply the land, facilities and program 1) The Assessment & PoliCJI Plan identi-
opportunities that make up Minnesota's fies issues, strategies and objectives
outdoor recreation system. for the 1995-1999 period.
FUNDING RECREATION DEVELOPMENT 2) The SCORP Implementation Program
includes high priOri~ actions and
Since the Federal Land & Water Conser- L&WCFprioritiesfor e 1995 to 1999
vation Fund (L&WCF) Program began in planning period.
1965, Minnesota has received over $57
million in federal funds for recreation-re- 3) The ~en PrQ.feet Selection Process
lated land acquisition and facility devel- (OPSP provides a sIstematic and
opment. About half has been used for land objective method of se ecting specific
acquisition and the remainder for facility act:ition and devel~ent ~rojects
. development. State and local units of gov- to funded by the WC grant
ernment have matched these funds, program.
funnelling over $110 million into outdoor
recreation projects. 4) The Minnesota Wetland PlIln will iden-
tify policies and actions needed to
Competition for L&WCF dollars is intense. protect the state's wetland heritage.
In recent years, less than $.06 of federal
L&WCF funding has been available for PLANNING PROCESS
each dollar re~sted. (In fiscal year 1992,
$439,000 in L& CF funding was awarded This SCORP will ~de recreation-related
for state and localJrants in Minnesota land aC'luisition, development of recre-
from the more than million in grant pro- ation facilities and development of recre-
posaIs that were submitted.) Destite de- ation programs for the period 1995-1999.
creasing apportionments, L&W F pro- It is tlie sixth in a series of such plans de-
vides the major source of funding for many v~loped as part of the state's commitment
local park and recreation programs. to continuous plannin! for outdoor recre-
More than 93,500 acres have been acquired ation. As such, it satis es ~uirements of
the L&WCF Act of 1965 ( .t. 88-578),
with L&WCF funds in Minnesota. Among which requires states to have an a~proved
the facilities developed in whole or in part SCORP on file with the National ark Ser-
with L&WCF funds are 64 State Parks, 6 vice in order to participate in UtWCF cost-
Waysides, 5 State Trails, 13 Public Water share funding. Minnesota's SCORP was
Accesses, 4 Wild & Scenic Rivers, 32 State developed over a multi-year period
Forest Campgrounds, 6 Scientific and through the following processes and par-
. Natural Areas, and 11 Wlldlife Manage- ticipation efforts.
ment Areas, as well as hundreds of local
parks projects.
1995. minnesota scorP.
ORPAC Process: The DNR Outdoor Rec-
reation Planning Advisory Committee
(ORPAC) was established to guide devel-
opment of SCORP. ORPAC members rep-
resent a broad spectrum of recreation in-
terests. ORPAC does not nor is it intended
to reflect all interests. ORPAC size was
kept small to foster more effective commu-
nication. (See the inside cover for a list of
individuals who served on ORPAC.
ORPAC met about once a month during
1993. ORPAC developed and prioritized
the outdoor recreation issues. Staff from
the Minnesota Department of Natural Re-
sources provided facilitation, meeting
management and draft preparation ser-
vices.
Public Input: Input from Minnesota citi-
zens and interest $1'oups was sought at a
series of meetings m the fall of 1993. Pub-
lic meetings were held in Rochester, St.
Paul, Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Bemidji,
and New Ulm. Public input was used to
determine perspectives on the major issues
and to raise additional ideas on objectives
and strategies.
DNR Outdoor Recreation Coordinating
Committee (ORCC): ORCC includes rep-
resentatives of each DNR discipline with
responsibility for recreation programs or
activities (Divisions of Enforcement, For-
estry, Fish and Wildlife, Minerals, Parks
and Recreation, Trails and Waterways,
Waters). ORCC helped identify issues and
reviewed SCORP drafts.
DNR Directions: "DNR Directions For
Natural Resources (1993)" is the DNR's stra-
tegic planning document. It identifies
goals and strategies for a broad ran~ of
resource issues and provides a guiding
framework by which documents such as
SCORP can be prepared and reviewed.
Directions states:
"We will provide opportunities to enjoy our
outdoor recreation resources by developing
and maintainin$ safe, accessible outdoOr
recreation facilities and by documenting the
benefits people and communities receive
from recreation activities."
....1qqli. 7Pli",,,,,,c,,'n c,."....
Sustainable Development Initiative:
Sponsored by the Minnesota Environmen-
tal Quality Board in 1993, the Sustainable
Development Initiative was designed to
find new and creative ways to balance the
economic, social and environmental goals
of Minnesotans. Outdoor recreation is one
of seven components of the initiative.
The sustainable development initiative, .
with its focus on future generations, has a
longer time horizon than SCORP. Never-
theTess, many of the issues and strategies
in the sustainable development initiatives
parallel those in SCORP. Also of special
mterest is the sustainable outdoor recre-
ation vision which states:
.
"Provide - through responsible private and
public economic tIevelopment, community
development, and environmental steward-
ship - a diverse array of quality opportuni-
ties so present and future generations can
enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation. "
The SCORP strategies designed for the
1995-1999 period, support that longer-term
vision. +
.
.
The number of persons age 45 and older is
projected to increase nearly 70 percent.
Growth in the state's elderly population and
the middle-aging of the Baby Boom generation
will push Mfunesota's median age from 32.5
in 1990 to age 40 by 2020. Persons age 65 and
older will outnumber children in most Min-
nesota counties. Statewide, the number of
children under age five is projected to decline
by 11 percent by 2020. Apg will be espe-
cally pronounced outside of the emerging St.
Cloud-Twin Cities-Rochester corridor. Rec-
reation participation generally declines
sharply with age.
I Adap~ by Brian McCaN'\ (MN ONR) from "Participa-
In past years, the broad scope of the plans, tion Shifts in Outdoor Recreation Activities" (1985)
the large number of priorities, and tlie lack Joseph T. O'Le~ et 11., Purdue University and "Some
f . f' ti I d t difficult t Selected Societal Trends and Their Impacts on Recreation
o specI IC ac on p ans ma e i .. 0 and Leisure" (1985) Geoffrey Goclbey,"pennsylvania State
assess the impact of SCORPs. . B~ f~ing University. Demographic data from State Demographer,
on a small number of high pnonty ISsues, MN PlaMing (1992) and the U.S. Bureau of the Census
decision makers can better target actions (1993).
and produce measurable results. . I 9 9 5 . m inn e sot a S COT P
I. HISTORICAL CONTEXT
.
> Congress I'assed the Land and Water
Conservation Fund (L&WCF) Act in 1965.
Congress recognized that states needed
comprehensive outdoor recreation plans in
order to best use this new form of federal
funding. Accordingly, Congress required
states to prepare a Comprehensive Out-
door Recreation Plan (SCORP) as a prereq-
uisite to receiving L&WCF grants. The Act
requires states to update the recreation
plans every five years in order to reflect
Changes in outdoor recreation needs and
priorities.
.
Earlier SCORPs provided comprehensive
background data and research on outdoor
recreation. Much effort and money was
devoted to surveys that provided the ba-
sis for determining supply and demand for
outdoor recreation facilities and programs.
Much of that detail is still useful today
since many recreation patterns change
slowly over time. The prior SCORP be-
gan a trend towards streamlining and de-
fining issue areas and reducing detailed
data collection. This SCORP continues that
trend and focuses on the key issues.
Several factors drive the decision to focus
SCORP on key issue areas.
1)
The National Parks Service, the federal
agency responsible for reviewing and
approving SCORPs, urged Minnesota to
focus and prioritize its recreation issues
in SCORP.
2)
L&WCF funding levels are sharply re-
duced and cannot support extensive data
collection efforts. Funding from other
sources, likewise, is reduced.
3)
Decision makers expect a SCORP docu-
ment that is readable and useful. Adocu-
ment that focuses on issues rather than
data analysis serves that purpose.
.
II. SOCIETAL TRENDS
> Societal trends1 will change outdoor recre-
ation behavior and leisure patterns. The chal-
lenge is to identify the impacts and to redi-
rect programs and services to address emerg-
ing needs. Recreation investments are sizable
and long-term. Therefore, future strategies
must be developed now in order to address
these long-term trends.
Minnesota Population: Minnesota's popula-
tion will surpass 5 million by the year 2020
(State Demographer). During the 1990s, the
state's popufation is expected to grow by 6.3
percent, the slowest growth rate this century.
It is ex~cted to grow by 5 percent and 4 per-
cent in the following two decades. The U.5.
population is expected to grow nearly twice
as fast over the same perioCi.
Minnesota's aging white population will
grow by only 6 percent between 1990 and
2020, with births barely exceeding deaths be-
tween 2015 and 2020. The state's younger
minority population, with higher birth rates
and substantial in-migration, Will nearly triple
(175% increase) between 1990 and 2020. Three
of every five new Minnesotans in the next 30
years will be persons of color, bringing the
state's minority population from 6 percent to
about 13 percent. Minority group members
have been under-represented in non-urban,
resource-based outdoor recreation activities.
ID
Population and Settlement: Many Ameri-
cans choose to live in rural locations close
to a malor metropolitan area. This
"exurban ' choice led to an overall popula-
tion growth rate of 12.9 percent for metro-
politan Minnesota during the 198Os, while
non-metropolitan areas Ciedined 2.8 per-
cent.2 Most cities and towns with fewer
than 2,500 residents also lost population.
Most rural areas are losing population,
while urban areas, notably emerging Twin
Cities Area suburbs, are experiencing
rapid growth. This primarily is due to the
migration of young and middle-aged
adults with families from rural to metro-
politan areas. By 2020, more than half of
the state's 87 counties will have lost popu-
lation for at least 4 consecutive decades,
and one-quarter will have fewer residents
than they did in 1940. By the year 2020,68
percent of Minnesotans are expected to
reside in the Twin Cities, Rochester and St.
Cloud.
During the 1980s, growth was concen-
trated in this St. Cloud to Rochester corri-
dor, and in the counties of north-central
Minnesota. In all, 38 counties gained
population. Meanwhile, counties in the
west, southwest, northeast and along the
Iowa border lost population. The greatest
growth took place in newly emerging sub-
urban rings and in a few regional market
centers located in non-metropolitan areas
(e.g., Willmar, Mankato, Marshall,
Brainerd). This trend and the fact that most
outdoor recreation occurs close to home,
suggests that fast-growing areas may ex-
perience sharp increases in demand for
recreation opportunities.
Boomers in Their Forties: Ba~ Boomers
(those bom between 1946 and 1964) are
entering middle age and their leisure
choices will influence recreation patterns.
By 1995, people in the age 35-44 bracket
will numoer 42.5 million people nationally.
Because of their large population, distinct
2 Minnesota's two ~t cities, Minneapolis and
St. Paul, split a small population loss of 563
persons during this periOd. This amallloss is a
product of a lalge movement both into and out of
the two cities.
.1995. mInnesota scorp
lifestyles and higher expectations,
boomers are expected to substantially af-
fect most aspects of American life, includ-
ing how leIsure services are provided.
Many boomers have delayed marriage and
children, opting instead for education,
travel, career and self-fulfillment. As they
leave their child-bearing years, the Baby
Bust generation will replace them. This
will result in fewer children after 1995 and
a 7 percent drop from 1990 in Minnesotans
under the age of 45 by 2020.
The percentage of women who will remain
chilaless throughout their lives is ap-
proaching a record 22J'ercent. By 2010,
the num6er of marrie couples without
children is expected to increase by nearly
50 percent nationally (to 31 million), sur-
passing the number of married couples
with clilldren (23 million). The new clilld-
lessness, primarily a white middle-class
phenomenon will fuel the shift to an older,
more ethnically diverse American society.
Boomers soon will enter their most pro-
ductive, highest wase-earning years.
Many two career famibes may enjoy more
discretionary income, but less leisure time.
Such households must plan their time,
even leisure time, very carefully. Boomers
have tended to vacation more frequently,
but closer to home and for shorter periods
of time than their predecessors.
The 1990s may be a turning point in
boomer's attitudes towards consumption,
investment and saving. What they expect
from government may change accordingly.
Economists predict that Mirinesota house-
holds will increase their savings rate due
to economic uncertainty and tfie impend-
ing boomer's workforce exodus. In the
process, boomers may become increas-
mgly conservative in their spending, and
more critical of government spending, es-
pecially for "non-essential" programs and
services. This may affect outdoor recre-
ation, which is considered by many to be
a non-essential service.
.
.
.
Minnesota Households Composition:
Minnesota households are becoming more
diverse. In 1950, 77 percent of households
.
consisted of married couples; compared to
only 57 percent by 1990. During the 1980s
the number of married couples with chil-
dren declined 4 percent while female-
headed, single-parent families grew by 34
percent and male-headed, single-parent
families grew by 83 percent.
Minnesota household size declined from
2.74 to 2.58 persons during the 1980s and
is expected to decline further.
Non-family households account for nearly
one third of Minnesota households. One
fourth of all Minnesota households con-
tain only one person. Others generally con-
sist of two or more unrelated persons liv-
ing together. Non-family households with
two or more persons grew by 44 percent
between 1980 and 1990, accounting for
about 6 percent of all Minnesota house-
holds. Over 80 percent of new households
are projected to be non-family households.
Over half of all children alive today may
spend some time in single-parent house-
holds before age 18, and one in two will
marry and divorce. The nuclear family
accounts for less than one in five house-
holds nationwide.
.
These trends could be a reflection of the
convergence of many trends; e.g. delayed
marriage and child bearing, higher divorce
rates, lower birth rates, a changing labor
force, rising housing costs and a variety of
other economic and lifestyle changes.
These changes could shape outdoor recre-
ation behavior and determine future de-
mand.
.
Economic Changes: American may be
entering a period of forced economic re-
straint. Increasing federal debt burdens
leave an uncertain legacy for the next gen-
eration. At the same time, real family in-
come growth is negligible and high pay-
ing, career track jobs increasingly scarce.
The recent drop in childbearing may be
related to a variety of factors including
high material expectations many boomers
developed during the more affluent 1950s
and 1960's and economic uncertainty. For
example, the median income of college-
educated men aged 45 to 54 fell 17 per-
cent between 1986 and 1992, after adjust-
ment for inflation (U. S. Census of Popu-
lation). Median family income in 1972 was
$38,760 (adjusted to 1993 dollars), and in
1990 it was just $38,266.
Poverty among Minnesota's non-white
population, the state's fastest growing
population, is more prevalent than in any
oilier major U.S. metropolitan area. An
analysis of 1990 census data by the Metro-
politan Council shows that 43.7 percent of
non-whites living in the central cities of
Minneapolis and St. Paul live below the
poverty line. In contrast, the poverty rate
for urban whites is 11 percent, and just 5.9
percent for the ll-county Metro Area. In-
come disparity has never been greater.
Work and Leisure Time: The median
workweek of Americans has grt?wn longer
as real incomes have stagnated for many
workers, and as the economy has shifted
away from manufacturing and towards
salaried and service sector employment.
With more women in the labor force, time
devoted to family, housework, commuting
and ~na1 improvement influences free
time. Single parenthood and second jobs
also influence free time.
Leisure time is directly related to income
and age. As people enter middle and se-
nior years, recreation time declines. Re-
cent ~tion suggests shifts in recre-
ation preferences between boomers, prior
generations and the X generation. All of
this could translate into shifts in how
people spel!d both their free time and lei-
sure time. Such shifts would have major
implications for recreation management.
Leisure Ethic: The leisure ethic is deeply
rooted in American culture. Leisure
spending remains strong and accounts for
a substantial portion of discretionary
spendin~. LeiSure travel and tourism 15
~ lead~ ~ploye~ in many st:a~, and
15 1I\creas1l\g 11\ relative econoDUC 1D\por-
tance in many places of the country. Indi-
viduals exercise more selectivity 11\ their
leisure decisions, as leisure retains an un-
precedented importance in the Americans'
priorities.
1995. minnesota scorp.
Trend Application: These trends suggest
a number of conclusions relevant to strat-
egies and objectives of the 1995 - 1999
SCORP.
Cl
Large changes in outdoor recreation
patterns may not occur in the short
term.
Q
Demographic and economic changes
combined with shifts in recreation
preferences could translate into ma-
Jor long term changes in some recre-
ation patterns.
With strong competition for con-
sumer free time and dollars, recre-
ation providers will need to provide
a qua1ity experie~ce that matches
consumer expectations.
Funding outdoor recreation needs
will pose difficult choices to recre-
ation providers at all levels. +
Q
Q
.1995. minnesota scarp
III. OUTDOOR RECREATION
ISSUES
.
> Many issues influence outdoor recre-
ation patterns but do not lend themselves
to development of s~ific goals and strat-
es!es. seeause theu im~act may be sig-
nificant, issue identification is important.
Five are identified here. Recreation pro-
viders may wish to develop their own spe-
cific strategies for these issues, especially
the issue of access barriers.
A. BACKGROUND ISSUES
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS!VALUES AND Loss
OF OUTDOOR SKILLS
"The clutracter of the Indian's emotions left
little room in his heart ft!r the antagonism to-
ward fellow creatures...for the lAkOta, moun-
tains, lakes, rivers, springs, valleys and woods
were all finished beauty. Winds, rains, snow,
sunshine, dIzv, night and changes of seasons
were endlessfy faSCinating. BiriIs, insects and
animals fitted the world with knowledge that
defied the comprehension of man. "
Chief Luther Standing Bear
At the time of European immigration to
Minnesota, Native American residents of
the state lived close to nature and held a
d~ respect and understanding for natu-
ral processes. Society's closeness to nature
is waning. Many- people, especially in ur-
ban areas, are urifImillar with the environ-
ment and how natural processes work.
Many lack outdoor skills that would allow
theui to fully enjoy recreational facilities
and places. Lack of lcnowledge may trans-
late mto sodally unac~table values and
activities which degrade reaeational facili-
ties through improper use, abuse, or ne-
glect.
Access factors limit the e~sure of many
people to environments and learning op- .
porturtities that could enhance their under-
standing and appreciation of the state's
natural and cultural resources. Many ur-
ban and suburban residents, especially in
.
.
.
.
the inner city, must rely on local, regional
and state parks to provide dose-to-home
opportunities to experience recreation ar-
eas. For various reasons, these opportu-
nities for exposure to settings with natu-
ral environments are either not readily
available to many residents or are 0
underused. Access to park facilities within
urban areas usually is quite good. How-
ever, many urban residents, especially 0
those in low income groups, and people
with disabilities may lack transportation
connections to parks and natural areas 0
outside of urban areas. Recreation agen-
cies are developing a broad range 01 ef-
forts to address these concerns, however,
the needs remain strong.
Minnesota has a well-developed system of
environmental education centers. Those
centers in combination with environmen-
tal education opportunities in parks and
recreation facilities offer what may be the a
finest environmental education opportu-
nities in the nation. However, these vari-
ous opportunities may need to be better
coordinated if they are to be effective in
helping the state's population better un-
derstand and appreciate resource values.
Residents of some rural areas, particularly
in the prime agricultural areas of south-
ern and western Minnesota, have limited
local natural areas for public use. Rural
residents generally have less access than
urban residents to environmentalleaming
centers and interpretive programs.
DETERIORATION OF LANDS AND WATERS
tivities are mainstays of the state's recre-
ation economies and rely heavily on a land
and water base that is environmentally
healthy. Threats to lands and waters in-
clude:
Spread of vegetative blights such as oak
wilt,
a
Exotic species crowding out desired na-
tive plants and animals,
Contamination of land and waters from
acid rain, illegal dumping, unwise
landuse practices, faulty septic systems,
fertilizer runoff, erosion, etc.
Intensive uses including land clearing,
wetland drainage, intensive cultivation,
and simply too many people seeking to
enjoy a resource of limited capacity,
Intrusive noise.(motorized uses, trains,
aircraft, freeways).
Continued deterioration of the state's
lands and waters will have a ne~~ve im-
pact on the state's fish and wi1 . e com-
munities. This impact will seriously limit
outdoor recreation opportunities if the
trend is not reversed. State and local agen-
cies will need to develop creative and co-
ordinated approaches to enforcement of
environmental standards. Cooperative
al'proaches with the private sector could
YIeld enhanced results over traditional
enforcement approaches.
Loss OF OPEN SPACE
11 Civilization has been thrust upon me . .. Opportunities for recreational use of open
and it has not added one whit to my love for space is being lost due to the following
truth, honesty and generosi~ .. . 11 factors.
Chief Luther Standing Bear
The quality of Minnesota's public and pri-
vate lands and waters are increasingly
degraded. For example, the continued
sedimentation of lakes and rivers and the
increasing toxicity of border lakes dimin-
ish potential use of these resources for
many recreation and other purposes.
Hunting, fishing and other recreation ac-
Development: Some areas with out-
door recreation potential are lost due
to inadequate long range planning by
local governments, ~r zoning deci-
sions, lack of park dedication ordi-
nances and policies that encourage ur-
ban sprawl and economic development
over resource protection. Inadequate
resource protection measures at all lev-
els of government allow damage to
1995. minnesota scorP.
sensitive resource areas that should not
have been developed or that should
have been better protected in the de-
velopment process. Use of existing rec-
reation facilities often is impaireC:i by
incompatible developments or uses of
privately owned inholdings.
Funding/Coordination: Many oppor-
tunities are lost due to inadequate
funding or coordination among public
agencies. For example, abandoned rail-
road grades, ideal for trails and parks,
return to private ownership when pub-
lic agencies lack the resources or rapid
decision making mechanisms to con-
vert them into public recreation facili-
ties. Land acquisition often becomes
prohibitively expensive in areas of
rapid urban and suburban growth.
These same areas pose increasing de-
mands for recreation space. Land that
could be acquired today, even at a high
cost, will be considerably more costly
in the future.
Posting: Fear of litigation and concerns
for vandalism and other abuses from
the public are causin$ many landown-
ers to post areas of pnvate land against
trespass and hunting.
Parcelization: Large land parcels are
subdivided into smaller land units
making public use impractical. (Many
recreation activities ~ large areas.
When a large area is needed, acquisi-
tion of many small parcels may be im-
practical and very expensive.)
COORDINATION & CONNECTIONS
Greater integration of Minnesota's outdoor
recreation system requires that recreation
managers seek opportunities to link facili-
ties, programs, and planning efforts. Some
examples of possible opportunities in-
clude:
RecreationlEducation: Outdoor recre-
ation can be the medium through
which youth and adults connect to the
land and learn to use and conserve the
natural and cultural environment.
.----
Many public recreation providers al-
ready provide excellent education ex-
periences to complement outdoor rec-
reation activities. However, additional
opportunities exist to link outdoor rec-
reation with environmental education
more consistently.
Facilities: Public agencies have made
major strides in coordinating their rec-
reation facilities - especially trail sys-
tems. For example, tne state has a very
effective process to measure the poten-
tial pubfic benefits of rail corridors
scheCiuled for abandonment. A signifi-
cant share of abandoned rail corridors
are converted to recreation trail use.
However, recreational facilities could
be linked together more effectively.
Trails can be used as parks or connect
parks while serving as transportation
corridors. Natural areas can preserve
o~ space and unique environments
while providing educational and rec-
reation\l opportunities to connect these
areas.
.
.
Programs: Recreational facilities offer
a broad range of environmental edu-
cation and recreation programs. Min-
nesota has pioneered numerous coop-
erative approaches to meeting outdoor
recreation needs. However, better co-
ordination could reduce duplication
and allow proSJ:ams to reinforce and
complement each other.
ProvidenIParticipants: Many oppor-
tunities still exist to link providers and
participants more effectively. Ex-
panded coordination and partnerships
among private and public providers
can yiela better recreationaf facilities,
enhanced service delivery to users, and
cost savings.
Funding: Funding efforts could be bet-
ter coordinated. For example, funding
comes &om federal, state, local, and
special district (e.g, IRRRB) sources
without planning for how these activi-
ties interact witJ:i one anotht:: or with-
out regard to outdoor recreation needs
and priorities.
.
ACCESS BARRIERS
.
Barriers that restrict access to recreational
facilities, programs and activities include
the following:
Facilities: Facilities and programs of-
ten are inaccessible to people with dis-
abilities. ..
Information Access: Lack of informa-
tion about facilities and programs. A
component of this is the lack of outdoor
skills essential to full enjoyment and
participation in some forms of outdoor
recreation.
.
Transportation: Inadequate transport
to recreational sites (e.g. car or public
transportation). This problem affects
urban and rural residents alike.
Affordability: Cost barriers including
user fees, facility entry fees, travel and
recreation equipment expenses.
Cultural Differences: Cultural or lin-
guistic barriers. New immigrants and
citizens with different languages or
cultures may not understand the avail-
ability of recreational opportunities.
Staff Limitations: Many recreation
staff individuals are unfamiliar with
the needs OF people with disabilities
and of the opportunities to more effec-
tively provide service for this client
group.
The attitude of providers and the public
often imposes another underlying barrier.
Attitudinal barriers create a sense that one
does not belong or is not welcome. This
intangible barrier is difficult to describe
and almost impossible to measure but is
very real to those who perceive it.
The public and private sectors will need
to establish creative approaches to ad-
dressing these barriers that go beyond
simple adjustments in facilities and pro-
grams. Linkages with advocacy groups,
such as those for people with disabilities,
can be a helpful step in the right direction.
.
.. The DNR is developing an ADA
(American's with Disabilities Act) manual to
guide recreation providers in developing rec-
reation facilities that are physically accessible.
Additional efforts will be needed at all levels to
strategize approaches to making recreation pro-
grams accessible.
1995. minnesota scorP.
B. RECREATION ISSUES
Introduction: The following six issues in-
clude the most pressing concerns that rec-
reation provicfers and decision makers
must address in the near future.
SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION
Issue Statement: Interdisciplinary, in-
tegrated, recreation planning and resource
management is needed to ensure a bal-
anced, coordinated and environmentally
sustainable approach to meeting the future
needs of Minnesotans and their visitors
for outdoor recreation.
1/ All things are connected. Whatever ~lls
the earth befalls the children of the earth. '
Attributed to Chief Seattle of
the Sugwamish and Sawamsch
people
Discussion: An integrated management
approach is e~_ to foster improved
efficiency, accountability, and service de-
livery at a time of diminishing public re-
sources. Improved resource stewardship
also is likely to result from closer integra-
tion of recreation planning with natUral
resource protection, mana~ement, land-
use and cfevelopment. An mtegrated, in-
terdisciplinary approach involves all inter-
ested, affected stakeholders (both users
and providers, public and private) over
broad geograpnic areas or landscapes.
Planning should explore a broader ~
of relevant issues than in the past, and pro-
vide an open forum for public policy (iia-
logue. A thorough socioeconomic ac-
counting of recreation-related costs and
benefits would be conducted to inform this
discussion and guide public policy devel-
opment.
The desired outcome is a "sustainable"
outdoor recreation future that satisfies rec-
reation needs without compromisinJ. the
basic character, quality or productiVIty of
the natural systems upon which outdoor
recreation depends. This approach seeks
to balance resource use and protection by . .
focusing recreation development on areas
most suitable for this use. Integrated re-
source management is the suggested meth-
odology for achieving an ecologically sus-
tainable recreation future, ancf biological
diversity, as a condition, can provide a
benchmark or measure of ecosystem
health. Together, these organizing prin-
ciples constitute a new way of doing busi-
ness; a new management approach for the
1990s and beyond. Withiri this context,
user needs and demands will change over
time. Recreation managers must respond
to those changes.
Goal: Manage and restore the long-term
health of natural resource systems such
that their recreation potential can be en-
joyed by present and future generations.
Strategy~ Employ integrated resource
management methods to promote an eco- .
logically sustainable approach to acquir-
ing, managing and developing outdoor
recreation resources.
Objective: Adopt an interdisciplinary,
multi-resource approach to recreation
resource plannmg over broad geo-
graphic areas (e.g., ecoregions, land-
scapes or watersneds).
Objective: Consider the full range of
social, economic and environmental
factors in assessing proposed recre-
ation management actions and public
policy alternatives.
Objective: Meaningfully en~age pub-
lic and private sector recreation stake-
holders in outdoor recreation planning,
public policy making, pro~am devel-
opment and funding aeclSions at all
levels of government.
Objective: Integrate recreation plan- .
ning concepts into planning for natu-
ral resource protection, management,
land-use ana development in an effort
to balance resource use and protection.
Objective: Forge strong cooperative
.
working relationships with landown-
ers, business and commercial interests,
local citizen's groups and others poten-
tially affected by planning or subse-
quent management decisions.
Strategy: Employ biodiversity measures as
one benchmark to gauge the long-term
sustainability of recreation policies, pro-
grams and management actions.
Objective: Develop practical measures
or indicators to monitor ecosystem
health.
.
Objective: Develop safe minimum stan-
dards for particular ecosystems to bet-
ter define the limits of what constitutes
"unacceptable or irreversible damage."
Objective: Develop methods of recon-
ciling human needs and demands with
the natural capacity of ecosystems to
withstand and satisfy these demands
without impairment.
Objective: Develop practical methods
of restoring damaged and degraded
natural systems.
Objective: Continue and intensify
measures to prevent the introduction
and halt the spread of exotic plant and
animal species.
Strategy: Employ measures of public rec-
reational experiences and benefits as a sec-
ond benchmark for gauging the long-term
sustainability of recreation policies, pro-
grams and management actions.
Objective: Document and present the
social, economic, environmental and
personal benefits that Minnesotan de-
rive from outdoor recreation activities
and experiences.
Objective: Use the Recreation ORP'?r-
tunity Spectrum" to monitor ana de-
fine that which constitutes unacc~t-
able or irreversible change in recreation
settings.
.
It The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
(ROS) identifies a range of settings from
primitive to urban in which different types
of recreation experiences are suited. -The
ROS is determined bv such factors as land
use and road accessibility.
Objective: Adjust management plans
and development priorities to reflect
public benefits obtained from provid-
mg environmentally sustainable out-
door recreational experiences.
Objective: Integrate recreation needs
and interests into the public discourse
and thinking similar to more tradi-
tional environmental concerns such as
air and water quality, global warming,
endangered species and pollution im-
pacts.
RECREATION ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
.
Issue Statement: "There is a need to
more clearly identify the appropriate roles
and responsibilities of public and private
sector outdoor recreatwn poviders, and
to forge stronger, more ejJective partner-
ships between providers that yield im-
T?Toved recreation programs, services and
facilities for Minnesotans and their visi-
tors. "
Discussion: With constraints on agency
budgets and growin~, changing demands
for outdoor recreation, a major role for
SCORP is to clearly identify major outdoor
recreation providers and to foster an ap-
preciation for the role each plays with re-
sPe.ct to one another and relative to the rest
of the outdoor recreation community. This
can improve efficiency, accountability, co-
ordination and service delivery. A funda-
mental objective of the SCORP planning
process is to identify key stakeholders in
the outdoor recreation community and to
sU$8e5t the con~tua1 framework needed
to unprove coordmation and communica-
tion 6etween these stakeholders.
Clearer definition of public and private
sector recreation responsibilities can spur
1995. minnesota scorp.
new alliances and help forge stronger part-
nerships among recreation providers in
pursuit of shared goals. Collaboration and
power-sharing exploits individual
strengths and helps overcome long-stand-
ing differences wlthin the recreation com-
munity. These alliances are critical to mak-
ing informed public policy choices and
difficult resource allocation decisions. Al-
liances will be essential in promoting a
strong outdoor recreation agenda at all lev-
els of government and in the private sec-
tor. Coordinated efforts will help to insure
that continued quality outdoor recre-
ational opportunities are provided to the
public.
Goal: Seek greater clarity and unity of
direction among public and private recre-
ation interests.
Strategy: Clarify outdoor recreation roles,
responsibilities and identify the mix of rec-
reation opportunities provided by the pub-
lic and private sectors.
Objective: Identify all major public
and f'rivate sector outdoor recreation
provlders; their mission, role and ~
cific responsibilities. Target overlaps
between recreation providers as oppor-
tunities for greater cooperation. Iden-
tify key client groups and their inter-
ests.
Objective: Develop and implement
agreements between public and private
sector providers to cl~ roles and
formalize cooperative efforts.
Objective: Identify recreation funding
sources (public and private) and share
that information alon$ with eligibility
requirements and limitations on fund
uses with interested stakeholders in a
convenient, comprehensive and easy-
to-use format..
Strategy: Establish a statewide outdoor
recreation forum to promote dialogue be-
tween outdoor recreation enthusiasts, pub-
lic and private sector providers, elected
officials, business and avic leaders, poten-
- - - -
tial funding providers, and other inter-
ested stakenolders.
..
Objective: Develop a shared vision
and a collective strategy for the future
of outdoor recreation in Minnesota
based on an examination of recreation
issues and emerging trends.
Objective: Explore methods of improv-
ing the delivery of outdoor recreation
programs, facilities and services.
Objective: Identify programs and geo-
graphic areas of the state where joint
pUDlic/private partnerships and coop-
erative planning would De both logi-
cal and mutually beneficial.
Objective: Support regular sharing of
recreation information among provid-
ers.
Goal: Greatly e:rpand opportunities for
public/private partnerships in addressing
recreation needs and opportunities.
.
Strategy: Assess the extent to which pri-
vate entrepreneurial investments in pub-
lic recreation areas is feasible and consis-
tent with public recreation goals and ob-
jectives.
Strategy: Aggressively seek out appropri-
ate opportunities for private entrepreneur-
ial invesbnents in pUDlic recreation areas.
Strategy: Foster wider use of partnerships
between agencies and between the public
and private sectors to enhance the deliv-
ery of recreation services and opportuni-
ties.
Strategy: Provide incentives and remove
barriers to providing public recreation
opportunities on private lands.
Stratep: Explore opportunities for greater .
privatiZation of public recreation facilities
and programs where appropriate.
Objective: Identify and target areas
where privatization shows promise.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT
.
Issue Statement: Capital investment
needs are crucial in order to allow outdoor
recreation facilities to meet the growing
needs for recreation space, especially in
rapidly growing areas.
Discussion: Minnesota has an exc~tional
outdoor recreation system inc1udmg the
full spectrum of facilities from local
through the federal level. Additional in-
vestments are needed in the following ar-
eas.
Acquisitions: Additional acquisitions
are needed to accommodate increased
outdoor recreation use, to protect key
outdoor recreation resources and
amenities, and to provide opportuni-
ties for new types of recreation activi-
ties.
.
Development: Many existing recre-
ation facilities were never completed
to their design plan, standards or use
capacity. Such facilities are not being
used efficiently or in a manner that re-
alizes their potential for meeting rec-
reation needs. Recreation facilities are
needed especially in communities that
are growing rapidly or that lack the fi-
nancial resources to develop recreation
opportunities.
Redevelopment: Many facilities are ill
equipped to meet current recreation
activity needs or use levels. In addi-
tion, many facilities are obsolete, un-
safe, inaccessible, or deteriorating of-
ten due to poor maintenance and re-
quire major renovation or replacement.
Goal: Provide a stable and reliable source
of funding for capital investment projects.
.
Strategy: Secure alternative funding
sources for land acquisition and recreation
facility development in both the public and
the private sectors.
(e.g. dedicate a share of the Environ-
me~tal Trust Fund .or a special sales or
exc~ tax on s~Orting g~ds) for capi-
tal mvestment m recreation facilities.
Objective: Maximize the impact of
dedicated funds by using them directly
rather than for retirement of bonds.
Objective: Assess how funding ap-
proaches used in other states might be
applied successfully ip Minnesota
Objective: Explore options for increas-
ing revenue generation options at the
locallev~l (e.g. dedicate a percentage
of land title transfer fees or a portion
of certain municipal utility fees) for
open space acquisition and develo~
ment/redevelopment of recreational
areas.
Objective: Encourage continued use of
~~ermodal Surface Transportation Ef-
fiCIency Act (ISTEA) funds for bicycle
and pedestrian facility development,
historic preservation, scenic erihance-
ments, and environmental preserva-
tion, protection and impact mitigation.
Strategy: Encourage all government rec-
reati~n providers to develop rational and
consIStent. p~ for setting priorities
on recreation mvestments. An example of
such an approach is the o~ selection pro-
cess used by the Outdoor Recreation Grant
Program.
Strategy: Establish better state tax incen-
tives to encourage donation of private land
to public recreation providers.
Strategy: U!8e Conps to increase fed-
eral L&tWCF funding levels and to appro-
priate a larger share of the available
UtWCF revenues to state and local park
and open space programs.
Goal: Increast land acquisition in areas
of heavy recreational demand.
Strategy: Identify critical areas of need in-
Objective: Explore legislative changes cluding rapidly Urbanizing areas and com-
1995. minnesota scorplll
munities that currently lack adequate rec-
reational facilities.
Strategy: Focus land acquisition in prior-
ity areas on critical habitat, unique natu-
ral and cultural resources, recreational riv-
ers, lakes and streams, scenic blufflands
and other high amenity areas.
Strategy: Develop stronger cooperative
working relationships with the public and
between federal, state and local agencies
and the private sector in acquiring land in
areas of heavy recreation demand.
Goal: Complete land acquisition in exist-
ing outdoor recreation SItes and facilities.
.
Strategy: Identify and acquire high prior-
ity inholdings in parks and other recre-
ation facilities crucial to the use and access
of recreation facilities.
Goal: Develop/redevelop facilities needed
to meet growing and chanrng public de-
mands JOT outtioor recreat20n.
Strategy: Identify high use recreation fa-
Strategy: Explore acquisition approaches cHities that cannot sustain current use lev-
through means other than fee title (e.g. els and redevelop those facilities.
easements, leases).
Goal: Acquire open space for future use
and/or protection from encroachment, de-
velopment or other incompatible land uses.
Strategy: Accelerate acquisition of land
with critical habitat, rare biotic communi-
ties, and endangered s~es habitat in ar-
eas threatened with land use conversion.
Objective: Continue the County Bio-
logical Survey in order to identity and
prioritize areas with critical habitat,
rare biotic communities, and endan-
gered species habitat.
Strategy: Encourage local governments in
rapidly urbanizing areas to anticipate rec-
reation needs and to set land aside for fu-
ture recreation facilities and development.
Objective: Expand use of land dedica-
tion provisions in local subdivision or-
dinances and other approaches to
banking land for future recreation use.
Strategy: Continue the practice of acquir-
ing abandoned railroad rights-of-way in
order to meet future trail recreation needs
and to link existing trail segments.
.1995. minnesota scorp
Goal: Ensure appropriate use and devel-
opment of recreational facilities.
Strategy: Develop year around, multi-use
recreation facilities that are both durable
and flexible in their use.
Strategy: Ensure that intensive recre- .
ational uses, especially uses that can seri-
ously damage natural systems and cultural
resources, occur in areas suited to use lev-
els. Redirect those uses when needed and
feasible to areas that can accommodate the
pressure they create on natural systems
and cultural resources.
Strategy: Recognize the inherent conflicts
between certain types of recreation expe-
riences and separate conflicting uses.
Objective: Develop recreation facilities
specifically for hi2h impact activities
(e.g. all terrain vehicle use, shooting
sports, bird dog trials, swimming
beaches) that tend to conflict with other
recreation activities and with adjacent
land uses.
Strategy: Ensure a balanced distribution
of opportunities for both active and pas-
sive recreation activities.
Strategy: Recognize that costs for enforce-
ment and rescue services can increase
whenever facilities are developed, espe-
.
Strategy: Focus law enforcement efforts on
Discussion: Recreation providers in this the need to assist and protect recreation
country operate in one of the most litigious visitors, facilities and resources.
1995. minnesota scorP.
.
cially where conflicting and intensive use
occurs. Often costs are not born by the fa-
cility managing agency but are passed on
to other jurisdictions.
Goal: Ensure broader access to outdoor
recreation facilities and programs.
Strategy: Maximize access to recreation
facilities by removing physical and other
barriers and by providing appropriate visi-
tor information. Strive for total compli-
ance with A.D.A.
Objective: Ensure compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act
through modification in facilities and
programs and training of recreation
staff.
Objective: Expand programs, such as
the recreational fishing pier program,
that encourage wider access to recre-
ation opportunities by people with dis-
abilities.
.
Objective: Develop linkages with
agencies and organizations that pro-
vide services to people with disabili-
ties to help recreation providers design
facilities, programs, volunteer net-
works, etc. that not only comply with
ADA but provide superior service to
this group.
Strategy: Develop cooperative approaches
among recreation providers and with
agencies and organizations that provide
services to people with disabilities to iden-
tify and expand the range of recreation
facilities that comply with ADA.
LIABILITY AND LITIGATION
.
Issue Statement: Liability and litigation
concerns seriously limit recreation oppor-
tunities and increase costs to recreation
providers and users.
environments in the world. Liability con-
cerns constrain public and private outdoor
recreation providers in Minnesota from
providing a desired level of facilities and
services. Some facilities have been re-
moved or never built and funds have been
diverted from recreational activities to liti-
gation. This may lead to an inadequate
supply of outdoor recreation opportuni-
ties, es~ially for some higher ns1< activi-
ties or for activities such as playground
facilities that have been the focus of in-
creased litigation. The result can be in-
creased recreation costs for the user and
taxpayer.
Goal: Reduce liability exposure 0/ outdoor
recreation providers by up~adzng high-
risk recreation facilities and by 4evefop-
ing and implementing improved manage-
ment techniques to reduce risk.
Strategy: Develop and disseminate infor-
mation and technical assistance to outdoor
recreation providers to help them design
safer facilities, operate and maintain facili-
ties in ways that will increase safety and
reduce liability, and encourage them to
undertake risk assessments.
Objective: Develop and broadly dis-
seminate information (including fed-
eral Consumer Product Safety Guide-
lines) on safe playground and trail de-
sign and maintenance.
Objective: Establish a clearing house
to develop and distribute risk assess-
ment information and assistance.
Objective: Encourage cities to take
advantage of risk management infor-
mation and services provided by the
League of Minnesota Cities.
Objective: Develop and disseminate
model operations and maintenance
plan guiaelines and information for
local governments.
Strategy: Provide state funding to encour-
age local governments and school districts
to upgrade the safety and accessibility of
playgrounds and trails.
Objective: Explore funding opportu-
nities for matching grants to local gov-
ernments and school districts to en-
courage them to upgrade the safety
and accessibility of playgrounds and
trails.
Goal: Reduce liability exposure of public
and private recreation providers by
amending current state tort legislation.
Strategy: Develop a coalition of public and
private recreation providers to recommend
changes in state laws related to tort liabil-
ity.
Objective: Support legislation (e.~.
"Recreational Responsibility Act)
which recognizes that a recreation par-
ticipant assumes certain risks inherent
in recreational activities, including
those offered by private providers.
Objective: Support passage of legisla-
tion requiring the plaintiff to pay
defender's court costs when legal ac-
tion is ruled to be'frivolous, unfounded
or without merit.
Objective: Support legislation to
amend Minn. Stat. Sections 466.03 and
3.736 (which deals with tort liability of
the state) to remove or chan~ provi-
sions that increase the liability exp0-
sure of state recreation providers.
1111995. mInnesota scorp
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
.
Issue Statement: Funding constraints
are impairing the maintenance of many
outdoor recreation facilities. Facility de-
terioration poses liability risks and dimin-
ishes the value of facilities for public rec-
reation use and the quality of the recre-
ation experience.
Discussion: Minnesota recreation facilities
are deteriorating because of heavy use,
vandalism, age and inadequate mainte-
nance. This applies to all types of facili-
ties from the primitive to the urban and
across facilities managed by federal, state,
local and private organizations.
Maintenance and operations funding far
the state's outdoor recreation system has
remained relatively constant during the
19805, despite inflation, increased operat-
ing expenses, an expanded facilities base,
and pawing visitor use. As a result, visi-
tor safety and satisfaction are being jeop-
ardized, and public services have been re-
duced.
.
Local governments experience similar cuts
in budgets and state aid. Parks o~ration
and maintenance often is considered a low
priority compared to other local govern-
ment services. State assistance for opera-
tions and maintenance for the Twin Cities
~onal parks and trails sfstem and other
loCal park grant programs have decreased
in recent years.
Private recreation providers experience
similar difficulties in meeting the public's
demands for service. Aging facilIties, in-
creased operatinl expenses, increased de-
mand ana liability ~ also impact
the private recreation industry. The finan-
dal environment under whiCh these pro-
viders operate needs to change. Opportu-
nities must be developed to help nurture
existing recreation-oriented businesses
while also encouraging expansions and
new development.
The importance of adequate operation and
maintenance funding must be recognized
.
. and the current funding trend needs to be Objective: Encourage local govern-
reversed. Operation and maintenance ments to develop land management
must become a priority in order to protect efforts (local tree ~reservation, land-
Minnesota's investment in recreation re- scape planning, ur an forest manage-
sources. ment, shore land management pro-
grams and water resource manage-
Goal: Strengthen the focus on long-range ment planning) that will enhance the
planninJ for the maintenance, rehabilita- natural environment of areas not in
tion an redevelopment of existing recre- designated recreation facilities.
ational facilities.
Goal: Provide the staff, training and
Strategy: Develop I update comprehensive equipment needed to operate outdoor rec-
facility and roundS management stan- reation facilities and programs at appro-
dards and sc edules at all levels of gov- priate levels of public service.
ernment.
Objective: Develop operation and Strategy: Encourage development of pro-
fessional standards for recreation mainte-
maintenance standards for recreation nance and technician positions.
systems that include missions, goals,
and policies. Include in those stan- Objective: Encourage professional or-
dards long-range rehabilitation and ganizations to take a more active role
replacement plans and funding alter- in developing an.d promoting training
natives for parks and support facilities. for park maintenance leaders and em-
(The National Recreation and Parks ployees. ·
. Association publication "Park Mainte-
nance Standards" provides useful guid- Objective: Encourage educational in-
ance to developing such plans.) stitutions to include an operations and
Objective: Establish guidelines for the maintenance component in park and
recreation administration curricula.
maintenance of recreation and support
facilities. Objective: Expand in-service training
Objective: Encoura~cboviders to de- an continuing education opportuni-
ties for professional recreation and
velop inventories w' include recre- natural resource managers and field
ation and support facilities, their con- personnel.
dition ratings, use levels and mainte-
nance history to help develop more Strategy: Explore creative methods of per-
sop~ticated a~pro~Ches to long-range forming operations and maintenance re-
mamtenance p annmg. sponsiDilities.
Strategy: Minimize facility maintenance obkective: Make wider use of seasonal
costs by design.i!\g and co~tructin~ ~~w- sta and contract maintenance, where
maintenance and vandal re5lStant faCilities. feasible.
Objective: Establish guidelines for en- Objective: Encourage providers to in-
ergy efficient and low maintenance vestigate and use the varied public
materials and designs . work programs and volunteer net-
works to meet some staffing needs, e.g
. Strategy: Encourage management initia- Sentence to Serve pro~am, County
tives and actions that enhance and protect Restitution Programs, win City Tree
natural resources in areas outside of des- Trust Program, etc.
ignated facilities where outdoor recreation
activities occur.
1995. minnesota scorP.
Strategy: Develop opportunities to net-
work operations ~d maintenance ~trate-
gies and information between providers.
Objective: Encourage networkin~ be-
tween public agencies and/or pnvate
providers to sb~re i?eas, purchase
equipment, share eqwpment, etc.
Objective: Explore development of
public / private partnerships to develop
operations and maintenance strategies.
Strategy: Evaluate and quantify the need
for expanded law enforcement services in
response to expanded outdoor recreation
activities.
Goal: Provide a reliable and steady source
of funding to maintain and rehabilitate
recreation facilities.
Strategy: Assess a broad range of funding
options to support sta!~ ~d local. park
maintenance and rehabtlitation. This can
include dedication of a portion of munici-
pal utility bills, increased users fees, use
of the interest from park dedication funds,
and other options.
Strategy: Encourage recreation providers
to dedicate a specific portion of operating
budgets to future rehabilitation of existing
facilities.
Strategy: Encourage providers to dedicate
operations and maintenance funds by in-
cluding priority ranking criteria in the
Open Project Selection Process for L&WCF
funding.
Strategy: Encourage legislative support for
a secure and stable source of furiding for
recreation facilities and programs.
RECREATION 'NFORMATlON AND RESEARCH
.
Issue Statement: Lack of up to date in-
formation hampers the ability of recreation
1?roviders to establish effective priorities on
facility and program ilevelopment.
Discussion: Recreation providers need
better information to develop recreation
programs and services prionties. Better
information is needed on the following
concerns:
User Activity Data: Recreation pat-
terns, recreation activity rates, recre-
ation destinations, expenditures, newly
emergin~ or fast-growing activities (in-
line sKating, jet Skies, etc.) all modify
demand for recreation facilities and
space.
Emerging Outdoor Recreation Issues:
Rapidly Changing environmental, so-
cial, economic and other patterns
(single pat:ent families, untraditional
work schedules, population aging, cul-
tural diversity, etc.) create new de-
mands or modify demands on existing
facilities.
Socioeconomic Benefits: Outdoor rec-
reation benefits many local economies
and produces numerous social and
personal benefits. A state-wide model
to document the personal, social and
economic impacts of outdoor recre-
ation services would clarify these ben-
efits.
.
Program Effectiveness: Programs,
sum as the snowmobile ~ant-in-aid
system, that have been effective in
meeting recreation needs and issues
should be assessed so tha t their
stren~ can be applied to other rec-
reational programs.
Facility Inventories: Recreation facH- .
ity inventories are incomplete and out
of date. Better information is needed
linldn~ forecasts on recreation aclivi-
tiesWlth facility needs.
.
Alternative Management Ap-
proaches: Recreation managers need to
network with each other to share ex-
periences and information on new
techniques for improved management
of recreation facilities, programs or ac-
tivities.
Goal: Develop a comprehensive inventory
of public and private outdoor recreation
facilities.
Strategy: Determine the types of informa-
tion the public and recreation providers
use from recreation inventories.
.
Objective: Establish criteria that define
the types of information needed for
different recreation facilities; clarify
what level of facilities should be sur-
veyed.
Objective: Explore patterns on how
people use outdoor recreation facilities
In combination with indoor recreation
and amusement facilities, such as the-
aters, casinos, etc.
Strategy: Assess the quality and currency
of outdoor recreation facilities information
in various recreation inventories
(RECFAC, Minnesota Office of Tourism
and others).
Objective: Inventory the quality (com-
pleteness, date, etc) of data on outdoor
recreation facilities.
Objective: Prioritize data update
needs; define and clarify the role of
data providers.
Strategy: Update and collect data in facil-
ity inventories to meet facility information
needs.
.
Objective: Establish an automated out-
door recreation facilities data base and
Geographic Information System using
existing information (PRIM maps se-
ries) from various recreation providers
(Office of Tourism, DNR, MnDOT, etc.)
Make that system accessible to recre-
ation managers and the people using
recreation facilities.
Objective: Develop a funding and
management plan for keeping the fa-
cility data base information current and
accurate.
Strategy: Use computer networking sys-
tems to link recreation providers in order
to enhance access to recreation facili~ and
program data and to foster cooperation in
recreation planning and management.
Strategy: Establish a central clearing house
for recreation information, reports and
plans from the private and public sectors
In Minnesota.
Goal: Document the social, economic,
environmental and personal benefits that
Minnesotans (and tourists) denve from
outdoor recreation activities and experi-
ences.
.
Strategy: Clarify the benefits of outdoor
recreation on personal, social, cultural and
economic interests at the state and local
level.
Objective: Measure the economic ben-
efits of recreation expenditures at the
state and local level. Include travel and
non-travel related expenditures.
Objective: Identify and measure the
~rsona1, social, and cultural benefits
of outdoor recreation at the local level
especially in urban areas by urban resi-
dents.
Objective: Identify cultural differences
in outdoor recreation preferences by
different groups (racial, cultural, etc.)
Objective: Measure the impact of out-
of -state tourism on the supply of and
demand for Minnesota's private and
public recreation facUities and pro-
grams.
Objective: Explore how people with
disabilities and the aging benefit from
1995. minnesota scorP.
using outdoor recreation facilities and
assess how to meet their needs and in-
terests.
Strategy: Where data are unavailable, ap-
ply recreation models to describe how out-
door recreation activities benefit social,
cultural, environmental and economic in-
terests.
Objective: Identify and assess existing
models that measure outdoor recre-
ation benefits.
Objective: develop a specific model
application to assess benefits of out-
door recreation on urban youth, espe-
cially in inner city locations where rec-
reation opportunities are limited.
Goal: Periodically colllet comprehensive
data on outdoor recreation actzvities.
.
Goal: Broadly share information among
recreation providers on the recreation pro-
grams, maintenance standards, rehabili-
tation standards, etc.
Strategy: Determine the types of informa-
tion recreation providers need on program
effectiveness, successful maintenance and
rehabilitation standards, etc.
Strategy: Suggest guidelines for types of
facilities and area needed to proviae out-
door recreation activities for a community
or population.
Objective: Identify guidelines or stan-
dards that define appropriate level of
facilities and area for recreation activi-
ties given the population size and de-
mographics of a community, county or
region.
Strategy: Explore opportunities for ex-
Strategy: Identify recreation activity data chang!ng lnformation between recreation .
needed by recreation providers to under- providers.
stand and meet recreation demands.
Strategy: Develop a trend seanning pro-
cess (Delphi, Nominal Group, etc.) to iden-
tify new developments in outdoor recre-
ation and to identify non-recreation trends
that will impact recreation patterns.
Strategy: Initiate a broadly-seoped pro-
gram to coordinate and collect outdoor
recreation activity data on a regular basis.
Objective: Coordinate data gathering
efforts of various recreation providers
in order to maximize data availability
and minimize data collection costs.
Objective: Establish some form of
regular dialogue between recreation
researches and recreation providers in
the public and private sectors in order
to insure wide support for efforts to
collect outdoor recreation activity data.
"1995. minnesota scor'D
Objective: Expand on existing efforts
to more broadly share information
among a wide range of recreation pro-
viders, researchers, etc.
Objective: Communicate recreation
needs and priorities broadly to local
decision makers and planners through
cooperation with organizations, such
as the Association of Minnesota Coun-
ties, the Minnesota Recreation and
Parks Association and the League of
Minnesota Cities. +
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1 995
. minnesota scorP.
ApPENDIX
A. PUBLIC RECREATION
FUNDING
FUNDING PUBLIC RECREATION
DEVELOPMENT
> During the past three decades federal
and state fundmg for outdoor recreation
has had a major impact on state and local
government's ability to provide outdoor
recreation opportunities. Federal and state
funds suppfemented local funding re-
sources and enabled local governments to
undertake projects that might not other-
wise be pursued. The state has been able
to expand its role as a recreation provider
by adding substantially to the number and
types of faci~ities available for public out-
door recreation.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund:
One of the most important funding sources
throughout this period has been the fed-
eral Land and Water Conservation Fund
(L&WCF). L&WCF, created in 1965, pro-
vides matching funds for state and local
governmentacqu~ition,developtnentand
renovation of outdoor recreation areas and
facilities. Since 1965, Minnesota has re-
ceived over $57 Inillion in L&tWCF funds.
This has been tnatched by over $110 mil-
lion in state and local government funds.
this program has helped fund a wide va-
riety of facilities, ranging from state parks
to local playgrounds.
During the past decade, L&tWCF funding
to states decreased drcunatically. From a
high of almost $6.5 million in 1979,
Minnesota's annual allocation dropped to
less than $500,000 in 1993. In recent years,
less than $.06 of L&tWCF funding haS been
available for each dollar requested. De-
spite decreasing apportionments, the
L&WCF remains the major source of fund-
ing assistance for many local park and rec-
reation providers.
_1nn/:
;-..~~",,,
..
I: ,.
... .. ...
About one half of L&WCF dollars have
been used for land acquisition and the re-
mainder for facility development. Over
93,500 acres of outdoor recreation lands
have been acquired with L&tWCF dollars
in Minnesota. L&tWCF funds helped de-
velop 64 State Parks, 6 Waysides, 5 State
Traifs, 13 Public Water Accesses, 4 Wild
and Scenic Rivers, 32 State Forest Camp-
grounds, 6 Scientific and Natural Areas,
and 11 Wildlife Management Areas. In
addition, the L&t",'CF program assisted
hundreds of local ~)utdoor recreation
projects throughout the state.
The Minnesota Legislature: The legisla-
ture provides funding for outdoor recre-
ation facilities and programs in several
fortns. The state has created a number of
specific special accounts or funds that can
be used for projects that benefit outdoor
recreation. Revenues to these funds come
primarily.from user fees, special taxes, li-
cense fees, donations and the state lottery.
The Legislative Commission on Minnesota
~o~ces (~CMR), a joint legislative com-
mISSIon which makes recommendations to
the legislature for funding a variety of
natural resource related projects, has also
been a major factor in developing outdoor
recreation resources in Minnesota. Be-
tween 1963 and 1993 the LCMR recom-
tnended over $150 Inillion for outdoor rec-
reation projects. This represents altnost
one-half of all LCMR recommendations
during that period. Some of this was used
as tnatching funds for L&WCF projects. In
addition, the state general fund and the
state .capi~ 1?onding program continue to
proVIde millions of dollars for recreation
facilities and programs.
~aritable Gambling: Minnesota has a
WIde range of public service organizations
such as the lions Clubs, etc. that raise
charitable gambling funds and donate
funding, la6or, equipment, land or other
assets to benefit outCioor recreation. The
impact of these donations occur statewide.
User ~roups: Reaeation user groups; such
as trail users, snowtnobilers, hunters and
anglers; also tnake considerable contribu-
tions to outdoor recreation. Their dona-
.
.
.
.
tions to the DNR alone have been signifi-
cant and have greatly enhanced recreation
opportunities in Minnesota. In addition
to donations of money and time, these
groups also contribute through user fees,
license fees, fuel taxes, etc. which support
several of the special accounts or hinds
mentioned earlier.
.
Intermodal Surface Transportation Effi-
ciency Act (ISTEA): This program, which
is administered by MnOOT, incorporates
federal highway assistance to the states. It
includes several new initiatives which pro-
vide funding for non-traditional transpor-
tation projects, such as trails and scenic
waysides. It is expected that Minnesota
will receive at least several million dollars
each year for use in such projects, some of
which can be passed on to other state agen-
cies or local governments for s?ecific
projects. ISTEA may provide an unpor-
tant source of funds for trails, in particu-
lar, through the remainder of this decade.
Other Federal Funding Sources: Several
sources of federal funding assistance, par-
ticularly those related to acquisition and
development of fish and wildlife habitat,
have played a key role in providing an
outdoor recreation resource base for Min-
nesota. Federal facilities, such as national
forests, national parks and monuments,
and national wildlife refuges, have also
added greatly to the outdoor recreation
opportunities of the state. Urban Park and
Recreation Recovery (UPARR) grants have
helped to renovate several parks in major
urban areas.
Local Government Funding Sources: L0-
cal governments employ a wide variety of
mechanisms to fund outdoor recreation
area acquisition and development includ-
ing taxes, bonding, dedication fees applied
to land development, special fundS, user
fees, and donations. In addition, many
local governments have received grants
and other financial assistance through state
and federal funding programs.
. Summary: Combining all these sources of
funding, it is clear that there has been a
tremendous investment in outdoor recre-
ation resources in Minnesota. It is also
apparent, however, that getting a handle
on funding needs and coordinating this
investment is not easy because of the mul-
titude of players, overlapping purposes,
and competing interests. This comprehen-
sive recreation plan will provide priorities
to better guide decisions on these invest-
ments. It is evident that this huge histori-
cal investment, while providing a substan-
tial outdoor recreation resource base, has
not yet met all of the needs and will also
require continued funding for mainte-
nance and upgrading. +
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.
1995. minnesota scorplll
~ 'Will 5th time be the charm?
. " "::Another Lake Waconia Regional Park proposal revealed
. . ., La~__ Bane existinl 10 ICI'e part and beach, the park maintelWlCe, which would be
. '. . After years of aboned attempts, SpIDIIaUS farm to the nortbeast. which paid tbrouJb user fees, stale gnnts
. . Lab WacODia may become a region- is also owned by the county, and the and tax levy. The cOst is estimated at
'.il ~ site. For 20 years, county of- Lakeside Ballroom, between the two. $150,000.
'. ~ have been dancing around the Other land also is included to reacb PIlticipants will be encotJrll8ed to
.' ;... "of developing a regional parton the 104 acres. comment on the proposal, as weD as
. .' . tAke Waconia. The MetropolitaD All of ~ earlier plans talked about items not in it, such as a regional trail
~. . CouDciJ policy adopted in 1974 pro- 200 or more ICI'eS. the amount usual- corridor an.d the future of Coney II-
. ;.-.; '" poNd a tegional park on the lake, Iy required by the Metropolitan Coun- land.
. .~. . Wbic:h is the third largest lake in the cil, for a regional part. but this one is Far more information, contact Mike
.....lDeIropolitanregion. proposed'tobeaboutl04acminsize. Liddicoat at 361-1000, or ROler
. .~. ....~. Atlempts have been made to iden- At that size, it would have 2,700 feet Gustafson at 361-1010.
, dfy asite since 197~. The last attempt of shoreline, with facilities for swim- AlthouJb Liddicoat thinks this pro.
· . WII ill 1990. Now the subject is back mini, boating (includinglaUncb) aad posaI may ,et Carver County Board
aDd a public information "open fisbin,. Interior park uses would be of Commissioners approval, approv-
. bouse" wiD be held OD Tuesday, Dec. picnicking, playground. some biking aI is not certain. Previously, plans
13. in the Waconia Bayview Middle and cross-country skiing. and limited were proposed and scuttled in 19",
Sebool cafeteria. The hours are ~ to primitive camping. 1m. 1985 and 1990.
7:30 p.m. Bayview is located at 24 S. Two important elements of this and
Waut SL earlier plans are a rerouting of both
The public is invited to come to the County Road 30, which now circles
cafeteria any time during those hours the lake, and Hwy. 5, whicb is expect-
'. aDd review the materials and maps ed to be straightened at this poinL .... d V1--. Go Co
_;". 'Ibat will be on band. VISitors are then The estimated costs (in 1993 001- n - If UfM
iDvited to l!1ake informal comments Jars) are $2.75 million for acquisition,
. OD the proposal. $ 1 million for development, and 56.2
. This time, an advisory body with million for road alignments. Funds
. . lWly past opponents has come up will come from several sources - for
, .... .With a proposal that Michael Liddi- the most part not the county - for
. coat, parks director, thinks has a bet- these costs. The county, however, wiD
.. cblnce of approval than any of the 'be responsible for most of the annual .
'. put pllDs.
The site bein, proposed is one set-
tled on in earlier attempts. It is the
toutheastem edge of Lake Waconia,
between the city on the west and Is-
lad View Golf Oub to the DortbeasL
..';. It encompasses the county a1ready-
~.
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. .....:.
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i
. i
"... Ie the .... of a new propoaact rwglonal park on Laka Waconla.
Mark Your (
"The 1
Christl
Pageant.
nunclay, Dece
" Friday, DICeI
7:00 p._
Sb.kopee as. All
For l1ckets Call.
445-279~
445-11; .
~
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November 30, 1994
Mr. Todd Hoffman
City of Chanhassen
690 Coulter Drive
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Dear Mr. Hoffman:
C ITV OF
CHAHHASSEH
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O, BOX 147. C,HANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900 . FAX (612) 937-5739
As you know, the Vision 2002 Community Survey has been completed and the preliminary
results have been reviewed by the City Council
So that you may have a complete record of your involvement with the Vision 2002 Ad Hoc
Conunittee, I enclose a copy of the Community Survey. It was in large part, I believe, due to
your good counsel that the newsletter and the proposals therein were so strongly endorsed by
the public.
Now that the process has been completed, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you
for your diligent participation in the formulation of plans for downtown Chanhassen.
Hopefully, it was as rewarding for you as your involvement in the process was for me.
Sincerely,
~/
'-
Fred L. Hoisington, AlCP
Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc.
FLHlgmb
.
December 1, 1994
Mr. Todd Hoffman
Parks and Recreation City of Chanhassen
690 Coltier Drive
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Mr. Todd Hoffman:
This letter addresses the problem Value Recreation experienced
with the two Jet Slides at Pheasant Hills Park.
At this time, the slides are in use and being used safely. .
The problem we had was that the slides, if installed according
to directions, would hold a small amount of water at the base.
As we discussed, the best way to solve this problem is to
replace the slides at no charge with new slides which are
being redesigned for 1995 and will be called Lightning Slides.
I was told these slides will be ready for a spring delivery.
I will keep you updated on their progress and order them at
your request.
Thank you for your consideration,
71l~1(~
Mike Korth
MK/jo
.
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.
BYLA WS
CHANHASSEN SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD
PURPOSE
The Senior Advisory Board will serve in an advisory capacity, making recommendations to the
Senior Coordinator and Park and Recreation Department on matters relating to social/recreation
programs and related services designed for residents of the community, ages 55 and older. The
Board will also help with the development, promotion and implementation of the programs and
activities taking place at the Chanhassen Senior Center.
OFFICERSIBOARD
1. The Board shall consist of at least seven, but not more than nine members. The senior center
coordinator serves on the board as the liaison to the City, and therefore does not have a vote,
but all other members of the board, including non-seniors, are voting members.
2. A board member serves on the board for two years. Officers within the Board are voted on
each year at the first meeting in January. This includes President, Vice-President, Secretary
and Treasurer. Officers serve a one-year term with the exception of the president, who
automatically serves two, with the second year being served as past-president.
3.
Board members may serve for two consecutive terms (four years), but may not serve another
term until a one year break has occurred. At that time they may be re-elected. Nominations
will take place in September and approval of all board members is required prior to
December 31.
DUTIES
1. President:
A. Presides at the monthly meetings of the Advisory Board, which includes facilitating
the meetings, calling them to order, following the agenda, facilitating any time
restrictions, and in general, keeping the meetings in order.
B. Appoints the chairpersons of the various committees.
2. Vice-President:
Presides at the Advisory Board meetings in the temporary absence of the President. Also will
perform other duties as assigned by the President.
1
Senior Bylaws
Page 2
.
3. Secretary:
Keeps accurate minutes of all meetings of the Advisory Board and submit to the Senior
Coordinator. Also serves as historian for the Senior Center.
4. Treasurer:
Responsible for disbursement of any delegated funds to include arts and crafts and bingo.
MEETINGS
1. The Senior Advisory Board will meet once a month at a time specified by the Board
members. Senior Advisory Board meetings are to be held prior to Senior Commission
meetings each month.
2. Prior to the monthly meeting; an agenda, copy of the minutes, and any other relevant
materials to be discussed will be distributed to all Board members.
3.
A quorum will be constituted by a majority (more than one-half present) of the Board
members. On any matters which require a vote, a quorum must be present
.
BYLAWS
All new bylaws or bylaw changes may be proposed by an Advisory Board member in the
form of a motion. Motions must be voted on, and a majority vote is required to adopt or
change the bylaws.
COMMfITEE DESCRlPTIONSIRESPONSffiILITIES
All Board members are expected to serve on one of the committees. The committees are as
follows:
Publicity/Promotion
Volunteers
Trips
Senior Outreach
Saturday Night Specials
Welcoming
Revised: December 7, 1994
.
2
..1111 Decision
1111 Resources Ud.
.
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
RESIDENTIAL SURVEY
OF OPINIONS
.
.
.
A Survey of the Attitudes
and Opinions of Residents
about the Vision 2002 Process
Prepared by:
Dr. Bill Morris
November, 1994
.
3128 Dean Coun . \1inneapolis. Minnesota 55416 · (612) g2D-0337 · Fax (612) 929-6166
.'
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS AND ANALYSIS
.
.
.
SURVEY PINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
City of Cb."~a...n Vi.ion 2002 Proc...
Methodoloav:
This study contains the results of a telephone survey of 301
randomly selected residents of the City of Chanhassen. Survey
responses across the community were gathered by professional
interviewers between October 19 and 25, 1994. The average inter-
view took sixteen minutes. In general, random samples such as
this yield results projectable to their respective universe
within = 5.5 percent in 95 out of 100 cases.
Interviews were conducted by Decision Resources, Ltd.,
trained personnel from telephone banks in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Interviews were edited and coded at the company's headquarters in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Statistical analysis and cross-tabula-
tions were produced by the company's direct job entry access
facility to the University of Minnesota VAX Computer System and
the firm's MENTOR statistical analysis pacKage.
. Residential Demoqraohics:
Chanhassen was found to be a young, "gold collar" community.
The median age of adult Chanhassen residents was found to be 40.1
years old. Thirty-two percent posted ages between 18 and 34
years old; thirty-five percent, above 44 years old. Education
levels were exceptionally high. Fifty-nine percent of the sample
reported graduating from college or taking post-graduate work.
Twenty-four percent had post-secondary educational experience,
albeit less than college graduation. A small seventeen percent
reported high school graduation or less. Fifty-two percent of
the households in the community contained children. Ninety-three
percent rented their current residences. Women outnumbered men
by two percent in the sample.
For further analysis, residents were categorized by their
home precincts. Thirty-eight percent reported living in pre-
cincts 1 or 2; thirty-one percent, in precincts 3 or 4; and,
thirty-one percent resided in precincts 5 or 6.
.
1
Familiaritv with the Vision 2002 Process:
.
Clearly, both the City and the media have done an outstand-
ing job of keeping residents informed of the Vision 2002 process.
Fifty percent rated their knowledge of the overall process as
"very familiar" or "somewhat familiar." Twenty-five percent
reported they were "not too familiar," and twenty-six percent saw
themselves as "not at all familiar"
The "Vision 2002 Newsletter" had a very high impact on
residents. Sixty-three percent of the sample remembered receiv-
ing a copy of the publication, while only twenty-one percent were
certain they had not received a copy. The remainder were unsure.
College graduates and those familiar with the Vision 2002 process
were most apt to report receiving a copy of the publication; non-
college graduates were less likely to have seen the newsletter.
In comparison with suburban norms on the recognition of special
mailings such as this one, the newsletter posted an impact rate
almost twice as high as the average.
Forty-five percent reported they were either "very familiar"
or "somewhat familiar" with the Vision 2002 ideas suggested for
the development of the Downtown Area. Twenty-six percent were
"not too familiar," while twenty-eight percent were "not at all
familiar." Residents of Precincts 3 & 4 posted even higher
levels of familiarity, while residents of Precincts 1 & 2 posted
much lower ones. It was noteworthy that information levels about .
s~ecific proposals did not decline appreciably from the general
's'..;areness level. The City has done a good job in acquainting
:esidents with the substance of the specific Vision 2002 propo-
sals.
Activities Center:
Sixty-three percent reported they supported in concept the
construction of an activities center just west of Downtown on a
new Highway 5 frontage road. Twenty-nine percent, in fact,
strongly supported this facility. Opposition was twenty-one
percent, about evenly split between intense and non-intense
disfavor. Sixteen percent were unsure of their opinion of the
proposed activities center at this point in time. 18-34 year
olds, households containing children, and residents of Precincts
3 & 4 were most apt to be supportive, while residents of Pre-
cincts 5 & 6 were more likely to be opposed.
While thirty-eight percent would prefer to see the activi-
ties center built in the next two years, particularly households
containing children, thirty-six percent favored a five year time
line. Thirteen percent were opposed in general to the project,
especially empty-nesters, while the same number were unsure about
a time frame. The average resident, then, would like to see an .
activities center operational within the next three years. .
2
.
.
.
Among the seven projects, the activities center posted the
fifth highest level of general support.
City Commons:
A City Commons, consisting of City Hall, a library, and a
senior center, surrounded by a park and completed without an
increase in property taxes received widespread support. Seventy-
five percent favored the City Commons, with thirty-five percent
"strongly in favor." Only nineteen percent were opposed to this
project. Residents of Precincts 3 & 4 were especially suppor-
tive.
This proposal received the highest level of general support
among the seven contained in the survey questionnaire.
Enhancement of Downtown Entries:
Better identification of the entries to Downtown, drawing
their theme from the natural environment, including some signage
elements, and not requiring a property tax increase also posted
solid support. Seventy-two percent favored this proposal; thir-
ty-nine percent, strongly so. Twenty-three percent opposed it.
Residents of Precincts 3 & 4 were, again, t~e group expressing
the highest level of favorability.
In terms of support levels, this project tied for second
place.
Comoact, Pedestrian-Friendly Citv Center:
Seventy-two percent favored the concept of a compact City
Center which was pedestrian friendly and created a better balance
between pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Support split evenly
between those "strongly in favor" and those just "in favor."
Seventeen percent were opposed to this approach for the City
Center, especially empty-nesters and residents of Precincts 5 &
6.
A compact, pedestrian-friendly city center tied for second
place on the list of seven projects.
Creation of an Historical District:
The creation of an historical district in the vicinity of
Saint Hubert's Church and the Old Village Hall and which would
not require a property tax increase also posted high levels of
support. Thirty percent "strongly favored" the district, while
thirty-eight percent "favored" it. Fifteen percent were "op-
posed" and ten percent were "strongly opposed." College gradu-
3
ates tended to be the most in favor of this proposal.
The historical district ranked fourth out of the seven
projects.
.
A Teen Center in Downtown Chanhassen:
When asked about the construction of a teen center in Down-
town Chanhassen, sixty-two percent rated it as "very important"
or "somewhat important." Thirty-seven percent, however, viewed
this facility as "not too important" or "not at all important."
A majority, however, supported the construction and opera-
tion of a teen center even if public funds would be required for
the project. Fifty-one percent reported they "favored" the teen
centeri twenty-three percent, "strongly favored" it. But, forty-
three percent "opposed" it, with eighteen percent posting "strong
opposition."
While support for the concept of the teen center was high,
the use of public funds had a noticeably chilling effect. Even
so, the proposal ranked sixth out of the seven projects examined
on the survey questionnaire.
Retention of the Downtown Post Office:
I
.
Eighty percent of the sample indicated they supported keep-
ing the Post Office in Downtown Chanhasseni only ten percent
posted opposition.
However, support declined if public funds were required in
order to retain the Post Office in its present location. In that
case, forty-five percent supported this initiative, especially
residents of Precincts 1 & 2, while thirty-four percent opposed
these efforts, particularly college graduates and residents of
Precincts 5 & 6. Another thirty-four percent were unsure about
their feelings if a City funding role were necessary.
This project, if it required the use of public funds, ranked
at the bottom of the list.
.
Proiect Priorities:
Residents were asked to indicate their top three choices
among the seven projects discussed in the survey questionnaire.
The most intense "first choice" support was posted for an activi-
ties center, at twenty-eight percent, and a city commons, at
twenty percent. Households containing children were the most
adamant about the activities center, while those most familiar
with the Vision 2002 process placed a higher priority on the city
commons. These two choices were similarly the most frequently
.
4
.
.
.
chosen among the top three selections: the former, by fifty-
seven percent; the latter, by fifty percent.
Retention of the Downtown Post Office ranked next highest,
selected by thirty-five percent; it received the most choices
from non-college graduates. Enhancement of the Downtown entries
rated fourth, by thirty-three percent. A compact city center
and a teen center followed next, each chosen by thirty percent.
The former was especially popular with 35-44 year olds and col-
lege graduates; the latter, with non-college graduates and house-
holds containing children. The creation of an historical dis-
trict was last, chosen by twenty-one percent.
Summary and Conclusions:
The City has done an admirable job in ensuring the familiar-
ity of the citizenry with the Vision 2002 process. Both in
general terms and also specific knowledge about Downtown Chanhas-
sen development proposals, community residents posted very high
information levels. The impact of the "Vision 2002 Newsletter"
was particularly effective.
While residents were generally sensitive to the property tax
implications of the Vision 2002 proposals, a solid consensus
formed around the need to proceed apace wi~ two projects. A
Downtown Activities Center evidenced majority support and was
actually the first priority of over one-quarter of the sample.
In addition, the City Commons was favored by fifty percent and
especially popular with twenty percent of the sample. If an
incremental approach is to be taken in achieving the envisioned
design of Downtown Chanhassen, these two projects should be the
first ones undertaken.
But, the general agreement of residents with most of the
Vision 2002 proposal was striking. The planning process has
clearly captured the image of the future community in the minds
of most residents.
5
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Decision Resources, Ltd.
3128 Dean'Court
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55416
CHANHASSEN RESIDENTIAL SURVEY
VISION 2002 PROCESS
October, 1994
.'
As you m3Y know, the City of Chanhassen has recently completed a
planning process called "Vision 2002." It established a communi-
ty vision and guidelines for Downtown development based upon
citizen attitudes and opinions. It includes concepts for various
improvementR, such as City Hall, library, senior center, activi-
ties center: retail and entertainment.
1. How familiar are you with the
Vision 2002 process -- very
familiar, somewhat familiar, not
too familiar, or not at all
familiar?
2. Did you receive a copy of the
Vision 2002 Newsletter?
3. How familiar are you with the
Vision 2002 ideas-suggested for
the development of the Downtown
Area - ,. very familiar, somewhat
familiar, not too familiar, or
not at all familiar?
VERY FAMILIAR........ ..6%
SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR.....44%
NOT TOO FAMILIAR......25%
NOT AT ALL FAMILIAR. ..26%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED. ... .0%
YES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 %
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 %
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED....16%
VERY FAMILIAR..........5%
SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR. ....40%
NOT TOO FAMILIAR... ...26%
NOT AT ALL FAMILIAR. . .28%
.
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED.... .1%
.
ROTATE CONCEPTS
=================================================================
=~=~~~==================;========================================
The Vision 2002 process suggests that a activities center be
built just west of Downtown on a new Highway 5 frontage road.
While it is premature to suggest what might be included in such a
center, it would likely have recreational facilities to satisfy
all residents' needs and complement the more limited facilities
being built at the new elementary school.
4. wc;:;,.,ld you favor or oppose the
construction of an activities
center of this type? (WAIT FOR
-RESPONSE) Do you feel strongly
that way?
5. When do you think the: activities
:J;enter should be built -- within
",..'the. nexttylo years, within five
years'" or never?
STRONGLY FAVOR........29%
FAVOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 %
OPPOSE................10%
STRONGLY OPPOSE.......11%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED....16%
WITHIN TWO YEARS... ...38%
WITHIN FIVE YEARS.....36%
NEVER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED... .13%
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1
.
.
.
.
The Vision 2002 process suggests the concept of a City Commons,
consisting of City Hall, a library, and a senior center. This
complex is intended to have a presence on West 78th Street,
requiring the City of Chanhassen to acquire the land "between the
present City Hall and West 78th Street. The City Comolonswould
be an integral part of a downtown park. The City Council has set
money aside in the general fund during past years for these
improvements; as a result, they can be completed without an
increase in property taxes.
6 .
Would you favor or oppose the
idea of a City Commons having a
presence on West 78th Street,
including the potential to expand
the City Hall, Library, and Senior
Center? (WAIT FOR RESPONSE) Do
you feel strongly that way?
STRONGLY FAVOR..,.<<~.35%
FAVOR. . . . . . . , . . . . . . ~ ; . 40%
OPPOSE............ -.. .11%
STRONGLY OPPOSE....... .8%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED. ...7%
The Vision 2002 process suggests better identification of the
entries to Downtown, particularly at County Road 17, Market
Boulevard, and new Highway 101. These entries would draw their
theme from the natural environment, but would also include some
signage elements to identify the downtown area. They would not
require a property tax increase.
7. Would you support or oppose the
enhancement of the entries to
Downtown Chanhassen? (WAIT FOR
RESPONSE) Do you feel strongly
that way?
.
STRONGLY FAVOR. ...... .39%
FAVOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33%
OPPOSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 %
STRONGLY OPPOSE........9%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED.....5%
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Vision 2002 process emphasizes the concept of a compact City
Center which is pedestrian friendly and creates a better balance
between pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
8. Do you support or oppose this
concept? (WAIT FOR RESPONSE) Do
you feel strongly that way?
STRONGLY FAVOR........36%
FAVOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36%
OPPOSE. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 11 %
STRONGLY OPPOSE~ . . .'. . . .6%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED....11%
-------------------------------------~---~'--------~~~-~----------
The Vision 2002 process suggests the creation of an historic
district in the vicinity of Saint Hubert's Church and the Old
Village Hall. In order to strengthen the City's herit.age, funds
will be needed to finish the Heritage Square Park and'generally
improve the area. This would not require a property tax in-
crease.
2
9.
, ' ,1'
Would you support or oppose
further development of the
historical district? (WAIT FOR
RESPONSE) Do you feel strongly
that way?
".... :...
STRONGLY FAVOR... .... .30%
FAVOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 %
OPPOSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 %
STRONGLY OPPOSE.. ... ..10%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED.... .7%
.'
'-1 '
.~ _;;.';~-1- - .::'-:.J.......~.:- - - - - - _.- _:.....~- -~~'--~.- -~- - - - - - - - - - - -- -- -- -- - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - --
~ ~ '- ..,
The Vision 2002 process did not consider the construction of a
Teen Center as an important element of the Downtown Area.
10.
How important do you think it is
to find a place for a Teen Center
as an integral element of the Area
-- very important, somewhat impor-
,tant, not too important, or not at
, all important?
1,1 .
Would you support or oppose the
use of' public funds to build and
operate a Teen Center facility in
Downtown Chanhassen? (WAIT FOR
RESPONSE) Do you feel strongly
that way? " '
The Vision 2002 process suggests the
Post Office in Downtown Chanhassen.
whether the City will need to playa
the Post Office there.
12. Would you support or oppose keep-
ing the Post Office in Downtown
Chanhassen? ' (IF' "SUPPORT, ASK:)
Would you still support keeping
the Post Office Downtown even if
public funds were required to do
......,.,so?.
.' 'OJ,
r-:' .
,,,,,:,,,;,,
" ,
~=============:~=====..=======.=====~==.=.=c===.==.==============
J ~.
VERY IMPORTANT........34%
SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT... .28%
NOT TOO IMPORTANT... ..25%
NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT.. 12 %
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED.... .2%
STRONGLY FAVOR....... .23%
FAVOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 %
OPPOSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 %
STRONGLY OPPOSE...... .18%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED.... .6%
importance of retaining the
It is, however, not certain
funding role in retaining
.
SUPPORT/STILL SUPPORT.45%
SUPPORT/NO..... ...... .24%
SUPPORT/UNSURE....... .11%
OPPOSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED. ...10%
: , While .mos:t 'of the projects and ideas we have discussed can be
,'1- ,", accompl ishedover "file' next few years without a property tax
increase, it would seem important to establish priorities for
, . (:their development. '
~~
3
.
13. Which of the following projects do you feel is the most
important for the City of Chanhassen to pursue in the near term?
(READ LIST BELOW; ROTATE LIST)
.
14. Which of the remaining projects do you fe.el is the second
most important for the City to pursue in the near term? (RE-READ
LIST, DROPPING FIRST CHOICE; ROTATE LIST)
15. And, which do you feel is the third most important? (RE-
READ LIST, IF NECESSARY, DROPPING FIRST & SECOND CHOICES; ROTATE
LIST)
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
ACTIVITIES CENTERS....... .28%....... .17\....... .12%
CITY COMMONS (CITY HALL,
LIBRARY & SENIOR
CENTER) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 % . .. ., . . . 18 % . .. . . . . . 12 %
DOWNTOWN ENTRIES......... .11%....... .10%.....". .12%
COMPACT CITY CENTER
(PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY)".. 7%. . . . . . . .11%. . . . . . . .12%
HISTORIC DISTRICT......... .2%.... ... .10%....~... .9%
TEEN CENTER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ 12% . . . . . . . . ,9% . . . . . . . . .9%
RETENTION OF DOWNTOWN .
POST OFFICE.......... ..13%....~. ..11%. ...... .11%
ALL EQUALLY (VOL)......... .1%. . . . . . . . .1%., . . . . . . . .3%
NONE (VOL)................. 2%. . . . . . . . .3%. . . . . . . . .9%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED........ .4%.....,.. .9%....... .12%
~ Now, just a few more questions for demographic purposes....
16.
What is your age, please?
(READ RANGES)
18 -24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2%
25-34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30%
35-44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32%
45 - 54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :. . .18 %
5 5 - 64 . . . . . . .' . ~ . . . . . . . . 1 0 %
65 AND OVER. .......... .7%
REFUSED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 %
17.
What is the highest level of
formal education you completed?
LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL..2%
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE..15%
VO-TECH/TECH COLL......6%
SOME C01.LEGE.......... 18 %
COLLEGE GRADUATE......40%
POST-GRADUATE.... .... ~ .19%
REFUSED. . . . . . . . . .-'.' .~.' .:. .0%
18.
Are there pre-schoolers or' school-
aged children in this household?
YES. . . . u " . . . . . . . . ~.,',. I' . . 52%
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8 %
19. Do you own or rent your present
residence?
REFUSED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0%
OWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3 %
RENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . '7%
REFUSED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 %
.
4
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MALE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49%
FEMALE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 %
-21'. .L.!ST:
PRECINCT 1........... .19%
PRECINCT 2.......... . . 19 %
PRECINCT 3. ... ...... ..15%
PRECINCT 4. .... ..... ..16%
PRECINCT 5............14 %
PRECINCT 6............ 17%
5
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.
.