1 Approval of Minutes 1-20-98PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
JANUARY 20, 1998
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jan Lash, Fred Berg, Jim Manders, and Rod Franks
rVIEMBERS ABSENT: Rod Roeser and Tim Howe
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park & Rec Director and Dave Nyberg, Howard R. Green
Company
TRAIL DISCUSSION.
Taping of the meeting began at this point in the discussion.
Lash: So xvhy don't we open it tip for public comment. Let's start out with the Great Plains/101
segment. Is there anyone in tine audience xvlno'd like to address tlnat segment? How about tine
Pioneer Trail/Lake Riley segment?
Sharon Gatto: I'm Stnaron Gatto, 9631 Foxford Road. Tine concern wlnich might have been
addressed ,,','as the trees up and down Pioneer, across from Halla Nurse~7. What bothers me is if
tine County doesn't give tis the alterations made, are tlney going to still proceed witln tine existing
trail bed'? Will we be notified.'? How will that lmppen because by this letter it sounds like it's
going boom, boom, boom. Tlney're trying to put everytlning througln quickly and if the County
doesn't respond, wlmt tnappens?
Lasln: ...respond negatively?
Sharon Gatto: YealL Or tlmy don't come up with a decision and you have your dates for City
Council.
Lash: I think that's a tentative date for City Council based on lnearing fi'onn MnDot and tine
County. That's tlne way I understood what you said.
Sharon Gatto: So it won't go £orward until the County, Carver responds?
Lash: Right.
Sharon Gatto: Okay. Will tine people that it's affecting going to be notified? I mean we've been
calling David periodically and but.
Lash: Staff Inns the nnailing list of everyone wtno's been in attendance and it's, yeah.
Sharon Gatto: Because we all want it. I mean I don't want anybody to get us wrong. It'sjust
we've 1-mt our trees outside the easement and so did everybody, it looks like Carver is kind of
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
taking a lot of loose ends here and moving this easement a little bit so that's why all these trees
are, according to them, in the way. But according to us they're outside the easement.
Hoffman: Yeah, there's outside of the road right-of-way but there is a 20 foot trail easement
there as well. So and those trees would be within that 20 foot trail.
Sharon Gatto: Actually when we measured they were 25 feet out. So that's, I don't know who's
doing the measuring so that's why I'm curious too on this. Where did they start counting from
the easement because that's, we called the city. They said measure from the edge of the road.
And we put our trees at 20. Beyond the easement so they actually look like they're our property,
not the easement.
Hoffman: Each of these alignments was surveyed by Howard R. Green in the field so the plans
will give you a better indication.
Dave Nyberg: What we're actually showing is the right-of-v,'ay... Right of way is 50 feet from
the center line. It's I00 Feet right-of-way in that area...trail easement but again we're not
proposing to...
Sharon Gatto: When they measure, do they measure from the edge of the road? Middle of the
road? Because it says 20 feet of our property. So we assumed from the street end is how we
were told to measure.
Dave Nyberg: It's really, it's 50 feet from the center line... That really extends along the entire
development. Everybody along there...Great Plains Boulevard...was platted for whatever reason
the developer was required to make that easement...
Lash: What will be our course of action should the County decide negatively on any of these
things? Will this all come back to ns...or what?
Hoffl~an: If you want to continue with the construction of the trail then the trees are going to
have to go down and they'll have to plant it on the inside of that trail.
Lash: That would come back to us if we have to make that decision?
Hoffman: Con'ect.
Dave Nyberg: Yeah I don't think, I think it would be a huge mistake to make a change like that
without involving the public again. I will say though and I think I mentioned this at the meetings
in early December. When we originally talked to the County, prior to the meetings in December,
of the three segments that were involved their coordination, Powers Boulevard, Galpin and
Pioneer Trail, this was the one they were most receptive to allowing an encroaching that 30 foot
clear zone because of the wider right-of-way. Because of the wider shoulders on Pioneer Trail.
If there's one segment xvhere xve'd probably likely to be allowed to move in towards the road, it's
probably this one.
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Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Sharon Gatto: And any trees, if they do take them down, because you said in tile neighborhood
meeting, if the budget can hold it, they'll replace them. It sounds like there's no money in the
budget so does that sound like if they have to go, there will be no replacements?
Hoffman: I couldn't say today.
Sharon Gatto: I mean just hearing from cutting thc trail down, it sounds like tile budget is
already gone.
Hoffman: Yeah, it's limited and those trees, if they're xvithin the right-of-way or the easement,
you know are at the discretion of the City Council to remove without replacement. But would
come do\vi1.
Sharon Gatto: Okay. Just doing the xvhat ifs so, okay. Thank you.
Lash: Anyone else with comments on this segment?
Rod Kimball: My name is Rod Kimball. I live on the TH i01 section right, just before you get
to Kiowa and the only thing I wanted to point out, we've talked about it. Been with Dave and the
crossing of the creek is of some concern, and I don't think we've come to that and that's what
I'm wondering is. That's on the curve right there, jnst as you get to Kiowa. We've got, nov,, this
winter wc had three 6 inch trees knocked over by cars going offto where the trail would be. So
we've got some concerns to xvork on. I just wanted to bring that tip that that concern's got to
hal)pen.
Lash' Are you talking about people getting run over on tile trail?
Rod Kimball: I've got news for you, yeah. I hate to ploxv my driveway. I'm thc only one oil TH
10t right there. I've got the driveway right oil tile curve and I know tile Sheriff's Departnlent by
name you knoxv. They're there often and I think the audience knows where it's at so we've got
to work on that and I don't know how we're going to work through that but, and how does that
get approved by the County and also by yourselves as tile park commission. That's just
something I think we've still got to do.
Lash: Do you have any ideas or suggestions regarding that?
Dave Nyberg: Every property owner on that, well here. Let me know you. Every property
owner on this curve is going to be talked to individually by tile attorney. Probably myself as
well. The plat ends right here. Lots have been in existence for quite some time. They're all...
The right-of-way here is very narrow... At that time, in talking the easements and square
footages with each property owner, we'll talk about individual trees. Compensation for tile.., so
you can save wood for firewood.
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Lash: I guess that wasn't, that wasn't really my...question. I was thinking more about, his
concern is, cars are not making the curve. People getting run over on the trail.
Dave Nyberg: There's really not a lot we can probably do there. I mean we tried to... the
problem we're always faced with on a curve like this...we have the same problem. We've got a
driveway right in the middle of the curve. So every time you have driveways, you're very limited
on putting a guardrail up. A guardrail has openings. MnDot for instance installs guardrails
xvith... I'd be curious to see what MnDot's comments on this. I think this is a thing where...
highway. We can't put anything in the right-of-way like guardrails until...I'd say let's wait and
see what they come back with. It's possible that they may recommend putting curb and gutter
through here, but again the...going to be lost wherever you have a driveway opening.
Lash: Any other comments about this?
Berg: Can you make a note to refer to that specifically when you come back fine next time?
Dave Nyberg: Sure.
Berg: So we can see how that, that specific recommendation.
Lash: And also to, if MnDot doesn't bring it up to you, bring it up to them as something we're
concerned with.
Dave Nyberg: Certainly.
Lasln: Okay. We'll move onto thc Bluff Creek portion. Is tlnere anyone in the audience tonight
here to go alnead on that? We'll move onto the Galpin Boulevard trail segment and we've
already had a couple of comments. Cain we just get your name for the record.
Jen-y Carlovage: My name is Jerry Carlovage. I live at 1910 Whitetail Ridge Court...back off of
Galpin.
Lash: And are you north of Lake Lucy Road?
Jerry Carlovage: Yes.
Lasln: And sir, you lnad?
Benno Sand: My name is Benno Sand and I live at 1910 Moline Circle and tine original trail
proposal was that the trail would run north of Lake Lucy Road on the west side of Galpin Lake
Boulevard and I suspect that the reason the trail was terminated at Lake Lucy Road is the cost of
putting retaining walls in along that hill. And so we put together tv¢o petitions in the
neighborlnood. The first one reads, we, the undersigned want the Galpin. Boulevard segment of
tine Chanhassen trail to extend fi'om U.S. Highway 5 througln Mayflower Road. This would
provide trail access to residents in the developments north of Lake Lucy Road. We voted in
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
favor of the referendum because we had the understanding that the Chanhassen trail would serve
our neighborhoods. And at this time the trail would not serve those neighborhoods and so we've
obtained signatures on a petition from over 100 residents in that area suggesting I guess to the
commission that that trail be extended. We have a second petition that is signed by four of the
residents who's property line, or property is on the east side of Galpin Lake Boulevard because
we actually believe that that would be safer for residents in the Pheasant Hill development, or I
guess in White Dove and some of those other residents, to access the trail from the east side and I
think it would be much less expensive to run the trail along the east side and so, four of the
residents along that side already have signed a petition saying that they would be willing to have
the trail run through their property. But we think that you know, it's important that those
neighborhoods have access to the trail as well. Having voted in favor of the referendum. So I'm
wondering what we do at this time to get that back on the plan.
Lash: You can certainly submit the petition. Todd can take that. And you know you bring up
some good points and I think what we can do is talk tonight with Todd and Dave just to see what
some of the possibilities are. Yon know unfortunately, you know if the money's not there, the
money's not there. It doesn't mean we don't xvant tile trail extended there and I think part of the
suggestion was that, not that this be forever elimiuated from our plan but that this segment, for
this particular project...put it in as soon as possible as the funding would be available through
our trail fees and things like that. We've got another segment in the southern part of the city that
xve'd like to do that with. You know so it's not that we don't want to see it put in. We do. You
know. But it's like eveything else in life. If you don't have money, you don't have the money
you know. You have to do what you can. Do the best you can with what you have, but I'd
certainly be interested in seeing what Dave and Todd have to say about your suggestion on
what...and the easements. How many other property owners are involved?
13enno Sand: I think there, I am aware of at least 3 or4 others north of Lake Lucy Road that
would have to approve that but I think it'd be much less expensive because you wouldn't need
the retaining walls. And it would be much safer access to the trail on the east side. Tile people
on the xvcst side would you know, still have to cross over but they could do it at the top of thc
hill. I don't know if you're familiar with Lake Lucy, or Galpin Lake Boulevard there but it's
very dangerous and similar to what we xvere talking earlier. Many cars run off the road on that
curve in the summer and in the winter time and, but it's, so to cross it down at Pheasant xvould be
you know ridiculous. So even if it doesn't go through in the future, I think it should still be
considered to be on the east side because it's much safer. It's safer crossing at the top of the hill
versus at the bottom of that windy road or curve. But I guess I would ask the commission to
consider looking at other segments of the trail perhaps on Poxvers Boulevard or elsewhere, where
perhaps the residents are less in favor and you know we certainly have a lot of people in our
neighborhood that are in favor ora trail access. So I guess that would be nay request.
Lash: Todd can you.
Hoffinan: \Ve'll respond at the end of the comments on this section.
Lash: Okay. Anyone else have comments on Galpin?
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Julie Thorndycraft: My name is Julie Thorndycraft. I live on 1940 Whitetail Ridge Court. I've
been waiting for 9 years for this trail and I'm, to say the least, a little disappointed that it's being
cut off about you know, a halfa mile too short. One of my concerns is that the road section
along there is very dangerous, past Lake Lucy. A lot of us have, like to take walks. We have
children or, well not myself but many of the other people that live in the area have children and
we're all kind of land locked. We're all on dead end streets so we have a little one block street.
We can't walk anywhere without going onto Galpin. Unless we truck past through our
neighbor's back yards to get access to some other part of the city, which sometimes we do. But it
would be nice if the trail extended at least down through the Pheasant Hill segment so that it
would connect all of those different one block or dead end streets and gave access to all of those
houses because we're all very cut off and it's been an issue for a long time and I'm really
disappointed that it's been stopped at Lake Lucy. How many residents are going to be affected
by stopping it there? The bulk of the residents are really beyond that at this point in time. So
that's my t~vo cents.
Lash: Okay. Anyone else?
Jane Schlangen: My name is Jane Schlangen and I live on 1941 Melody Hill Circle. Also on
Galpin. I'm going to just throw this in here. I don't know if you can see it too well but my point
is the distance, the area right here...along Galpin, other than the new developments, this is the
highest majority of people...and we too have lived in...we've lived in this area since '87. And
wc have four small boys. We have no parks that we have access to unless we come off Galpin
Lake Road. And the speed on that road is terrible, and you've both commented that you can't
change the speed. But you can make it safer because right now you can't get off, what you see is
what you hear if you want to cross that road .... if you want to cut out a part of this
project...people xvho have been there for a long time. Many people have been here for 20 years
and xve still have nothing up there. With those petitions, that was a couple days work. We could
have gotten more but we didn't have enough time. As you can see, as you walk out, we're all
caught. We can go...go up the hill and down the hill and that's it, unless you wallt to go on
Galpin.
Lash: Can your neighbors, can you access a park'? Pheasant Hills Park'?
Audience: ...xve're cutting through somebody's back yard.
Lash: So you're not in Pheasant Hills?
Audience: No.
Lash: Okay. You're like north of that?
Jane Schlangen: And there's many streets there. There's Crestview. There's West 65th, Melody.
Hummingbird, Murray Hill Road, Chaska Road. None of those places can access any parks
unless they go through Galpin. That's why xve propose that you continue, or start it at Mayflower
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Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
and go as far as you can. Don't stop at Lake Lucy. Go to Mayflower to Lake Lucy. Now I
understand Nancy Mancino, i don't blame her with those trees. Don't cut those trees down.
Don't need to. There's plenty of room. There's plenty of room on that road. On Lake Lucy.
on Galpin Boulevard that you don't have to cut those big arborvitaes. They're an asset to the
community. Don't go through those. Go right on, there's plenty of room.
Or
Manders: Can you point out the neighborhood that you're talking about.'?
Jane Schlangen: Melody Hills is...
Manders: East of Galpin?
Jane Schlangen: ...and this is the area...
Lash: And was it to continue to Mayflower... Can you show us xvhere Mayflower is'? Oh, that's
not Highway 7? I thought that was Highway 7 up there.
Jane Schlal~gen: This is the Chanhassen city limits.
Lash: Oh, okay.
Manders: So what you're saying is your neighborhood, you don't have access to Pheasant Hills
Park unless you go onto Galpin?
Jane Schlangen: Correct.
Mandcrs: So your access road, you have to go onto Galpin to get out?
Audience: ...two blocks, dead end and they have 6 to 10 houses...
Jane Schlangen: ...but then you're cutting offthe Chaska Road people .... Chanhassen though is
this, Chaska Road. You're still Chanhassen. I used to live there. I used to live on Chaska Road.
Lash: No, beyond that. Above that. No, no, no. All the xvay up.
Manders: But this is the neighborhood that they're talking about that they don't have access, that
has to come out to Galpin.
Lash: No, go further up. Where it's DIL. Up in there. Yeah, that area.
Resident: ...as are all of these streets. They only access to Pheasant, but all of these, you have to
come out to Galpin so we have nothing. This is really a treacherous curve. If you have any
children at all, that is, you're going to have kids killed there. There's a slight rise. Right here,
this is the peak of the road and Jane mentioned something that I hadn't even thought of but I have
always taught my children to hear rather than look. I mean this, xvhen this area was under
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Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
construction and xve had big gravel tracks and semi's, I swear, I'm so surprised that a child did
not get killed. And all of these kids are mobile enough and there are enough young kids coming
up that they come over and their nearest park is over at the, it's this little.
Lash: Oh that dark, yeah.
Resident: Right in here. But that is the closest park and you have to go all the way down Galpin
and across Lake Lucy, all the way down to here. Actually all of this route to get over to this park,
which is really not a pleasant ride. This is treacherous. ! think that this is exposed. This is 50
mph maybe and those cars come barreling and then there's a little change of speed limit sign with
a little orange car. I think it says 40 mph and I'm not saying they don't slow down until here.
Lash: How about the Middle School? Is that not on?
Resident: No, that's over here .... right here.
Lash: But I mean there's park facilities there.
Resident: Well actually that is all soccer. That is all planned activities. There are rarely times...
Resident: There's no place for little kids.
Lash: No playground equipment there?
Resident: A tiny, this big.
Lash: I know there's something there.
Jane Schlangen: Yeah but there's no swings or slides. I mcan if you had Middle School kids,
it's fine but.
Resident: Yeah, but the people who were on the east side of the road...
Audience: You have to go up to Melody Hill in order to get across...coming down into the ditch
to get out of the way of cars. . .there's no shoulder and...
Resident: I don't think it's an issue of access to playgrounds as much as having a place
for...they can't do it on the road. They have no place to go and it's not whether they can get to a
playground or not...
Resident: I really would like to show one thing. I think if you really want to... I live on this
corner, which is a rather large corner and I can tell you that these people go through my yard
because that's the natural path, and they have actually last year the snow was plowed so high up
against my trees, they would actually come tear the bottom of my trees up because it was a real
thrill to ride on the angles of the snow plow residue. And they crossed the corner. They come
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
way into my yard, xvhich is exactly where the path would be. So I il'lean that is what's going to
happen...go stand and drive this stretch of road. It's terrible road.
Vicky Franzen: I will just for the record, my name is Vicky Franzen and I live on 6260
Hummingbird, which is the neighborhood on the west side of Galpin xvhich is right over this
section. And like my neighbors on the other side, the east side, we too have to cross Galpin and
that presents the safety hazard and yes we do have the Middle School open area but the
playground equipment is, with the new construction, the addition to the middle school, there's
about three pieces there. None of which are suitable for children that are not middle school age,
which is what? 1 t-12 years old. Something like that. So we're talking about small children. I
have, I was never notified of this. I never received a mailing and I think that our planner here did
a disservice to arbitrarily decide that this section of the trail should be one that should be
diminated. I feel that perhaps some options to present to you. Some cost figures with this. I'm
also a proponent of taking fimds, shifting it from some additions to existing parts and completing
this. When you said you'd like to do this as soon as possible, in the near fi~tt~re, xvhatever,
whatever, you know the funds are not going to be there for many years. The costs are only going
to escalate to put in this trail at that point and I guess that's what I'in voicing nay concern about.
Resident: A couple questions. Start out first of all with David. David, what is going to happen
with Galpin Boulevard in tlne future?
Dave Nyberg: I assume you mean who's going to own it?
Resident: Who's going to own it? Who's going to widen it? Will there be shoulders in the near
future? Those type of issues.
Dave Nyberg: As far as who owns it, it is a county road right now but they are in the process of
getting an agreement together with the City of Chanhassen to turn tile road over to thc city. Two
of thc segments of the trail on Great Plains Boulevard or MnDot 101, those segments, just to
mentiola it, were turned, or those highways would be turned over to the County. Just a trickle
down effect, MnDot turns roads over to the County. The County turns roads over to the City.
And correct me if I'm xvrong Todd but the proposed trail segments ell Oalpin and Powers
Boulevard xvere both selected, or one reason anyway was that the roads were not in any short
term capital improvements program to be widened or improved within thc next 10 to 15 years.
That way we can put tile money into a trail. Knoxv that it's going to have an effective life. We're
not going to rebuild the street and put in a nice grass boulevard where we'd rebuild the trail
anyway. That'd be a waste of dollars so on the one hand the road is county road. It should be
turned over to the city maybe in the next two years and there's no immediate plans for
reconstruction.
Resident: Todd, I just had a question for you. If you've been working on this...Long Acres
development...
Hofflnan: We've been working on the referendum proposal and this alignment is an alignnaent
the comprehensive plan which says that there xvill be a trail along Galpin Boulevard in the
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
future. Construction of that segment in a piecemeal fashion, with the pieces being so small that
would front on either, over Royal Oaks or those two developments, or Lundgren, really wasn't in
the long term project...handed to us. What we did instead was plan for the alignment with the
trail bench and landscaping outside of that trail bench to allow for future construction of the trail
in a more single project oriented manner such as you see in this reference.
Resident: What type of figures do we have on how much would it cost to extend?
Hoffman: About $40.00 per foot and that's an estimate.
Audience: On the west side or the east side of Galpin Boulevard?
Resident: How much money are we talking total? Can you give me a rough estimate?
Hoffman: David...
Dave Nyberg: Yeah, just preliminarily we've estimated maybe $100,000.00 or so, but that
included money for easement acquisition without overhead costs. You know depending on how
you construct that trail, or try to do what a lot of you are suggesting about putting the trail right
up on the road. Maybe put a curb, a paved curb in with an 8 foot, you know right behind it.
That's vastly different construction costs than trying to keep the trail back as far as possible
where you remove trees and have right-of-way to buy.
Lash: What about on the east side'? I mean has that even been.
Dave Nyberg: No, we haven't even, it hasn't even been considered.
Audience: Why is that?
Dave Nyberg: The primary reason is the wetlands on the north end. There's a large wetland
there. Part of this whole trail project, we had to show trying to minimize the impacts as best as
possible. The trail fits on the west side. We save a lot of wetland impacts by keeping it there.
Hoffman: Many of the people here tonight will also recognize there's a large row of shrubs on
the east side. A hedge almost which at least we would feel that's significant as far as a barrier for
these residents. And that shrub, at least in a design where we can push the trail on the outside
ditch, would need to be cut down and removed as a part of this project.
Audience: ...and the sight lines coming off of Pheasant, it's very dangerous... As far as
wetlands, I think there's enough shoulder...
Hoffman: Yeah, you have this touch down point is Pheasant Hill to allow those people access in
and out of Pheasant Hill and then the trail, you could look at either extending it or terminating it.
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Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Dave Nyberg: The problem with putting the trail on the east side is then you have another
crossing to deal xvith. You know given my druthers, I would have eliminated any crossing on
Galpin all together because it is a dangerous road. We have one crossing at Brinker and really it
should be kept that way if possible with the trail staying on the west side all the way.
Berg: That's a nice fiat stretch there so you can see cars coming from both.
Dave Nyberg: Yeah. That's why we move it down. We used to have it to the north a bit but
with the parkland there, we can move it to Brinker and it's a better sight line.
Audience: ...a street. That xvas a primary issue. That is a very dangerous, I mean all up and
down Galpin Boulevard. You know Galpin Boulevard itself is no picnic anyway but there are
many places where that is wide open and here yon get...down a hill. It's a te~Tible stretch of
road... I am amazed that the city will allow that to happen. Something is going to happen on that
hill and something is going to happen on the hill. There is so much gravel by tllat watermain
break and that shoulder constantly moves. It's just going to be terrible. And boy, when I hear
you just said it's not even on the agenda, I'm really very...
Hoffmala: Well yeah I want to be.
Audience: And you know the traffic, if you count tile traffic on that road against these other
developments, that's their access to Highway 7. And it funnels.
Audience: ...It goes through part of Shorewood which evelatually goes down...
Audience: And tile cops are always at TH 5 and Galpin Lake Road picking up
people...whatever, picking up speeders because everybody speeds on Galpila.
Hoffman: Chair Lash, I want to make tile comment that it's really irresponsible for tis to be
comlnelating or dreaming about when Galpin Boulevard will be upgraded. That's really not tlao
issue that we're here to discuss. We don't have information to present to the public on that. But
again, David is CCh'CCi. The reason that these segments were selected is number one, for thcil-
desirability. They were very obvious segments as a part of the comprehensive plan to go ahead
and propose as part of the referendum. When we talk about why the decision in an attempt to
reduce this cost and bring it to the City Council on budget. Why take the north half and not the
south? Again, a lnajor driving point behind the trails is to make connections. Circular
connections and Lake Lucy Boulevard, Lake Lucy Road east and west is an east/west connector
to the Galpin trail as proposed, and then the Powers Boulevard trail. Dave and I would both
certainly like to construct these trails and we will hear from the commission on your decision in
that area. If you would like us to recommend to the City Council, and recommend yourselves to
the City Council that we go back and study that section. Again, take a look at the east side versus
thc west side. There's difficulties with the east side as well. Obviously there are. You know we
selected the west side alignment not only to stay on tlae west side but because there's impacts
which were less than on the east side. Now if the entire row ofbuckthorn can come doxvn, those
are good things that can help a project like this move along.
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Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Lash: If we can acquire easements at no cost.
Hoffman: Correct. Absolutely.
Lash: That would help.
Hoffman: That will help the project along. And so there's money. The entire package of the
referendum, you know the $4.9 million, we feel, I feel an obligation to get the projects done and
if it can't happen, and the Park Commission and City Council does not want to break up the
segments and steal from one to pay for the other, that's going to be a decision which needs to be
made but then there should be future plans...feel that obligation to get these segments done. So
as we continue down the road here, things are coming at everybody very fast and we understand
tlmt it's difficult for the residents to gather up tlnat information. To determine hoxv it affects them
personally and as a neighborhood and then to come in here and discuss that with us. That's just
the nature of these projects. You know it all comes out at one point. The infon'nation and so
we're here to make...but we would not have proposed the trail obviously if we did not want to
construct it. We feel, you know this disconnected type of nature, we fecl very strongly, very
personally as a staff member that we want to get those people in and give them those
opportunities to get on those trails so finis dialogue has all been very helpful and we'll look
forward to...
Audience: ...different budget options to you...
Lash: It's our decision. You know he gives us recommendations. Ultimately it's our decision to
recommend to City Council. And then ultimately fine City Council's.
Audience: ...contractor with regards to...to go back and turn on Dave and have him finisln...
One oftlne things about city government is, the commissions and city councils...Todd's ah'eady
made his decision' without hearing fi'om the people in the neighborhood.
Berg: You may be a bit premature in your judging of this commission. I would suggest maybe
it'd be a good idea to wait and see what happens before you make that comment, statement or
that judgment. Part of this process is designed to include the citizens of Chanhassen in the
decision making process. As representatives of the citizens of this city, our responsibility, as I
see it, to listen to what your concerns are. I'm learning things tonight I had no idea about. That
to me is tine purpose of this commission. I don't think it's fair, I don't know that it's accurate to
imply that this is a done deal because staff said so.
Audience...trail that's being deleted...
Audience: There is a question...
Dave Nyberg: No, and I apologize for putting you on. A couple of things I just wanted.
12
Special Park & Rec Meeting - Jalmary 20, 1998
Audience: That's okay...
Dave Nyberg: I'd say about 15.
Audience: I have a real concern...couple concerns that i have...
Lash: I xvould imagine there's county regulations, the same as what we had on Pioneer.
Dave Nyberg: Yeah, that's correct.
Lash: Powers. There's, you ~know the County, you have to get the County to agn:ee to let you.
Andience: But if they're turning that road over...
Dave Nyberg: Could I draxv a picture?
Resident: I'm just going to make one more comment and I'm going to sit down. It just seems to
that this is an issue that probably some numbers should be put to. We're only talking about, he's
estimating $100,000.00 out of Sl.24 million. I xvould think that the city too, if you're not the
proper commission but either the Plalming Commission, maybe even the Council would want to
vote on the deletion, this deletion of the plan. I would think the Mayor would want to recuse
fi'om that vote before it's jnst kind of summarily done and there's kind ora bad feeling in the
people's taste of their month that maybe they weren't heard and Todd was able to make this
without any type of input or vote, City Conncil or the Planning Commission if that's the proper.
Lash: Go ahead Dave.
Dave Nyberg: Take a minnte here to show you the...plan. What we're faced with on a street
like Galpin. I don't thir~k there's one foot of that trail on Galpin...just to show you the drawing.
This, these right here are the edges of the travel lanes. A 30 foot cleat' zone extension ends fi'om
the travel lane... The idea of that cleat' zone is that the city...a cai' may go offthe road and should
come to a stop... All objects out of that. It's very rare that a car would go offa road and hit
anything. That's the whole idea. It's not anything to do with safety of pedestrians. Everybody's
got an idea of these trails. Keeping them off...but what hazard is there really on a trail ifa car
goes offthe road... What xve're proposing here is...a trail right about in this area .... areas on
Galpin xvhere there's a wetland... A trail fits real well in this area. The probleln of putting it up
here is...offa travel lane in an area by Mayor Mancino's house. In that area...and you have to
come down here at a 3:1 slope and if the trail's out far enough, we can almost completely fill in
that drainage ditch and... Plus sometimes in areas like this we can push the water into areas that
are outside the...so even if you have the trail right on the edge of the road, we may have to buy
additional casements. That's some of the problems we're faced with. We can certainly buy and
sell at trail to the county or MnDot that's right on the shoulder. There's nothing that says we
can't do that. Do I think they're going to approve that? No. But Galpin Boulevard you may be
ablc to make the case better than other segments.
13
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Lash: The curb and then.
Dave Nyberg: Yeah. Yeah most the time they require a curb and their guideline with curb and
gutter is still to have the trail 10 feet back of the curb. They eliminate the 30 foot clear zone but
you're still required to follow the guidelines.
Lash: So just in, you know when we're talking about, oh you know there's 15 feet from the side
of the road to this or that and the other thing. For me that makes perfect sense. I think an 8 foot
trail, 15 feet. No problem but you know we don't, I'm not an engineer and I don't know all the
regulations and most of you are not I don't think. You know so it's not always as easy as what it
seems in our head that we should be able to run a slab of trail down you know a 10 foot segment
and let's just do it and be done with it and what's the problem. But like Dave just explained, you
run into all kinds of other factors with you know ditches and runoffand all those kinds of things
that can really turn this into a nightmare so sometimes it's not as easy as what we would like it to
be.
Audience: ...one other comment .... I worked for MnDot for about..,
Audience: The real bottom line here is, Todd has made his decision and Dave is...
Lash: So you know, just to back up what Fred said. You know we don't have difficulty making
decisions up here that don't go along with what staff recommends. You know we've done it in
the past. We'll do it and to say that Todd has made this decision and it's rubber stamping and
that's how this is going. You know I've been on the commission Ibr i0 years and that's not the
way things work. If this can give you any comfort, this is the process. You know Todd makes a
recommendation. We look at it. We take your input. We're here to represent you. Todd's here,
this is his job. You know he does, he has to keep things in budget, t-lc has to be accountable to
us and to the City Council and to the residents of the city and we are too. But this is the process.
He looks at it. Looks at over budget. Gives a suggestion. We look at it. We take your input and
base our decision on all of the factors. So it's not just a, you know my fear is that you're
ilnpression is that staff runs the city and that's not a correct impression.
Audience...
Dave Nyberg: Andjust quickly, in defense of Todd. Todd never at one time told me one way or
another how to design this trail. That's xvhy he hired us. That's why he's paying us. It was all,
I'II take full responsibility fox' the recommendation of where the trail is on the plan.
Audience: ...that creates more of a risk than...
Lash: Are you talking about residents from the, if it was on the west side? Residents from the
east side crossing to the west?
Audience: \Vhen you cross...
14
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Lash: Rather than the people from the west side crossing to the east.
Andience: But they would be crossing at tile top of the hill where they have better sight lines.
Hopefully you can take all of your... It's the bottom of the hill that I think is more dangerous
than at the top of the hill.
Lash: Okay. Any other comments?
(There xvas a tape change at this point in the discussion.)
Lash: I think at this point in time, any of the plans here that have not received public input, that
we can assume and would also agree, you know are on the track and can go onto Planning
Commission. It would be, I mean I'm premature in saying this until we make a vote. It xvould be
lny guess that any that we feel need changes, will not go onto the Planning Commission
tomorrow night because they won't be ready to go onto the Planning Commission, unless...rough
scale and I don't see how that could happen with something that xvould need some amount of
review. So we'll have to get commissioner comments before. Can we deal xvith this one now?
...then move on because we have kind of momentum. Rod, do you have any comments...?
Franks: I think the input tonight was really good. It's good for me to hear exactly fi'om the
residents. I was not able to attend any of the neighborhood meetings in that area so I'm glad that
all of you came out today to give tis your input. We've got tile rough numbers, S40.00 a foot and
S 100,000.00 to build the rest of the project and it seems to be that there's some input that we
weren't axvare of about some concerns, the residents may be...bit more open about the trail on
thc east side of Galpin as opposed to the west side. I would like to say though that those are
planned to complete the con~prehensive trail program ill tile city, which would include tile
entirety of Galpin Boulevard and before the referendmn we were certainly planning to complete
trails. Thc rcfcrendum of course allows tis to do a lot all at once. But there's certainly other
trails other than the ones that the referendum laid out that we still want to complete and we still
plan on completing. I'm not so sure at this time how I feel about looking for fnrther study. Part
of me says that we need to really get going. I'd like to get what we can get done, done. Yet at
the same time, I guess I'd like to hear from tile other commissioners too about proceeding maybe
with some fnrthcr study. Having staff look at cost breakdowns as far as extending the trail
northward fi'om Lake Lucy.
Manders: I would respond in much the same fashion that you ah'eady commented about process.
That it's really tile responsibility of the staff and tile consultants to attempt to bring proposals to
us that arc within the budget. Now it's certainly your responsibility as city residents to voice
what should be done and where those alignments should fall. And to the extent that the city has
tile ability to adjust those alignments within right-of-ways, and avoid loss of trees and xvhatever,
that's great. As far as my opinion on examining the cost of this trail, I'm certainly in favor of
following through to see what the cost of extending that trail is. That doesn't mean that I would
vote for it but until I see those numbers it's hard for me to draw an opinion. So I'd like to see a
cost on both sides of the road to see what the difference is to extend that trail to the terminus.
15
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Berg: A lot of comments. 1 found this to be very enlightening this evening. Either through my
own ignorance, which I'm always willing to profess to, or the fact that I was counting on citizens
being here to tell us exactly what it was. Where the problems were. What i learned tonight more
than anything else was that you don't have access to any park. That was the most enlightening
thing for me. I should have known that, but I didn't. So I appreciate that happening. I think for
most of us, safety is always an issue and that's what strikes me when you talk about the kids
going down Galpin. A number of us up here are parents. We can appreciate that. You strike a
nerve with that one. I guess I have one question, and maybe this is just too simplistic. One of
you mention when you were up there, what would happen if we just started the trail on the other
end and went as far as we could the other way? Maybe you want to, can we look at that?
Hoffman: Go south?
Berg: Yeah. That's so silnplistic it's, it's my naviety, it's probably not even any kind of
whatever but it ,,vas mentioned by one of the citizens and I thought of that too. Could we also get
kind of, and this is really mystical I realize. Get any idea on comparing potential costs for
finishing the trail on the south end versus the north end. In other words, if you started on the
north end and went toxvards Highway 5, would the potential cost to finish the trail there be any
different than they would be if you went the direction that it's proposed now? And I don't know
if you can do that. But that might be, you might be able to legitimize it. If we need a
legitimizing factor, that might be something that would help us make our decision. If we knew
that it would be cheaper to eventually complete one end versus the other. I hate to reduce this to
cost, but the unfortunate reality of life is that if we didn't have to WO~Ty about the cost, we
wouldn't have any of us be here.
Lash: Can I tack on?
Berg: Yeah.
Lash: Right at the southern end ofGalpin...not developed and is that, are those portions that we
could complete as development comes in there? Because that's proposed in the very near fl~ture,
isn't it.'? That whole corner.
Hoffman: Down near Highway 5?
Lash: Yes.
Hoffman: Yeah, the connection to the south, for the future frontage road connection, going back
east to Lake Ann. Then for the crossing at Highway 5 for those who choose to cross the
controlled intersection onto the recent trails that have been constructed on Galpin on the south
side of Highway 5.
Audience: ...that segment of road...
Berg: That was all I had. If you could look at those two things, I would appreciate that.
16
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Lash: And I guess I would agree with those comments to(). I'd be interested in seeing how far
we could get. I mean for sure we can get to Lake Lucy Road...fi~rther south. And look at then
our potential of just putting in the remaining sections as development comes in down there. I'd
also be interested in seeing, you mentioned two different options tbr the ,`vest side. One, would
be...curb and then the trail right next to it. So then you can eliminate all the retaining walls and
things and all that fill. So I'd be interested in seeing what kind of cost projections you have for
that roughly. And also tile east side, just to see, and I understand your...crossing. But I think at
Lake Lucy, I wouldn't be as uncomfortable with tine crossing right there... And that would also
eliminate the problem with arborvitaes and having to get on the east side of the road. And I'd
also be interested in, as long as the residents are so interested in this, if you know already that
there's four property owners along there willing to donate tine easement that we would need, you
Call find Otlt who also along there is williug to do that. To back that tip. I mean any cost savings
we have, that can be a big piece of it. Certainly help us move forward. So I'd be interested in
directing stalfon this. I don't see xvhy we couldn't, well no 1 guess we can't. Ifxve're going to
look at north and south end kind of things, we couldn't then direct that it go to the Planning
Commission as proposed but then study tine other end. Now this is going to be tile whole
picture...including tine south end so we really cun'l. So I guess I would suggest thal this not go
onto Planning tomorrow night until we are abk: to meet. Is it possible to get these numbers for
next week?
[toffman: Yeah, perhaps let's take a look at it a little bit differently. If the commission is
interested in preserving this segment as a part of the project, I would simply instruct staff and
Howard R. Green to go ahead and pick those steps tip. There's not ,,'er)/., many steps that we're
missing here. You know tile entire segment was surveyed and had preliminary trail alignments.
But then instruct, make thc recommendation that you want to find the money out of the
referendum.
Lash: I'm not interested. I'm not interested in diverting ftmds fi'om any other project, l'm really
not. I don't xvant to take away from land acquisition. ~l-~at was our ntn'nber O~le goal in tins
whole referendum. Buying land tbr the future so I would never support diverting any ~m)nex
fi'om that I\md. And I think we're really committed in...park development projects probably to
thc max there. I don't know how we could get it fi'om any other...
Manders: I would respond that there is a, you know a committee or a group that's charged with
making sure that the funds fi'om the referendum are spent according to hoxv the referendum was
voted and there's X dollars for trails. Now how those trails are distributed really is tine question.
Are xve going to have funds that we can exceed one trail to finish offanother one in terms of
cost? You have to understand that e~rly estimates on how much we could accomplish with those
funds and if reality comes in that says xve can only finish parts of these trails, then the question
becomes do we cut out a complete trail to finish another one? You're going to have an argument
fi'om those Folks. So do we scale back an existing trail'? It isn't that this trail has a magical
5500,000.00 that we can spend on it. I mean if we have $600,000.00, we can spend that. That
means that money comes fi'om some other trail and that's where we have tile difficulty adjusting
where those funds are going to go.
17
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Lash: But until we know what the figures are, you know we really are in the dark right now.
We're talking in circles.
Audience: ...all the other trails, are they on...?
Lash: I heard earlier tonight that the Powers Boulevard one was and that's being scaled back
from Shorewood to TH 5.
Hoffman: Let's get us back.
Audience: ...we all need to know that because...
Hoffman: Sure, I'll respond. First of all to the issue that this was an arbitrary decision and that's
simply not the case. I would liken it to the fact that you're attempting to preserve the integrity of
the system and then you look to the extremities for your cuts and that is the case. As painful as it
is to the people who live on the northern side of this segment, that to preserve the integrity of the
remainder of the segments, if you cut a piece such as cutting this area, the trail really doesn't
function any longer. These trails are not budgeted by individual segments. The $1.2 million is a
lump project budget to accomplish all of the trails. The Galpin Boulevard segment happens to be
the longest, and again we're in a situation where it's about 30% or more of the budget. 30% to
40% is in easement acquisition, and that number is going to fluctuate pretty dramatically
depending on where those 90, plus or minus, easements are settled with each individual property
owner. And so again with our preliminary budget numbers tell us that we were at about a million
three and so a million three four. About a million, or $100,000.00 over the budget. And so xve
looked to segments such as the north side of Powers, north side of Galpin. Now we don't knoxv,
based on preliminary budget numbers, whether that's going to solve it or not. The Galpin
segment in just as it sits today happens to be the most expensive. It's the longest. The
construction estimate is about $435,000.00 segment that you have there today. So it's going to
be difficult. You know xve can go back and bring you those hard costs, you know and again, the
SI00,000.00 is close. We looked at the...some three weeks ago. But if you're basing the S1.24
million budget, you're going to delete something. And if we make the recommendation to delete,
or you looked at deleting other segments, then we'll have a different set of stakeholders in here
talking about that segment. In addressing the process, you know this certainly is the time for
staff to make recommendations on how we're going to keep this project on line and on budget for
your initial review. This is the first public review that we've had of the project in a public body
meeting and again, how long that takes is certainly up to the process. We would like to keep the
project on schedule because we are also on a very tenuous situation as far as the bid letting date.
The farther this would push off into the spring, the contractors start gaining work and they're not
as hungry for the project and our prices, on a 7 mile trail project, you know they go up
incrementally. The impact on the budget again can take you out of line and you will not get this
accomplished. So those are all issues to wrestle with and for the information of the audience.
The commission has approximately $300,000.00 in general CIP money. Capital Improvement
Program money on an annual basis at best. And in 1998 they saw the referendum projects as a
real priority for the community and so you take the referendum money and they have dedicated
18
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
$100,000.00 of that $300,000.00 to City Center Park project and an additional $100,000.00 to the
Bandimere Park project. Just as these trail projects are a one time opportunity, those two park
projects are a one time opportunity to do it right. To get the projects underway. You have all
this momentum which all of you certainly recognize. We have this momentum on the Galpin
Boulevard trail. You know can't xve just preserve that entire segment and get it in place. And so
they have dedicated those. The only other place they have to look to is the referendum. The
other referendum allotments, and Chair Lash has already given you her opinion on that, so we are
left to struggle with the fact that all of the segments as proposed cannot occur...
Dave Nyberg: There's an access point to the north that kind of serves as a frontage road... By
doing that you would kind of...
Lash: Unfortunately the park in Longacres is not a city park so...divertir~g a lot of other residents
into that. We would prefer to be getting the people to the city park...
Dave Nyberg...
Lash: It's an idea and it's something that can be you know. Are you looking for a
motion...Todd or can xve...direction? I think we would need to have a motion.
Horrid'mn: Yeah, we can have a motion on, and you can do that, the entire motion at the end for
all the segments or you can do it individually.
Lash: I think I'd prefer to do this one individually because then if there are people who are, if...
they'd be fi'ee to leave and not have to wait til the end to make sure they're here. Is there
someone.., make the motion?
Berg: I'd move xve recommend to staff to look at alternatives for Galpin Boulevard trail... One
being, and please offer any kind of fi'iendly amendment here or help. One being, starting the trail
fi'om the north and moving south. Two being, if possible, compare costs of finishing the trail on
the north versus finishing the trail on the south. Three, tile latest proposal. Looking at not
constructing tile trail along Longacres development. And I guess v,,hat I'd want to hear fi-om that
too would be, what is the likelihood of ever finishing the trail then if we did that? Would we be
more likely and would it be more economically feasible to finish it on the south end or the north
end'? Help me.
Lash: East or west?
Manders: West on tile north end.
Berg: Switching fi'om west, is that correct? On the north end and then where we would put the
crossover, whether it be down at the bottom or the top, I would recommend in the motion that it
be at. at this point anyway, preliminarily, at tile top of the hill. Not the bottom.
Lash: The crossover would be at Lake Lncy Road. To me that's the only place to put it.
19
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Audience...
Lash: ...you know what, we've got to keep going with it.
Berg: Anything else?
Lash: Okay, also yes. The other option on the west side of not doing the retaining walls and all
that and curb with the trail right, abutting...
Franks: Is that just for the north end?
Lash: Yeah.
Audience: ...motion only deal with trade-off's on Galpin Boulevard south...issue of importance
ora safety issue, and it requires diverting money from...
Lash: No. I don't think I'd want that as a recommendation. Tonight we want to get the
information. When we get the information, we'll decide what we're going to do with it at that
point in time. I don't think we could.
Audience: ...information gathering is only...
Lash: Okay, this is commission comments right now. I'm sorry but we're in the middle of a
motion so we're not going to. You're not allowed to make friendly amendments. Only we can
do that. Okay, are you ready? Do you think.
Berg: Yeah. This is not necessarily a formal part of my motion but my motion, that's good. Part
of my motion bnt I do want this to be understood to be information gathering motion. I'm trying
to give direction. Trying to give staff and Dave direction on alternatives to what we looked at
this evening. So at that point, then take the next step, whatever that next step happens to be. We
can't make any attthoritative informative decision without hard data and looking. That's the
purpose of my amendment.
Lash: Yeah, is there a second to that?
Berg: Whatever it is.
Manders: Second.
Berg moved, Manders seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission direct staff to
look at the folloxving options regarding the Gaipin Boulevard trail:
1. Starting the trail from the north and moving south.
20
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
2. compare costs of finishing the trail on the north end versus finishing the trail on the south.
3. Look at not constructing the trail along Longacres development.
Provide information as to the likelihood of ever finishing the trail. Would it be more likely
and would it be more econornically feasible to finish it on the south end or the north
end?
5. Look at comparisons of having the trail on the west versus the east side.
All voted in favor and the motion carried.
Hoffinan: I would propose that we'll bring that information back to you next Tuesday evening at
your regularly scheduled meeting. We will mail notification. You will replace tiffs group with a
nexv group of people to take a look at proposals to delete the southern portion. You all heard
testimony to the importance of that segment as well so it will continue on the process. Wlmt this
generally does, with the exception of Powers, wlfich we trove not discussed, is isolates Galpin
Boulevard as kind ora study itself on tile alignment and tile proposed alignment as a part oftlne
process.
Lastn: Okay. We'll move on. The next trail segment, by tine way, thanks for all the input. You
know we really can't do these things witlnout hearing. We don't live there and you do so you
know. Ttmnks for coming. Okay the next trail segment we'll be discussing is Highway 7. Are
there any audience members that arc lnere to discuss tine Highway 7 segment? ...to the next one
wlficln is Powers Boulevard. I hope you're all as entlmsiastic and want that through as the last
gt'oup.
Franks: Excuse me Clmirman. Are we making motions on each individual?
Lash: No, I just xvanted to do that one so those people could leave. I tlfink any tlnat we don't
lmve neiglnborhoods comment on, we can.
Franks: At ttne end. Great, tlmnk you.
Lash: Okay, we'll use the same essential procedure where I'd like you to come up fl'oat and state
your name so tlmt we know who we're talking to and that we're getting one person at a time.
Paul Pettinger: I'm Paul Pettinger. I live at 7267 Pontiac Circle. And I've had several
conversations with both of these gentlemen earlier today. But three things that come to mind
right away is, sometlfing tlmt was made in comments is xvhether people earlier xvas that tlnis does
seem like it's ahnost being rammed doxvn our throats. I mean everything seems so quick and I
don't quite understand tlne, xvlnen we don't knoxv what the County's going to say or tine State's
going to say on any of these projects, how you can even make recommendations tlmt might in
reality be totally negated. And that gives me concern. Tlne issue that xve brouglnt up earlier, and
lms kind of been put by the wayside again or has been ignored, is the fact that we felt ttnat tine
21
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
west side of Powers Boulevard was a better option obviously than the east side. The reason xve
say that is because in our townhome association, and we've already talked about the variance for
the trees. You're going to go outside the trees. But prior to that we had issues with the fact that
some of our, some of the decks in some of our residences are actually within 20 or 30 feet of our
fence line. And if you were going to put the trail there, people would actually be right at eye
level looking in people's kitchens or living rooms or so on. We've solved part of that problem
with the fact that, hopefully we're not going to take any trees out of there. Or most, not all of the
trees. But we still feel, a lot of us feel that we've never really looked at, the staff apparently has
not really looked at or has not given us what we consider valid reasons as to why they haven't
looked at the other side of the road and we'd like to have some concrete answer to that.
Lash: Did you receive a letter? I read all, this evening I started reading through this packet and
these are all letters that were sent to residents who were at the public meetings earlier and I did
see on many of the ones to the people regarding the Powers segment, exactly the reasons why the
engineer.
Paul Pcttinger: I didn't get that particular. I got a letter but it was concerning a whole different
issue.
Lash: Okay.
Paul Pettinger: Which apparently was resolved to my satisfaction since I didn't bring that up.
Lash: Anyway, there's a, if you're interested in reading this. You certainly can read that and
because I think people who brought up that issue at the meeting, it was addressed for them. The
reasons that staff is recommending. Can I have it back when you're done?
Paul Pettinger: Yes, and I will turn over the podium to someone else while I read this.
Lash: Okay, thanks. Anyone else?
Christa Wilson: Hi. I'm Christa Wilson. I live on 6956 Pima Lane. I think Dave got my letter
and the Mayor got my letter. I guess my concern was, I'm right on Kerber and Poxvers
Boulevard, on the corner there. And that street, I've been there 9 years and since then Target has
come in and Byerly's has come in. That traffic is hideous. You can't be on your deck or have
the windows open in the summertime because of the traffic. Then they have the motorcycle races
in the summertime, you know to Excelsior because it's a straight shot. Then we get the
snoxvmobilcrs in the ditch all winter long and if I understand it correctly tonight, you did say that
you will be moving 2 feet outside of the fence? Is that what they're planning? That I can live
with.
Iqoffman: Well that was the discussion in reference to where the, in the area the trees are. I
think...
Lash: ...where she's talking.
22
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Hoffinan: I think the fence is located on this segment in relation to the trail.
Dave Nyberg: Here's her proposed...
Clnrista Wilson: It's on the inside riglnt now of three stakes.
Dave Nyberg: Tlne fence doesn't show up very well. It kind of comes like this.., split rail goes
all along... Tlnere are a few areas where we would have to move that...
Christa Wilson: ...towards the road?
Lasln: No, towards your honse. So the fence would be two feet closer.
Dave Nyberg: This is an area where we are leaving tlne trail...move tlne trail closer to Powers
Boulevard... Tlmy said if you want to save trees, we cannot...
Lasln: So you feel like we'd have a better slnot at getting them to be flexible.
Dave Nybcrg: Yeah. You've got to give and take. You know unfortunately we don't have
trees...trail 5 feet closer so.
Clnrista Wilson: I guess my concern was wlnere tlney cut off the evergreen trees, ttney ran ont of
money to put trees in for tlne rest of ns and so tine association tlnen ]nas tine money so I planted a
buncln of the trees. Anyway, I'd hate to lose those because you don't lnave any privacy. So if
tlney still lmve tlne fence tlnere, that's wlmt they're planning, right con'ect?
Dave Nybcrg: Yealn. We'd never put the trail on tlne home side of the fence.
Clnrista Wilson: Okay. See and that's what I tlnouglnt was the plan was.
Berg: You are planning on moving tlne fence tlnougln at the corner where slne's talking about,
you're planning on moving it in how t:ar did you say?
Dave Nyberg: Probably closer to 5. 5 feet.
Clnrista Wilson: 5 feet?
Dave Nyberg: I can't tell from the scale on the draxving.
Christa Wilson: That's, riglnt now tlnat's about 20 feet right now fi'om nay door to where tine
stakes are. So that'd be 15 feet.
Dave Nybcrg: From your patio?
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Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Christa Wilson: Yeah, from the patio.
Dave Nyberg: Yeah, from her patio. Her patio sits right there and it has been rather exposed.
And...because there's a huge hole right there...and so they have to come up on the high ground
as opposed to staying up on the road.
Christa Wilson: I mean what we ought to do is scrap this trail and give it to.
Lash: To the Galpin. Yeah. The question to the fence. If the fence is moved, say the fence is
moved 5 feet. That's not, that is not on her property, correct? You'd have to get easements.
Dave Nyberg: Exactly. If you go back to her lot. The trail comes right...so we'd need at least 5
feet for the trail and then another couple feet...
Paul Pettinger: ...We're happier that it's further away from us and they're happier...
Lash: That seems logical to me but I just don't know that the County's going to buy it. I mean I
agree with you, that'd be the way to go.
John Fart: John Farr, 7325 Pontiac. There's already a really wide...for walkway and bikeway.
Joggers, I see them every day of the year...
Lash: Have you ever walked your dog and biked it?
John Farr...
Lash: I think, because I do. I live... It's like taking your life in your hands.
John Fan': That's why I go to Kerber. IfI may address.
Christa Wilson: No, I'm done.
Paul Pettinger: Okay. Once again in connection with what has just been said here and in
connection with what you gave me to read, which was a mistake on your part. These findings
reveal the majority of pedestrian, bicycle trips will originate from the east side of Powers
Boulevard. Now, we've lived there for 11 years. Some of these people have lived there for 15
years. We've never had a problem getting to Charfl~assen because we never use Powers
Boulevard...we take Kerber. We all have Kerber from where we live. That's contrary to the
argument you're using with people on Galpin. Where they had no access except Galpin. And
you know, so I'd take obviously exception to this argument. That the findings reveal that
pedestrian bicycle trips will, I mean I agree with the fact they originate from there. I disagree
with the fact that we use Powers Boulevard. Now I too am a biker. Too bad all those poor
Galpin people left because I've been in their ditch on my bike because of the way that traffic...I
agree with them. But you know...I too bike down there. But it's not near as bad as...but we
have the option of using Kerber Boulevard. Or we, on the east side, all have access in some way,
24
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
shape or form. Every home there has access. Even on the streets that are dead end, or circles or
whatever they are, there actually are trails that will get them over to Kerber right now existing...
Beth Hamilton: I live right on the corner ofKerber, l'm Beth Hamilton. I live on Pima but I'm
on the comer of Kerber, right next to Christa who just spoke. And privacy is, we only face west
and north. I do. So I face Kerber with a lot of traffic and I face Powers with a lot of traffic. And
in the winter the snowmobilers, yes. We get a lot of them. But our windows are closed. In the
summer we get bikers. We get walkers. If you take 7 feet off of my yard, they're going to be
right on my patio. I live there alone. They can walk right into my house. Safety is an issue for
me, as well as the privacy. And yes, everybody on our side uses Kerber. I don't understand why
it wasn't proposed on the west side of the street, of the road. But I guess at this point it doesn't
make any difference. They're not going to do that. But on our side of the road just seems to be
ludicrous. With 900 and some people living that close to the road in tile first place. Then to
move our yards back even further, and possibly lose trees, and definitely lose any little bit of
privacy that we have is just, it doesn't make any sense. It just doesn't make sense when across
tile road they have deep yards. It only affects 200 and some people instead of 900. And in some
places there aren't any houses. And not only that, the lakes that they want to access are on that
side of the road. So why tls? It just doesn't make any sense. So that's my biggest concern is,
I'm going to have to move. You just, it's just closing me in too much. I have no yard now. And
tile privacy is, and the safety factor is very, very important to me. And to have people xvalking
and biking by, and Christa and I have already had vandalism. You know we're just that close to
tile road that the kids can do that and get by with it. I can't even put up one of those lights that
goes off automatically if people get too close because the road is already so close that it goes off
all the time. So I can't use it. So please consider that in this. And tile walking trails are great but
if they're going to be right on some people's patios, then people are xvalking by watching you eat
dinner and you have no recourse but to pull your drapes in the middle of the summer. That's no
way to live. That's just no way to live so, thank you.
Jean Pfleidcrcr: My name is Jean Pfleidcrer. I live at 7267 Pontiac Circle. I am definitely not in
favor of this trail. I'd rather see no trail at all than to see it there. I don't see any reason in tile
xvorld why it can't be on the other side of the road. There are a lot of good reasons to put it over
there. Lot of'them were brought up tonight. We have a privacy issue, which is very important to
us. We also have a problem with people cutting through our yards. They do it nov< Can you
ilnagine what it's going to be like if we have a trail right there? You have to consider this. You
have to consider this and you have to make them believe that they can be put oil the other side of
the road. There's no reason not to. There's a lot of reasons not to put it on the east side.
Patti Pettinger: One more comment that both of these ladies brought up is that the access to
lakes. I remember at the December meeting there were some people who had not gotten notice
of this meeting or that meeting who lived on the west side of Powers Boulevard, but they showed
up at tile meeting because they said their children right now don't have access to Lake Ann and I
didn't think of that until just now because somebody else said a comment about that. Is that,
other than what you and I talked about, you have to walk down tile road so that the children, if
there was a trail, at least those people live on that side could get to Lake Ann ifa trail was on that
side. Now xve have to cross Powers Boulevard to get to Lake Ann no matter what happens. So
25
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
that's not an issue for us. But the people that do live on that side, who have no access to Lake
Ann, other than walking in the road right now, like we do. I assume you must live on the xvest
side so you're very familiar with what I'm talking about there.
Lash: I live right on CR 17 so I know exactly the issues you're talking about.
Audience...
Lash: I moved.
Audience: You know what? We'll have to move too and guess what our property value's going
to do? ...
Steve Peterson: Steve Peterson. I live at 7305 Pontiac Circle. Could we put up that map, that
had the one we had with Galpin on there? I also am opposed to it. I'd rather see it on the other
side of the trail, or the other side of Powers. I guess I was particularly looking at this area right
here. Ho~v do I find that?
Lash: Are you talking about Powers?
Steve Peterson: Well, there's an awful lot of people right in here that if they need to go to
Chanhassen, they have to cross the road. I mean that's the only way they're going to get onto this
trail proposed on this side. All these people who live on this side would never take this trail to
Chanhassen because Kerber is so much more efficient and it leads you right into downtown. And
it has a path. We have a path that runs right down Kerber Road, Kerber Boulevard into
Chanhassen. That's all these people here. We're off the map here now. As all these. Now
anybody that's going to access the trail from in here has to come out, up to Kerber to get there, or
cut across my property and climb my fence.
Audience: Which they do.
Steve Petcrson: Which they do, but it's not going to benefit them. They're still, they're going to
be backtracking to get into Chanhassen or get down that trail. It would be much more efficient
for them to go down Kerber. But you're cutting off all these houses that are back in here that
would like access to downtown Chanhassen and have no way to get there other than out on
Powers Boulevard. Or crossing the road. Something to think about.
Lash: Thanks. Anybody else?
John Farr: I'm John Farr from 7325 Pontiac. I remember from the meeting that we had earlier,
that it seemed to be an issue with the planning folks that were there, involved with planning, that
the path be on the east side versus the est because of the number of people that were going to
access it. And it didn't even occur to me that...that really he's got a good point that nobody on
the east side is going to ever use the path...Kerber as you go to Chanhassen. Because I've gone
both routes with my kids and trail on the bike and so forth and going in on Kerber, you've
26
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
already got the path and on Powers running down a highway. You know you're only this far
from the next sign going a little bit over the speed limit. And I started a petition I had people
sign it when that first meeting came along. They're just basically saying that this is...going
through our yards and cutting down all the trees and putting it, you know a stone's throxv from
our decks and patios and so forth, but I think I would have to re-evaluate now. It sounds like
there's more opposition to having it on the east side altogether. And I guess I would, I'm not
opposed to the path but if it can go on the west side, I'd really prefer it because there is...for me
on the east side. With the split rail fence, I know I'm certainly not going to hike the berm. Jump
the fence just to use the path. I'll just go to Kerber. So there's a number of people who haven't
had a chance to talk to you yet but it sounds like a couple of them are here tonight would
probably oppose the path on the east side altogether so. I was going to turn it in but now it
sounds like there's more input to go into it.
(There was a tape change at this point in the discussion.)
Lash: Just Dave t guess.
Dave Nybcrg: On tile one side...
Audience: ...hoxv many of our trees...
Dave Nybcrg: I don't have an exact rmmbcr but it's very few compared to.
Audience: You are going to take some of our trees?
Dave Nybcrg: Well tile problem is, there are a few trees that are located in the right-of-xvay. If
you go through tile alignment.
Audience: We have few trees now.
Dave Nyberg: Right here's tile proposed alignment. Right at the south end, just north of...
Court. I talked to the manager today and... All along here, those trees can probably.., there's
two others right here .... what we propose here is to move that fence back. Your drawing shows
no trees on her property.
Audience: Yeah, you're saying that tile trees...is that what you're proposing was my. I guess
my...
Dave Nyberg: I think we can modify the plans to show that.
Audience: Well I would like that because that's a...
Dave Nyberg: And I apologize for that. That's a mistake.
Audience: So they would be saved?
27
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Dave Nyberg: Yeah. If that tree row extends...and we'll get that changed on the plan...as long
as we can show minimal amount of...
Dave Drealan: My name is Dave Drealan. I live at 1110 Chaparral Court. It's on the northeast
comer of Powers and Kerber. As long as we started talking about trees, there's a number of them
right along here and I think it shows clearing and grubbing. There's one here. Probably one here
but there's I think probably 5 trees along there and I'm just curious what the plans are there. If
that will, will you take that row of trees out or to try and move around them a little bit?
Dave Nyberg: ...yeah clearly we've got to get that shown on here. We need to do some more
investigation of where those roxvs of trees are. What happens is our survey crew goes out and
they pick up the end of the... If that's true here, we can try to leave that trail out and then bring it
back around.
Dave Drealan: Because it would take just a few feet and I don't think there'd be a problem with
a 30 foot clear zone there. I don't mind having a trail back there, I wouldjust if possible like to
maintain some of those evergreens back there. Thank you.
Lash: ...open it up for commissioner comments. Rod.
Franks: I xvould like to see maybe, as soon as we can.get that information, Dave maybe the
updated drawing of where the trees are and everything because it seems to be one of the major
concerns from the residents along this trail segnnent is to see exactly which trees might have to
go. Which ones are going to be saved. So I would really like to see kind of more accurate
information if we can on the plat drawing .... not right now.
Manders: My thought is really relating to the stipulation of maintaining the 30 foot easement.
How it's going it and hoxv the tree line and I'm not sure how this is going to...the trail to
meander or ~vhat, if it makes some sense to just maintain that whole section out because of the
sensitivity of trees and closeness of the residences there...pulling it in, just keep the whole
segment. That makes some sense to me. As far as addressing the question of the trails on
Powers being on the east side versus the west side. Really, it's similar to almost the concept of
parks that, you know a neighborhood park is obvious that. For that neighborhood. But it isn't
built exclusive for that neighborhood. It xvas built for the city and the same thing with this trail
that people that are using trails aren't necessarily using thc trail because they live in that
neighborhood. They're using it to accomplish a loop concept or whatever. So the purpose of this
trail, your view to go downtown really doesn't accomplish that and I agree that Kerber is a much
simpler way to get downtown if that's all you want to do is go downtown and come back. Bnt
the direction here is to accomplish a loop and hook these trails together. And my question to
Todd or to the rest is to maybe speak to the need or the value of the trail on the east side versus
the west side. That's probably the only question I really have.
Hoffman: The points that are, as far as user destination and where they're starting and how
they're flowing around the community to downtown, Lake Ann Park, those type of things. I'm
28
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
certainly aware, i walk this. I walk Kerber or Powers to work on most given days and obviously
there's no trail along Powers Boulevard for comfort. It's not a very likely choice. I take it about
one out of five times that I come downtown to City Hall and walking along that shoulder,
although it's wide, you'd better keep your eyes on those cars to make sure where they're at. With
the inclusion of this trail, will it be the first choice? Perhaps not but will it be a part of the trip
going downtown on Kerber and then coming back on Powers? Potentially so. More importantly
are the connectors that it makes back to the, what I would call the east side community and those
are at Saddlebrook, Kerber, Carver Beach and then north at Pleasant View. Again the reason for
the recommendation to terminate at Pleasant View is Pleasant View drains all the way back into
the north side of Lotus Lake and there's hundreds of homes which would front out onto Powers
from that residential street. Not that Pleasant View Road in itself is such a great pedestrian
access, but it certainly will drive pedestrian movement out to Poxvers Boulevard and then coming
down south. We have a start on the east side at the downtown location which the city has
invested a great deal of resources and then to cut across that gap and Powers Boulevard to get
down closer to the intersection of Highway 5 and Powers Boulevard. And so we're starting on
the east. If we need to switch over to the west, running a trail along the Eckankar property is
certain, does not have direct impact on, have direct impact on a single property owner, but it
doesn't provide that, you know that connection to a neighborhood community that it does on the
east side. The point is xvell taken, as you move farther north on the west. The folks who live on
Lake Lucy are very similar to the population that lives off of Pleasant View. They would like to
come down to Powers Boulevard and then access the trail system to get south into
the...neighborhood and into Lake Ann Park. So we had one time talked about taking that out as
a single segment on the west side from Lake Lucy down to the north side of Utica Lane.
Obviously in our budgetary situation, that is not an option to take that out. Create that segment
as a secondary segment. All of the issues which we're talking and we're bearing about tonight
also occur on the west side to some severity and so again, similar to the Galpin argument, if we
take a look at the study the west side, you will have a different group of individuals in here
talking about thc same issues.
Audience: What are you saying?...
Berg: Maybe xve can let Todd finish.
Hoffinan: And I believe I did make in that statement to some sort of...at the townhomes is
obviously closest proximity to any homes. But there are other reasons along with this that we
perceive the calls. People call in as they watch the public process go forward. They're not here
this evening but they're voicing their opposition or the City Council look to the put this trail on
the west side already and there's always those two sides of the issue. In the letter we addressed
really, those were you know the strongest points. The population density on the east and how
many people today and in the future, due to the constraints we have on the west side, would
access that through those four trail connectors versus the one trail connector on the west. The
fact that we have a start on the trail on the east side, down at the downtown location. The lack of
real desirable crossing locations for that trail. The fact that we need to reconstruct that section in
the Saddlebrook ditch which was put in by the developer, unbeknownst to the city at that time
and it really needs to be corrected. It was not built properly. And it's a good indicator of when
29
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
we talk to the commission and to the citizens about the fact that you just can't build a trail
anywhere in a ditch. That little segment is buit right in the bottom of the ditch. It is difficult to
maintain. We lose equipment in it and it just falls right through the center of the trail because it
is in the bottom of the ditch...retains water and it will not, it did not serve it's...in that location.
It's not as easy as just pushing the trail off of that outside bench into the bottom of the ditch. If
you push it out to that location and then again you need to go up adjacent to the roadway and that
opens up an entire new set of review by the County. You know where's the alternative to put the
trail? Out in that clear zone area or closer to that clear zone...simply again to, you know these
residents are not going to allow that trail on, they simply won't permit it. They have this
roadway and looking at that same issue on the opposite side of the road as well so. I don't know
Fred, if you have any more specific questions or questions about that assessment but we would
certainly, you know we've studied on the east side and I would hesitate to recommend that we
simply again take a look at an indepth study on the west side, but if that's the choice, then we just
need to recognize the commission that that means significant delays to the Powers Boulevard
trail. Perhaps entire construction season and would it change the recommendation. It wouldn't
change our recommendation but would it change the eventual outcome of the public process.
Berg: ...just about dealt with every question or concern I had. What are you planning to do
Dave xvith the gullies on both sides of Kerber and Powers? Do you know what I'm talking
about?
Dave Nyberg: Do you mean the.
Berg: The drains.
Dave Nyberg: That deep hole there?
Berg: Yeah. And really there's another one on the other side...
Dave Nyberg: Yeah. What we've got to do at intersections like that is move the trail up towards
Powers Boulevard. That will keep the trail out of the bottom of that ditch. Keeps it up higher
and what we really try to do at all intersections is get the trail closer to Powers Boulevard behind
the stop sign for vehicles so it's more like a typical pedestrian crosswalk situation.
Berg: What exactly docs the County say about how close you can be to the road? What I'm
asking you, to cut to the chase. Does it say it has to be 30 feet? Or does it say it can be less than
30 feet if there's some sort of protection?
Dave Nyberg: The City, or the County really doesn't have set policy but they operate with this
issue much like a city does with zoning code. What we're really doing is showing a trail
constructed in that clear zone that's a variation of their typical design standards. It's nothing like
an adopted policy the City, or the County has. It's just a design guideline...by any road
authority. The City of Chanhassen would go by the same guidelines.
Berg: I'm assuming that it's guidelines based on protection.
30
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Dave Nyberg: Yeah, I mean it's really, it's guidelines established by MnDot that tile connties
and the cities.
Berg: What I guess I'm driving at is, is it possible to look at the potential cost of widening the
shoulder a bit on Powers on the east side and putting a guardrail up? So that in effect you're
creating a trail, a walking area on the east side of the rail. Whereas you're not, you xvouldn't
appreciably move any closer to the homeowner. You still maintain the berm. You still maintain
the trees, the fence, the whole nine yards but put a, from wherever we're not in accordance with
~vhat the county suggests to put a railing. Is that feasible cost wise to look at?
Hoffinan: Feasible cost wise is my concern. I don't know what...guardrail is.
Dave Nyberg: Yeah, guardrails are, I mean they're...but xvhat would happen there is the County
probably wouldn't allow you to do that. What they'd say is, if you want to put a shoulder there,
we need a bituminous curb at least, or even a concrete curb and then the trail behind that.
Because that guardrail, and maybe I'm mistaken but if you're saying the trail would be on the
back side of the guardrail? Okay. Then yeah, I was mistaken then. I thought you meant the
other way around. If you did that, the guardrail has to be...offthe travel lane so then you've lost
your shoulder. Now you've got to build out an embankment to that trail. You know really the
road stops dropping off too soon to put an 8 foot trail and it's got to be two feet behind a
guardrail. It's probably on the edge of that drop off anyway. Then if you go doxvn at a 3'1 slope,
probably matching in across the bottom of the ditch, you may have some of the same drainage
problems like I illustrated on Galpin.
Lash: ...trail right on the other side of the guardrail.
Berg: I was looking for a way to get it as close to the road as is feasible safety wise, xvhich is my
issue.
Dave Nybcrg: Well the guardrail would protect pedestrians fi'om traffic inbetween.
Lash: See I was thinking what you were leaning to was the guardrail would allow them to let
us...in 30 foot. I think anywhere we want. Not right up next to the guardrail but anyplace where
we are a few feet.
Dave Nyberg: It does. It does allow for that because just like the Highway 7 segment where
there is guardrails, the property by the Boyer's, or owned by the Boyer's, we are allowed by
MnDot to push that trail very close to the back of the guardrail because there is protection there.
And it's not, they don't look at it as protection for pedestrians. They look at it as there's
protection there for vehicles that don't go off the road and down the new trail embankment of 3:1
slope or in that.
Berg: We knoxv xvhat we want to put the guardrail...
31
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Lash: There's nobody left here that works for MnDot.
Berg: ...Can we investigate the possibility of that? I hadn't thought of what Jan was saying.
Either one of those. Either my original thought or Jan's, in terms of being able then to.
Lash: Fudge where we need to.
Berg: Fudge where we need. Fudge on the 30 feet. Also, this is a really dumb question. Do we
have to have a trail Todd that's open 12 months a year?
Hoffman:...
Berg: Does it have to be an 8 foot trail? Or can we close it during the snow season?
Hoffinan: Sure.
Audience: The snowmobilers aren't going to...
Lash: Oh the snowmobilers aren't supposed to be using this trail anyway.
Audience: They xvill...
Berg: I'mjust trying to brainstorm here and try to come up with something.
Audience: ...ask a question. Why has a study never been done for the west side?..
Lash: No, I think really staff has addressed that question. They've said, you know for the
connections it makes to the other trails. Because of the fact that we've invested so much money
already down towards downtown, you know where the big gully is, you know. There's a huge
retaining wall up. You know those kinds of things cost a lot of money and to just can all of that
and start over again and have to do it on the other side of the road, you knoxv that would be.
Audience: ...wrong side of the road when people...
Lash: And I think that's an unfair statement. I really do. I think it will be used whichever side
of the road it's on .... that's the point. That's the purpose of having it is so people.
Audience: ...at our expense.
Lash: Well, 1'11 tell you what. We sit up here all the time and we hear these comments all the
time. Everyone's in favor of the trail system who comes in here, that's not in their yard. They
want it in someone else's yard and there's no way that we can do that. I'd love to be able to put a
trail system somewhere in this city so that it didn't have to be close to anyone's house and
everyone could be happy, but it cannot be done. It just can't.
32
Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Audience: You know what, we would not be unhappy...
Lash: And I understand that. I really do, but on the other hand we need to stop and look at the
fact that you have a small yard. You know, you have a small yard. You know those townhomes
have small yards and a lot of them are close to the highway. But they were close to the highway
when you bought them and that has nothing to do with us. You know, you bought, and I bought
a house on CR 17.
Audience...
Lash: No, that's not my point. But xvhen you, you know you made a conscious decision. I did
the same thing. When I bought my house on CR 17, I made a decision to buy a house on a
county road. There's things that come along with that. When you buy a house on a busy street,
there's going to be traffic. There's going to be people walking. You give up lots of privacy and
that's part ofxvhat goes with buying a house on a busy street. You know and we can't control
that. No matter ~vhat we want to do, we can't stop that. We can control the trail, you're right.
But there are a lot of other people in this town who want that trail. We have to look at what best
serves everyone.
Audience: ...there's far more people I think that would use it...far less property owners to deal
with.
Lash: ...you knoxv we can volley this stuff back and tbrth all night and we're all basically stating
our own opinions, you know.
Audience: ...all the people that live in that area.
Lash: Will not use it i£it's on the east side of the road?
Audience: ...between them. They're not going to take their bike up the berm, jump the fence
xvith their bikejust so they can usc the trail...Kerber right out their drivexvay. No one in our area
is ever going to use that trail unless the other road got hit by a nuclear weapon.
Lash: Well and again, you're making the assumption people will only go to town to go to the
store and come back again. Now people use, people want to take walks. They want to take
bikes. They want to make a circular fashion and then mm around.
Audience: ...myself. I don't know how many people Dave's talked to in our area. I've talked to
over half the people that live right along that section of roadway that have decks that are...and
there's not a one of them...especially people that have pine trees that now...go through a pine
tree with their I0 speed to try and get to the road.
Lash: And they would use it if it was on the other side of the road?
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Special Park & Rec Meeting - January 20, 1998
Audience: No... My point is none of these people would...by having it on the east side doesn't
serve, it serves just the people on the other side. Because they then would have a way to get to...
They're going to have to cross the road either way to get to downtown Chanhassen...no matter
what they do, they'll have to cross, depending on their side...their backyards to a trail without
having to go to the next crossing. I think it'd be more convenient for them. I mean none of...
Lash: You know and the other thing, and this is a big, big factor. On the other side, Eckankar,
where that huge thing is. You know we don't have the money to do that again. It's been on the
other side of the road. Now what we would be forcing everyone to do is cross at some point
down there. That would be near suicide where that sight lines are.
Audience: The truth of the matter is, x number of people are going to have to cross the road no
matter where you put it.
Lash: Right.
Audience: So I don't buy that argument you just made. It's the same thing youjust did on
Galpin Boulevard. You're talking about having a crossing at the most dangerous point on that
road. You just talked about it a little while ago. You talked about having a crossing at the most
dangerous point on that road. But you're going to have a crossing because you've got to do
something different about it.
Lash: No, we didn't talk about having a crossing. W$ talked about having it at Lake Lucy.
Audience: ...here said, no...place to have it is back at Lake Lucy.
Lash: That was my intention all along was to have it at Lake Lucy.
Audience: ...someone had said let's cross...up here at the top or the bottom of the hill.
Berg: I said that.
Audience: Okay.
Lash: And the residents said that. They said if you're going to cross, cross at the top. Not at the
bottom.
Audience: Yeah, and this guy sitting right here in front of me said no. Do it at Lake Lucy.
Manders: And just because it's talked about doesn't mean that everybody agrees with it. It's just
part of the discussion.
Audience: Right. Well it's the same thing about crossing, you know why can't you have it cross
over. You're talking about this bridge and retaining wall and everything here. And then the next
connection to it is that piece of garbage you're going to tear out anyway, right7 I mean the end of
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Special Park & Rec Meeting- January 20, 1998
that trail, wherever it is. You're going to tear that piece out anyway. So you've got a lot of area
in there where you can make a crossover. That's not an argument. There is a, you have good
sight lines somewhere down in here. Now granted, when you get tip here, the sight line isn't as
good. As far as seeing traffic coming. But then we get back to the isstie, something that we...
Lash: You know and I'm not a safety expert with sight lines and all that kind of stuff but I've
lived there for 20 years. I wouldn't want to cross Powers down towards Eckankar. I just
wouldn't. There's just not good enough, with...and it goes like this. I don't think it's.
Audience: We've got streets that come out on Powers right now. People have to cross every day
in their cars.
Audience...
Lash: Is there someone who's interested in making a motion?
Franks: Are we motioning on just Powers Boulevard itsel??
Lash: Right.
Berg: Are we looking to make a motion to inake a final recolnmendation or...? I would move,
I'm getting awfully brave in my old age. I would move that we look at staff, direct staff to look
at the following recommendations and again I'd accept all help fi'om you. The possibility ora
guardrail. The possibility of looking at a guardrail in two areas. Either making, having the trail
come right tip to the guardrail or being...
Taping of the meeting ended at this point in the discussion.