8.1. SR 07-07-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Bill Maertz, Parks and Recreation Director DATE: July 7, 2008 SUBJECT: Park Master Plan and Future Land Acquisition Update At the January 14, 2008 and February 4, 2008 planning workshop, the Council requested an update on the Parks Master Plan and potential future land acquisition. Staff has been reviewing the master plan. • Exhibits A and B indicate that substantial progress has been made in land acquisition since 1997. Exhibit A shows the 1997 master plan and existing parks. Exhibit B highlights land added to the system since 1997. Land has been acquired in several of the key target areas. • As property adjacent to park land becomes developed, there will be opportunities to add key parcels through the park dedication process, thus reducing the need for outright land purchases. • Exhibit C illustrates the parks that are in need of some form of development. These developments can be funded through a combination of the recently approved park improvement fund, park dedication funds, and grants. The southeast portion of Elk River has the most pressing need for park development to meet the needs of new residents. The Park Commission's interest in a referendum was based primarily on speeding up the timetable for developing existing park property. • Exhibit D indicates the parks that are in need of substantial reinvestment. There is potential for Orono Park to be the jewel of the park system, but the amenities are aging and substandard by today's standards. As part of the civic campus, with the new library and YMCA, Orono Park should be a future priority. • Trail development has continued according to the master plan. Easements have been secured through the planning process. Funding has been secured through state and federal grants to complete the Great Northern Trail to the northern city limits. With the coming development of the Mississippi River Trail in Anoka County, priority . should be given to planning and funding of the trail link from the terminus of the trail at the Anoka County border to downtown Elk River.