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Request for Action <br />To <br />Item Number <br />Mayor and City Council <br />8.1 <br />Agenda Section <br />Meeting Date <br />Prepared by <br />General Business <br />March 4, 2019 <br />Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director <br />Item Description <br />Reviewed by <br />Woodland Trails Regional Park Master Plan Change <br />Cal Portner, City Administrator <br />Reviewed by <br />Action Requested <br />Discuss the proposed location change of the nature -based playground area, nature center and picnic <br />shelter in the Woodland Trails Regional Park Master Plan. <br />Approve, by motion, change to the Woodland Trails Regional Park Master Plan. <br />Background/Discussion <br />Since November of 2018, the Woodland Trails Regional Park (WTRP) Grant Committee has met several <br />times with WSB consultants planning the nature -based play area, nature center and picnic shelter. <br />Members of the committee strongly feel the location of the nature playground; future nature center and <br />picnic shelter should be moved to a different location than indicated in the master plan. The committee <br />met on January 22 and made a motion to change the preferred locations of the playground, nature center <br />and shelter. <br />The WTRP Master Plan was adopted by City Council and the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and <br />Trails Commission (GMRPTC) in July of 2016. Both the DNR Grant Coordinator and the GMRPTC <br />Coordinator have reviewed the master plan and commented it may be amended without impacting grant <br />funding. They both noted any cost increases due to the location change is entirely the responsibility of <br />the city. <br />The Parks and Recreation Commission met at a special meeting on January 23 to discuss and <br />unanimously recommend changes to the WTRP Master Plan with the condition any additional costs due <br />to change of location do not come out of either the Park Improvement Fund or Park Dedication Fund. <br />WSB Consultant Candace Amberg will present to City Council the latest playground design concepts at <br />the proposed location, including estimated costs. The major implication of the changed location is the <br />additional costs for grading and earthwork required with the higher elevations west side of the parking <br />lot, and additional work required by WSB. The original scope of the project in which WSB was chosen <br />for their design work is based on the WTRP Master Plan. <br />While the nature center facility as shown in the master plan is not part of this project, it is an anchor to <br />the overall project. The new location will need additional trails and trail improvements for an ADA <br />A IR <br />