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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4-16-08 park meeting packet AGENDA CITY OF MAPLEWOOD PARK COMMISSION MEETING Wednesday, April 16, 2008 5:30p.m. - Council Chambers - Maplewood City Hall 1830 County Road B East 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes 5. Visitor Presentations 6. Conservation Easement Update ? Sarah Strommen, Minnesota Land Trust ? Ginny Gaynor, Open Space Naturalist 7. Comprehensive Sidewalk and Trail System Plan ? Jon Horn, Kimley-Horn - 8. CIP Discussion ? Proposed Projects ? 2009 ? 2013 9. Gethsemane ? Responses to Commissioner?s Questions 10. Nature Center Update ? Staff will Provide Commission with quarterly updates 11. Open Space/Preserves Update ? Staff will Provide Commission with Quarterly Updates 12. Comprehensive Plan Update ? Land Use Discussion ? Open House Dates 13. Diversity Discussion 14. Continuation of Joy Park Discussion 15. Continuation of Lion?s Park Discussion 16. Other 17. May Special Meeting Proposed Date - May 7, 2008 beginning at 6:30p.m. ? Land Use Comp. Plan Discussion with Jennifer Hasskamp 18. Adjourn ? (9:30p.m.) Next meeting ? May 21, 2008 at 7:00 pm ? Recreational Program Update PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION REPORT TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Ginny Gaynor, Open Space Naturalist SUBJECT: Conservation Easements for Neighborhood Preserves DATE: April 8, 2008 for April 16 Parks Commission Meeting INTRODUCTION In December 2007, Maplewood hired Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) for Phase 2: Implementation of Conservation Easements. MLT?s services are to evaluate and complete conservation easements for up to five Neighborhood Preserves: Priory, Beaver Creek, Joy Park, Applewood, and Jim?s Prairie. Sarah Strommen from MLT has been working with city staff members Ginny Gaynor and Alan Kantrud on this project. At the April 16 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Ms. Strommen will the conservation easements. present proposed rights and restrictions for BACKGROUND Staff evaluated the five sites and determined that two sites in particular might benefit from conservation easements: Priory Neighborhood Preserve and Jim?s Prairie. These were selected due to their high ecological quality. There will be opportunity in the future to pursue easements on other sites if desired. Staff would like to postpone consideration of other sites until after the city adopts other land protection options, such as Comprehensive Plan, zoning, ordinance, and/or no-net loss policy. City Attorney Alan Kantrud has been working with MLT?s attorney on title reviews for the two sites. MLT?s board has reviewed information on the Maplewood sites and approved their organization moving forward with the process.Their review examined conservation values of the two sites, the public benefits provided by the projects, and general transaction details. Ms. Strommen has met with staff to discuss rights and restrictions for conservation easements on Jim?s Prairie and Priory Neighborhood Preserve. Attached are proposed rights and restrictions for these sites. Ms. Strommen will review these with commissioners at the April 16 Commission meeting. Also attached is MLT?s ?A Landowner?s Guide to Minnesota Land Trust Conservation Easement.? It will be helpful if commissioners read this document prior to the meeting, so everyone has a baseline understanding of conservation easements. After receiving input from Parks and Recreation Commission, Ms. Strommen will draft the language for both conservation easements. The easement documents will then be submitted to Parks Commission for final review and for recommendation to City Council. A project timeline is attached. RECOMMENDATION Staff requests that Parks and Recreation Commission reviews the Proposed Rights and Restrictions for Conservation Easements for Jim?s Prairie and Priory Preserve and provide input. Minnesota Land Trust Proposed Rights and Restrictions for a Conservation Easement The Priory City of Maplewood Land Use Restrictions & Rights Detail Industrial or commercial use Prohibited. Agricultural use Prohibited? this includes cultivation, forestry, livestock grazing or animal husbandry. Does not include harvest of native seed. Residential use and developmentProhibited. Structures and improvementsProhibited except for: 1) minor rustic structures and 2) interpretive center of limited size UtilitiesUtilitiesareallowedto serve those activities permitted by the easement but otherwise limited. Division of the property Limitedto no more than two parcels. Development Rights Transfer of development rights to another property is prohibited. Rights of way Access across the property to develop adjacent land is prohibited. MiningProhibited. SignsSmall, unlighted signs for informational or interpretive purposes is allowed. A sign designating the name of the park also is allowed. Roads and trails Roads are prohibited except as necessary for park maintenance and/or management. Trails are allowed, including footbridges and boardwalks. Surface alteration Alteration of the natural topography or surface of the land is limited. Vegetation and habitat Management of natural vegetation to improve its managementhabitat values is allowed, subject to an approved management plan. WaterAlteration of natural water bodies and wetlands, or actions detrimental to water quality are prohibited. DumpingDumping or accumulation of trash or other unsightly material is prohibited. VehiclesProhibited except in conjunction with otherwise authorized activities (i.e. habitat restoration or management). Recreational and educational use Recreational and educational purposes that do not impact the conservation values of the land are allowed. This includes an interpretive center. Minnesota Land Trust Updated 4/8/08 Minnesota Land Trust Proposed Rights and Restrictions for a Conservation Easement Jim?s Prairie City of Maplewood Land Use Restrictions & Rights Detail Industrial or commercial use Prohibited. Agricultural use Prohibited ? this includes cultivation, forestry, livestock grazing or animal husbandry. Does not include harvest of prairie seed. Residential use and developmentProhibited. Structures and improvementsProhibitedexcept for minor rustic structures. UtilitiesProhibited (may need to accommodate City owned/operated public utility system). Division of the property Prohibited. Development rights Transfer of development rights to another property is prohibited. Rights of way Access across the property to develop adjacent land is prohibited. MiningProhibited. SignsSmall, unlighted signs for informational or interpretive purposes are allowed. A sign designating the name of the park also is allowed. Roads and trailsNo roads or trails allowed. Access for prairie management will be accommodated. Surface alteration Alteration of the natural topography or surface of the land is limited. Vegetation and habitat A management plan that addresses managementmaintenance/improvement of habitat values is required. WaterAlteration of natural water bodies and wetlands, or actions detrimental to water quality are prohibited. DumpingDumping or accumulation of trash or other unsightly material is prohibited. VehiclesProhibited except in conjunction with otherwise authorized activities (i.e. habitat restoration or management). Recreational and educational use Recreational and educational purposes that do not impact the conservation values of the land are allowed. Minnesota Land Trust Updated 4/8/08 Minnesota Land Trust A Landowners Guide to a Minnesota Land Trust Conservation Easement Each conservation easement completedby the Minnesota Land Trust is unique. Each is crafted to protect the conservation values of each special parcel ofland as well as meet the goals of each individual landowner and the LandTrust. The Land Trust doesbegin with a standard template and this guide summarizes the typical components of a Minnesota Land Trust conservation easement. The Minnesota Land Trust accepts onlypermanent conservation easements. Once completed, the easement will forever restrict the future use and development of the land and protect its natural or scenic features for generations to come. It represents an important commitment by both the landowner and the Land Trust. The importance and permanence of this commitmentrequire that the easement document be written with a great deal of care and detail. The Land Trust strives to draft easements that are clear, precise, enforceable--and understandable, not just to the drafting parties but to future landowners, Land Trust personnel and others who might be called upon to interpret the document. However, easements are based upon a technical field of tax and real estate law and must meet these technical requirements. Those interested in some of the legal principles governing conservation easements may want to refer to §170(h)of the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations at §1.170A-14 regarding income tax matters and to Minnesota StatuesChapter 84C for state law provisions authorizing conservationeasements.Additional legal requirements apply to the Minnesota Land Trust as a non-profit, public charity under §501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. As with all important legal documents, a landowner should be familiar with the specific terms and conditions of the specific legal document and should seek the advice of anattorney knowledgeable about conservation easements before signing any easement.This guide is intended only as an overview of what a landowner might expect to see in an easement. ___________________________________________________________________ PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS The introductory sections of the easement identify the parties to the transaction, describe the property, set out the conservation purposes and values furthered by the easement, and outline the public benefits achieved by protecting the property. PUBLIC BENEFIT: Conservation easements canbe created for a variety of purposes that provide a variety of public benefits. The specific purpose of an easement sets the context for creating land use restrictions and identifying rights reserved to thelandowner and provides the background against which it will be interpreted by: Describing the natural, scenic and open space qualities of the property -- its conservation values. Summarizing the public benefits from protecting the property. Identifying the public policies furthered by protectingthe property. As noted below, state and federallaw, as well as programmatic priorities, create the parameters that define the conservation purposes behind easements held by the Minnesota Land Trust. MINNESOTA LAW: Minnesota law, which follows the Uniform Conservation Easement Act adopted by many states, authorizes easements for any of the following conservation purposes: Protecting natural, scenic or open-space values of real property. Protecting natural resources. Maintaining or enhancing air or water quality. Preserving architectural, archaeological or cultural aspects of real property. Assuring the property?s availability for agricultural, forest, recreational or open-space use. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAW: Federal income tax law provides for the deductibility of conservation easements in more limited circumstances. These purposes include any of the following: Preserving land for outdoor recreation or education by the general public. Protecting relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife or plants. Preserving open space, including farmland and forestland, for the scenic enjoyment of the public or pursuant to a delineated government policy. Preserving historically important land or a certified historic structure. MINNESOTA LAND TRUST: The Minnesota Land Trust concentrates on easements in critical landscapes throughout the State that protect: Natural habitat for wildlife, fish and plants. Riparian areas: lakeshores, rivers and streams. Natural scenic landscapes, particularly those with local community or historic significance. LAND USE RESTRICTIONS At the heart of every conservation easement are the detailed limitations on the landowner?s use of the protected property. In each specific case, the restrictions are carefully selected to protect the specific conservation values of that land. However, an easement is only as good as the Land Trust's ability to monitor and enforce the terms of the easement. Some restrictions cannot easily be monitored with a yearly visit. Some lands may need intensive, on-site management. Conservation easements are an excellent protection tool but only in the right situations. Restrictions on land use set out in an easement can be drafted to: Prohibit a specified use or activity. Limit an activity according to specific, detailed restrictions. Allow a use or activity with prior notice to or approval of the Land Trust. Divide the property into land use zones with different levels of restrictions. Using the appropriate approach for the situation, Minnesota Land Trust easements address: Industrial or commercial use. These uses of the property are typically prohibited unless specifically allowed. Agricultural use. Agricultural use, including forestry, livestock grazing or animal husbandry, may be prohibited but is often allowed depending upon the site and subject to restrictions on specific practices and locations. Personal gardens in residential areas are typically allowed. Building or farmstead "envelopes" are frequently used to identify the location of authorized buildings and structures. Residential use and development. Many Land Trust easements allow residential use of the property subject to restrictions on location and size of buildings. Building "envelopes" are routinely used to confine placement of structures and improvements. "Footprints" and height restrictions are frequently used to limit size. Lighting and other restriction are often used to limit the impact of any development. Structures and improvements. All permanent and temporary buildings, structures, fences, docks and other improvements must be specifically addressed to be allowed. Structures related to allowed uses are also typically allowed, again often subject to restrictions like those referred to above. Utilities. Utilities are dealt with in the same manner as other improvements, allowed to serve those activities permitted by the easement but otherwise limited. Division of the property. One of the most important matters addressed in the easement from the Land Trust?s point of view is whether the property can be divided into more than one ownership. This affects the management of the easement by the Land Trust as well as the value of the property subject to the easement. Density. The easement prohibits the development rights limited by its terms from being transferred to any other property. Rights of way. Access across the property to develop adjacent land is typically prohibited. Mining. Mining, an issue specifically addressed by the tax code and requiring particular attention, is almost always prohibited. Signs. Only small, unlighted signs for informational or interpretive purposes are typically allowed. Roads and trails. Locations of new and existing roads or driveways, if any, must be addressed. Unpaved paths or foot trails are typically allowed without restriction. Surface alteration. The alteration of the natural topography or surface of the land is limited as much as possible. Vegetation and habitat management. Management of natural vegetation to improve its habitat values is always allowed, though often subject to an approved management plan. Water. Alteration of natural water bodies and wetlands or actions detrimental to water quality are prohibited. Dumping. No trash or other unsightly material is allowed on the property. Vehicles. Use of vehicles on the property is not particularly easy to deal with in an easement. They are typically allowed only on authorized roads or driveways or in conjunction with otherwise authorized activities, with a focus on prohibiting erosion or damage from vehicle use. In addition to specific restrictions, all Minnesota Land Trust easements ensure that no use can be made of the property that is inconsistent with the purposes of the conservation easement or the protection of the conservation values of the property. RESERVED RIGHTS Each easement identifies what activities or uses of the protected property are permitted. In many cases these uses will be subject to restrictions. In all instances, the landowner retains the right to transfer or sell the property as the owner wishes, subject of course to the terms of the easement. To assure that new owners are aware of the conservation easement, the easement also requires that any future deed refer to the conservation easement and that the Land Trust be notified of the conveyance. Typically, existing uses of the property will be allowed to continue although expansion of an existing use may be limited. Also, any use of the property that is not specifically restricted and is not inconsistent with the conservation purposes of the easement is allowed. Under appropriate circumstances, landowners may reserve the right to use the property for uses such as: Residential use. Many landowners continue to live on their protected property, typically subject to limitations on expanding existing structures or adding new structures or improvements. Agricultural use. Agricultural use of protected property is often consistent with protecting its natural features and therefore allowed. Restrictions on certain practices or locations are often imposed. Limited division of the property between new owners. Easements often allow the protected property to be divided among new owners, subject of course to the restrictions of the easement. Habitat management. The Land Trust encourages proper management of protected property, requiring only an appropriate management plan. Timber harvest. Harvesting timber for commercial or personal use is often allowed, subject to an approved management plan. . While most commercial use of protected property is prohibited, Land Trust Home business use easements do typically allow landowners to use their residence as a home business office as long as no additional buildings, parking lots or improvements are required. Recreational and educational use. All Land Trust easements allow the landowner to use the protected property for recreational and educational purposes that do not impact the conservation values of the land. Landowners are required to give the Land Trust notice before exercising any reserved right that might interfere with the conservation values of the property. LAND TRUST'S RIGHTS AND REMEDIES With each conservation easement, the Minnesota Land Trust accepts the perpetual responsibility to monitor the property and, if necessary, to legally defend or enforce the terms of its easement. While our program is most successful if compliance is voluntary, an easement is only as solid as our ability to enforce it. This section of the easement gives the Land Trust needed monitoring and enforcement rights and protects the Land Trust in carrying out its rights and responsibilities. In addition to the right to enter the property for inspection and easement monitoring purposes, the easement details the Land Trust's right to enforce the easement through judicial proceedings. It provides for a range of remedies from requiring correction of the violation to an award of monetary damages. The landowner may also be required to reimburse the Land Trust for its enforcement expenses. Nothing in the easement allows the Land Trust to initiate legal action without first giving the landowner an opportunity to correct the identified problem. GENERAL PROVISIONS All easements contain numerous legal provisions necessary to ensure the long-term viability and enforceability of the easement, many of which are governed by state and federal law. These provisions address: Assignment of the easement to another qualified conservation organization. Amendment of the easement under specific limited conditions. Termination or extinguishment of the easement through judicial proceedings and distribution of any proceeds from an extinguishment. Owner?s warranties of title and condition of property. Obligations of owner for real estate taxes and other costs and liabilities of continuing property ownership. Miscellaneous legal provisions covering: recording, controlling law, severability of provisions, termination of obligations upon transfer of interest, binding effect of easement on future owners, notice requirements and definitions. PUBLIC ACCESS A conservation easement does not typically give the public any right of access to the property. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Beyond the terms of the easement itself, there are a number of other important issues for a landowner to keep in mind: ENCUMBRANCES:Allmortgages, liens or similar encumbrances on title to the propertymust either be discharged or subordinated to the conservation easement. This prevents termination of the easement in the unlikely event of a foreclosure. TAX DEDUCTION: A landowner who seeks a charitable income tax deduction for the gift of a conservation easementmust comply with a numberof tax code and regulatory requirements. This includes the need to obtain an appraisal from a qualified appraiser to establish the value of the easement. Please refer to other Land Trust materials on the taxbenefits of donating conservation easements. INDEPENDENT ADVICE: The conveyance of a conservation easement can involve a variety of legal, tax, estate and family issues. All landowners should obtain the advice of qualified legal and financial advisors before completing an easement. ______________________________________________________________________ Minnesota Land Trust ? 2356University AveWest, Suite 240,St. Paul MN 55114 ? 651.647.9590 ? www.mnland.org © September 2006 Printed on recycled paper Process and Timeline For Maplewood Neighborhood Preserves Conservation Easements TaskResponsibilityProposedTimeline Review/Establish Goals City staff, Commissions, City Completed Council with assistance from the Maintain character of Land Trust community by providing visual contrast to development Provide opportunities for low impact recreation, outdoor education, interaction with nature Restore and maintain habitat for the diversity of the City?s plants and animals Resource/Data Review Land Trust with assistance fromCompleted City staff Initial GIS Mapping City staff Completed Prioritization and Selection of City staff, Commissions, City Completed Sites to be Protected with Council with assistance from the Conservation EasementLand Trust Jim?s Prairie The Priory Title ReviewLand Trust attorney and City December-January ? attorneyIn Process Review/Finalize TermsCityand Land Trust January-April Approval of Terms and City and Land Trust April Commitment Letter Easement Drafting Land Trust with assistance fromApril City staff Refinement of GIS mapsCitystaff with assistance fromApril Land Trust Legal Review Land Trust attorney and City April-May attorney Drafting review Survey work (if necessary)City Approval of Easement DocumentCity and Land Trust June Baseline Reports Land Trust May-June RecordingLandTrustJune-July Minnesota Land Trust Updated 4/8/08 Memorandum DuWayne Konewko ? DeputyPublic Works Director To: CC: Steve Kummer, P.E. ? Civil Engineer II From: April 9, 2008 Date: Gethsemane Church ? Parks Commission Questions Re: You had requestedsome additional information and research regarding the Gethsemane Park proposal during our meeting on April 3, 2008. The following points were researched as requested: Are there any parcels for sale within a 1/2-mile radiusof the park that are comparable in size to the Gethsemane Park proposal (i.e. 3-4 acre range)? Are there any city-owned lots within about a ½-mile radius that are comparable to the size and topography of the proposed Gethsemane Park? Whichparks and/or recreational facilities within the Cityare within a ½-mile to 1-mile radius of Gethsemane Park? What are their amenities? Can the Church develop the parcel along the southwestern corner of Bartelmy Lane and Stillwater Road into a possible play area? th During the morning of April 7, 2008, I performed a visual inspection of the area. I also performedsome research on the Ramsey County GIS system to get an idea of the parcel sizes in the area.Following are the results of my research. Parcels For Sale in the Area There are several private parcels within about a ½-mile radius that are large parcels that are comparable to the proposed Gethsemane Park parcel. Some of these parcels include the Union Cemetary to the East, the 3M area to the south and several other sizeable parcels with other churches and schools on them. To date, it does not appear that any of these large parcels are for sale. Also, the City has not received an indicationfrom landowners in this area about splitting off a portion of their current properties at this time. There are other developableparcels in the area that arecurrently for sale, but they tend to be less than one acre in size ? much less than the area of about 3.4 acres that is afforded by the proposed Gethsemane Park. 1 Gethsemane Park Proposal 4/14/2008 City and County Owned Parcels Several parcels within the ½-mile to 1-mile radius are owned by the City. A cluster of parcels around the east side of Beaver Lake and along the west side of Lakewood Drive are Ramsey County parkland. Shown in attached Exhibit A are denoted City parcels and County parcels. The City parcels are denoted MW-1 through MW-6. MW-1 is 4 times the size of the Gethsemane Parcel. A large portion of the parcel is wetland that is tributary to Beaver Lake. Buildable areas within the parcel are sporadic at best and would not accommodate an appropriate park area equivalent to Gethsemane. MW-2 is a small parcel off of Lakewood drive that is one-quarter the size of the Gethsemane parcel. This parcel is relatively flat, but it is narrow in width and has very little buffer along Lakewood Drive to aesthetically separate a park from the busy-ness of the roadway to the west. This parcel would not be able to accommodate any type of ball field. MW-3 is related to MW-1 in that most of the area is wetland or water. The parcel is owned by the City for drainage purposes only and would not accommodate a large park area. MW-4, located east of Lakewood Drive opposite Beaver Lake and south of the Beaver Lake Townhomes development, has a large bluff area with a wetland/ponding area in the middle that eventually drains to Beaver Lake. The area has a trail that runs along the east side of the parcel. Although it is a fairly large area comparable to proposed Gethsemane Park, only about 1/3 of the area (about 1 to 1.5 acres) is actually buildable. It would be questionable as to whether the area could accommodate the same sports amenities as the Gethsemane parcel. MW-5 is located to the southwest of the Gethsemane site on the west side of Lakewood Drive. Mostly a woodlot, there is a large expanse of wetland area through the center of the parcel. Only about ½ the lot (about 1 acre) would be viable, build able space. Access would be an issue with the parcel as the wetland covers the western half of the lot and an access point from Lakewood Drive would likely not be permitted. MW-6 is a small ¾-acre parcel located at the corner of Bush Avenue and Lakewood Drive. Given the area, this parcel is not comparable in size or layout at the Gethsemane parcel. A small play area is about all the parcel would accommodate. Regarding the Ramsey County Parks parcels along the east and north sides of Beaver Lake, these parcels do not have full park amenities such as ballfields, a swimming beach or a playground. These areas are basically wooded open space with a small paved trail system and several benches. In conclusion, by visual inspection and by doing some property research, there do not appear to be any sizeable City parcels in the area that could be utilized for a park area of similar use and magnitude of Gethsemane Park. Most of the City parcels, in fact, are used in one form or another for drainage purposes. From a purely physical perspective in terms of available space for kids to run around or for the placement of ballfields, soccer fields, playground areas and Page 2 Gethsemane Park Proposal 4/14/2008 other similar amenities, these areas are very limited. Consideration of these areas should be weighed against both short-term and long-term financial feasibility. Availability of Existing Parks Based on some simple mapping aids and visual studies, there appears to be three Maplewood City Park areas and one Ramsey County Park area within a 1-mile radius of Gethsemane Park. Refer to Exhibit A for locations of these parks. Within about ½ mile of Gethsemane Park is the Maplewood Nature Center (2 blocks away) and Geranium Park (a ½-mile walk or bike ride). Within 1 mile of Gethsemane Park is Lions Park, located about ¾-mile away in a neighborhood near the intersection of Minnehaha Avenue and Century Avenue. To be mentioned as well, the Ramsey County Park along the west side of Beaver Lake is about ¾-mile away just north of Stillwater Road along Lakewood Drive. Both the Maplewood Nature Center and Geranium Park are accessible in one form or another by walking or biking from Gethsemane Park. The Maplewood Nature Center trails can be accessed th just barely 2 blocks away from Gethsemane Park at the east end of 7 Street. To get to Geranium Park takes more effort by walking or biking: One has to follow Bartelmy Lane to the north to connect to a trail system which threads through the Beaver Lake Townhomes Development. Eventually, through residential streets on the east side of Beaver Lake Townhomes, one can reach Geranium Park. Although most of the streets are low-traffic, bikers and pedestrians have to cross Stillwater Road, which has a high traffic volume. Currently, there is no marked crosswalk at Bartelmy Lane and Stillwater Road. Getting to Lions Park from the Gethsemane Park area may be better off by vehicle since the most direct route to the park involves Minnehaha Avenue, which is a very busy roadway with an incomplete trail system. It would be a challenge at best to bike or walk to this park from the Gethsemane Park area even by utilizing low-speed residential streets. Amenities Available at Existing Parks When Lions Park, the Nature Center and Geranium Park are compared with the amenities that Gethsemane Park currently supports, Geranium Park is most similar in this respect. Geranium Park, which is 9 acres in area, offers the following: One hard court for basketball Two hard courts for tennis One adult softball diamond (scheduled for organized teams) A children?s play area (tot lot) Soccer field Pleasure ice rink in the winter. Grass play fields Internal paved trail system 20-25-stall parking lot Lions Park, 3 acres in total area, is similar in layout, character and focus as both Geranium and Gethsemane Parks, but smaller in size and with less in terms of amenities. Lions Park does not Page 3 Gethsemane Park Proposal 4/14/2008 have an internal trail system and parking is handled on neighborhood streets. Following are some amenities in Lions Park: One hard court for basketball One youth softball diamond (usually not scheduled for organized teams) A children?s play area (tot lot) Grass play field area The Nature Center, in and of itself, has a different focus than Gethsemane, Lions and Geranium, and concentrates more on education rather than sports activities and open play. The only similar activities that the Nature Center may provide when compared to Gethsemane Park are the trails and the provision of public open space. The Nature Center has the following amenities: On-site visitor center with parking Interpretive trail with benches Wooded open space area Educational activities, programs and community outreach. Maintenance and Capital Improvements to Existing Parks All parks previously mentioned, including Gethsemane Park, are fairly well-maintained in terms of regular mowing, tending to baseball diamonds and keeping playground equipment in safe working order. Playground equipment in all parks tends to be out-dated and in need of replacement. Of all parks in this area, Lions Park is currently in need of some major capital improvements and upgrades in amenities. In general, the layout of the park may need to be modified in terms of providing a buffer from area residences and creating a pavilion area to encourage people to use the park for small parties and get-togethers. Currently, storm drainage from the street drains directly into the park via curb cuts and overland flow. Improvements to the park in terms of storm water management will also need to be made in the upcoming years when the neighborhood streets are reconstructed. With the development of Gethsemane Park, Geranium Park will likely see an increase in usage, particularly in the area of winter activities such as ice hockey and pleasure skating. Elimination of two baseball diamonds in Gethsemane Park will increase the need for other area ball diamonds, especially the one baseball diamond in Geranium Park. In the near future, capital improvements will need to be made to the park to upgrade the playground equipment and the sports fields that the park offers in order to handle the increased demand. Southwestern Corner of Bartelmy Lane and Stillwater Road A parcel near the southwest corner of Stillwater Road and Bartelmy Lane currently exists as an open area. The open area is currently dotted with monitoring wells. Gethsemane Church would like to develop this open area into a play area at some point. However, because of the nature of the pollution that occurred in the area, development of the vacant lot, by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency order, cannot be developed within the next 5 years. Conclusion Given the availability of trails and open space in the area and the lack of active play facilities, a need for a park in the area of Gethsemane Church is warranted. Looking at different areas in Page 4 Gethsemane Park Proposal 4/14/2008 which to build a park with the active amenities for sports such as a ball diamond, soccer field, tot lot, and green areas for open play, the park parcel that will be built as part of the assisted living facility on the current Gethsemane Park property appears to be the best option to provide the needed active amenities. As well, a trail corridor plan will need to be in place to connect Gethsemane, Geranium, Lions and the Nature Center in order to provide contiguous, safe access to these parks by pedestrians and bicyclists. Page 5 MW-1 MW-2 MW-3 RAMSEY COUNTY PARKS GERANIUM PARK BEAVER LAKE ELEM. RAMSEY MW-4 COUNTY PARKS MAPLEWOOD NATURE CENTER MW-5 UNION CEMETARY MW-6 3M LIONS PARK