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January 7, 2015 Parks, Recreation and Environmental Commission Page 3 <br /> <br /> <br />Commissioner Fields felt that having a park where the access is obscure sometimes <br />is attractive to people because they like the secluded feel and they feel like they are <br />getting out of the City. In the beginning it may not be a very high traffic park, but from <br />experience, he believes the word will get out. There may be potential to find funding <br />to tie it into storm water management (because it feeds right into Hansen Park). <br /> <br />Chair Frischman stated she remembers conversation that this parcel would not be <br />easily or widely used by residents. Years ago the Commission actually went out and <br />toured the area. That is where there was conversation about how to make it more <br />visible from Old Hwy. 8. Is there things we could do besides have a parking lot off <br />Old Hwy. 8. Some comments back then were to possibly have a structure there. Add <br />some park features and maybe a neighborhood center that would serve this <br />community because of the high density industrial and residential. There is a <br />manufactured home community on the other side of Old Hwy. 8 and a considerable <br />number of apartments that would benefit. These could be placed in adjacent <br />properties where they would be more visible. These were some of the discussion <br />items from years ago. <br /> <br />Commissioner Kunesh-Podein inquired if this marshy area would support trails, <br />walkways and buildings? <br /> <br />Director Breuer commented that her understanding was that we could put in either a <br />crushed rock or bituminous trail. There are a couple of areas that we would need to <br />put pedestrian bridges in. There are areas that are not marshy. <br /> <br />Chair Frischman stated the price the owner of the land is offering is quite reasonable. <br />Perhaps we purchase the land and bank it for awhile and leave it for 20 years later. <br />Or if this is really what we want and want to invest three quarters of a million dollars <br />to develop it, then we should do that. There are different ways to do this if the <br />Commission feels this is an opportunity we should not let go of. <br /> <br /> <br />Director Breuer stated the seminary’s listed price is $179,900. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brunell stated that if the seminary has not been able to sell it; the City <br />could probably purchase it for much less. A business may want it to put a storage <br />site but he did not believe there would be much interest in this property. He also <br />inquired if the seminary was paying taxes on this property. <br /> <br />Commissioner Parker stated he sees potential for using this as a connectivity trail <br />along the County ditch. On the south end, it may be possible to add some park <br />features. There may also be a dual purpose at the area where the ditch comes into <br />Jones Lake, extending that access and building a little retaining wall and you could <br />go underneath County 88 and Old Hwy. 8 to connect with trails to the south. You <br />could get from the south area to Hansen Park without seeing too much traffic. The <br />trail would be nice, but putting additional facilities on the site would be a challenge. <br />North of Foss Road would be tough to put anything in, other than a trail. <br /> <br />Commissioner Fields stated it would be great if the trail could connect with the <br />County Road E2 proposed trail across the 35W bridge. <br /> <br />Chair Frischman stated on the Roseville end by Perkins there is a bike trail that runs <br />on the east side of County 88 that we have had conversations of how to bring a trail