HomeMy WebLinkAbout[07ai] DNR TrailsMY QP ST. JOSEPH
MEETING DATE: February 17, 2011
AGENDA ITEM: Engineering /Public Works
SUBMITTED BY:Administration
Council Agenda Item 7 a i
Randy Sabart, City Engineer
Heidi Peper, SEH Community Development
BOARD /COMMISSION /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Back in November 2008, City staff began a dialogue with Stearns County
Highway Department staff regarding the feasibility of developing a paved multi -use trail in conjunction
with the construction of the realignment of CSAH 2. It is envisioned that a trail would potentially
connect to the Wobegon Trail /Millstream Park at the north end, to the sidewalk on Minnesota Street at
4th Avenue NW at the east end, and to the CSAH 2 shoulder at 1 -94 (or to the intersection of County
Road 51) at the south end.
Given the potential for time delays to the CSAH 2 project associated with determining wetland impacts,
rights of way acquisition, and permitting associated with the trail's construction, it was understood that
the development of a trail would need to occur by the City's lead and not by Stearns County and the
CSAH 2 project.
Staff have identified one potential grant opportunity to help the City fund a portion of the trail
construction through the DNR Local Trail Connections Program or the DNR Park and Trails Legacy Grant
Program. At a minimum, it is anticipated that the proposed trail would be submitted as a "local" trail,
but it may also be considered by the DNR as a "regional" trail. Applications to the DNR are due Thursday,
March 31, 2011, for projects that must be completed by June 30, 2013. Administration has sent
correspondence to the Stearns County Highway Engineer seeking confirmation of the schedule and the
County's intent to proceed with the CSAH 2 project in 2011, and the County's response is pending.
The costs associated with submitting a DNR grant application involve preparation of the application,
preliminary trail location exhibits, and opinion of probable construction costs/
BUDGET /FISCAL IMPACT: $3,900 (grant application)
ATTACHMENTS: Request for Council Action 7(a)(i):1 -2
SEH Memorandum 7(a)(i):3 -6
2011 [01] Jan 26 Weyrens letter re: County Rd 2 7(a)(i):7
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Approve expenditure of $3,900 for application to the DNR local trail
grant program
7(a)(1):1
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
7(a)(i):2
-A
SEH MEMORANDUM
TO: Randy Sabart
FROM: Heidi Peper
DATE: January 3, 2011
RE: DNR Trails - St. Joseph
As we discussed, the DNR has three trail grant programs that the City of St. Joseph could pursue for their proposed trail
project. The Local Trails Grant program provides the least amount of money ($100,000) but is also the least strict in
documenting regional significance. The Regional and Legacy Trails program would provide up to $250,000 and $500,000
respectively, but would require regional significance documentation, see below, which I believe we could do with the St.
Joseph project. Additionally, we would submit one application and it would be reviewed for funding from both the
Regional and the Legacy programs. I would be happy to sit down with you and the city to discuss in more detail.
LOCAL TRAILS
REGIONAL TRAILS
LEGACY TRAILS
Program purpose:
Program purpose:
Program purpose:
To provide grants to local
To provide grants to local units
To provide grants to local
units of government to
of government to promote
units of government to support
promote relatively short trail
development of regionally
parks and trails of regional or
connections between where
significant trails outside the
statewide significance.
people live and desirable
seven - county metropolitan area.
Funding for this grant program
locations
is from the Parks and Trails
Fund created by the Minnesota
Legislature from the Clean
Water, Land and Legacy
Amendment passed by the
voters in 2008.
7(a)(i):3
Eligible projects:
Eligible projects:
Eligible projects:
Eligible projects include
Eligible projects include
Eligible projects include
acquisition and development
acquisition and development
acquisition, development,
of trail facilities. Acquisition
of trail facilities outside the
restoration, and maintenance
of trail right -of -way is eligible
seven - county metropolitan
of park and trail facilities that
only when proposed in
area that are considered of
are considered of regional or
conjunction with trail
regional or statewide
statewide significance. Trail
development. Acquisition
significance. Acquisition
acquisition projects require a
projects require a perpetual
projects require a perpetual
perpetual easement for
easement for recreational
easement for recreational
recreational purposes. Trail
purposes. Development
purposes. Development
development projects require a
projects require a 20 year
projects require a 20 year
20 year maintenance
maintenance commitment by
maintenance commitment by
commitment by the project
the project sponsor.
the project sponsor.
sponsor.
Funding priorities:
Funding priorities:
Funding priorities:
Priority for trail project
Priority for trail project
Priority for trail project
funding will be given to
funding will be given to
funding will be given to
projects that provide
projects that develop trails of
projects that develop trails of
significant connectivity.
significant length. Significant
significant length. Significant
Considerations also include
considerations also include
considerations also include
trail length, expected amount
expected amount and type of
expected amount and type of
and type of use, and quality
use, and quality and
use, and quality and
and attractiveness of natural
attractiveness of natural and
attractiveness of natural and
and cultural resources,
cultural resources.
cultural resources.
ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES:
ADDITIONAL CRITERIA FOR
ADDITIONAL CRITERIA FOR
Projects that provide
TRAILS:
TRAILS:
connectivity, such as trails
1. Regionally desirable setting:
1. Regionally desirable setting:
connecting where people live
located in a regionally desirable
located in a regionally desirable
(e.g. residential areas within
setting. Criteria include
setting. Criteria include
cities, entire communities) and
attractive, unusual, and/or
attractive, unusual, and/or
significant public resources
representative landscapes,
important destinations, or high
representative landscapes,
important destinations, or high
(e.g. historical areas, open
quality natural areas.
quality natural areas.
space, parks and/or other
2. High quality opportunity
2. High quality opportunity
trails).
and use: serves as a destination,
and use: serves as a destination,
providing high quality
providing high quality
• Projects that can be expected
recreational opportunities,
recreational opportunities,
to have relatively high usage.
attracts a regional clientele
attracts a regional clientele
(multiple communities), draw
(multiple communities), draw
• Projects that provide for a
tourists, and generates economic
tourists, and generates economic
unique and interesting
impact from outside local area.
impact from outside local area.
connection to the outdoors,
3. Adequate length: The trail
3. Adequate length: The trail
provides at least an hour of
provides at least an hour of
such as trails with scenic
outdoor recreation opportunity,
outdoor recreation opportunity,
views, unique natural and
or connects to other facilities that
or connects to other facilities that
cultural features, and
I can provide at least an hour of
can provide at least an hour of
7(a)(i):4
wildlife /nature viewing.
recreation in total.
recreation in total.
4. Connections: The trail
4. Connections: The trail
currently or potentially links to
currently or potentially links to
existing trail of regional/ state
existing trail of regional/ state
wide significance. This includes
wide significance. This includes
providing connections between
providing connections between
significant trails, or connecting
significant trails, or connecting
communities/ community
communities/ community
facilities to these trails.
facilities to these trails.
5. Scarcity of Trail Resources:
5. Scarcity of Trail Resources:
The trail provides a high quality
The trail provides a high quality
recreational opportunity not
recreational opportunity not
otherwise available within a
otherwise available within a
reasonable distance.
reasonable distance.
Level of assistance:
Level of assistance:
Level of assistance:
Grants are reimbursement
Grants are reimbursement
Grants are reimbursement
based up to 50 percent of the
based up to 50 percent of the
based up to 75 percent of the
total eligible project costs, and
total eligible project costs, and
total eligible project costs, and
recipients must provide a non-
recipients must provide a non-
recipients must provide a non-
state cash match of at least 50
state cash match of at least 50
state cash match of at least 25
percent. The minimum grant
percent. The minimum grant
percent. The minimum grant
request is $5,000, and the
request is $5,000, and the
request is $20,000, and the
maximum grant award is
maximum grant award is
maximum grant award is
$100,000.
$250,000.
$500,000.
7(a)(1):5
Project period:
Project period:
Project period:
Funded projects must begin
Funded projects must begin
Funded projects must begin
promptly after an agreement
promptly after an agreement
promptly after an agreement
has been signed. All work
has been signed. All work
has been signed. All work
funded with FY 2012
funded with FY 2012
funded with FY 2012
appropriations must be
appropriations must be
appropriations must be
completed no later than June
completed no later than June
completed no later than June
30, 2013
30, 2013
30, 2013.
hlp
c:
p:\pt\s\stjoe \common\cotr\m - trails- 010310.docx
7(a)(i):6
.IA..e \ CITY OF ST. JOSEPH
vvvvvu.cityof stjoseph.com
January 26, 2011
Mitch Anderson
Stearns County Engineer
Administrator PO Box 246
Judy Weyrens St. Cloud MN 56302
The matter will be placed on the City Council agenda for February 17, 2011 and I would
appreciate a response by February 11, 2011 so we may Include the information in the
Council packet. If you have any questions or need additional information please feel free to
contact me at 320.363.7201.
Sincerely,
CITY OF ST. JOSEPH
udy eyrerns
A inistrator
cc: Mayor Rick Schultz
City Engineer Randy Sabart
zs College Avenue North • PO Box 668 . Saint Joseph, Minnesota 5ff44)ft):7
Phone 3zo.363.72,01 Fax 3zo.363.034z
RE: Realignment of County Road 2
Mayor
Rick Schultz
Dear Mitch:
Councilors
Steve Frank
As spring is rapidly approaching the City of St. Joseph is preparing for anticipated 2011
Bob Loso
construction projects, such as the realignment of County Road 2. City staff will be
Renee Symanietz
requesting the City Council to authorize the submission of a grant application to the DNR to
Dale Wick
extend a trail along the realigned CR 2. Due to the cost associated with the preparation of
the grant application and the need to design the trail, the City is seeking verification that
the project will commence in 2011.
The matter will be placed on the City Council agenda for February 17, 2011 and I would
appreciate a response by February 11, 2011 so we may Include the information in the
Council packet. If you have any questions or need additional information please feel free to
contact me at 320.363.7201.
Sincerely,
CITY OF ST. JOSEPH
udy eyrerns
A inistrator
cc: Mayor Rick Schultz
City Engineer Randy Sabart
zs College Avenue North • PO Box 668 . Saint Joseph, Minnesota 5ff44)ft):7
Phone 3zo.363.72,01 Fax 3zo.363.034z