03-02-2017 Parks & Rec Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Chapter 2 Park System Plan Background and Vision City of Little Canada, Minnesota 2‐6 Preliminary Draft: February 27, 2009 The guiding principles and priorities outlined above provide a basis for the key issues and opportunities relating to Little Canada’s park system. Overarching Issues and Opportunities Relating to Little Canada’s Park System The following are overarching issues and opportunities relating to Little Canada’s park system. Additional issues and opportunities are discussed throughout this Plan: 1. Little Canada is bisected by several major highways, which has left some neighborhoods isolated from the remainder of the city. Consequently, it is important that Little Canada continue to strive to provide all areas in the city with reasonable access to the City’s park system. Furthermore, the City must continue to enhance its comprehensive system of trails, bikeways, and walkways to promote connections between key areas in the city and adjacent communities. 2. Little Canada is nearly fully developed, so the opportunity to acquire additional parkland through parkland dedication provisions of the City’s subdivision regulations is diminishing. Therefore, the City will need to explore creative opportunities to expand and/or enhance the park system. Also, because fewer fees will be available through the parkland dedication provisions, the City will need to budget appropriately to maintain and enhance the park system over time. 3. Existing natural areas in the city are facing increasing threats from invasive species, diseases, development, and other threats. Unless stopped, reversed, or sensitively dealt with, these threats could deteriorate Little Canada’s natural areas, adversely affect the health of the city and the region, and diminish the quality of life tied to Little Canada’s natural features. The City has addressed this issue through the recent adoption of zoning and subdivision regulations that have strengthened the environmental standards. 4. The City should continue to ensure that the park system reflects Little Canada’s pride in its culture and history. 5. The population of Little Canada is aging and becoming more culturally diverse. Little Canada’s park system must respond to the needs and desires of its changing population. COMMUNITY VISION FOR THE PARK SYSTEM No community can predict its future with complete accuracy, but communities that have a clear vision for where they want to be in the future are more likely to achieve their goals than those communities Little Canada’s Trail System (Source: SWB, Inc.) Integration of Natural Features and Development (Source: SWB, Inc.)