10-09-2002 Council Workshop Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 9, 2002 more of this. Heinel was also concerned about the liability issue of having a trail through his land and the chance that someone would wander off the trail and get hurC on his property. Fahey felt the City should acquire the easements for the trail section from Payne Avenue through to Desoto. He pointed out that the need to improve the trail from Payne to Edgerton was more immediate than improving it from Edgerton Street to Desoto. Fahey agreed that a special trail crossing could be improved to allow the Heinel's to continue farming the entire property and cross the trail without damaging it. Heinel stated that a trail through his farm will hinder his ability to make an income. He again stated that bringing people in to walk through the area will increase his losses. Scalze noted the hail from Noel Drive to Spooner Park that runs through someone'<. garden. No one has bothered that garden, and she did not feel walkers would be the cause of losses as described by the Heinel's. Heinel asked if a study of trail usage has been done. Anderson replied that trails in Little Canada and the metro area are used a lot. It is difficult to measure trail usage in Little Canada, however, given that there a~-e many trail segments that are uncompleted at this time. Usage would go up one the trail system is completed and looped. The Council and those present discussed alternative routes for completion of the Power Line Trail. Some of the ideas discussed included running the trail north on Payne to County Road D/Centerville Road and then west to unimproved Desoto Street. A trail connection could then be run south on Desoto to Pioneer Park. Another idea brought the trail improvement under the powerline from Payne Avenue to Edgerton, with an on-street trail connection south on Edgerton Street to Allen Avenue and then west to Pioneer Park. Discussion also focused on both on-street and ofd street trail sections, and the consensus was that off-street trails were preferable where feasible. Fahey suggested that an analysis be done of the widths of the road rights-of--way to determine where it would be feasible to add an off-street path without having to acquire additional easement. The Council discussed the cost of completing the trail projects that are estimated at $877,250. The City Administrator noted that $50,000 has been allocated for easement acquisition, but that figure is only an estimate. The Administrator reported that the funding of the trail completion projects is highly dependent on T-21 grant funding. Sanders reported that the City's most recent grant request did well in the ranking, but was not funded.