10/25/1999 Council Packet (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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11Z) EYEL O1 MEl4i'T1 COP 4CEI�' I FOR COMMUNITY ATHLETIC COMPLEX CONSULTANT'S COMMENTS ON PROPOSED ATHLETIC COMPLEX DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT PLAN FOR THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX • THE LAND FOR THE CONCEPT PLAN IS THE MONTAIN PROPERTY AND A SMALL PORTION OF THE MOLITOR PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH. THE CONCEPT INCLUDES SETTING ASIDE 1 O ACRES OF MONTAIN'S PROPERTY FOR THEIR FAMILY HOMESTEAD. • IN SPITE OF ITS SOMEWHAT ODD SHAPE, THE LAND IS A SUITABLE PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR DEVELOPING AN ATHLETIC COMPLEX. As THE CONCEPT ILLUSTRATES, THE MAJOR FACILITIES FIT REASONABLY WELL ON THE PROPERTY, EVEN WITH THE EXCEPTIONS MADE FOR THE MONTAIN HOMESTEAD, WETLAND AREAS, AND POWER UNE. • A WIDE VARIETY OF LAYOUT OPTIONS FOR THE PROPERTY WERE CONSIDERED, WITH THE CONCEPT AS SHOWN SEEMING TO WORK THE BEST, AT LEAST AT THE CONCEPTUAL LEVEL. • THE FINAL DESIGN FOR THE COMPLEX WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL REVIEW AND REFINEMENT ONCE THE CITY GETS CLOSER TO ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT. USER GROUPS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN REFINING THE PLAN. • THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT COMPROMISES MADE TO THE CONCEPT DUE TO THE SHAPE OF THE LAND IS SPLITTING THE SOCCER FIELDS (THREE FIELDS ON THE NORTH END AND TWO ON THE SOUTH) AND THE PROXIMITY OF PARKING TO THE YOUTH BALLFIELDS. OTHER THAN THESE ISSUES, THE FLOW OF THE CONCEPT WORKS WELL. LAND ISSUES • A CURSORY REVIEW OF THE ANOKA COUNTY SOIL SURVEY INDICATED THAT THE SOILS ACROSS THE UPLAND AREAS OF THE SITE TEND TO BE SANDY, WITH SOME SANDY LOAMS. GENERALLY, THESE TYPES OF SOILS DO NOT POSE INSURMOUNTABLE IMPEDIMENTS TO CONSTRUCTION. • OVERALL TOPOGRAPHY ACROSS THE SITE APPEARS TO BE MODEST AND SHOULD NOT POSE ANY EXTRAORDINARY COSTS FOR DEVELOPMENT. ACCESS ISSUES • THE PROPERTY IS WELL-SITUATED TO PROVIDE REASONABLY EASY VEHICULAR AND TRAIL ACCESS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. • ALTHOUGH NOT AS CENTRALLY LOCATED AS SOME OF THE PROPERTIES CONSIDERED IN THE PAST, THE SITE'S LOCATION ADJACENT TO A NUMBER OF MAJOR ROADWAYS AND ITS POTENTIAL FOR INTERCONNECTION WITH THE TRAIL SYSTEM MAKE IT VERY SUITABLE FOR AN ATHLETIC COMPLEX. ACQUISITION ISSUES • UNDER THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, WHERE THE CITY'S OPTIONS FOR ACQUIRING AN ACCESSIBLE PROPERTY OF THIS SIZE BECOMING MORE LIMITED EACH YEAR, THE MONTAIN PROPERTY APPEARS TO BE A SOUND SELECTION AND WELL SUITED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITY. • RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH CITIES ACQUIRING LAND FOR PARK PROJECTS LEADS TO THE BELIEF THAT THE PRICE BEING ASKED FOR THE MONTAIN PROPERTY IS WITHIN REASON. • UNLESS THE CITY IS WILLING TO EMPLOY CONDEMNATION FOR ACQUIRING PRIVATE PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC USE, LAND VALUES WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE LONG -TERM MARKET PROSPECTS. • ALTHOUGH THE PRICE MAY SEEM EXPENSIVE FROM A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE, IT CAN BE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN FUTURE YEARS AS DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES IN THE CITY. • A FINAL IMPORTANT POINT 1S THE NEED FOR THE CITY TO ACQUIRE THIS OR ANOTHER PARCEL OF PROPERTY FOR ATHLETIC USES IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO FILL A MAJOR VOID IN THE PARK SYSTEM. • THE CITY'S DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO ACQUIRE AN ATHLETIC COMPLEX -SIZED PROPERTY WILL GREATLY IMPACT FUTURE DECISIONS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE WAY OTHER PARKS IN THE SYSTEM ARE PLANNED AND DEVELOPED. • IF A PROPERTY CAN BE ACQUIRED NOW OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THE CITY WILL BE IN A POSITION OF MUCH GREATER FLEXIBILITY WHEN PLANNING OTHER PARKS IN THE SYSTEM. PREPARED FOR: CITY OF LINO LAKES PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PH. 651 .082-2440 PREPARED BY: BRAUER & ASSOCIATES, LTD. 10417 EXCELSIOR BOULEVARD SUITE NUMBER ONE HOPKINS, MN 55343 PH. 612-2384831 FX 612-238-0833 DATE 1 0499