March 6, 2006 CCP - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lake Elmo Agenda Section: Planning, Land Use and Zoning No. 9A City Council March 6, 2006 Item: 1990 Park Plan U Background Information for March 6, 2006: The 2006 Parks/Trails CIP includes a $5,000 line item for updating of the 1990 City Park PIan. The Park Plan was one element that was not addressed during our 2030 Comprehensive Plan process — since it didn't necessarily have to be addressed from the Met Council perspective. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan that reflects the Met Council/City MOU and will likely become the City's blueprint for the next 25 years, and that blueprint is very different than that which was assumed by the 1990 Park Plan (at least in some geographic areas of the City). The 2006 CIP line item for the Park Plan update was reflective of that fact. Since the approval of the 2006 CEP the City Council has directed the Park Commission to forecast community playfield needs of the City — related to the proposed joint community playfield facility with Oakdale. That needs assessment should be completed within the context of the entire future park system. The assumption with the $5,000 CIP earmark for park planning in 2006 was that most of the work would be completed by staff/commission with only graphics and publication contracted with consultants. Based on our experiences with the early Trail Plan work, we also assumed that the park plan update process would like require most of 2006 to complete — based on available staff time (even with a new Assistant Planner). Even to reach a point where sufficient work is completed to provide the Council with a recommendation regarding the joint facility project would be months in the future. Believing that the Council wants a recommendation regarding the joint project in a more timely manner than the assumed park planning process can provide, staff suggested to the Park Commission on February 22 that they may wish to revise their CIP recommendation for 2006 park planning to increase the appropriation form the Park Dedication Fund from $5,000 to $25,000. This would enable the City to hire a park planning consultant to complete the park planning work on an expedited time Iine (from what can be expected from staff), and permit an earlier determination as to community playfields needs. Formally amending the CIP requires a hearing before the PIanning Commission — yet to be scheduled. This amendment, however, is primarily an operational and financial matter, and staff requests Council direction prior to the formal hearing on the CIP amendment. Should the Council direct staff to proceed as recommended by the Park Commission the Hearing can be conducted concurrently with RFP preparation and solicitation of consultant proposals. The formal CIP amendment and the decision regarding consultant contract would then return to the Council concurrently. Person nsible: Action items: Motion providing direction to staff regarding the 2006 Park Plan update C ty r either to begin the consultant solicitation process and set a CIP Hearing to amend the 2006 CIP increasing the Park Plan project from $5,000 to $25,000 ; or, to proceed with the program as assumed by the adopted 2006 CIP. Attachments: Time Allocated: 1. Draft Park Commission Minutes of February 22, 2006 2. Staff memo to Park Commission