Agenda Packets - 1987/07/06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMO T0: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: MARY SAARION, DIRECTOR �11� PARKS, RECREATION AND FORESTRY 11 DATE: JUNE 12, 1987 RE: PORTABLE CLASSROOM SITE The site of a building at Random Park must be setback 30 feet from the street according to Ramsey County and City Code. Carl Puna has drawn a site plan locating the building on the 30 foot setback, with the idea that parking would be on Long Lake Road. Long Lake Road is scheduled for reconstruction in 1989-90, at which time the street may become 36 feet wide from curb to curb. This may allow for parking on both sides plus two-way traffic. Ramsey County was notified of the possibility of parking on both sides and were reluctant to dismiss the idea but said that if any problems occurred, parking on the street would be addressed at that time and prohibited if necessary. Parking is one of the major problems of our neighborhood parks. Off-street parking is the safest type of parking for activity areas such as neighborhood parks. Parking is currently a problem at Hillview, Oakwood and Groveland Parks because these parks do not have parking lots and only offer on -street parking. It has been generally understood that neighboring residents of parks prefer in - the -park parking rather than on -street parking. It is professionally understood that any new park development should include in -the -park parking facilities. To allow on -street parking in parks which could be developed with a parking lot is poor planning and would be likely recognized as a mistake in the near future. Placing the building towards the back rather than the front of the property provides for better security, supervision, safety and aesthetics. If the building were located near Long Lake Road, it would block the vision of the open area behind it and security wou k be difficult. Placing the building closer to the back of the property provides for better view of the entire park grounds in one glance. The closer that the building is to Long Lake Road, the greater the safety hazard especially for pre-school age children. The extra off-street space allows for more space for supervision between street traffic and the building. Likewise, the further back that the building sits from the road allows more opportunity to provide plantings and landscaping that will. lend attractiveness to the building and the park. C