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Elmcrest Avenue Trail Options <br />TO: City of Hugo Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission <br />FROM: Shayla Syverson, Parks Planner <br />DATE: January 3, 2014 for the Parks Commission meeting of January 8, 2014. <br />1 BACKGROUND <br />The City of Hugo Trail and Sidewalk Plan proposes a city trail along the west side of Elmcrest Avenue <br />between CSAH 8 and 180th Street. The trail is shown to extend about 3.2 miles from CSAH 8 to the <br />northern border of Hugo/ 1801h Street. The tail would connect to the regional trail along CSAH 8, the <br />proposed county trail along 170" Street, and existing and proposed city trails to the east. <br />Elmcrest Avenue is unique in the way that the roadway is the border between Lino Lakes in Anoka <br />County and Hugo in Washington County. The roadway has seen limited improvements. The majority of <br />the roadway is gravel which is appropriate for the area as it is primarily agricultural. The southern third <br />of the roadway was paved to serve the Heritage Ponds neighborhood. <br />A letter has been received from the board of directors from one of the Heritage Ponds neighborhood <br />associations requesting "a pathway that runs parallel with Elmcrest Avenue for the purpose of providing <br />an area so that pedestrians and bicycles are kept safe from vehicular traffic." <br />2 INTRODUCTION <br />Both the City of Lino Lakes and the City of Hugo include in approved plans that the trail will be built and <br />paid for by developers with the future development. If this is not preferred, the Parks Commission <br />should discuss alternatives. The three primary options for the location of the trail are detailed below. <br />3 OPTIONS <br />3.1 EAST SIDE OF ELMCREST AVENUE <br />Land Acquisition <br />Future development will provide the land needed to bring the trail a quarter of a mile north of CSAH 8. <br />The Victor Gardens North Village preliminary plat shows a 10 foot trail easement along the east side of <br />Elmcrest Avenue. There has not been final plat approval on this development and it is likely to change. <br />A developer could ask for flexibility in this requirement. <br />The northern two-thirds could be constructed by developers at the time of development. The remaining <br />portions would need to be purchased. <br />Construction Feasibilitv <br />There are significant natural obstacles to construction such as the existing grade, wetlands, and foliage <br />Elmcrest Avenue Trail Options January 8, 2014 <br />