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VICTORIA TRAILS WILL CONNECT TO TRAILS AT THE MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM Councilmembers voted 4-1 on April 8th to follow the recommendation of city staff to expend funds to complete the design phase of the Victoria trail connection to the Hwy 5 underpass at the Arboretum and to include cost of construction in the bonding of the $1.2 million in 2013 street improvements. Several residents were on hand in support of the motion. Those councilmembers voting in favor: Mayor Tom O'Connor, Lani Basa, Tom Strigel, Jim Crowley. Those against: Joe Pavelko. It is anticipated the trail connection -- it will also connect the Victoria neighborhoods of Tristan Heights (at Minnewashta Parkway) and Swiss Mountain (at Rolling Acres Road) -- will cost about $268,000. The first $150,000 will come from a Trail Connectivity Grant from the DNR. The remainder will come through the city street improvement bonding issue for the construction of Aster Trail. The trail will in fact connect several neighborhoods inside and outside of Victoria because it also connects to the Regional Trail. Significantly, it connects to the MN Landscape Arboretum, part of which lies in the city limits of Victoria. This trail connection has been in the making for a long time and was identified for a long time as a priority by the residents of Victoria. One concern these last couple months has been where the remaining $118,000 in trail cost would come from since it was not a budgeted item. City Manager Don Uram explained that such capital costs are often not listed as a budgeted item, since bonding and special funds are often used for such expenditures. Another concern was the trail license fee required by the University of MN for a trail easement across its property. Councilmembers were not in favor of paying this fee. *** City Engineer Cara Geheren had been asked in March to present two concepts for the trail layout. On April 8th she did so. One of the layouts (Concept One) minimized easement property needed from the University of Minnesota Research Center, which is located in Victoria at the intersection of Hwy 5 and Rolling Acres Road. But it meant the removal of a large oak tree at the corner near Hwy 5 and the relocation of a major overhead utility near Tristan Heights. Concept Two balanced cost with design inside and outside of right way, while minimizing landscape and utility disturbance. Staff recommended this option. "We are pretty limited in options along Rolling Acres Road," said Cara. "There isn't room to locate the trail in the county right of way. It would need to be located on Arboretum property." There continues to be a blurring of identification between "University" and "Arboretum." The property in Victoria is called the University of Minnesota Research Center. The adjacent property, most of it within the city limits of Chanhassen, is called the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. "It turned out to be somewhat straightforward as to what the options can be," said Cara. At a charge of $1 per square foot, Concept One meant a fee of $20,000 to the University. Concept Two meant a fee of $28,000 to the University. Said City Manager Don Uram, "Staff is recommending costs be included in the bonding bill for Aster Trail." He also said the city could take dollars out of the Park Fund, although there are significant upcoming park projects, or the city could also cut park budgets. In any case, said Councilmember Lani Basa, "We need to take advantage of our grant." Said Mr. Uram, "The next step would be for the mayor and I to go down to the University of Minnesota. It is their policy to charge a license fee, but we'd talk to them about that and do anything we can." Said Councilmember Jim Crowley to the audience, "Thank you for all of your letters. There is overwhelming support for this trail. I have three concerns. We still have over 50% of our town unconnected. The Arboretum will benefit from this. I would like some kind of in-kind compensation for this [trail license fee] if we're require to pay those fees." Said Councilmember Joe Pavelko, "We'd be jeopardizing our opportunity to get grants in the future," if the city turned down the $150,000 grant, "but I have an issue paying the Arboretum to put the trail on their property. I would ask the Arboretum why we're being charged to improve their property." He referred to a publication that indicated they would work with their neighbors for trail connections. "We will not be working with the Arboretum on this issue. It's strictly a University of Minnesota issue," said Mr. Uram. Councilmember Pavelko added, "I don't know if I'm a big supporter of bonding for the trail." Mayor Tom O'Connor said, however, "To me it's a capital asset, like a road, and I'm not so sure we shouldn't bond for it over time. Unfortunately we don't have a policy in place today."
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May 2013 |
