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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br />Monday, July 6, 2015 <br />6:30 o'clock p.m. <br />1. REVIEW OF PARK/TRAIL NEEDS — TWO PRELIMINARY PLATS <br />300 Sixth Avenue North (Dayton Property) <br />Edwards stated the City has received two preliminary plat applications for residential developments and <br />that the Park Commission is being asked to consider whether there is a need for park land, trail easements, <br />or trail construction or whether park dedication fees should be simply be paid. <br />Gaffron stated one of the goals of the Comprehensive Plan is that the Park Commission reviews plats in <br />terms of determining what the needs for parks and trails are with new developments. <br />The first development is the Dayton property located in the northeast corner of Orono. The property <br />consists of approximately 90 acres and abuts the City of Plymouth on the east, Mooney Lake on the <br />northeast corner, and the City of Medina on the north. County Road 6 is to the south. The developer is <br />not proposing any parks in this development. The average lot in the development is three acres. A good <br />portion of the open prairie area and the Big Woods area of the property will not be developed at this time. <br />The City's Park and Trail Plan contains a proposed trail along County Road 6. No trail has been <br />constructed anywhere east of Willow Drive but there is a piece of trail that goes north/south along Brown <br />Road, The City has, on occasion, requested easements from developers as development happens along <br />that stretch of road. Gaffron stated typically Hennepin County asks for additional right-of-way for future <br />needs and typically the City has said no and has said that Hennepin County should negotiate the easement <br />with the property owner. <br />Gaffron stated there is the potential in the future for a trail in this area and that it is unknown at this time <br />whether it would be a city -owned trail or a county -owned trail. Gaffron stated it would make sense for <br />the developer to grant the City a 10 -foot easement along the south border of the property, which would be <br />the north side of County Road 6, for future trail needs. Gaffron noted the park dedication fee would not <br />be reduced since that is only done if the trail is actually constructed. Currently the developer will be <br />paying approximately $70,000 in park dedication fees. <br />Staff is looking for a recommendation from the Park Commission on whether a 10 -foot easement should <br />be required. <br />Pesek asked if a 10 -foot easement is wide enough. <br />Gaffron stated it typically is with the addition of whatever right-of-way is not being used by Hennepin <br />County. Gaffron noted there are certain areas within this property that may require more than a 10 -foot <br />easement depending on the topography. Typically the City only requires 10 feet and attempts to work <br />within that. <br />Bryce Johnson asked how seriously in the past the City's trails map has been followed. Johnson asked if <br />it has been routine to grant easements when the land is located along the yellow line. <br />Gaffron indicated it has been. <br />Bryce Johnson asked if there is any map that depicts all the easements that have been granted for trail <br />purposes. <br />Page 2 of 13 <br />