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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br /> Wednesday, September 10, 2020 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 12 of 27 <br /> <br />Carter moved onto the Trails line items and said he thinks he can group those together with a couple <br />questions. He asked Edwards if the CR6 OCB Willow Trail is one of the priorities as he doesn’t see it on <br />the CIP. <br />Edwards noted that is a refresher and major maintenance effort, and it is the last of the existing asphalt <br />trails that has not been done. <br />Carter asked about trail access to Lowry Woods, noting on his list it’s not No. 7 and he asked if his list <br />was incorrect. <br />Edwards replied it could be his own list that was incorrect and he would clarify that. <br />Carter noted on his list he has Bayside Road Trail, rather than trail access to Lowry Woods. He said he <br />didn’t think that was a priority as it’s for people who don’t know there is no legal publically owned path <br />into Lowry Woods, rather both ends are private, but it seems to work. He noted County Road (CR) 19 is <br />not on the list and stated it’s a bit of a long story; while the bridge was out, Carter spent quite a bit of time <br />talking to people at Hennepin County about the possibility of trying something like a pop-up trail on CR <br />19 from 15 to the bridge on the Orono side (while the road was closed), however it did not work. He did <br />get them to confess that the next mill and overlay is probably 10 years away and it would be very difficult <br />to get something to happen there, but it is the No. 8 priority so it should be on the CIP, even if it’s blank <br />for 10 years. <br />Berg said Hennepin County wanted to go all the way down through Shorewood and Tonka Bay, and she <br />was on that committee. <br />Carter said it would be an entire project in itself to get other communities to go along, and if they put a <br />trail committee back together, he would definitely revive the idea, but it’s not imminent in terms of <br />spending money. He said unless they think the $1,000,000 trail will happen, he would suggest moving a <br />higher priority trail up, which is the North Arm for Legacy Park into 2022, but they could wait and see <br />what happens with that project. <br />Edwards said one thing he is looking for from the Commission is an initial inkling of how important the <br />trail is going all the way out as Hennepin County will be working on final design of the road project in the <br />Fall of 2020 and will be looking to the City to tell them whether or not they are incorporating a trail in the <br />design as they move forward. He said that is one of the questions he will bring before the City Council, <br />as well. He stated although it’s not projected for several years, the City will have to make a preliminary <br />decision on it shortly. <br />Carter said he just can’t imagine that. <br />Edwards said he can’t either but it was something people felt strongly about for a while. <br />Roath asked who felt strongly about it. <br />Edwards noted when the Committee met it would’ve been former Commissioners Ruegemer, Johnson <br />and himself a year ago, and they had it as a No. 4 priority but they didn’t have numbers for anything, <br />noting if they knew it would be $1,000,000 it would not have been at the top of the list.