5d. Staff Report - Park Plan
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: October 3, 2023
For: Honorable Chairman and Committee Members
From: Kyle Morell, City Administrator
Subject: Scandia Parks Plan Public Hearing
Background:
The City has worked with MSA since early 2022 to update the 2006 Parks, Recreation, and Open
Space Master Plan (Plan). The revised 2023 Plan was submitted to the Council at their July 5, 2023,
Work Session. Council had no comments on the Plan. The new Plan requires the City to amend its
2040 Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) through the Metropolitan Council (Met Council) since the
2006 Plan is referenced in the Comp Plan. I have included the Comp Plan Amendment and the
proposed language changes for your review.
Amending the Comp Plan requires an Adjacent and Affected Jurisdiction Review. A notification was
sent to the City’s nineteen adjacent and affected jurisdictions, offering them the opportunity to
comment on the proposed change to the Comp Plan. Each jurisdiction was given 60 days to review
and reply. In the end, only three jurisdictions replied to the notification: Washington County, Forest
Lake Schools, and Rice Creek Watershed. Each replied with “no comment”. Their replies are
attached for your review. The non-response of the remaining sixteen jurisdictions is considered a
response of “no comment” per the Met Council.
Amending the City’s Comp Plan requires a public hearing before the Planning Commission. Notice of
the public hearing was published in the September 20th Country Messenger.
Discussion:
The Planning Commission should hold the required public hearing, offer comments on the Plan, and
take action on the Plan if they believe it is complete.
Any comments provided by the public and the Planning Commission will be compiled and presented
to the Council for review before final approval of the Plan.
Options:
1) Approve the Plan as presented
2) Approve the Plan with conditions
3) Table approval for future review.
Recommendation:
Option 1
Attachments:
Draft Parks Plan
Comprehensive Plan Amendment Form
Comprehensive Plan Amendment Language Change 07 2023
Washington County Response
Rice Creek Watershed Response
Forest Lake School District Response
53 City of Scandia, Minnesota
SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS
Comprehensive Plan Amendments
Since the intention of this Master Plan document is to replace the existing 2006 Comprehensive Parks, Trails,
Open Space, and Recreation Plan, as well as update the priorities listed in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the
latter should be amended to re ect the ndings of this new document. The recommended textual changes
are shown on the following pages.
2040 Comprehensive Plan, Parks and Recreation Chapter (pg. 55-70)
G. Implementation
The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan (2023) identi ed the following actions as high priorities for
implementation:
• Develop a connection between downtown Scandia and the Gateway Trail, which is anticipated to extend north
towards Scandia.
• Assist the Scandia Heritage Alliance in implementing its vision for the Water Tower Barn - Scandia Arts & Heritage
Center.
• Install a walking trail/boardwalk around the wetland behind the Scandia Community Center building, connecting to
the Water Tower Barn site.
• Convert the existing tennis courts at Scandia Community Center into a multi-use racket sports area by painting four
pickleball courts perpendicular to the tennis courts and acquiring moveable pickleball nets.
• Repair/re nish the southwest corner of the racket sports area at Scandia Community Center.
• Revamp Wind in the Pine Preserve’s primary trail entrance (o of St. Croix Trail N) with new information kiosk and
detailed trail map.
• Replace rink boards at Leonard Wojtowicz Skating Park.
• Add an unpaved walking trail, picnic table, and park identi cation signage to Liten Park.
In Section B (Existing Guiding Documents), replace the description of the 2006 Parks, Trails, Open Space, and
Recreation Plan with the following description of this new Master Plan:
Replace Section G (Implementation) with the following text:
The 2023 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan: In 2023, the City of Scandia completed and adopted
the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan. This document describes the current state, and recommends
improvements for, the City’s green spaces and recreational amenities. The Plan includes an analysis of the City’s current
and projected demographic data, as well as a detailed inventory of Scandia’s parks (both City-owned and otherwise),
trails, undeveloped parcels, recreational programming, and ongoing community initatives. Using public input gathered
through an online survey and stakeholder interviews, these ve goals were developed to inform the overarching vision
of the Plan, and multiple strategies for each goal helped narrow this vision into actionable steps.
Public input also aided in generating speci c recommendations for each of Scandia’s parks and trails. The Plan document
breaks up each of Scandia’s City-owned parks into separate spreads, which list existing amenities and recommended
improvements, along with their general prioritization, cost estimate, and time frame for expected completion.
Recommendations are also given for trails within downtown Scandia and throughout Scandia, additional recreational
programming ideas, and potential empty lots for future development. The Implementation chapter lists various local and
regional grant opportunities and steps for amending the document if necessary.
54Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan
SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS
Replace Section A (Parks and Trails Goals and Objectives) with the following text:
A. Parks and Trails Goals and Objectives
The City established ve goals for Parks and Trails in Scandia. These goals were developed from and are in support of the goals,
policies, and strategies as identi ed in the 2023 Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan.
Goal: Provide su cient park and recreation opportunities to meet current and future recreational needs in the City of
Scandia.
Objectives
• Prioritize the enhancement and development of Scandia’s centralized parks, such as Scandia Community Center, over
more remote parks with fewer amenities.
• Across all of the City’s parks, prioritize maintaining existing amenities over adding new amenities.
• Develop and maintain dedicated facilities for sporting activities, such as elds and courts.
• Participate in regional park/trail planning initiatives, including the Washington County Parks Department, the Minnesota
Department of Transportation, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
• Identify and apply for grants to help fund solutions to recreational needs.
Goal: Ensure that all Scandia residents have safe access to quality parks and recreation facilities.
Objectives
• Encourage ongoing citizen participation in the planning and development of park and open space facilities.
• Provide ADA-compliant, barrier-free access in all new or improved park facilities, play areas, and sports eld areas.
• Increase number of safe crossings near park facilities and in downtown Scandia.
• Continue to pursue City/school/sports organization development projects to help expand community outdoor
recreational opportunities in a cost-e ective manner.
• O er appropriate and engaging recreational opportunities for all age groups.
Goal: Enhance connectivity and accessibility between Scandia’s parks and between adjacent communities.
Objectives
• Improve way nding within and around the trail system, as well as increase visibility of trailheads.
• Continue to plan and implement school connection trails throughout Scandia.
• Continue to expand Scandia’s network of interconnected, non-motorized trails to promote connectivity between parks,
neighborhoods, and public amenities.
Goal: Preserve the historical, cultural, and environmental signi cance of Scandia’s existing green space.
Objectives
• Continue working with the Scandia Heritage Alliance to assist in the implementation of its Scandia Arts and Heritage
(Water Tower Barn) project.
• Protect Scandia’s scenic beauty and natural resources by cultivating a system of parks, trails, and open spaces that
respect natural terrain and preserve native ecosystems.
• Provide undeveloped open spaces that assist in the conservation of ecologically sensitive areas.
• Coordinate local e orts with other public agencies and private partners to protect valuable natural resources through
donations, procurement of easements, acquisitions, and purchase of development rights; make these lands available for
passive recreation where appropriate.
• Manage vegetation in natural areas by removing and controlling non-native, invasive spaces.
• Ensure adequate funding for ongoing maintenance of City monuments and historically-signi cant structures.
Goal: Ensure that ongoing park improvements and future system expansion are nancially sustainable.
Objectives
• Utilize the “Grant Opportunities” table on pages 57-58 of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan as a
resource for funding solutions to recreational needs; update regularly as new funding sources become available.
• Establish process for identifying, writing, and championing grant applications.
• Work closely with Scandia’s City Council to identify park/recreational projects to be incorporated into the City’s Capital
Improvement Program (CIP).
• Leverage local and regional partnerships for funding speci c opportunities.
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ADMINISTRATION
Kevin Corbid, County Administrator
Jan Lucke, Deputy County Administrator
Jennifer Wagenius, Deputy County Administrator
September 26, 2023
Kyle Morell
City Administrator
City of Scandia
RE: Scandia – Parks and Trails Comprehensive Plan Amendment
City Administrator Morell:
Washington County has received and reviewed the Comprehensive Plan Amendment to revise the City’s
Parks and Trails section of the 2040 City Comprehensive Plan.
Washington County has no comment on the amendment.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Kelli Matzek
Senior Planner
Cc: Emily Jorgensen, Washington County Planning Manager
1
Kyle Morell
From:William Roach <wroach@ricecreek.org>
Sent:Tuesday, September 12, 2023 1:56 PM
To:Kyle Morell
Cc:Patrick Hughes; Nicholas Tomczik
Subject:RE: Scandia Comprehensive Plan Amendment
Hello Mr. Morell,
Thank you again for giving the RCWD the opportunity to review the proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment, it
sounds like you and Patrick had a very producƟve conversaƟon yesterday. The RCWD has no formal comments regarding
the proposed amendment.
Thank You,
Will Roach
Watershed Technician/Inspector
4325 Pheasant Ridge Dr. NE #611
Blaine, MN 55449
Direct: (763)398-3085
Cell: (763)760-4955
wroach@ricecreek.org
From: William Roach
Sent: Friday, September 8, 2023 1:15 PM
To: k.morell@ci.scandia.mn.us
Cc: Patrick Hughes <PHughes@ricecreek.org>; Nicholas Tomczik <ntomczik@ricecreek.org>
Subject: RE: Scandia Comprehensive Plan Amendment
Hello Mr. Morell,
Thank you for providing the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) the opportunity to par Ɵcipate in the review of the
amendment to the Comp Plan’s Parks and Trails secƟon. In discussing the proposed amendment with our permiƫng
team, it was noted that while the city parks would be outside of the District’s jurisdic Ɵonal boundary, the Greenway
Regional Trail and Glacial Hill TAC projects would potenƟally trigger several of our rules. It would be my
recommendaƟon that the city’s project team(s) for these trails reach out to Patrick Hughes, the RCWD Permit
Coordinator (cc’d), to facilitate a more in-depth discussion about these projects so that the District is able to provide
beƩer guidance regarding these efforts and would be willing to discuss potenƟal partnerships should the scope of water
quality treatment or flood miƟgaƟon be beyond the scope of a permit may require.
Thank You,
Will Roach
2
Watershed Technician/Inspector
4325 Pheasant Ridge Dr. NE #611
Blaine, MN 55449
Direct: (763)398-3085
Cell: (763)760-4955
wroach@ricecreek.org