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11.1 Scandia Gateway Letter to Mayor and City CouncilHERMAN REAL ESTATE ADVISORS, LLC "Creative Solutions for Real Estate and Regulatory Issues" Mayor and City Council City Hall Scandia, Minnesota 55073 Re: Potential application for Predesign and Design Funding for Gateway Trail Dear Mayor and Council: I am sorry I cannot be at the Council meeting tonight to discuss the potential for an application for State Bond funding for Predesign and Design of the Gateway Trail connection into the City center. As you know, the state now has acquired the last link to connect Scandia with William O'Brien. The plan has long been to use City ROW for much of the remaining link from Oakhill to the City center. However, as a City, we have not done the full analysis of this route or considered its design. Also, the State's schedule is very extended-- we are years from the realization of the connection based on current plans. In my prior law practice I worked often with Cities and non-profit organizations on accelerating funding for projects just like this trail link. With legislative support and work by the community, often such projects that provide critical links can be moved forward far more quickly. A nearby example is the extensive sections of the Immigrant Trail in Chisago County already in place. One I worked on was the Cedar Lake Trail in Minneapolis. I would urge the Council to seek a bonding appropriation to move our design process forward to complete this connection. Why? Three reasons. First, we need to know if this connection poses any obstacles and meets our community objectives. To do this, we should do the engineering and design sooner, not wait for the State to do it years from now when the location is set in stone. Second, working with our legislators, both influential members, we can focus attention on this link, with potential community and business benefits, for a much earlier start. Third, Scandia has not capitalized on its critical location as the junction of multiple planned trails. Yet in County plans decades ago and current City and State plans, we are the point where trail linkages along Olinda, Manning, 97 and the Gateway converge. We can change this by effective advocacy for our community and benefit our business future if we increase the family traffic that comes with an off-road trail. This work warrants State funding. It is not appropriate for local funds and our community is too small to front-end the cost for the State. Gateway is a State Trail—indeed, the State's most heavily used trail. Scandia is offering its ROW so we already have made a major local contribution for the match. We have not as a City been aggressive in seeking State or County funding for trail development, yet we are a key linkage in the concept of a trail between the Metro area and Duluth. I believe our legislators need to hear from Scandia that an early State investment is appropriate here and I believe they will respond and work with us to attain these funds. I would be happy to volunteer to work with our City staff, City advisory boards (EDA and Parks) and you on this effort to bring to move our project to the head of the list. I believe we have a strong case and that our City can successfully accomplish this result—and even trying will give our project heightened visibility. I hope the Council will approve seeking these funds. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, J& ,v }f e -ma.vv