2022.10.05 PRC Packet AGENDA
October 5, 2022
Crystal Community Center – 4800 Douglas Drive North, Crystal MN, 55429
7:00 pm Regular Meeting Agenda
1. Call the Meeting to Order / Introductions
2. Public Comments
3. Approval of Minutes
4. Chairperson’s Report
5. Commission Business / Discussion (50 minutes)
a. CP Rail Regional Trail Update
b. French Regional Park Recommendation
c. Planning Updates
d. Project Updates
6. Commission Open Forum (10 minutes)
7. Commission Reports (15 minutes)
a. City Council Report
b. Project/Maintenance Report
c. Program Report
d. Director Report
8. Community Reports (10 minutes)
a. Community Activity/Event Reports
• Crystal Frolics Report
• Friends of Crystal Parks Report
b. Citizen Contacts
c. Other Community News Items
9. Adjournment
Next meeting date: November 2, 2022 – Crystal Community Center
MEETING OVERVIEW
October 5, 2022
Crystal Community Center – 4800 Douglas Drive North, Crystal MN, 55429
Contact John Elholm – john.elholm@crystalmn.gov or 763-531-1150 if you cannot attend
REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING – 7:00 PM
1. Call the Meeting to Order and Introductions
Jesse McCaffrey will call the meeting to order
2. Public Comments
Citizens may bring items of concern related to parks and recreation to the attention of
the commission. Speaking time may be limited and no action will be taken.
3. Approval of Minutes – September 7, 2022
4. Chairperson’s Report
5. Commission Business / Discussion
John Elholm: Introduce Business Items
a. CP Rail Regional Trail Update
b. French Regional Park Recommendation
c. Planning Updates
d. Project Updates
6. Commission Open Forum
A time for commission members to share their thoughts and ideas about parks and
recreation in Crystal.
7. City Reports
David Cummings: City Council Report
Brad Fortin: Project/Maintenance Report
Scott Berggren: Program Report
John Elholm: Director Report
8. Community Reports
Lynn Haney / John Elholm: Crystal Frolics Report
John Elholm: Friends of Crystal Parks Report
Commission Members: Other community activities and events
9. Adjournment
Crystal Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes
September 7, 2022
Crystal Community Center
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting was called to order at
7:00 pm by Commission Vice-Chair Tony Sumnicht.
Commission members in attendance: Jesse McCaffrey (Chair) (arrived late), Tony Sumnicht
(Vice-Chair), Shaz Ahmadi (Secretary), Dave Anderson, Forest Eidbo, Lynn Haney, Taji
Onesirosan, and Jennifer Zielinski. Also present were David Cummings, Council Liaison; John
Elholm, Brad Fortin, and Scott Berggren from the City Staff.
Commission members absent: Joyce Cooper and Erin Kolb
Jan Jorgens provided comments regarding a bench at Memory Lane Park. She also commented
on use of the play area at the Forest School neighborhood park.
Ms. Zielinski made a motion to approve the August Neighborhood minutes; Ms. Haney seconded
the motion. The Neighborhood minutes for August were approved as written.
Ms. Haney made a motion to approve the August Park and Recreation Commission minutes; Mr.
Eidbo seconded the motion. The Park and Recreation Commission minutes for August were
approved as written.
The meeting was passed to Commission Chair McCaffrey to lead when he arrived at 7:18.
Mr. McCaffrey gave the Chairperson’s report. He enjoyed doing the self-guided disc golf course
tours. It provided him with additional ideas, which he appreciated.
The commission discussed their disc golf course visits and reviewed survey submissions
received. Photos of good signage from the visits was also shared. Staff will compile survey
results and pass them on to the consultant. City staff will meet with the consultant in the
coming weeks to determine the next steps for planning the course.
Mr. Elholm discussed other park planning efforts, including the Welcome Park play area and
health circuit, the Broadway Park play area site design and the Crystal Highlands site design.
There was also discussion on initial public engagement activities for the aquatic center and
Grogan Park. The initial survey questions being used were reviewed by the commission to see
if they were accurate; and to see if changes should be made for future engagement
opportunities. The general consensus was that the questions were fine, with no recommended
changes being offered. Surveys for all of these projects are available online, with a public open
house to gather additional input being scheduled right before the next commission meeting.
Crystal Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes – Page 2 September 7, 2022
Mr. Elholm also discussed ongoing park projects, including park entrance signs, Becker Park
pickleball courts, FAIR School Park soccer field, Bassett Creek Park prairie planting, Bassett
Creek Park dog park and Bassett Creek Park pedestrian bridge.
In addition, Mr. Elholm shared a list of projects in the long-range capital plan (2023-2032); and
discussed the types of projects in the parks fund vs. the building fund.
Commission members discussed items during the open forum; giving input, asking questions,
and commenting. One suggestion from the discussion included a request for staff to provide
some overview information on the recreation department (Park and Rec 101), including an
introduction of staff members (live or virtual). A recommended time for this was early in the
year when there may be new commission members.
Mr. Cummings presented the City Council report. The City Council has been spending much
time on the biannual city budget. The first approval of the budget has a levy increase of 9.5%.
Interviews are being conducted to fill the new Inclusion and Diversity commission. In addition,
the job posting for the City Manager position has been posted.
Mr. Fortin gave reports for park maintenance and Mr. Berggren for recreation programming.
Mr. Elholm gave a Director’s Report. Staff will be attending upcoming conferences this fall. Mr.
Elholm will attend the National Recreation and Park Association Conference in September. Mr.
Elholm, Mr. Berggren and Mr. Fortin will be attending the Minnesota Recreation and Park
Association conference in October. Mr. Elholm will be presenting a session at the state
conference. Also, an idea was brought up at a recent council meeting to have a beer garden at
Bassett Creek Park. Staff will be looking into this idea further in the coming months.
Ms. Haney gave a Crystal Frolics report. The 2022 Crystal Frolics wrap-up meeting will be held
on September 19.
Mr. Elholm gave a Friends of Crystal Parks Report. They are planning the Cheers to Crystal beer
tasting event in March of 2023.
Mr. McCaffrey made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Mr. Onesirosan seconded the motion.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:02 pm.
John Elholm
Recorder
CP Rail Regional Trail: Golden Valley/New Hope/Crystal
Luce Line RT to Crystal Lake RT Segment
Staff Recommendation & Engagement and Route Assessment Summaries
Preferred CP Rail Regional Trail Recommendation
Three Rivers, Golden Valley, New Hope and Crystal staff recommend adopting the Winnetka-
Douglas Route (studied routes shown to the right) as the preferred regional trail route due to:
• Public support – it is the community preferred route due to community connections
and a quieter, more family friendly location.
• Assessment findings – it meets the project goals better and is less expensive.
• Hennepin County plans to improve bike and pedestrian safety along Douglas Drive in
2026 and may include a trail which would create an 8-mile trail loop.
Community Engagement Summary
Community engagement occurred from July to September and included a wide range of
notification strategies and engagement opportunities.
The engagement findings, summarized in the table below, revealed a clear preference for the
Winnetka-Douglas Route. See attached engagement summary for greater detail.
30+ events 3,750+ people
in attendance at
in-person events
On-line engagement available
24-7 & one-on-one engagement
available upon request
500
people indicated a preferred
route(s)
Here is the Preferred Route Breakdown
Winnetka 20%
Winnetka-Douglas 50%
Douglas 30%
225
people indicated where they
want to bike, walk or visit.
Here are the Top 3 Answers
Parks, Trails & Community Centers 28%
Restaurants 19%
Friends and Family 15%
Route Assessment Summary
In consultation with city staff, the Winnetka Route was removed from additional assessment due
to implementation challenges and lack of public support.
The two remaining routes, Winnetka-Douglas and Douglas Routes, share segments along Douglas
Drive between Becker Park & Fairview Ave. and Medicine Lake Road & the Luce Line Regional
Trail. Since these segments have the same opportunities and challenges, staff focused the route
assessment primarily on the segments of the routes which are different and unbuilt. As currently
proposed, neither option removes parking.
The assessment findings, summarized in the table below, indicate a stronger case for the Winnetka-Douglas Route. See attached matrix and
concept renderings for greater detail.
Between Douglas Dr./32nd
Ave. and Douglas
Dr./Fairview Ave. Connections to the Top 3 Places
to Walk, Bike and Visit.
Equity Impact
(within 1,000’ of new trail
segments only)
Road/
Driveway
Crossings
Anticipated
Easements
Tree
Impacts
High-Level
Cost
Winnetka-Douglas
Route
Similar.
4 parks/trails, 2 community
centers, 7 restaurants, and 55%
is adjacent to residential land
uses.
Better.
An additional 1,200 BIPOC, 200
Hispanic, 50 people >75 years old,
425 youth, 600 households with an
annual income of ≤$50K and 100
families living in poverty served.
Fewer by
15%.
74 driveways
and 11
roads.
About 15,
typ. 2’ wide
along ROW.
About
80 trees,
1/3 are
ash.
Less by
50%.
$4.2 M*
Douglas Route
1 trail, 1 community center, 6
restaurants and 94% is adjacent
to residential land uses.
--- 88 driveways
and 11 roads None.+ None. $7.3M+
* The Winnetka-Douglas Route cost assumes that the curb and parking along Fairview/49th Ave. will remain and the trail will be constructed at the back of curb. If a
different design concept is favored, the project cost will increase.
+ The Douglas Route cost assumes moving the curb and reducing the road shoulder width to minimize the need for easements. If reducing shoulder width is not an
option, an additional 90 private property easements are likely, but project costs may be less.
Recommended
Route
1
CP Rail Regional Trail: Golden Valley/New Hope/Crystal
Luce Line RT to Crystal Lake RT Segment
Phase 1: Community Engagement Summary
Engagement Summery
Community members engaged in the CP Rail
Regional Trail process demonstrated a clear
preference for the Winnetka-Douglas Route (see
summary table to the right).
Community engagement occurred from July to
September and included a wide range of
notification strategies and engagement
opportunities in an effort to build awareness and
make engagement simple, convenient, and
meaningful.
Greater detail on the notification efforts,
engagement offerings and feedback is available
below and on the following pages.
Three Rivers Notification Efforts and Outcomes
Three Rivers utilized a variety of notification techniques to help build project awareness, reach those most impacted by the project, and ensure a
balanced approached to engagement. Additionally, Three Rivers tracked engagement findings and increased notification and engagement efforts
in September to better reach those not yet significantly engaged but most likely impacted by what was appearing to be the community preferred
route.
A high-level summary of the notification efforts and measurements of success is outlined below.
Notification Method Distribution Magnitude/Impact Outcome Metrics
Post Cards
(July 10-11)
Sent to ~2,800 property
owners/residents within 500’ of
each route
o 320 webpage visits are attributed to the post card mailing as the webpage was
manually typed/entered following the mailing.
o Website traffic peaked a few days after the postcard mailing.
o All virtual/in-person participants indicated notification via the postcard.
o Many people living close to the routes that participated in an in-person
engagement (i.e. Farmer’s Market) indicated that they received the post card.
o A local mail person at the Golden Valley Farmer’s Market noted delivering
about 200 post cards.
Flyers Sharing Project
Information
(Sept 2-6)
Left at businesses along Quebec
and at each residence along the
northside of 49th/Fairview Aves.
o There was no noticeable change in website traffic after the flyer was left and
only a handful of additional comments were received.
Flyers for a
Neighborhood Mtg
(Sept 21)
Flyers were left along both sides
of 49th/Fairview
o Website traffic peaked a few days after the flyer was left.
o Participation in a neighborhood pop-up meeting reflected receipt of flyer.
Email
(July 13)
Email
(Aug 6)
Social Media
(July – Sept)
36,000 people (Three Rivers
newsletter list serve)
3,705 households in Crystal,
New Hope and Golden Valley
which have a Three Rivers
registration account
July 13 message: Data analytics not readily available at this time, but will be added
when available.
Aug 6 message: The message was opened by 1,606 recipients (44 percent open
rate) and clicked on by 90 recipients (2.5 percent click rate).
o 800 webpage visits are attributed to various Three Rivers and city social media
posts, website articles, and/or newsletters.
Yard Signs 24-yard signs were installed
along the studied routes in July
and August
Several engaged community members cited seeing them.
Information Boards Brookview Community Center
Crystal Community Center
New Hope Golf Course
About 45 people activity participated in the self-guided engagement activity.
30+ events
3,750+ people
in attendance at
in-person events
On-line engagement available
24-7 & one-on-one engagement
available upon request
Over 1,900 people visited the project webpage.
1,400 website visitors clicked on at least one project link
and over 110 people participated in at least one of the
feedback opportunities.
500
people indicated a preferred
route(s)
Here is the Preferred Route Breakdown
Winnetka 20%
Winnetka-Douglas 50%
Douglas 30%
225
people indicated where they
want to bike, walk or visit.
Here are the Top 3 Answers
Parks, Trails & Community Centers 28%
Restaurants 19%
Friends and Family 15%
2
Engagement Plan Opportunities
In addition to the engagement events listed below, interested parties could visit the project website www.ThreeRiversParks.link/CP-Rail or email
cprailregionaltrailmasterplan@threeriversparks.org to learn more, share feedback or request a one-on-one virtual meeting or phone conference.
Self-guided engagement boards were available at Golden Valley’s Brookview, New Hope Golf Course and Crystal Community Center.
Completed Events Date City General
Pop.
Regional
Trail
Users
Adjacent
Property
Owners
Targeted Community Groups
Youth BIPOC Hispanic/
Latino
Seniors
(75+)
House.
< $50K
New
Resdnts
Initial Engagement: Where do you want to bike/walk/visit?
Paso A Paso 4/30 NH X X
Bike Rodeo 5/5 GV X X
Vehicle Fair 6/4 CRY X X
Primary Engagement: Route Assessment and Preference
Crystal Park Neighborhood Mtgs 7/6 CRY X X
New Hope Farmers Market 7/9 NH X X X X
Golden Valley Farmers Market 7/10 GV X X
Luce Line RT Pop Up 7/11 GV X
Golden Valley Concerts in the Park
and Ice Cream Social: The 1st John
Philip Sousa Memorial Band 7/11 GV X X X
Luce Line RT Pop Up 7/13 GV X
Golden Valley Concert in the Park -
Salsa del Soul 7/18 GV X X X
Crystal Soccer Camp 7/19 CRY X X X
Virtual Lunch Hour Mtg 7/20 ALL X X
Virtual Evening Mtg 7/20 ALL X X
Golden Valley Pedal Pushers 7/21 GV X
Crystal Seniors Tabling 7/25 CRY X
In Person Mtg 7/27 CRY X X
Golden Valley Penny Carnival 7/29 GV X X
Crystal Frolics 7/30 CRY X X X X X X X X
Crystal Farmers Market 8/2 CRY X X X X X X X X
Prism Food Shelf Pop Up
8/2
8/16 GV X X X X
Crystal - Park Neighborhood Mtgs 8/3 CRY X X X
New Hope Summer Theatre Off-
Broadway Musical Theatre 8/5 NH X
Bassett Creek RT/Park Pop Up 8/5 CRY X
Crystal/New Hope Wet and Wild
Fun Day Valley Place Park 8/5 CRY X X X X
New Hope Music in the Park - Salsa
del Soul 8/10 NH X X X X X
New Hope Bingo & Food Truck
Friday 8/12 NH X X
Bassett Creek RT/Northwoods Park
Pop Up 8/17 NH X
Three Rivers Explorer Camp 8/23 CRY X X
49th/Fairview Ave. Pop Up Mtg. 9/26 CRY X X
Padagis (Quebec Ave.) Private Mtg. 9/29 NH X
Three Rivers also explored the following activities but was unable to make the following suggestions work:
• Potential bike event with ACER in Crystal (opportunity was offered, but community partner did not respond)
• Junior Bike Rangers and Bike Rangers program in Golden Valley (city staff did not recommend pursuing)
• Pop Up in partnership with Three Rivers disc golf at Becker Park in Crystal (staff availability)
3
• Becker Park Pop Up (received feedback from park users at other community events held at the park)
• North Lions Park Pop Up (staff availability)
• Schaper Park Pop Up (substantial youth/Golden Valley engagement events already completed)
• Golden Valley Little League and Softball Tournaments (league was wrapping up at start of engagement/staffing availability)
• Low Income/Affordable Housing Pop-ups (opportunity was offered, but housing representatives did not respond)
• Outdoor Afro (Three Rivers Community Engagement Team is still working on this partnership)
Engagement Findings
Community members could provide feedback in a variety of ways including simply providing a preferred route to providing written comments to
taking a project survey. While the online engagement opportunities provided a means for people to learn more and shared feedback twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week, the over thirty in-person events reached more people and provided a way for community members to have their
questions answered immediately and in an informal, conversational manner which provided comfortable to most participants.
The comments below do not represent every comment received (especially those that were verbal) but does provide a representative summary of
common themes and preferences. Upon request, staff can provide a breakdown of route preference by age for each engagement offering.
Route Preference
The following table summarizes the engagement findings for those that participated in reviewing route options.
Event
Location
Total
Engaged* Route Option Sub-
total
Response by Age Notes <10 10-18 19-34 35-59 60-74 ≥75
Crystal
Events 186
Winnetka 17 3 1 1 10 2 0 1 aged 19-34 likes Win-Doug or
Doug
2 aged 60-74 like all 3/no
preference
Winnetka-Douglas 89 4 4 20 35 20 6
Douglas 65 7 3 11 25 18 1
New Hope
Events 91
Winnetka 15 1 1 0 10 1 2
1 aged 35-59 likes Win-Doug in
south and Win in north
1 aged 60-74 likes all 3/no
preference
1 aged 60-74 wants the safest
option
Winnetka-Douglas 52 2 5 8 30 7 0
Douglas 22 0 1 3 9 8 1
Golden
Valley
Events
153
Winnetka 24 5 0 6 7 5 1
1 aged 35-59 and 6 aged 60-74
likes all 3/no preference
2 aged 60-74 like Win-Doug or
Doug
1 aged 60-74 likes Win or Doug
1 aged 60-74 is not
supportive/feels sorry for
anyone living by a trail
Winnetka-Douglas
74 10 2 7 28 21 6
Douglas 42 1 7 5 16 10 3
Virtual/In
Person
Open
Houses
14
Winnetka 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 age unknown is undecided Winnetka-Douglas 4 0 1 0 2 0 1
Douglas+ 9 0 1 2 2 0 0
Wikki
Interactive
Map+
17
Winnetka 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 Did not collect age data. More
people were engaged (81
comments total); this reflects
those comments that showed a
preferred route.
Winnetka-Douglas 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
Douglas 6 0 0 0 0 0 0
Online
Survey** 59
Winnetka 21 0 0 10 8 3 0 3 aged 55-74 did not like any of
the 3 routes Winnetka-Douglas 18 0 0 7 7 4 0
Douglas 17 0 0 6 4 7 0
Summary 520
Winnetka 83 9 2 17 35 11 3
Winnetka-Douglas 242 16 12 42 102 52 13
Douglas 161 8 12 27 56 43 5
* Does not equal total of 3 preferred routes as it includes those without a single preferences or those that do not support
the trail/routes.
+ Includes preferences from virtual open houses/interactive maps where age data was not collected and/or undecided
participants.
** Age ranges did not align perfectly. Online survey ranges was 35-54 was classified as 35-59 and online survey ranges from
55-74 was classified as 60-74.
4
Desired Places to Walk, Bike or Visit
For those that were less familiar with the routes (primarily youth and people that did not live within the project search area), a second engagement
activity was provided to learn about where they wanted to be able to walk, bike or visit. These findings are summarized below.
Age of
Part.
Total
Engaged* School
Prks, Trls
& Com.
Cntrs
Restrnts Health
Care Transit Place of
Worship
Shopping
Centers Work Library Friends &
Family
<10 83 12 17 10 5 3 2 1 0 11 22
10-17 22 1 3 5 0 0 0 6 0 4 3
18-34 24 0 11 2 0 2 1 1 0 4 3
35-59 35 2 14 6 2 1 1 2 2 3 2
60-74 18 0 5 6 0 1 0 2 0 1 3
75+ 5 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
Unknown
Age 36 0 11 12 0 1 1 3 4 4 0
Subtotal 223 15 63 42 7 8 5 17 6 27 33
Percent 100.0% 6.7% 28.3% 18.8% 3.1% 3.6% 2.2% 7.6% 2.7% 12.1% 14.8%
* Some participants were undecided and choose more than one option. Total engaged is likely closer to 175-200 people.
Emailed Comments
Community members, businesses and property owners were also invited to email comments directly to a project email address. Seven people took
advantage of this option. All emails are listed below verbatim.
July 10 Hello,
I live on 32nd and Edgewood Ave N. There already is a trail along 32nd to Douglas Drive. I don’t understand what the post
card is announcing that I received in the mail. Please explain.
Thank you,
Joanne Loth
August 1
Hello,
Is there a recording of the virtual meetings to watch?
-Sarah Butler
August 5 Hello, I enjoyed the Beacon Academy "Share Your Feedback" meeting on July 27th. I have a question. Can any portion of the
new trail go through any part of Robbinsdale? Thank you! MC
August 6/16 Hi,
I received the email re: planned trails through Golden Valley, Crystal, etc.
I am in favor of more trails, but with kids in mind.
Most of the trails (read “anything on a street”) are completely unsafe to take a kid biking or skating. There is no effective
traffic barrier, no obvious signage, and little thought to pavement condition.
Please consider improving what exists already.
Thanks,
Anna Sawyer
----
Thank you for the reply.
We use the route currently marked as Basset Creek, running from Scheid Park to Wirth, (which we take to connect to the city
lakes and our kids’ school).
The “trail” there NEEDS a physical barrier.
The sidewalk area needs pavement that is level. If there were a safe way to get to stores (Lunds Byerlys, the strip mall at
Winnetka/55), we would use those more too. Make it safe for me to use my bike and my kids’ bikes, to run local errands.
In terms of recreational trails, we use the Luce Line and Wirth.
Anna
August 18
Hi,
5
I manage Valley Place Apartments at 7201 36th Ave N. The Bassett Creek Regional Trail was extended down Nevada Ave a
few years ago. That leg is across the street from our back parking lot. Looking at the website for this project it looks to me like
the new additions would run through the residential neighborhoods north of our property. It doesn’t look like our property
would be physically impacted by this addition (depending on whether the trail is extended west on 36th Ave N across the
street from us or on our side of 36th Ave N). I would be interested in finding out if there will be an impact on our side of the
street or not.
Thanks,
Ed B.
September 14 Hi Three Rivers Parks,
I’m the head of engineering/facilities for a manufacturing business along the proposed route through New Hope, along
Quebec Ave N. We have a couple of comments/questions we’d like to discuss, so I would like to request an opportunity to
review the plan with you. I apologize that this is after the requested due date, but I just became aware of the proposed
locations yesterday afternoon. We can make ourselves available in order to have this meeting right away (or at your earliest
convenience). Please let me know on your availability.
Thanks,
Melissa
Melissa Timm | Senior Engineering Manager
Padagis | Engineering
September 27 Dear Three Rivers,
Thank you for setting up the Neighborhood Pop-up Meeting yesterday, September 26th for residents to better understand
and ask questions about the proposal.
Installing a regional walking/biking trail would be an action which would provide multiple benefits to both neighborhoods
and also the community at large, and I am in favor of the trail. As to how and where the trail is constructed, there are
decisions which need to be made as to whether to eliminate parking and build the trail from there up to the lawn that edges
the sidewalk or to keep the parking lane and build the trail 15 feet from the curb into the public easement which are at
present, part of the front yards of residents.
As a gardener living on the north side of Fairview Avenue N. and who actively uses the sunny, south-facing part of her front
yard for growing vegetables and flowers, mostly in the easement portion, loss of that approximately 10 ft.-wide strip of prime
sunny soil would drastically diminish my garden and production of vegetables and flowers. While the needs and preferences
of one resident should not drive the decisions that affect the entire neighborhood, I would welcome a design which block by
block, we neighbors could vote on whether we would prefer to have the trail built into the easement land of our front yards
and maintain parking with the creation of parking bays, or use the parking lane as part of the trail and keep the easement
land as part of our front yards.
I believe that the trail does not need to be a straight line for its entire length; rather, it would be more visually pleasing to
have the curving path that might emerge from the block-to-block decisions of the residents as they weigh parking space vs.
front yard space for their preferences and needs.
I look forward to learning more about the trail and how its implementation is decided.
Judith Anthony
On-line Comments
Anyone visiting the project website could leave feedback directly on the project page. Twenty-six people took advantage of this option, and their
comments are listed below verbatim.
Date Comment
May 21
Love that you are connecting these trails. Will be great to have new places to go as I primarily use the Dakota Rail Trail and the
opportunity to go north will be a welcome change.
One thing I'm not clear on ... will the section of the Luce Line Trail that is being used be paved? I believe it's crushed limestone (or
similar) right now, but it would be amazing if that section could be paved to increase accessibility for people using various modes
of travel.
Thank you !
6
Jul 09
I disagree with using 49th Ave. North for this purpose. I live on a cul-de-sac off 49th and 49th is our only access in and out of the
cul-de-sac. It's already busy with traffic and adding a rail line would make congestion worse! Please find another option for this
rail line.
Jul 09 Do you have any mock ups of what the trail would look like? Seems like a great idea but wondering if home owners along
Winnetka would have to give up some of their front yard?
Jul 09 Please do not select the pink route, this goes through the most residential areas of all the plans and is not a straightforward
pathway with existing sidewalks causing people to cross more streets.
Jul 11
I like the Winnetka and the Douglas routes as they are the most straightforward, but I think I’m leaning toward using Winnetka
Ave for the trail as it seems to pass more shopping areas, including the Hy-Vee and the YMCA. Winnetka traffic has been building
though over time and I imagine the bikers would slow things down as it’s only two lanes so cars would have to wait for bikers to
pass before turning. If Douglas has more space to have separate turn lanes (as I can’t recall) then that would definitely help
maintain the flow of traffic if a big lane was added. I am also very curious if one route or the other is worse in regards to incline,
and I think that should be an important factor to consider! You wouldn’t want a large hill to deter bikers from using the path if we
build it. I suspect the Winnetka incline heading north might be somewhat difficult, and I’m not sure how it would be on Douglas.
Jul 11 Also, it would be really helpful to have restaurants marked on the map, specifically, so we can see which route has more of them
as I think many bike to get to places to eat, drink and socialize.
Jul 12
There is no need to have a Winnetka-Douglas route. Two routes are fine. How about giving us a refund rather than wasting our
tax money. Property taxes are ridiculous and we’ve already been taxed enough for the New Hope pool and the Crystal police
station. Please take this inquiry seriously - many residents believe our city representatives truly only represent themselves rather
than the community. There are more important things that need to be addressed such as making fiber internet available to all
citizens and burying power lines - this isn’t the 1950’s!
Jul 14
There’s a small paved trail on the south side of 55 from Theo worth Parkway going west toward the intersection on sharper rd. It
stops by the frontage road and does not continue over to that intersection. If it were continued along the frontage road to the
intersection decide 55 it would cut up a big shock to get to the Luce line by the park.
Jul 16
Will these be sprayed on lanes or protected? These roads are intimidating to ride down given the speed limit and the amount of
unlicensed people. When riding in mpls I find many streets are built to keep people paying more attention. Slower speeds. On
street parking. Ironically narrower roads make me feel safer biking on them. Some of the roads in this map don't have that and
people are off guard. Just a couple hours ago on Douglas a woman stopped, I hit breaks, she turned around, I look in mirror, she
did a 360 in the middle of the road.
Aug 01 Would love to see the Winnetka trail! Thank you for your work on this!
Aug 02 I feel this trail should follow the most direct route possible, along Douglas.
Aug 02
This trail, no matter which route, should be off street family friendly walking/biking trails. Traffic on these streets is intimidating
and dangerous even when we walk on the current sidewalks. We will look forward to walking/biking to businesses along the
Winnetka corridor in the future and prefer the Winnetka trail! Thank you for this North/South route.
Aug 04
The Douglas route would establish important connections between areas that the City of Crystal seems to be investing in, Bassett
Creek Park, City Hall, the Library, the Community Center and perhaps most importantly, in the context of the incoming Blue Line,
the Becker Park area and "Town Center". This last item should be *directly* connected to the others and is why I think the
Douglas route should be favored. This obviously has a Crystal bias and a personal perspective bias.
Re: City of Crystal investments. There are incentives for Storefront improvements along the Douglas route as well:
https://www.crystalmn.gov/resident/community_development/storefront_improvement_program
Aug 09
Can we please get a couple of safe, off street north/south connections to the Cedar Lake trail? It's a shame that we can't ride
from New Hope or Golden Valley straight down to Hopkins or St. Louis Park, especially where there are train tracks and highways
that go north/south. Can we please think of actually getting somewhere on a bike/by walking instead of just recreation? If we
could actually go shopping/go to work/go out to eat/go to the gym on our bikes/scooters, maybe more people would use the
trails you build.
Aug 10
The Winnetka option will be the greater improvement over current conditions. I bike on Douglas already; I will go out of my way
to avoid riding on Winnetka. While I would love to see a Douglas trail I would rather have improvements on Winnetka. The
Winnetka-Douglas option is not appealing.
Aug 10
'For all these new trails, a few comments:
- When following a main road, it should be separated from the road, see to what has been done on N Plymouth Avenue in
Minneapolis
- When following a main road, the trail should have the same priority on the side roads as the main road, see again what has been
done on N Plymouth Avenue where all the side roads do not have priority on the bike trail
- Before putting on a stop on a trail, assess if a priority sign triangle would be more adequate especially when the trail has good
visibility on the crossing road
- Never put a stop on a trail for drive ways such as what has been done in Orono on the Dakota trail where you have 13 stops for
mostly home driveways on 2 miles!
- Overall, Minnesota needs to catch up on bike trails along main corridors (like along 55) or even in typical city streets where a
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bike trail should always be marked especially at lights; they need to be separated from walking path, minimize stops, be
protected from cars. Some cities in the South like Tucson has a much wider network with bike trail or path along most main roads
I bike a lot along these trails, most of them are great (Elm Creek, Carver,…) but in between parks, they can be improved
Aug 12
Hello, my wife and I bike a lot and live just off Boone in New Hope. Placing the trail on Winnetka only OR Winnetka-Douglas
would allow for more residents of New Hope to access the trails. Douglas-only trail cuts New Hope out of the equation and I
doubt it would see much ridership from New Hope. Given New Hope destinations of HyVee, YMCA, Ice Arena and the new
waterpark and green space near the New Hope City Hall, keeping the trail closer to New Hope is very beneficial. Also, the
Winnetka options is in the middle between 169 and 100 that border the area.
Aug 16
Both planned routes have their benefits. A downside I see to Winnetka is the amount of traffic which bikers would encounter.
Already
concerned with the lack of respect drivers through much of Winnetka neighborhoods I am concerned the addition of bikes and
families would cause more safety concerns. Winnetka has become a main Avenue of traffic for emergency vehicles, traffic
violator escapees, speed testing/racing drivers and no longer is the quiet road it once was. For this reason, the
Winnetka/Douglas route, through community neighborhoods, would be a more enjoyable and safer ride.
Aug 21 Hi, I prefer the Douglas Drive optionz
Aug 24
Whether you opt for Douglas or Winnetka, please make the trail separate from the street (like it is on Boone or 36th). Biking on
Winnetka and Douglas is entirely too busy, and if traffic is narrowed down to two lanes, drivers will get upset with bikers (or
those waiting to turn left) and go in the bike lane.
Aug 31 I would like to see the Basset Creek Regional Trail from east of Highway 100 highway completed to Theodore Wirth Parkway
Sep 03
As a recreational rider who lives at the north end of New Hope, I would be very happy to have a north/south route connecting me
to some major bike trails. Here are my comments about what things are important to me:
1. Pretty and quiet trail - I have recently discovered I could ride south on Quebec rather than riding on Winnetka. That was a
major discovery. It's pretty and quiet. However, even though it is not too inefficient from my location, it would not be as efficient
from Becker Park. It seems silly to go west and then back east again. But if the trail is nicer, it might be worth it.
2. Few intersections and as little traffic as possible - the route on Winnetka has a lot of intersections and traffic. It might be
similar to the route going north on Bottineau Blvd from 63rd to Fleet Farm. That part of the trail is worthless. It's ugly. It cuts your
bike riding time in half because of all the time you stand waiting at intersections. I would not be in favor of any route like that.
3. Off Road trail - Douglas Drive could work as long as the route is not on the road. I would not bother riding a trail that is a special
section on the road. If I had to ride on that road anyway, it would be better than nothing, but I would not go out of my way to
ride on that trail and for recreation purposes, I would choose a different one.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to give feedback. I would be very happy to have a bike trail in this area. And if there is
ever a way to connect the Crystal/Becker Park area to Eagle Lake in Maple Grove (or just to get across 169 more easily at the
north end of New Hope), that would be much appreciated as well!
Sep 08 Our manufacturing business is located on Quebec Ave., will the proposed trail be on the road or would a new sidewalk/path be
added on this stretch of the path? If a new path where exactly is the proposed location?
Sep 08
I walk from Yunkers park (Winnetka Hills) to Bassett Creek everyday. I used to live on the trail. Now that I don't, it seems like east
and west are not connected. You could look at 32nd ave between nevada and winnetka as a missed opportunity to serve a large
community of apartment living. The road is incredibly wide and people walk there all the time only to encounter trucks/trailers
parked and busy drivers. Not a pleasant way to get from new hope to crystal and/or to the bigger connections. Winnetka hills has
a ton of walkers and no place to walk! Just west of us, we have trails in New hope which are not well maintained but are good for
walking. With so much emphasis on the larger trails, please do not forget the arteries that can support this initiative. People want
to walk, bike, excercise for a variety of reasons. If it's difficult for people in the neighborhood to access them, they won't enjoy
the bigger benefits of what you are doing. I only walk through the industrial area because I know how great the Bassett creek trail
is. This is a small request for a great way to connect the east and west sides of town. Getting from 100 to 169 should be easier for
us. And, perhaps there is a better way to get to medicine lake (Bicycle / Walking Bridge about at 32nd) to get across. The only way
now is an old unsafe sidewalk on medicine lake road(or 36th). Thanks for listening!
Sep 14 Will the trail go on the East side of Winnetka? That would make the most sense.
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Sep 23
I feel it’s important for bikers and the community to have safe paths and routes to use. I drive both Douglas and Winnetka
frequently for my commute and feel that street traffic is better managed on Douglas and would seem to be the safer option. It
also seems that the least amount of railroads would need to be altered to accommodate this route. Since there is currently a bike
lane on Douglas, would there be less work to the existing roads to add in a trail? Is there any data available on how much
potential bike traffic this trail in expecting to draw? I am also curious as to how many residential properties will be affected by
each proposed route. As a Crystal resident I am a bit disappointed to only be hearing about this project in what appears to be the
later stages. Were the residents notified earlier on and something was missed? Again, not opposed to the idea of a trail, just
looking for more details from a residents perspective. Thank you.
Survey Summary
A survey was posted on the website and provided an opportunity for participants to share their preferred route and why, why they may be excited
for the trail and what concerns they may have. Fifty-nine number of people took the survey and their comments, listed in the tables below, are in
line with verbal feedback from other in-person events. A few additional highlights are listed below:
• There was not a clear preferred route by survey participants.
• Fifty percent of participants indicated that they would use the trail for recreation purposes, forty-two percent of participants would use
the trail to access local destination (within the same community) and 37% of participants would use the trail to reach destinations in
other communities.
What is your
preferred route? Why is that your preferred route? Or if you selected 'Other', please explain why.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route Incorporates Bassett creek trail infrastructure
Douglas Route
The Douglas route will serve the most underinvested parts of the area. Will get the county to actually improve a
popular bike route that is currently unsafe. It is also the most efficient. Most families will not want to bike a mile
west to just bike a mile East later in the trail.
Winnetka Route
So many people use this sidewalk on winnetka and it’s a busy street with bus stops and kids walking to Cooper high
school. There is not enough room to pass a stroller or biker, so many people walk or bike on winnetka which is
dangerous
Winnetka Route
- It is a straight route so it won’t be confusing.
- it is the closest to medicine Lake
- we live on winnetka and we would love to have the regional trail go by our home to increase pedestrian and
bicycle ‘traffic’ on our road.
Douglas Route This would give good access to the Crystal Community Center.
Winnetka Route
The Winnetka Route would be the safest and most direct for all concerned. I live by the 4 way stop at 32nd and
Hampshire. I have witnessed how aproximately 50% of the autos and 95% of the bicycles do not observe the stop
sign. Many not only do not slow down but actually speed through the intersection. Since this is a residential
neighborhood with a busy city park at this intersection, it is only a matter of time until there is a serious accident at
32nd and Hampshire Ave. The current setup is for the trail to not only cross Hampshire but also 32nd at this
interesection. Currently, only pedestrians follow this. To rectify this, there would have to be much expense and
potentially taking resident's propoerty. Since bike riders do not like to stop at intersections, the Winnetka Route
would have fewer stops and enable them to traverse the area quickly.
Winnetka Route Winnetka Route provides access for students who attend Robbinsdale Cooper High School to more safely bike
to/from school.
Douglas Route Makes sense to connect to Luce Line with the already planned underpass, less busy street.
Winnetka Route It will provide the opportunity for me to connect to a number of other trails I frequently use.
Winnetka Route
Douglas Route Less busy and direct
Winnetka-
Douglas Route Gets me to the store, to my home, to other trails to get to work, and can get me to other transit connections.
Douglas Route
Douglas Drive is wide enough to handle a bike lane, passes by the Crystal City Hall and police station, Crystal Cove
Pool, Crystal Community Center and allows additional exposure for established and newly emerging businesses.
There are a number of small businesses that could benefit from the route traffic.
Winnetka Route I'm torn between Winnetka and Winnetka- Douglas. Winnetka doesn't feel safe to bike on, therefore I would like a
bike/walk path there. I like the Quebec section of the Winnetka-Douglas trail.
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Winnetka Route The straight path for the entire length is preferable to a route with a lot of turns and the Douglas route already has
a pretty good path south of medicine lake road. The Douglas path would be a good second option though.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route It is not just a straight shot. Provides more of a circular route.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route Goes through the most natures type area
Winnetka-
Douglas Route There is more diversity in the route than just going in a straight line like the other two routes.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route
All or most of the side streets in New Hope lack sidewalks. Winnetka is very busy and loud when I walk my dogs,
but when I take the side streets like Quebec Ave, I am walking on the street. Providing additional walking paths
that are safer is why I would prefer the Winnetka-Douglas route.
Douglas Route I like that is is a straight shot. Also Douglas Dr is not as busy as Winnetka
Winnetka Route
Of the three proposed routes, Winnetka is the only street that currently has no affordability for cyclists. Douglas
Drive and Quebec Ave are both reasonably bike friendly. Putting the trail on the latter two routes would make
good things better for people who already use them, while leaving most or all of Winnetka behind.
To add to this, Winnetka is currently quite unsafe between Medicine Lake Rd and Bass Lake Rd. The four lane setup
on that stretch of road causes much heavier traffic than what there ought to be in these neighborhoods, and this
makes it difficult to even cross the street safely for kids living in the Cooper High area. As a result, people who live
west of Winnetka are generally cut off from trails to the east, and vice versa. Winnetka Ave should be restructured
to prioritize the safety of families who live in the residential neighborhoods adjacent to it. I believe putting the bike
trail there would help accomplish that while also doing the most to improve trail access for New Hope residents.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route Variety in where it goes.
Winnetka Route
Winnetka Route
Douglas Route Further from my house
Winnetka-
Douglas Route Would be less vehicle traffic
Winnetka Route Convenience, safety.
Winnetka Route Safe location for woman and children
Winnetka Route Direct route. Also winnetka is a busy street and it would be nice to have safe biking space there. The other smaller
streets you can already bike on fairly safely with it a trail anyway.
Other Douglas to Basset’s Creek Regional trail
Winnetka Route It is closest to my house and a straight shot down south
Winnetka Route It's closest to my house
Winnetka Route We live off of Winnetka and bike/run often. I even bike to work in Golden Valley. Having an official trail off of
Winnetka would be incentive to stay in the area long term.
Douglas Route
I frequently bike up and down Douglas dr. It would be amazing to have this connected to the luce line at the south
end and Becker park at the north end.
However, a trail is also needed to connect the Crystal area (42nd and Douglas) with medicine lake so more is
needed beyond this project.
Douglas Route
As a biker, it is more straight forward path. Douglas drive is a little quieter than the current Winetka and I would
not like biking on Winetka, thus would never use it. Please note I do live only 2 blocks from Winetka, so technically
it would be easier for me to get to on my bike, and I still prefer the other route.
Douglas Route Seems to be less vehicle traffic on Douglas vs Winnetka
Douglas Route
Winnetka Route Connects to shopping
Winnetka Route
Douglas Route I see this route as creating important, non-car, connections in Crystal, especially in the context of future
development and the Blue Line.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route
From a laymen perspective it seems that there will be less traffic along this route which will make bike rides/walks
more pleasant and safer. Construction might also be less disruptive.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route
From the Bassett Creek Trail, the Winnetka-Douglas Route takes a biker to more separate areas, or you can get to
the Luce Line Trail easily too.
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Winnetka-
Douglas Route
More of the community will benefit by interconnecting the parks and the ride will be more scenic for the riders -
not just along the same road.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route
Thinking specifically about biking, staying off Winnetka and Douglas as much as possible is preferable to me. 49th,
Quebec, Nevada and 32nd are much less trafficked for biking.
Douglas Route Less complicated.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route
It connects to the larger paved route along 36th Avenue and the trails through Northwood Park. The trails through
Northwood Park are true nature trails, not through busy streets.
Winnetka Route Because there is already a bike lane on Douglas(and it is fantastic) and the Winnetka route would be a great
alternative for going north south and I hope it would not be on the busy road.
Other
Douglas and Winnetka and 36th are very busy streets. Getting off those streets onto quieter streets is both safer
and more Interesting a route. Use Maryland, Nevada or Oregon to get north. Ive biked on all those busy streets:
They are filled with traffic at all times of the day.
Other
I don’t like any of them. Winnetk and Douglas are busy high-traffic routes. It will be noisy, smelly, and not scenic.
The Douglas-Winnetka route is convoluted and involves crossing a lot of roads, especially the intersection at
Winnetka and 36th. Very long and tedious crossing. Could you cross 36th further east at a less busy intersection?
Winnetka-
Douglas Route It’s off busy streets which allows for a more enjoyable trail experience and it connects several parks together.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route
I like this route because it connects Winnetka to Douglas and seems like it would also be a little bit more scenic
and peaceful in between the two.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route This would be convenient for where I live.
Douglas Route
Douglas Route Closest access to places near my home that I might bike to
Winnetka-
Douglas Route Quieter streets. Less traffic
Winnetka Route I would use it as a New Hope resident. This route allows a safer way for pedestrians and cyclists to travel along and
visit businesses on Winnetka.
Douglas Route The Douglas ROW has more room than Winnetka, and I’ve witnessed some terribly unsafe driving on Winnetka.
Winnetka-
Douglas Route We like the fact that the streets are less busy, better scenery, passes by other parks & YMCA
Douglas Route It is the most direct and least confusing to a rider
If you are excited about or looking forward to the regional trail, please share why.
Northern extension of basset creek trail and Luce Line connection
Crystal has no safe north/south bike routes. This could finally make the city bike friendly and connect to the grand rounds.
I love biking, but there aren’t any good trails to bike to from my house without crossing over 169 to get to medicine lake.
The more trails are around and accessible, the more people will walk/bike on them and the more active people will be.
Regional trails provide a safer way for bikers and pedestrian to bike/walk around.
My family would love to be able to bike more in our neighborhood without the worries of sharing the road with vehicles.
Safer access for bike commuting
I am an avid cyclist, and I always welcome trail expansion.
I live on Winnetka and there's very little space to bike
I love to bike and don't feel we have enough trails in our area
I think it would help many people who need to or want to walk or bike to get around.
I'm an avid cyclist, the more paths the better. Also, there's no good north-south paths around here so the full regional trail is very
exciting.
So that I can bike more safely.
It’s close to my house
It provides more activities for our neighborhood and neighbors. Easier way to get around besides walking and driving.
I want families to use the trail as a safe place for children to exercise. I see many kids playing in the streets and parking lots around my
house. In New Hope, safe walking paths are limited to very busy streets.
I am excited that existing paths are gaining connections! It helps to make ride distances more manageable.
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The many miles of connected trails is one of the best perks of living in this area. But many are still cut off, especially kids. We need it to
be safer and more accessible for people of all ages to enjoy our trails. I want to be able to get to Golden Valley safely and hop on the
Luce Line trail. I want my teenage son to feel safe doing the same thing on his own.
We really need a good long walking path to connect parks.
I think it would bring our communities closer.
The areas identified have poor bike/walking access.
To bike, run and more!
Connect easily to other regional trails. I noticed that immediately when we moved to new Hope that there weren’t easy connections to
the trails. Excited to have that!
Yes. I live in Crystal and use the bike trails regularly
Yes! I believe this would entice me to bike more and use the local trails
I enjoy riding bicycle
I am pumped - we use the Three Rivers trails often and having a bike route nearby would be fantastic!
The Crystal area needs more bike trails which make it safe to get to and from the Luce line, medicine lake and victory memorial
parkway. There are so many great trails in other areas but we have no great way to connect to them. I’d love to be able to safely bike
on a trail to get to these wonderful trails.
For the last two years I've taken my bike, by car, to get to Elm Creek Park reserve to use their trails or take Rush Creek trail to the
Mississippi River. I have also taken my car to bike on the Luce Line trail, as well as the Medicine Lake Regional Trail. It would be nice to
have a starting place closer to home - and I always go on trails that do not have a lot of car traffic, as I enjoy nature.
more options for cycling
We have no close biking paths that connects to my neighborhood
I enjoy riding my bike to do basic things. Almsteads grocery is along the Douglas route and I would be able to use this trail to get their
quickly and safely on my bike. I also have an interest in exploring alternatives to personal vehicles and how projects like this effect local
vehicle trips. I'm excited to observe the effect on the community.
It will be great to have direct access to other communities and bike safe trails very close. The bike lanes that share the road with cars do
not feel very well thought out or safe at all in our area.
I am an avid biker! I regularly bike this area, and also enjoy many trails around the state. I'm a teacher and these trails are really the
highlight of m summer break! As an older citizen, not having to share busy roads with motorists encourages me to try to go to more
places on my bike.
So we can go on safer bike rides as a family in our own community. Right now, our only safe option with a seven-year-old is to drive to a
location first to use a safe bike trail.
I like the idea of connecting our communities with the Minnesota Valley State Trail - the better connected we are for biking, the easier
is it to navigate the area.
Connects parks in the city for easy access.
Better connection through the New Hope Parks!
I am excited because this will connect to so many other great trails. I use the regional trails multiple times a week.
I’m all for anything that makes bike transit easier, safer and thus more enjoyable and enticing.
It will be nice to have a north-south bike corridor to connect the existing trails
I live in the forest neighborhood of Crystal and love my neighbors but hate that there are no nearby trails. This would be such a nice
addition to the area and make it a more desirable place to live. There are many families with young children in this area and it is
definitely lacking safe trails for kids to ride bikes, scooters, go for walks etc. My husband and I have wanted to move for a while to be
closer to trails, but the addition of this trail would be a huge incentive to stay, especially with the blue line extension coming too! I am
so excited to hear about this!
I love all the new suburbs and how planned out they are. It’s exciting to think about retrofitting this area.
It will be something away from the normal city streets
Currently, we access the Luce Line via Douglas, where riding on street seems a little hazardous, especially with round-abouts
Any option for navigating my way north while avoiding busy 2 lane car streets is a plus
We badly need a safe and continuous north-south connection to the many east-west regional trails.
We like connectivity to other communities. Opportunity for exercising and taking advantage of the outdoors in our area.
Eager to be able to ride a few blocks from my house and be on a dedicated bike trail verses riding on regular roads with car. Also gives
me access all the other great trails without having to drive my car to them
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If you have any concerns about the regional trail, please share them.
The Winnetka and Winnetka/Douglas alignments are less efficient and will likely be less used.
None, excited about the possibility.
How long is construction expected to take?
I am hoping it is not a bike lane on the road but a path so it is safer
I am AGAINST the Winnetka Douglas route which runs along small neighborhood streets.
Automobiles do not stop at stop signs. Bicycles do not stop at stop signs. And there are an increasing number of dogs in the area that
bark at bicycles at all hours.
I hope the planners don't get too much "not in my backyard" pushback from residents. No matter what trail you pick, it's going to be a
boon to the neighborhoods and cities it goes through.
N/A
My concern right now is there is little input from people of color. I would also like to hear about the engagement of local police in crime
along the planned routes.
It should improve life for the people who live along the trail. And it should create trail access for people who are currently lacking.
Please prioritize the people who will be impacted, and the people who are really in need.
I think it’s a waste of tax payer money
Semi trucks are a worry
Safety
None
I support more trails everywhere
None - please build it faster.
Ensuring their is shady areas along the route, quiet streets, and wide enough trail if needed to share with walkers.
Crime
None whatsoever.
This is about the Luce Line: As you are heading to Plymouth, this trail crosses wetlands using long plank bridges. They are so rough that
my husband and I have to walk our bikes across. He has had many back surgeries and I have an aneurysm that should not be jarred.
I worry that the cheapest way will be chosen and our community will miss out.
Winnetka is a busy route - I have concerns about biking there with four lanes of traffic. Douglas is better, particularly between Duluth
Street and Highway 55. Not sure if biking on Winnetka would be in the roadway or on a new trail, but the current road conditions on
Winnetka are not conducive to bike traffic.
Why were less-travelled streets not originally part of any plan?
None of the Proposed routes are very scenic and involve crossing a lot of roads and being exposed to traffic pollution
People not picking up after their pets
Winnetka and Douglas are both busy streets, so noisy and lots of cross traffic
No sharrows. Please make any dividers between cars and bikes out of concrete. No plastic strips or dividers
That it is wide enough for safe shared use.
Crossing busy streets and some railroads.
Virtual and In-person Open Houses
Two virtual and one in-person open houses were held. No significant comments were received, and all questions were addressed during the
meeting duration. All participants appeared supportive of the project.
Padagis (3940 Quebec) Private Meeting
A private meeting was held with Padagis representatives to share project and company information and design concerns which would need to be
addressed during a future design phase. Padigis is not opposed the project, but would like to be involved during the design phase.
• Company is growing which will increase staff (400+ total, 3 shift operation) and truck traffic (both internal operations and coordination
with other warehouse at 5175 Winnetka and with delivery of raw goods and product shipment).
• Company also uses adjacent church parking lot – as such there are 3 entrances which will need to be carefully designed.
• Topography may limit some sight lines.
• Underground utilities and irrigation are present in the right-of-way, a short retaining wall may be needed and driveways/crossings will
need to account for truck turning radius.
• Entrances should be monitored for potential concerns and corrections made promptly should an issue be identified.
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Fairview/49th Ave. Pop Up Neighborhood Meeting
An additional pop-up outdoor neighborhood meeting for adjacent property owners was held to engage residents potentially most impacted by the
community preferred route. A high level summary of the meeting is as follows:
• About 25 people attending. 2/3 of attendees were direct neighbors and 1/3 were people out walking and use this route frequently.
• While not asked, about ¼ indicated that they would rather give up parking then have the trail consume the area that is functioning as part
of their front yards but officially ROW.
• About 5 neighbors were not supportive and cited:
o Lack of current winter maintenance by the city
o Concerns over safety of kids (kidnapping, safe access walking to and waiting for the bus as this is already a neighbor concern as
kids do this without parents)
o Concerns over people using the trail to case their properties for future crimes
o Not being able to leave their garages open
o The need for a privacy fence in their front yard in addition to their backyard
o Proximately of the trail to homes/windows
o Loss of a privacy
o Perceived or real loss of property values
o Current concerns over speed/traffic volume/lack of stop signs/truck route – this would just add more congestion.
• The balance of the meeting participants appeared supportive but recognized that additional design consideration to address retaining
walls, driveway drainage, potential tree/garden impacts, etc. would be needed.
• Several liked the idea of having safe places to walk/bike and connectivity to the Crystal Community Center and YMCA.
• About half of the neighbors mentioned their current displeasure over the city’s previous decision to remove stop signs, add parking and
make the route a truck route.
• There were a few comments about not knowing about the project, but this was generally handled by other neighbors that reported
receiving the previous post card and flyer.
• There were also comments about whether this was a done deal and who makes the decision and when that happens.
CP Rail Regional Trail: Golden Valley/New Hope/Crystal
Luce Line RT to Crystal Lake RT Segment
Route Comparison Matrix: Winnetka-Douglas and Douglas Routes
Between Douglas
Dr./32nd Ave. and
Douglas Dr./Fairview
Ave.
Winnetka-Douglas Route
Douglas Route
Community Engagement Assessment
What is your preferred
route? 50% of engaged community members 30% of engaged community members
Where do
you want
to bike,
walk, or
visit?
Parks/Trails/
Community
Centers
Valley Place, Northwood and Sunnyside Parks
Bassett Creek Regional Trail
YMCA
Crystal Community Center
Bassett Creek Regional Trail
Crystal Community Center
Restaurants
36th: Fat Nat’s Eggs, Frankies, Café Meow, Bruegger’s
42nd: 42nd Pub, Sarpinos, Pocket Square Cocktail
Lounge
Med Lake Rd.: Delicious Chow Mein, Donuts, Pizza
Man, Crystal Cafe
36th: Bella’s Shoppe Bakery and Coffee, Milton’s
Friends &
Family 55% is adjacent to residential land uses 94% is adjacent to residential land uses.
Equity Assessment
Equity
(within 1,000’ of new trail
segments based on 2019
ACS/2020 Census)
3,466 BIPOC
696 Hispanic/Latino
582 People Over 75 Years Old
1,770 Youth (Under 18)
1,501 Households with an Annual Income of ≤$50,000
168 Families (9%) Living in Poverty
2,244 BIPOC
495 Hispanic/Latino
535 People Over 75 Years Old
1,335 Youth (Under 18)
906 Households with an Annual Income of ≤$50,000
56 Families (4%) Living in Poverty
Safety Assessment
New Trail Segments Only
(36th Ave. north to
Douglas Drive)
Entire Segment (including
Bassett Creek Regional
Trail)
Entire Segment
Single Family Driveway
Crossings 13 23 75
Commercial/Multi-Family
Driveway Crossings 34 51 13
Total Driveway Crossings 47 74 88
Road Crossings 5 11 11
ADA/Steep Grade
Challenges All below ADA guidelines All below ADA guidelines
Adjacent Property Impact and Infrastructure Impact Assessment
Easements and Trail/Road
Reconfiguration
15, 2’ wide easements are anticipated. This assumes
that the trail width will be reduced where ROW is
limited.
Easements are anticipated along:
• Quebec Ave.: 10 commercial/1 institutional parcels
• Winnetka Ave.: 1 commercial/1 institutional/2
cemetery parcels
If the east curb is moved west 4’ and the shoulders
reduced from 4’ to 2’ on both sides, no easements
are anticipated.
If shoulder width cannot be reduced/curbed moved,
90, 3’ easements are anticipated along Douglas
Drive, and trail width would be reduced to 9’.
Tree Impacts
(High-level Estimates)
80 Trees
• ~1/3 are Ash trees
• 75 trees are in New Hope/5 trees are in Crystal
None/minimal as trail is located within fully
developed ROW.
Utility/Light Pole/Hydrant
Relocation 30 hydrants; 615’ of overhead utilities 25 hydrants; 2,000’ of overhead utilities
Timing/Other
Consideration
The segment along 49th/Fairview Avenues overlaps the
Lake Sarah Regional Trail Search Corridor.
Hennepin County may consider a trail as part of its
HSIP safety improvements & 2026 Rehabilitation
work.
Cost Assessment
High-level Cost Estimate $4.2M $7.3M
Park and Recreation Advisory Commission
Monthly Maintenance Report
September, 2022
Vandalism:
• Graffiti issues at Becker Park, Skate Park and MAC natural area
Projects:
• Removal of Emerald Ash Borer infected trees
• City wide inspection of diseased trees
• Fair School soccer field re-construction completed and seeded
• Completed forestry work at new Bassett Creek dog park sites
• Athletic field preparation and field striping
• Turf maintenance (mow, fertilize and overseed parks)
• 10-acre prairie project layout and site preparation at Bassett Creek park
• Playground inspections and repairs
• Municipal pool shut down and winterize
• Park shelter cleaning and maintenance
• HVAC maintenance at city buildings
• Planter and flower pot removal
• Garbage pick-ups
• Becker spray pad maintenance
• Construct and install a new skate park element at Grogan Park
Future:
• Ash tree removals
• Tree planting in parks and residential areas
• Seasonal sunshade removals
• Winterize restrooms, irrigation systems and drinking fountains
• Broadleaf control on various parks and city buildings
• Playground inspections
• Trash removal
• EDA house and property clean-ups
• Police building operations training and maintenance
• Installation of park rules signage at shelters
• Prepare rinks for winter season
• Assist with police move to new building
• Solicit quotations for bridge and abutments at Bassett Creek Park
• Install a new backstop at Fair school playfield
4800 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55429-3553
Tel: (763) 531-0052 • Fax: (763) 531-0949 • www.crystalmn.gov
P R O J E C T S U M M A R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2
Below is a highlight of the projects that will be happening in
the City of Crystal. These projects will be taking place at
numerous parks and buildings throughout the city.
Community Center Gym Windows
The gyms at the Crystal Community Center had nine new
windows installed. The original windows were 33 years
old. The windows have an increased R-value of 50%,
causing the interior surface to be 10-15 degrees warmer.
Sign Installation
Additional signs are being installed throughout our park
system to increase communication with park users. The
signs include park rules in Spanish, park shelter guidance,
and new bi-lingual walking trail signs.
Tree Planting
The tree replacement program in the City of Crystal will be
in full swing this fall. Upwards of 40 trees will be replaced
throughout the City, using a wide variety of species to
maintain tree diversity, including adding fruit trees.
Park Winterization
Over the next few weeks, the Parks Maintenance Staff will
winterize the parks before the weather changes. This
includes blowing our irrigation lines, removing awnings/sun
sails, and shutting down the Becker Park spray pad.
P R O G R A M S U M M A R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2
Below is a highlight of the programs offered by the Crystal
Recreation Department. Occasionally we will recap some
key special events we offer.
Oktoberfest
The event was back after two years off due to COVID.
This year, the Oktoberfest event was held at Edinburgh
Golf Course in Brooklyn Park. Total registrations were
close to 200.
Flashlight Trail Story
The next book for the storybook trail is "Too Cute to
Spook." The story will be set up at dusk, and we
encourage families to grab their flashlights and head to
Bassett Creek Park for a nighttime stroll and story.
Youth ages 3-12 get a jump start on Halloween at the
Trick or Trot. The cooperative event with New Hope will
be held at their Civic Center Park. Activities include; trick
or treating, games, pumpkin painting, contests and more.
Time to get out the shoes...the sand is getting cold! Our
indoor volleyball starts in October. We offer adult
volleyball six days a week between leagues and open
gym. We have leagues for men, women and co-rec teams.
Trick or Trot
Volleyball