Parks, Trails and Open Space Plan
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Crow Wing County Parks, Trails and Open Space Plan November 8, 2005 Acknowledgements Crow Wing County Parks Department Michael Kearns, Director Rachel Trebesch, Senior Technical Clerk Mark Rudningen, Parks Foreman Alan Smith, Parks Maintenance Worker Michael Volk, Parks Maintenance Worker Crow Wing County Land Department Tom Cowell, Director Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners Dewey Tautges, District 1 Ed Larsen, District 2 Terry Sluss, District 3 Gary Walters, District 4 John “Jinx” Ferrari, District 5 Crow Wing County Parks Advisory Commission Jon Henke, Chair, District 2 Roger Landers, Vice Chair, Trails Advocate Greg Smith, District 1 Terry McGaughey, District 3 Steve Van de Putte, District 4 Gloria Perpich, District 5 Larry Moses, Lands and Forestry Advisory Committee Mary Clair Ryan, Parks and Recreation Professional John “Jinx” Ferrari, County Commissioner Gary Walters, County Commissioner Don Hickman, Secretary, Conservation Advocate Dennis Slayton, Planning Professional Steve Masimore, Resort Industry Professional Crow Wing County Trails Subcommittee Randy Roach Jeff Norlin Brett hardy Doug Rhode Larry Moses Roger Landers Bill Meyer Al Steiff Laurie Majka Kathy Bernier CR Planning Project Team Brian Ross, Project Manager Carol Ann Sersland, GIS Specialist and Environmental Planner Maia Mae-Collins, Graphics and Administrative Assistant TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Process Background........................................................................................ 3 1.2 Comprehensive Plan: Overview of Goals and Polices.................................. 3 1.3 Public and Stakeholder Participation............................................................ 4 2.0 CURRENT PARKS, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE RESOURCES................... 10 2.1 County Characteristics.............................................................................. 10 2.2 Publicly Managed Lands............................................................................ 15 2.3 Cultural Resources..................................................................................... 17 2.4 Biological Survey........................................................................................ 18 2.5 Potential Conservation Priority Areas...................................................... 21 2.6 Current Park System.................................................................................. 21 2.7 Park Activities and Facilities outside the County’s Jurisdiction............ 25 2.8 Campgrounds.............................................................................................. 26 2.9 Golf Courses................................................................................................ 28 2.10 Beaches, Boat Accesses, Fishing................................................................ 31 2.11 Hunting and other off-trail activities........................................................ 34 2.12 Trails............................................................................................................ 36 3.0 PLANNED AND PROPOSED PARKS, TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACE........... 45 3.1 Planned Park Facilities............................................................................... 45 3.2 Proposed Park and Trail Facilities............................................................ 48 4.0 PARKS, TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES............. 49 4.1 Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan Goals and Objectives.......................... 49 5.0 NEEDS ASSESSMENT.......................................................................................... 53 5.1 Trails and related facilities.............................................................................. 54 5.2 Park facilities other than trails...................................................................... 66 5.3 Open Space Considerations............................................................................ 72 6.0 STRATEGY PRIORITIES.................................................................................... 78 6.1 Strategy Categories and Selection Criteria................................................... 78 6.2 Implementation Partners................................................................................ 79 6.3 Implementation Process.................................................................................. 81 6.4 Funding Sources............................................................................................... 82 6.5 Strategy Priorities............................................................................................ 87 7.0 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN...................................................................... 97 7.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 97 7.2 Introduction Map ........................................................................................... 98 7.3 Project Evaluation Model.................................................................... 100 7.4 Implementation Time Line...................................................................... 105 7.5 Cost Examples................................................................................................ 107 APPENDICES Appendix A: Bylaws Appendix B: Survey Appendix C: Regional Tables Appendix D: Implementation Case Studies TABLES 1 Most Common Recreational Activity for Survey Participants................................... 6 2 Most Important Recreational Amenity for Crow Wing County to Develop............. 6 3 Management of Parks and Open Space at a Municipal Level.................................... 15 4 Land Ownership in Crow Wing County....................................................................... 15 5 Archeological and Historic Sites.................................................................................... 17 6 County Biological Survey Sites...................................................................................... 19 7 Existing Designated County Park Facilities................................................................. 23 8 Day-use Areas.................................................................................................................. 25 9 Campgrounds.................................................................................................................. 28 10 Golf Courses.................................................................................................................. 30 11 Beaches........................................................................................................................... 31 12 Trailer Launch Water Access....................................................................................... 33 13 Carry-In Water Access................................................................................................. 34 14 State Wildlife Management Areas............................................................................... 35 15 County Trails................................................................................................................. 40 16 State Trails..................................................................................................................... 42 17 Municipal/Community/Regional Trails...................................................................... 43 18 Private Trails................................................................................................................. 43 19 Snowmobile Trails........................................................................................................ 43 20 Bikeways........................................................................................................................ 44 21 Planned Facilities - County.......................................................................................... 45 22 Planned Facilities - Non-County.................................................................................. 45 23 Planned Trails............................................................................................................... 47 24 Proposed Trails............................................................................................................. 48 25 Open Space Needs......................................................................................................... 74 FIGURES A ECS Province Level........................................................................................... 10 B ECS Subsections................................................................................................ 12 1 Crow Wing County............................................................................................. 11 2 Land Cover 1996................................................................................................. 14 3 Publicly Managed Lands and Forest Industry Lands..................................... 16 4 Minnesota County Biological Survey................................................................ 20 5 Potential Conservation Priority Areas.............................................................. 22 6 County Park Facilities........................................................................................ 24 7 Campgrounds...................................................................................................... 27 8 Golf Courses.......................................................................................................