Dakota County Faces Opposition to Bike Trail Planned Through Dodge Nature Center
Dodge Nature Center has changed their position on whether a trail should run through the Marie Avenue property.
Editor's Note: Dakota County Commissioner Tom Egan represents Mendota Heights, Lilydale, Mendota and a portion of Eagan. He was elected to office in 2004 and is now serving his second four-year term. Egan will write regularly to Patch readers about county government.
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners hopes that it is running into a temporary hiccup in completion of the North Urban Regional Trail (NURT) anticipated by many residents of Mendota Heights, Mendota and Lilydale for years.
After planning the nearly eight-mile long NURT for fifteen years with a segment of approximately one mile running through a portion of Dodge Nature Center (DNC), the current DNC board of directors has changed its position on supporting that segment.
This comes after the former executive director of the DNC wrote in 2007 a letter strongly supporting the successful Dakota County application for $709,000 in federal grant money for the NURT.
This also comes after the Dakota County Board in 2007 changed the criteria for its Farmland and Natural Area Preservation Program (FNAP) and awarded the DNC $500,000 to conserve and protect 156 acres not directly affected by this segment with the clear intention that DNC would continue to support the anticipated alignment.
The NURT alignment, proposed in 1996, reflects an extension of the trail running from the intersection of Highway 110 and Charlton Street in West St. Paul north meandering through the DNC property connecting with Marie Avenue and traveling a short distance back to Charlton. This was the alignment that existed at the time of the successful federal grant application and the letter of support by the DNC executive director in 2007.
This is also the alignment that the current board now indicates they will not support.
Funding in Jeopardy
Because of this change in position, in October, I joined with commissioners Kathleen Gaylord and Nancy Schouweiler along with DNC board members and staff to try and resolve this issue.
I personally felt the meeting was fruitful.
We explained that the $709,000 in federal grant money awarded Dakota County for the NURT will sunset and be lost if final design and right-of-way acquisition is not completed by March 31, 2013.
We also pointed out that there is another $96,000 in State Legacy grant funds and $290,000 of county funds budgeted for this project in jeopardy if this delay is not resolved.
Despite what I thought was a fruitful meeting, on Jan. 10, 2012, Jason Sanders, who is currently the executive director of the DNC, wrote a letter to Dakota County Park Director Steve Sullivan stating that " … the DNC will not consent to construction of a segment of the NURT (a) north/south through the Marie Property, nor (b) through any central portion of the Marie Property …" because the extension of the NURT as proposed would " … completely vitiate the use of the Marie Property as a nature center."
Seeking Solutions
The County Board met on Feb. 21 to discuss the project’s status and alternatives.
We believe we can request a one-year extension on the sunset date for the $709,000 federal grant money until perhaps March 2014.
In answer to my question about the anticipated "trail experience" realized by running the NURT straight up Delaware Avenue, or perhaps partially up Warrior Drive behind the high school, I was told that this would be inconsistent with the goal of interconnecting corridors, linking parks, open space, water, habitat and communities while providing recreational options.
The Board directed staff to evaluate all potentially feasible alignments for this segment of NURT including a north/south alignment through the DNC property, receive public input and return to the county board at a future meeting to select a preferred trail alignment.
I can assure the residents of Dakota County that they will hear more on this issue in the near future.
Do you support a trail through the Dodge Nature Center property?
Tell us in the comments.
Jason Sanders
2:35 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
I am the director of the Dodge Nature Center. The DNC has attempted to be respectful in its discussions with the County about the NURT trail, including avoiding unnecessary public comment. However, Commissioner Egan has elected to include several falsehoods in his so-called “report” and we believe a brief response is in order.
First, the conservation easement for the land south of highway 110 was not purchased by the County with “the clear intention” that DNC would support a north-south segment through its Marie property. In fact, the purchase documents, drafted by County lawyers, specifically state that there was no other agreement or understanding. The County purchased that easement because the County did not want the land developed. That purchase had nothing to do with the NURT.
Jason Sanders
2:37 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Second, the $700,000 in possible federal grant money will not benefit County taxpayers. Those funds are restricted for use only to construct a north/south trail segment through the DNC’s Marie property. The Marie segment would cost more than $700,000. The additional money would come out of County taxpayer pockets. County taxpayers have already paid to construct two existing parallel north/south segments (along Warrior and Delaware). Why is Commissioner Egan asking them to fund a third segment just a couple hundred yards east of Delaware?
Furthermore, the County already has plans in place to improve Marie Avenue between Delaware and Charlton. It would be easy and inexpensive to incorporate the Marie NURT alignment into this process. DNC has offered to allow the County to use DNC land alongside Marie and Charlton for this alignment.
Jason Sanders
2:38 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Third, the alignment being urged by Commissioner Egan would completely kill the DNC on the Marie property. It involves a 150-foot wide easement running up the center of the property. The Marie property is not large. A use of that magnitude would cause the property to become a single-use parcel. In other words, what Commissioner Egan supports is terminating the DNC use of the Marie property altogether in favor of a redundant, expensive, superfluous segment of bicycle trail, which would become the sole use of that parcel.
The alignment supported by the DNC (Delaware/Marie/Charlton) is less expensive to County taxpayers and it would allow both uses – the bicycle trail and the nature center – to coexist. The DNC regards this as a “win/win” that benefits DNC users as well as bicyclists. The DNC property is a resource for the residents of Dakota County used by school children and other community members on a daily basis. Is it really in the interest of the County to shut down the DNC?
Jason Sanders
2:39 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
As to the “trail experience” described by Commissioner Egan, the alignment preferred by DNC is less divergent than existing segments of other area regional trails, such as the segment of the Luce Line trail that bypasses the Golden Valley Country Club. Indeed, the alignment supported by Commissioner Egan would route cyclists east along highway 110. What kind of “trail experience” would that offer? It is quite possible to find trail alignments that create harmony between uses while preserving “trail experience” for cyclists.
The board of the DNC invites anybody interested in this topic to contact us to discuss the matter. We value the input of our community and we are constantly seeking ways to expand our programs to fit your interests.
Jason Sanders
Executive Director
Dodge Nature Center
651.789.5235
Thomas Egan
4:41 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
When I write about Dakota County activities in this column, I make an exhaustive effort to insure that my views are an acurate reflection of Dakota County - and that was especially true with respect to this column. Mr. Sander's lengthy diatribe making reference to "what Commissioner Egan supports" is disingenous with many inacuracies. It fails to take into account that - as reported - the direction given to Dakota County staff to resollve this issue was by unanimous vote of the Dakota County Board and not "by Mr. Egan". Despite what Mr. Sanders says, the risk of losing the availability of $709,000 caused by DNC's change is very significant. We are extremely short on time to readjust the trail allignment from a fifteen year old plan previously endorsed by DNC's executive director. Contrary to Mr. Sanders' statement, Dakota County does not own Marie Avenue and West St. Paul who does own it does not plan to upgrade it until after the $709,000 federal grant would sunset. The North Urban Regional Trail is being integrated into the Dakota County Greenway System interconnecting corridors while linking parks. open space, etc, and I find it offensive that Mr. Sanders suggests that you can achieve the same trail experience by simply running it up and down Delaward Avenue. Sadly, Mr. Sanders does make a good point about the $500,000 given by Dakota County to DNC in FNAP money: as reported in the Minneapolis newspapter "there never was a written agreement".
Peter
5:56 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Jason, thank you for providing a very well-written response to Mr. Egan's opinions. I happen to agree that constructing a paved trail, in a 150 foot easement, throught the Dodge Nature Center property is not in the best interest of the Dodge Nature Center or the community. This is especially the case as a paved trail was just built down Delaware that almost exactly matches what Mr. Egan is proposing.
Thomas Egan
6:27 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Peter: I appreciate your concern about an 150 foot wide easement. I believe Mr. Sanders has thrown that out as a scare tactic. Dakota County certainly hasn't reached the point where we can discuss any final design or exact location for this trail segment.
Anne
6:35 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Someone forgot to tell the wildlife where the protected borders of the Dodge nature preserve lie. Deer amble over to munch our shrubs and carnivores eye our leashed pets. We just accept it as part of having a preserve in an urban area. Seems like the critters might be able to tolerate our children biking on a trail. When Delaware becomes the major route to 494 it will be no place for kids.
Lois McBride
12:18 pm on Monday, March 5, 2012
There are few places within the city that are able to retain the real feel, sounds and sites of a forest. Walking vs biking maintains that environment much as canoeing vs motor boating does to waterways. Civilization encroaches on nature in so many other ways doesn't it make sense to preserve the basic human need to feel connected to such a primal activity as hiking? Trails in Dodge are continually being improved to make access enjoyable. Allow this small island of peace and tranquility to exist without the hustle and bustle of wheeled traffic. One other pragmatic observation is I have ridden Dakota County bike trails for years. Many are not very well used. I'm not sure most Dakota residents would agree this is a good use for scarce tax dollars
Marilyn Lundberg
8:49 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2012
I find lots of bikers in Northern Dakota County and the trails widely used. Since the DNC previously supported the trail and now changed its position, it makes trail planning in Dakota County precarious.
Roger Hollenhorst
7:14 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
I feel we should respect the wishes of the DNC. They do a wonderful job. You can ride a bicycle just about anywhere around here. Stop pushing people around.