Public comment period on parks master plan
begins Monday!
Erin Johnson, Thisweek Newspapers
Published July 15, 2005
The city of Eagan has a master plan for the future of its parks, and it wants to hear from residents.
The plan will be presented at a public hearing of the Eagan Advisory Parks and Recreation Commission on Monday, July 18.
The meeting marks the beginning of a 45-day public comment period for the new master plan, called the 20/20 Vision for Parks.
Eagan has an extensive parks system and numerous recreational amenities, with 54 city parks, 110 miles of walking trails and 350 lakes and ponds.
Realizing it needs to plan for the future, the city hired national consulting firm Conservation, Environment and Historic Preservation Inc. (CEHP), to assess the current system and make recommendations.
CEHP studied such issues as changing demographics, growth and open space preservation.
After seven months of forums, focus groups, surveys and studies, the city has a draft of the 20/20 Vision for Parks.
Representatives from CEHP will present their report, which highlights open space issues and the priority Eagan residents place on green space, at the commission meeting.
Commission Chairman Terry Davis said he found the report to be very thought provoking.
“We learned that we have a good trail system already, but there are some great ideas to make it even better, to make Eagan a more walkable and rideable community,” Davis said. “Things like more connections to trails in other communities, more user-friendly signage so people know where they can go and how to get there.”
The report also raises questions about what kinds of programs will be needed for Eagan’s aging community and growing ethnic population, he said.
The public will be able to comment on the report until Sept. 1. The commission will then review the modified plan with the Eagan City Council and submit the plan for approval in October.
The commission’s public hearing will be held Monday, July 18 at 7 p.m. at Eagan City Hall.
Copies of the 20/20 Vision will be available at Eagan City Hall,
the Eagan Community Center, the Dakota County Library
