| East Bethel looks at new first phase path route for Booster-Cedar Creek trail |
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| Wednesday, 09 September 2009 | ||
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Staff writer The East Bethel City Council on a 3-1 vote Sept. 2 approved moving a trail project away from Palisade Street because of easement acquisitions that would have been required. Councilmember Steve Voss voted no because he has not supported the trail project that would ultimately connect Booster Park to the Cedar Creek Ecosystem and
Councilmember Anne Klein was absent. The Booster Park-Cedar Creek Ecosystem and Science Reserve trail was originally intended to start at Booster West Park and head north on Palisade Street before turning east on 229th Avenue toward Durant Street, where the trail would head north to connect to the area where the new park pavilion would be. It was discovered that the city only has a prescriptive easement on the section of Palisade Street between 224th Avenue and 226th Lane. The city estimated it would have cost $138,000 in legal, condemnation and additional engineering fees to acquire land from 10 properties along Palisade Street. The city applied for federal dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but was unsuccessful. After the Parks Commission listened to concerns from 20 Palisade Street residents at its Aug. 12 meeting, it rejected the former route. The commission proposed a new route that would begin from the parking lot at Booster East Park and cross a private property before accessing 224th Avenue. The trail would head east on 224th Avenue, south on Xylite Street and east on 222nd Lane to Bataan Street. The estimated construction cost is $171,000. This does not include any costs for drainage corrections or purchasing an easement from one property owner in order to cross from Booster East Park to 224th Avenue. City Administrator Douglas Sell said the next steps would be to work on property acquisition, work on plans and specifications and put the project out for bid. Public Works Manager Jack Davis said after this project is done, the next phase would be construction of a trail to go north on Bataan Street to 229th Avenue, then east along the former proposed route. Matthew Arnold, a property owner who lives along 224th Avenue, raised concerns about the new trail route and drainage when he addressed the council during the resident forum portion of the Aug. 19 meeting. Arnold wrote an e-mail to the council as well, stating that the storm water drainage along the road was approved by the city prior to him being allowed to build his home five years ago and a walking path would require changes. According to Arnold’s e-mail, he has spent at least $1,000 to add decorative stone, edging and culvert ends to maintain the grade where it crosses his driveway and he wondered if this work would have to be redone if a path is installed. This phase of the trail should remain on Palisade Street, Arnold wrote. “I support paths in parks and nature areas,” he wrote. “I don’t think we need one on 224th Avenue. If you want a path, put it on a busy street where it is more appropriate.” This was the feeling of other residents impacted by the new trail route. Doug Meyenburg said Palisade Street is more of a feeder route compared with the new route because it is next to the city’s two major parks in Booster West Park and Booster East Park. Meyenburg believes people would not go out of their way to get to 224th Avenue and Bataan Street to use the new trail and would continue to utilize Palisade Street, he said. “Palisade carries a lot of cars, a lot of bicycle traffic, a lot of skateboard traffic and a lot of foot traffic,” Meyenburg said. “This needs to be addressed no matter what you do with the trail system.” Councilmember Bill Boyer responded to Meyenburg’s concerns by stating many areas in the community have the same issues as Palisade Street. He used 221st Avenue as one example. Boyer said the Palisade Street route was the preferred option for the parks commission, but it came to the realization that obtaining the right of way for 10 properties along Palisade Street would be more difficult than getting an easement through one property along 224th Avenue. To make the new route get from Booster East Park to 224th Avenue, the city needs an easement from Tim Ohney. Ohney agreed with Voss that if the city goes forward with this Booster Park-Cedar Creek Ecosystem and Science Reserve trail project, the first phase should go along Palisade Street instead of the newly proposed route. If the city spends the money to construct the new trail route, it would probably not be available for some time to build a trail along Palisade Street, he said. “Lets do it right, Ohney said. “It’s everybody’s tax money.” Patty Bass would like to see the trail get done no matter what route it chosen. Bass said she sent e-mails to all the councilmembers and mayor asking them to support the Booster Park-Cedar Creek Ecosystem and Science Reserve trail. She said Voss was the only one to respond, but said he did not support the trail and noted that she was the first East Bethel resident that he had heard from in the last two years that wants this trail project. Bass said she got 101 signatures from East Bethel residents who support this project. Eric Hagen is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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