Loading...
CR 99-193 Joint Proposal Depot & Hennepin Parks Regional Trail Head at the Depot Coffee House Sept. 30, 1999 .. 1 Y , \ 0 i V "" -: o P K \ ~ , I Council Report 99-193 Joint Proposal. Depot and Hennepin Parks Reoional Trail Head at the Depot Coffee House Proposed Action Staffrecommends approval of the following: Motion to approve of a ioint proposal from Hennepin Parks and the Depot Coffee House for a reoional trail head at the Depot Coffee House. on positive recommendations from the Hopkins Park Board and Zonino and Plannino Commis ion. and to authorize the Mayor and City Manaoer to execute an aoreement to carry out th mutual aoals of the parties includinQ retention by the Citv of Hopkins of its position as tenant of the Depot Coffee House property under existino lease 73-32102 (to expire in 2016). Overview Hennepin Parks proposes to relocate ,a regional trail head from its current site on Excelsior BoUlevard and 8th Avenue to the Depot Coffee House. The proposed trail head would include such amenities as a small shelter, picnic tables, volleyball court, entrance sign, kiosk, drinking fountain, portable toilets, and benches. It would provide paved parking for 31 vehicles and gravel parking for 14 vehicles. The Southwest LRT Trail currently runs past the Depot. Hennepin Parks would like to make the trail head available to the public on permanent, long-term basis. The trail head will cost Hennepin Parks approximately $125,000. By approving the trail head, 'A~he City Council would give Hennepin Parks and the trail-using public access to the Depot grounds ~nd outdoor amenities for as long as the City of Hopkins is the tenant of the property. The City and the landlord, the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, would also give Hennepin Parks and the trail-using public access to the Depot grounds in the event that the City of Hopkins chooses to terminate its lease of the Depot property. The Depot Coffee House Board of Directors believes that the trail head will be a real benefit to the operation of the Depot and fully supports the trail head proposal. The Hopkins Park Board and the Hopkins Zoning and Planning Commission commented positively on the proposal. Both groups expressed concern about safety for pedestrians and bicycle riders crossing Excelsior Boulevard at the Depot and at a point some 650' east of the Depot where the trail currently crosses Excelsior Boulevard. They also asked that the fence between the trail and the railroad tracks be extended to separate the entire trail head area from the tracks. The proposal will require formal approval by Hennepin Parks and by the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, which owns the Depot site. , Primary Issues to Consider . Can safety concerns be addressed to the Council's satisfaction? Supportino Documents , Draft nt including artist's rendering and preliminary site plan Parsons, Assistant to the City Manager { Primary Issues to Consider Can safety concerns be addressed to the Council's satisfaction? Concerns about safety have been raised in relation to three areas near the proposed trail head: 1) The intersection of Excelsior Boulevard and the Highway 169 entrance and exit ramps across from the Depot, including a planned trail crossing for the Hutchinson Spur trail; The crossing of Excelsior Boulevard by the planned Hutchinson Spur trail has not yet been designed. The trail will cross a free right-turn lane for westbound traffic turning north. There should be signage to alert drivers to the possible presence of pedestrians and bicycle riders at that location. 2) The existing trail crossing of Excelsior Boulevard about 650 feet east of the Depot; There has already been a bicycle/vehicle accident at this trail crossing. The trail crossing is not finished; Hennepin Parks and the Hennepin County Highway Department are pressing the contractor to restore the surface in the median and to install signage. This crossing would be affected by the potential bus way. The crossing would have to be equipped to stop traffic on Excelsior Boulevard in order to allow buses to cross. There should be signage to alert drivers to the possible presence of pedestrians and bicycle riders at that location. .) The entire trail head area and the railroad tracks. Park Board members asked if the fence along the railroad tracks at the trail head could be extended to separate the entire trail head area from the tracks. Hennepin Parks representatives indicated that the fence can be extended. Hennepin Parks is proposing a split-rail fence. Children at the Depot will have to be supervised and kept away from the railroad tracks. Alternatives The Council has the following alternatives regarding this matter: 1. Approve the item as recommended by staff. 2. Continue the item for additional information. 3. Deny the item. 2 DRAFT AGREEMENT TIllS AGREEMENT is by and among the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, a Minnesota political subdivision (hereinafter "HCRRA"), the City of Hopkins, a Minnesota municipal corporation (hereinafter "City"), the Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District, a Minnesota political subdivision (hereinafter "Park District") and the Student Board, an unincorporated association. RECITALS 1) HCRRA is the owner of certain real property (hereinafter "premises") described as follows: The Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Depot Building, formerly the Chicago & North Western Transportation Company Railroad Depot, and adjacent properties, located-near CSAH 3 and TH 169 in the City of Hopkins, as marked on Exhibit A, which is attached and incorporated herein by reference. 2) CITY is the lessee of the premises pursuant to that lease number 73-32102 by and between HCRRA and City, executed on June 28, 1996 and attached hereto as Exhibit B. 3) PARK DISTRICT is the operator, pursuant to a permit with HCRRA, of the southwest trail corridors, which extend generally southwest from the City of Hopkins. AGREEl\1ENT Page lof 4 DRAFT 4) STUDENT BOARD is an unincorporated association composed primarily of high school students which, pursuant to the consent of City, operates a coffeehouse on the leased premises. 5) THE P ARTn;:S TO TIllS AGREENIENT wish to agree on terms and conditions under which Park District may improve the premises and provide a trailhead for its regional trail for the southwest regional trail corridor. NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants by and between all the parities hereto, it is hereby agreed as follows: 1) PARK DISTRICT shall, at its own expense, develop the premises according to site plans to be prepared by SRF Consulting Group, Inc., attached as Exhibit c. 2) HCRRA, CITY AND STUDENT BOARD hereby consent to the improvements, and approve the site plan for the facility. 3) CITY AND STUDENT BOARD agree that Park District and park users shall be permitted access to all facilities, including the depot property, building, parking lot and its restrooms during all hours those facilities are operated. The facilities shall be operated a reasonable number of hours a week. Park District shall have unlimited access to all improvements developed by Park District pursuant to this agreement, without regard to coffeeshop hours of operation. 4) HCRRA, CITY AND PARK DISTRICT agree that if Student Board ceases to operate the coffeehouse, Park District has the right to possess the property in accordance with the terms of the attached sublease. City shall do all that is required to put the Park District in possession of the premises. The Student Board shall be deemed to have ceased operating the coffeehouse if 1) it gives notice of doing so, 2) the City gives notice to the Student Board to AGREEMENT Page 2 of4 DRAFT cease operating, 3) the coffeehouse is closed by any regulatory or other body having the authority to require operations to cease, 4) the coffeehouse has not been operated for a period of one month, or 5) by any other means. AGREEMENT Page 3 of 4 Dated: , 1999 DRAfT THE STUDENT BOARD by its AGREEl\1ENT P~ge 4 of 4 '? VI::C ;;::. g. 0 ~ a "lj ! [g: \C ...,.. VI '\8 ~ t:l S ro ~"lj S' :;:l ll> H o,s. ~ o . ~ ro '"d ~ ~e; H .... ;:r: ri' :fr ro ;;I. l-d 14 ...... ~ Off-ramp from TH 169 On-Tamp toTH169 a: ~ ~. g VI ] ::? ~ 16'. ---- , \) . \ e dOQGOOOOO ~ ~~ !P... ~. Q o:l <" po 0' I ~ (l. VI ..... Q td < p.. ~g ....S ~ll> ",&: gg VIe ] ::? ~ ~ ~~ .g ~~ n 9'~. ~OQ g VI o ~ ~ !! L' ~ >-'l '"' ~ \ \ II ': I: I 1\ ' \ I, ; I i \~ ! '0 I iig i ;:r g: i ~\cti I CLi~ i o tJ1 , ~:g \ \ ll>~, \ 'flJ \' \ , II ' I , \ \ ~I' ~\i\ ~ 'I g \ . 9!- al . rU ~.~ \ I \ t~ \~I ,nil i i , 'to, I: b; i 'i :; i i I 9- i i I ro, I .. : i 11>, \ " '\1 i I' . 1 'o', ,\ \1 \ \ \ \ trl' I ' \\ '\:; u \ ,\ I iCLH" 'I \ \ I \0 ~ \ \ iI~ \~\ \ "'\\: '~ "w ' 'I " 'I ',' 10,:10 I \ m\r..1 tll '~ 0 t:l' \ \~~~ ,':1"- g~ I , !:;II \ "'\I'~ 'n II I 1\ ': 'I \ 1\ , I ' \ i \ ;~ i ,lad \ ~\ ~' f'A 11 ' 1, II \ ," , I , I II \ I I;' I ,I I i I \ I \ \ ' ~~ 'I I, II, I I \ I .i\ ~ 'I b\ \ \'\1 , , \ \ I,! \1 . I \, 'I " I : \ I \'\! \ 0\ \ i '\ \ i I \: \ I I, , 'I it ....1\ H "10 'I!\ - \ I I j I I Ii'! I \ ::[1 ' III \ i:jl\ ' \ "1 \ ! :;,', . . [~ s ~ 0-1 C:z: !rn 6J:z: ~O ::E:" m~ z- a::~Z AI ! fI) OCz_ II) :D .., .9lmrn ... I:) " CD - 0 18=-f r--f i:D jlIIi!: CJr- ~:z: :urn n)t -I"