New Circulation Subcommittee meets virtually August 10 and 18

Posted on 9 August, 2022

Newly created subcommittee created to discuss circulation ideas meets virtually for the first time TOMORROW, August 10 and  August 18

The next full Community Advisory Committee meeting will be in person on August 22, 6-8 pm at Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters

Thank you to everyone who attended the last Cedar Lake-Lake of the Isles Master Plan Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on July 28. Based on feedback and conversations at that meeting, a new CAC Subcommittee focused on Circulation ideas has been formed and will meet online in August.

The first Circulation Subcommittee meeting is Aug. 10, and takes the place of in-person CAC Meeting #13, now rescheduled for Tuesday, August 23.

Circulation Subcommittee Meeting Agenda

6:00-6:10pm  Welcome and Intro

6:10-6:20pm  Purpose, Goals, Meeting format

6:20-6:30pm  Review CAC Discussion Topics

6:30-7:45pm  CAC Discussion Topics

7:45-8:00pm  Public Comment Time

Subcommittee CAC members will be bringing proposed motions to make changes to the preferred park concept on the following items:

Lake of the Isles

  1. Crossing at southeast Lake of the Isles Parkway
  2. Pedestrian connection at southeast Lake of the Isles to Midtown Greenway (near dog park)
  3. Bike access from Lake of the Isles to Kenilworth Regional Trail
  4. Bike circulation at Lake of the Isles

Cedar Lake

  1. Southeast Cedar shoreline restoration
  2. East Cedar Woods restoration and trails
  3. Northwest Cedar trails

Other Master Plan topics

  1. Land acquisition below Kenwood/Lowry Hill (“remnant lands”)
  2. Wayfinding and signage
  3. Pedestrian safety improvements

The subcommittee will work to bring final recommendations to the next CAC meeting for full CAC adoption.

If this subcommittee needs additional time to complete its work, a second meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 18, from 6-8 pm. Both meetings are open to the public; however, most of the time will be dedicated to discussion among subcommittee members, with time for public comments at the end of the meeting.

Circulation Subcommittee Meeting #1 – August 10
Click link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81392898694

Circulation Subcommittee Meeting #2 – August 18
Click link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86812846708

About the CAC Process

All of MPRB’s current Master Plans were developed with a Community Advisory Committee, or CAC, whose members are appointed by staff and commissioners of Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) to vet and refine ideas to be incorporated in the final master plan document.

The CAC process is iterative. That is, it is designed to allow the committee to continuously adapt and respond to public feedback, up until it makes its final recommendations. Ideas may be adjusted and revisited throughout the process, based on feedback received from a wide variety of people and organizations that are invested and interested in the future of the park. After the CAC makes its final recommendations, project staff create a draft plan that is released for a 45-day public comment period. Changes are made to the draft plan based on that feedback period, and a final draft version is brought to the Board of Commissioners.

About the Master Plan

Master Plans outline how parks are cared for and how investments are made in improving and maintaining parks. Development of the Cedar-Isles Master Plan is the final part of a decade-long process at MPRB that has created and approved master plans for every park in the Minneapolis park system.

The Cedar-Isles Master Plan is a 20-to-30-year plan dedicated to Cedar Lake, a portion of Cedar Lake Regional Trail, Lake of the Isles and Dean Parkway. The master plan will outline long-term strategies to maintain and improve the two lakes and surrounding parkland and trails. These park spaces are part of Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Regional Park, the most popular park in Minnesota, with more than 7 million visits last year. It draws people from across Minneapolis, the metro area, and the entire state.

The latest version of the Cedar-Isles Master Plan, known as the “Cedar-Isles Preferred Park Concept,” was published for public feedback in June 2022. The CAC will be making its final updates and recommendations to the proposals in the Cedar-Isles Preferred Park Concept.

Use these links to view the preferred park concept and send feedback:

Cedar-Isles Preferred Park Concept 

Cedar-Isles Master Plan Survey

The survey closes when CAC meetings conclude, which could be as soon as Aug. 23.

Instagram Stories

Another option to provide feedback is through three Instagram Stories, created to explain specific topics emphasized in the preferred draft plan. View them to learn more and give feedback on proposals within these topics.

Master Plan Schedule

Fall 2022: Preferred Park Concept updated based on feedback from the public, MPRB staff and final CAC recommendations

Late Fall/Early Winter 2022: Full draft plan document published and 45-day public comment period, likely late fall or early winter.

Winter 2022-2023: Full draft plan document and public comment summary presented to MPRB Commissioners; formal public hearing and vote on the final plan

Moving Forward

No immediate major changes or projects based on the Cedar-Isles Master Plan are scheduled, following plan approval. Smaller scale projects that can be completed by MPRB or City of Minneapolis staff could be implemented within a year; these could include safety upgrades at critical intersections, new or repaired paths, or adding seasonal bathrooms.

A major benefit, and primary reason, for completing a park master plan is that it allows the MPRB to seek or capitalize on opportunities to improve parkland. When volunteers, philanthropic organizations, or regional, state or federal funding agencies express interest in supporting the regional park system, the MPRB will have a community-vetted plan for potential partners to follow.

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