FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2014
Woodland Trail Corridor Conflict
All,
On Monday May 5th, the Elk River City Council will be taking public comment and likely approving a new Comprehensive Plan for Elk River. This plan includes a transportation corridor through Woodlands again. It would enter the park near the top of the first big hill on Scouring Rush, pass near the biathlon penalty loop, cross the grade just south of the southern paved access coming from the parking lot, head west from there and finally passing through the grooming shed before connecting to County Road 1. Many of you were involved in this issue in 2004, when it was ultimately removed before approval.
It was my hope that a resolution from the park commission opposing this as well as a road through Camp Cozy and the rezoning of property near the youth athletic complex, would convince the planning commission to forward a plan to the council without this corridor. They chose to leave the road in the plan. Hence the reason for those interested in Woodlands to attend this meeting.
Again, I am hopeful that the corridor will be eliminated from the plan before approval, but the risk is too great to not be present at this meeting. I do not have to go into detail on the devastating effect this would have on Woodlands.
The meeting is Monday, May 5th, 6:30 pm at the Elk River City Hall. I think it is important to have a significant presence at this meeting. We will want several to speak on different aspects of what roads would do to Woodlands and Camp Cozy. It is ok to be passionate at this meeting, and is equally important to be civil.
If you are not busy, please come and help us save the Woodlands that we now enjoy from possibly being bisected by a future road. Also, please reach out to other park users that you know that can attend as well.
If you would like to speak, please feel free to do so. If you plan to speak, please let me know along with the aspect you would like to talk about. They won’t want to hear 50 people say the same thing.
Woodlands has been very good to us, not it is payback time.
Thanks.
Dave