Council approves amendment to Kinnickknick trails agreement after neighbors raise privacy concerns

The River Falls City Council on April 8 adopted a resolution approving the first amendment to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Kinnickknick Off‑Road Cyclists to extend trail access into newly acquired recreational easement land.

The amendment extends the existing MOU to cover the new parcel and authorizes Kinnickknick to work with city staff to design trail alignments, subject to the detailed plan review process required by the MOU and final approval from the Park and Recreation Advisory Board.

Council member Downing, who moved adoption of the resolution, said he supported the partnership but asked the club to “keep the trail to 75 feet setback where you can instead of 50 feet” to protect nearby homeowners’ privacy. Downing described the request as a direction for staff and the club to pursue larger setbacks where topography and easement width allow.

Residents who spoke during public comment urged caution. Resident Roy Klusick said the proposed trail would run close to private backyards on Riverside Drive and asked council and the trail group to inspect the site before final placement. Neighbors also requested earlier and clearer notification when trail layout work would take place.

Kinnickknick board members Josh Walter and Caitrin Halverson told the council the group intends to be a “good neighbor” and to follow accepted trail‑building standards. “We wanna be good neighbors. We appreciate the city giving us the opportunity to have this eight miles of trail that we already have and have worked on over the last 10 years, and we'll continue to do whatever,” Walter said.

City staff clarified that the MOU does not codify a fixed setback. A city representative explained there are parts of the easement where physical constraints—topography, narrow easement polygons and stormwater considerations—may make a uniform setback infeasible, and that the MOU requires a detailed trail plan to go to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board for final approval. Staff also said any public construction over $50,000 would return to council and that grant or external agency conditions (for example, DNR restrictions) could affect tree removal and alignment.

The council approved the resolution by voice vote. The action instructs staff to work with Kinnickknick on a detailed plan and to make reasonable efforts to maximize distance from private properties where feasible; the plan will be subject to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board review required by the MOU.

Council discussion and public comments indicated continuing interest from neighbors in receiving timely notice and seeing staking or site visits before final alignment is set. The city also noted there is no automatic resident notification policy tied to park projects; residents were encouraged to follow city communications or contact council members or staff for updates.

Votes at a glance Resolution approving first amendment to the MOU with Kinnickknick Off‑Road Cyclists — approved (voice vote).

What happens next: Staff and Kinnickknick will develop a detailed trail plan for submission to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board; any public construction bids above the city threshold or grant conditions may require further council review.