June 6, 2006 CCP - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lake Elmo Agenda Section: Park Commission No. 7A (2). City Council June 6, 2006 Agenda Item: Parks Commission/ Land Trust: Sunfish Lake Park Background Information: At the last meeting of the Parks Commission, Commissioner Blackford distributed a handout she said reiterated what we learned in a talk given by Ann Thies of the Minnesota Land Trust last year. She recommended placing Sunfish Lake Park into a conservation easement with the land trust. She expressed concern about the county's keen interest in Sunfish. Chairman Schumacher suggested moving forward to protect Sunfish now. M/S/P, Blackford/Steele to recommend placing Sunfish Lake Park into the Minnesota Land Trust at this time because the City Council gave the Parks Commission the directive to look at the land trust as a protective tool at their April 12, 2005 Council Committee Meeting, and in light of development plans within the Lake Elmo Park Reserve Master Plan, because of discussions and concepts of a tunnel underpass going through from Lake EImo Park Reserve toward Sunfish Lake Park, and Jim Luger's comment on May 9, 2006 that the county wants Sunfish Lake Park. Vote: 5:1, Nay: Watters-Conflicted because this action looks very reactionary. We have time to go through the process we are paying consultants $25,000 to perform. Commissioner Blackford then distributed a letter dated May 15, 2006, regarding protection of Sunfish Lake Park for submission to the City Council, and asked the Parks Commission to endorse all or part of that letter. Commissioner Blackford then distributed a letter dated May 15, 2006, regarding protection of Sunfish Lake Park for submission to the City Council, and asked the Parks Commission to endorse all or part of that letter. M/S/P, Blackford/Steele to endorse submission of Commissioner Blackford's letter to the City Council but amending it to include only paragraphs one, two, and four - eliminating the third paragraph. The letter now reads as follows: May 15, 2006 Subject: Recommendation from the Lake Elmo Parks Commission to put Sunfish Lake Park into the Minnesota Land Trust Dear Lake Elmo Council Member, Sunfish Lake Park is the crown jewel of the Lake Elmo Park System, a symbol of the rural character Lake Elmo follows as a community concept. This is the City's birthplace, where the first family settled, where the assembly met that created the township we now know as the City of Lake Elmo. This park's rolling; glacial landscape is the same today as it was for the first settlers; a pristine oak forest with gentle ridges, separatingponds that showcase both landscape and a lush wildlife habitat. In the spirit of the City