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Minutes, Lake Elmo City Council July 15, 1950 —2— (Regional Park) gardless of the designation(Park or Reserve). In discussion, the Council concluded, however, that the designation of Reserve would make it more difficult to develop over 2Cf of the land, as the regional park plan would have to be amended as well as the development plan for the park. The more hoops required to change the designation, the more difficult to change the character of the Park Reserve. Smith indicated that, if the present development plan were adopted, the park would have only 20%, of the land developed. However, he admitted that it would be easier to amend that plan if the land were not designated a Reserve. Art Schaefer, Jr., Joe Fogarty, and Wes Scheel; County Commissioners; and Bob Lockyear, County Planner, arrived.at 5:35 P.m. Armstrong summarized the discussion to that point. Smith explained that Reserves are now limited to lands that have special geological or ecological characteristics; and that two other sites in Washington County were more appropriate; and other sites around the Metro. area had more ideal examples of the type of land forms in the Lake Elmo Park land than the Lake Elmo land has. Carroll, quoting policy 18 from the Regional Park Plan, said the present development plan, if approved, would be a 20 year plan. He said both the County and the Metropolitan Council would have to approve any change in the plan; and, with that, the 20% level of development would be fairly well assured. Smith said his first reaction would be to recommend the land be left as a reserve; and, indicated that it would get a very.low priority "ffor development funds. He said a restoration plan would be required before the plan is approved by the Metro. Council, then:. And, he said funds for an interpretive Center, for instance, would not be funded as quickly in a Reserve as they are in a Park. The Council encouraged the County to simply stabilize the park land; and let it restore itself. Lockyear said the Eagle Point Lake area was a very good wildlife habitat now; and should receive priority funding for an interpretive center. Carroll said accepting the Park designation with 20'1 development in the plan would tie the park down now; and enable a higher priority for development. Fogarty, in other comments, said the County Board had opposed acquisition of additional land for regional park facilities; and expressed his be— lief that, if a golf course were called for in the County recreation plan, the County would rather use land they already own in Lake Elmo than to buy additional land elsewhere. The Council said this is dust the type of "change ih the plan" they would like to prevent; amd con— tinued to request a Reserve status on the Lake Elmo land. Armstrong explained the City's concerns about the boat launch on Lake Elmo.