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HomeMy WebLinkAboutES-PC; CIP 2008-2012; 8-20-07 City CouncilPark Commission Date: 88/20/07/7/07 REGULAR Item: #8 ITEM: Consider a recommendation on uses for Sunfish Lake ParkPark Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Discussion (Part 1). REQUESTED BY: Lake Elmo Park Commission SUBMITTED BY: Kelli Matzek, City Planner REVIEWED BY: Susan Hoyt, City AdministratorBen Gozola, Senior Planner Ben Gozola, Senior Planner _________________________________________ SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: It is that time of the year again when budgets and CIPs are reviewed and altered to reflect anticipated future projects. The CIP is a document intended to plan out anticipated park projects as well as potential future revenue and fund balance annually over a five-year timeframe. The first document attached is the CIP which was approved last year. The numbers for 2007 are not updated to reflect what has been spent thus far. It is intended to identify the projects identified for the 2007 – 2011 timeframe. The second handout is intended to show what has been spent thus far in 2007. As you can see, roughly $19,000 has been spent to date. Also, although the city estimated $70,000 in parks dedication (revenue) in 2007 (as shown on handout 1), only $12,134 has been received thus far. At this time, the Park Commission may discuss what, if any changes should be made for the anticipated projects in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 and to address what may be needed in 2012. The City Council 1 If the Park Commission is comfortable with the document as altered during the discussion, a recommendation of approval could be made. If the commission is not comfortable at this time making a recommendation, the discussion may be continued at the September meeting. is being asked to review and recommend approval of the recommendations of the Parks Commission on proposed future uses for various areas of Sunfish Lake Park. It is important that the City identify all potential future uses at this time given that Council has authorized the creation of a conservation easement to protect the park. The future proposed uses identified are important so the commission may create a full recommendation to the City Council regarding the placement of Sunfish Lake Park into the Minnesota Land Trust as the Council has previously authorized the commission to do. The future uses agreed uponAll identified future uses would be incorporated into the would affect the wording of the Land Trust easement to protect the City’s future interests for the land. Sunfish Lake Park is a significant community park valued for both its active and passive uses. The proposed future uses of the park include an ice skating rink, warming house, and environmental learning center, and warming house. The proposed uses as identified in this staff report were formed through a number of Park Commission meetings and discussions with the Comprehensive Park Planners. PURPOSE The Minnesota Land Trust utilizes easements to permanently protects land and water resources and to preserve important natural and scenic resources by limiting the use and development of land. Conservation easements retain provide current citizens the opportunity to enjoy the land while safeguarding it for future generations. The purpose of placing Sunfish Lake Park within a Minnesota Land Trust conservation easement is to protect the shoreland of Sunfish Lake, the park’s natural habitat, and to restrict the uses on the property thereby preserving many of the park’s existing natural park characteristics. WHY IT IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE LAND TRUST Sunfish Lake Park is unique in that it is a large, contiguous, and undeveloped area almost entirely left in its natural state. The natural resourceThis unique area has been identified as a part of a greenway corridor by the DNR. The park provides a wide variety of habitat in its woods, has three ponds, and lakeshore on Sunfish Lake. Both the forested areas and the water bodies serve as habitats for wildlife. 2 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Sunfish Lake Park is 164 acres in size and is accessed off of Stillwater Lane North in the center of Lake Elmo. The park has three ponds and provides a public access point onto Sunfish Lake. (insert location map) The current uses of the park are picnicking, walking or jogging on the trails, canoeing, flora/fauna identification, quiet/solitude, sliding hill, skiing, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and farming/haying. Formatted: Centered (insert aerial photo) 3 Formatted: Centered Formatted: Centered DISCUSSION OF SUNFISH LAKE PARK The park commission has discussed the future use of Sunfish Lake Park and its possible future inclusion in the Minnesota Land Trust at a number of Park Commission meetings, most notably inover the course of the past year. The Minnesota Land Trust has met with the commission on at least two occasions to discuss the purpose of a land trust. Out of those many discussions, the following text has been written and approved by the commission with regards to the future ecological preservation and importance of Sunfish Lake Park: Statement of the Lake Elmo Parks Commission February 21, 2007 As the Parks Commission puts the final touches on a draft of a Lake Elmo Comprehensive Park and Recreation Plan this spring, the members of the Commission would like to share with their colleagues serving on the City Council and the Planning Commission our strong commitment to the following principles relating to the City’s stewardship of Sunfish Lake Park: 1.The Park is a unique natural oasis within the Lake Elmo park system, and all future development within the Park should be pursued in a way that fosters only quiet, low-impact uses that are protective and sustaining of a natural environment that the citizens of Lake Elmo hope to bequeath to future generations. 2.The southernmost, non-wooded area of Sunfish Lake Park is an integral part of the Park and should be developed in ways that are consistent with the overall vision for Sunfish Lake Park as a whole. No future development should be pursued in this section that does not speak 4 Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Formatted: Bullets and Numbering directly to or enhance the overall vision of Sunfish Lake Park as a natural oasis. Nor should this open area be used for non-park purposes or for organized sports and recreation that require significant allotment of land, the construction of large facilities, or outdoor lighting that does not conform to Lake Elmo’s Dark Skies practices. 3.Consistent with the designation by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources of a corridor of land encompassing all of Sunfish Lake Park as well as large areas surrounding the Park on all sides as “Regionally Significant Ecological Areas,” all future development within the Park as well as in those adjoining areas should be significantly informed by a need to protect natural resources, habitat, and flyways, and the City should explore the possibility – as land becomes available for purchase -- of extending the southern borders of the Park to Highway 5 as a strategy for creating a contiguous natural wildlife corridor between Sunfish Lake Park and the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Formatted: Bullets and Numbering These principles will guide the Lake Elmo Parks Commission as it prepares a detailed proposal to the Council to create a land easement with the Minnesota Land Trust that will encompass all of Sunfish Lake Park. Respectfully Submitted, Lake Elmo Parks Commission ROLE OF SUNFISH LAKE PARK IN LAKE ELMO In both the 1990 and 2008 Comprehensive Park Plans, Sunfish Lake Park was designated as a Community Park, due in part to its large size. It is one of two existing community parks. EXISTING AND POTENTIAL FUTURE USES OF SUNFISH LAKE PARK In a number of meeting discussions, the Park Commission has come toreached a consensus that all areas not currently used for parking or farming the existing uses on the area of the park not currently utilized as a parking lot or for farming purposes should be maintained continue to be used for its present purpose (see map below) in it’s current use. The trail system should be limited to what exists and not be expanded upon, although trail maintenance should be continued. 5 Formatted: Font: Italic The uses currently allowed are: Horseback riding Walking/Jogging Flora/Fauna identification Quiet/solitude Formatted: Bullets and Numbering (insert map with area identified) More recently, the commission has discussed the approximately 20 acre area located south of the existing parking lot. (See map below.) The land is currently being used for farming/haying purposes. Conversations Discussions have occurred at past park commission meetings regarding the potential future uses of the 20 acres. The Possible uses discussed include: Ball fields Environmental Learning Center/Nature Interpretive Center Ice Skating Rink (accompanying lighting, if necessary) Warming house/Shelter Picnic Area Swing Set/Tot Lot Pavilion Volleyball Net Indigenous Wildflower Gardens Archery Range Off-leash dog run 6 Formatted: Centered Formatted: Bullets and Numbering (insert map with area identified) After discussing the options, a majority of the Park Commission favored utilizing the area for an environmental learning area, ice skating rink, and/or a warming house. Ball Active recreation fields were discussed, but for this area and the commission felt strongly that this area is not suited for such facilities and has would not be best utilized for ball fields and is identified asrecommended such in the draft Park Plan. Formatted: Centered COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION The commission is recommending the following: Within the approximately ### acres north and west of the existing parking lot, the Formatted: Centered commission is recommending the uses remain as they are – horseback riding, jogging, walking, flora/fauna identification, and quiet/solitude. Within the approximately 20 acres south of the existing parking lot, the commission is recommending the following uses be considered for the future and integrated into the MN Land Trust easement: Environmental Learning Center/Nature Interpretive Center Ice Skating Rink (accompanying lighting, if necessary) Warming house/Shelter 7 Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Not all of the recommended uses are necessarily needed for the area. By including them in the easement though, the City can ensure that each could become a reality in the future despite the Land Trust easement.care can be taken to ensure language is not included in the easement that would preclude the use in the future. ADDITIONAL FACTS: At the June 6, 2006 City Council meeting, the Council authorized the Parks Commission to create a full recommendation to the City Councilformulate a recommendation on whether regarding placing Sunfish Lake Park should be placed into an easement held by the into the Minnesota Land Trust. for further consideration. The Park Commission delayed the creation ofmaking such a recommendation until after the completion of the to allow the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Park Plan to be created. In the 1990 Comprehensive Park Plan, the The proposed park improvements identified for the park Sunfish Lake Park in the 1990 Comprehensive Park Plan included were a fire pit, fishing dock, trail interpretation sites, and emergency telephone. Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Sunfish Lake Park is included in the DNR Metro Conservation Corridors 2007 Focus Areas as part of the corridor. A portion of the park may be included as a MCBS Site of Biodiversity Significance. OPTIONS REQUESTED ACTION: The City Council has the following options:is asked to give consideration to the recommendation provided by the Parks Commission, and to approval a final list of uses deemed appropriate for Sunfish Lake Park. The identified uses would be incorporated into any future conservation easement over the park. A) Approve the uses as identified by the park commission and outlined in the staff report. B) Deny the uses as identified by the park commission and outlined in the staff report. Formatted: Bullets and Numbering RECOMMENDATION 8 Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Formatted: Space After: 6 pt Approval of the uses identified by the park commission and as outlined in the staff report. Suggested motion for consideration: Move to recommend approval of the Capital Improvement Plan 2008 - 2012. OR Move to continue this discussion at the September Park Commission meeting. uses as recommended by the Lake Elmo Park Commission for Sunfish Lake Park. NEXT STEPS -If there is consensus on the future uses of the park, staff will meet with MN Land Trust to discuss the easement. -A drafted easement will be brought to the park commission for review and comment. -The drafted MN Land Trust easement will be brought to the City Council with a recommendation from the park commission. -The easement is signed by both the city and the Minnesota Land Trust. SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS: Introduction Susan Hoyt, City Administrator Formatted: Font: Not Italic Report Kelli Matzek, City Planner Questions to staff Mayor facilitates Comments from Park Commissioners Park Commissioners Questions/comments from the public, if any (up to 3 minutes) Mayor facilitates Discussion Mayor facilitates Consider approval of application Mayor Formatted: Bullets and Numbering 9 Formatted: Bullets and Numbering Formatted: Bullets and Numbering ATTACHMENTS: Location Map1) City of Lake Elmo Capital Improvement Plan 2007 – 2011 2) Lake Elmo Parks Commission CIP Worksheet Site map 10