HomeMy WebLinkAboutES-PC; Sunfish LkPk Rep; 9-17-07
City CouncilPark
Commission
Date: 89/17/07
REGULAR
Item: #
ITEM: Consider a recommendation on uses for Sunfish Lake Park.MN Land Trust:
Overview of Use for Sunfish Lake Park
REQUESTED BY: Lake Elmo Park Commission
SUBMITTED BY: Kelli Matzek, City Planner
REVIEWED BY: Susan Hoyt, City Administrator
Ben Gozola, Senior Planner
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SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The Park Commission did not make any changes to the draft report at the last meeting.
The City Council 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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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,
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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:
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Statement of the Lake Elmo Parks Commission
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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
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
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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
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corridor between Sunfish Lake Park and the Lake Elmo Park Reserve.
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,
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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.
The uses currently allowed are:
Horseback riding
Walking/Jogging
Flora/Fauna identification
Quiet/solitude
(insert map with area identified)
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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
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(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.
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COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The commission is recommending the following:
Within the approximately ### acres north and west of the existing parking lot, the
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
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
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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.
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.
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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.
RECOMMENDATION
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 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
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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
Report Kelli Matzek, City Planner
Questions to staff Mayor facilitates
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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
ATTACHMENTS: Location Map
Site map
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