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Parks and Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes <br />June 3, 2024 <br />Page 5 <br />1 idea. Commissioner Holliday stated the only reason he would want to go forward would be if <br />2 it addressed Mr. White’s concerns. Mr. White stated we just need to talk to each other and the <br />3 Code is being pushed out as a barrier. <br />4 <br />5 Commissioner Swiontek asked if there are Codes in other Cities that would help address this? <br />6 Ms. Koscielak will follow up with Justin Messner. <br />7 <br />8 Commissioner Guest suggested this be researched further and brought back to the <br />9 Commission. <br />10 <br />C.11 Commissioner Comments. <br />12 <br />13 Commissioner Swiontek thanked Staff for planning the park tour. She visited the birthplace of <br />14 Arbor Day in Nebraska and highly suggest the trip. She reviewed Mile in My Shoes an <br />15 organization she works with. <br />16 <br />17 Commissioner Holliday stated it is great to see Central Park being utilized. The soccer field <br />18 south of the pavilion is being used multiple times during the week. The path going through <br />19 Central Park continues to be flooded after heavy rains. He spoke about the accessible <br />20 playground. <br />21 <br />22 Commissioner Guest stated during clean-up he was approached by a resident about getting a <br />23 dog park in St. Anthony. <br />24 <br />25 Chair Fee stated she attended two sessions as part of the Grand Rounds Missing Link <br />26 regarding trail design. <br />27 <br />28 VII.OTHER BUSINESS. <br />29 <br />A.30 Hennepin County Ecological Improvement Project. <br />31 <br />32 City Code Official Richard Sonterre reviewed on November 6, 2023, staff attended an <br />33 informational meeting provided by Hennepin County Land Conservationist/County <br />34 Agricultural Inspector Matt Stasica. One topic at the meeting was the availability of funds <br />35 from a grant the County had acquired for land conservation and habitat restoration. Although <br />36 the program primarily seeks out large scale acreage opportunities, the County expressed <br />37 interest in options for smaller projects within already developed city settings. City staff <br />38 invited County staff to tour the City and evaluate locations for potential habitat restoration and <br />39 community education. After review, locations in Central Park and Silver Point Park were <br />40 determined to be of the greatest value to meet the needs and wants of both parties. <br />41 <br />42 Hennepin County works with residents and partner organizations to protect and restore habitat <br />43 through conservation easements and habitat restoration projects. Hennepin County, in <br />44 partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust, has received more than $4.5 million from the <br />45 Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Fund to acquire conservation easements on the best