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CITY OF WOODBURY, MINNESOTA

Office of City Administrator

 

Council Workshop Letter No. 13-19

 

January 16, 2013

 

TO:

The Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

 

 

FROM:

Clinton P. Gridley, City Administrator

 

 

SUBJECT:

Open Space Acquisition

 

SUMMARY

 

Staff has had conversations with property owners over the last several months regarding the acquisition of two parcels as additions to City open space.  The two parcels are the Lone Lake Kennels parcel and Neuburger parcel (see attached maps).  City staff has also been in contact with County staff to discuss cost participation through the Land and Water Legacy Program, similar to the shared funding that was used to purchase the Dale Woods parcel in 2010. 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Staff is requesting City Council provide feedback regarding the purchase of the two parcels for addition to City open space.

 

BUDGET IMPACT

 

The most recent appraisal of Lone Lake Kennels was completed in March 2012.  The value conclusion was $800,000 at that time.  An appraisal was completed for the Neuburger parcel in December 2012. The appraisal estimate was $285,000. If the Council is supportive in proceeding with purchase of the properties, staff anticipates requesting a 50% match for both parcels from Washington County.  The City may be expected to fully fund the original purchase and receive reimbursement from the County at a later date, in a manner similar to the funding received for the Dale Woods property in 2010.

 

Funding for the purchase would be through the Park and Open Space Fund.  The current fund balance is approximately $700,000, however, there are three transfers totaling approximately $500,000 proposed to be made to the fund as a reimbursement for open space land previously purchased that will be used for other purposes including a well, regional storm water pond and road right-of-way. 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Lone Lake Kennel parcel is listed as a priority parcel on the open space acquisition list in the Park, Trail and Recreation Plan and the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The parcel is almost 30 acres and adjacent to the existing La Lake Open Space (see attached map).  The current owner of the parcel is Venture Bank.   

 

The upland portion of the parcel (16 acres) consists of mostly open fields and the previous dog kennel operation, while slightly over 13 acres of the parcel is within La Lake. The upland portion of the property is not of ecological importance but does provide critical, direct access to La Lake and the ability to provide an open space connection between La Lake and Ria Lake with the cooperation of the City of Newport.  The shoreline of La Lake contains many hardwood deciduous trees including many large oak trees. The shoreline of La Lake was included with the large forested area to the south of the lake in the Natural Resource Inventory completed by the City in 1997.  The inventory lists the dominant tree species as white oak, black cherry and paper birch.

 

The acquisition would result in the City being the owner of over 50% of the shoreline along La Lake. The City has received a letter of support for the County funding request from both the City of Newport and South Washington Watershed District. 

 

The Neuburger parcel is 15 acres and adjacent to the existing northern Valley Creek Road Open Space and creates additional opportunities for connection to the southern Valley Creek Road Open Space. The parcel is also on the priority open space acquisition list (see attached map).  The current owners of the parcel are Carl Neuburger and Kari Miller.

 

The parcel contains the mapped portion of the Valley Creek trout stream just downstream of the wetland that is mapped as the headwaters of the stream.  The southern part of the parcel was seeded to prairie within the last 10 years. The prairie restoration is in fair condition. Moderately intense management for herbaceous weeds and weedy tree seedlings would be necessary to continue a successful prairie restoration of the area. The northern portion of the parcel is a tree planting over nonnative grasses. The trees are a mix of conifers and deciduous trees (blue spruce, green ash, white birch, and box-elder).

 

The Valley Branch Watershed District is currently preparing a letter of support to the County for the acquisition of the Neuburger parcel.

 

If the City Council is supportive of pursuing the purchase of these parcels and of the funding request to Washington County, the schedule of future events is listed below.

 

 

Written By:

Sharon Doucette, Environmental Resources Coordinator

Approved Through:

Robert Klatt, Park and Recreation Director

Attachments:

Lone Lake Kennels Parcel Map

Neuburger Parcel Map