05/05/1969 - Advisory Parks & Recreation Commission
EAGAN TOWNSHIP PARK COMMITTEE
S ,
May 5, 1969 Place of Meeting: Eagan Town Hall, Eagan Township
Dakota County
Members Present: Dick Thorpe, Acting Chairman Mrs. Charlotte McPherson
Joe Harrison Mr<.^< Helen Scott
Neil Coates Loren Maxfield
Paul Allison Al Shadduck
Jack Consoer
Invited Guests: Robert Eidem, Office of Local and Urban Affairs, State of Minnesota
Al Wittman, Dakota County Planner
The meeting was called to order by Joe Harrison. Mr. Thorpe, Acting Chairman
joined the members after the meeting was in progress. Mr. Eidem is a community planner
however the staff of his office is not sufficient to actually make plans for communities.
Instead it works in a general consulting capacity being available to answer questions,
make suggestions, etc. He suggested that n ce Eagan is unincorporated it is auto-
matically included in the Dakota County-wiener park land.
Mr. Wittman said that at this time Dakota County has no detailed plans specifically
for Eagan Township other than the County Parks currently being acquired.
Mr. Wittman, in response to a question from a committee member--p said that in
the event of a conflict of plans by the County and the township, the County plan would
take precedence , however, mutual agreement would be the preferred may of handling such
a situation.
He also said that the general inclusion of Eagan Township within the Dakota County
Use plan would not qualify Eagan for federal funds, that a broader and more detailed plan
by the Township would be looked at more fa w rably by federal agencies than piece-meal or
"bit=by-bit" type planning. He and Mr. Eidem agreed that a detailed park plan is of
prime importance to qualify for any kind of federal or state financial assistance for
land acquisition and/or development and advised us to draw up such a plan.
Federal funds are available for planning only for incorporated cities. The Town-
ship will have to finance planning, but the resultant plan can then be used to put into
operation applications for funds for the development and acquisition of lands.
Communities can buy land with HUD money and develop it with HUD money, but they
cannot develop land with HUD money that was not bought with HUD money.
~Mr. Wittman suggested that a Land-Use "survey" of Eagan be made by the Committee
using school site plans, sewer line maps, USGS and aerial photos and topographic maps,
as well as the CountY+ s Land-Use Analysis and other appropriate reports already available
Mr. Wittman emphasized that good zoning is necessary in the development of an orderly
well planned community, and a discussion followed by members on the apparent lack of-
such detailed planning and logical and appropriate zoning for our tovmship.
Mr. Wittman gave the following steps to he followed for the application of funds
through HUD (Housing and Urban Development):
1. Prepare application this will probably take about two months' of compre-
hensive and detiled include
ai preparation and should
2 =
good strong evidence of available monies from the
Township.
2. Submit'Application
3. Review of application by HUD approximately four months depending on their
work load and the "weight" and justification of our
appli cation.
4. , HUD issues a utter of Consent to the applicant (Eagan) which can be used to
obtain options. NO LAND can be BOUGHT on the strength of this letter however.
Funds for re-imbursement of monies spent.by Eagan will be available perhaps within
a year.
Some alternatives suggested by Mr. Wittman included borrowing money from a bank
to Snance land acquisition, and leasing with an option to purchase.
It was noted that Mr. Glen Northrop of Burnsville has had much experience leasing
park land for Burnsville and might be a worthwhile contact for information. Mrs.
McPherson was designated to call him to determine if and when he might be able to meet
with one of our members to give us pro oedural information.
Mr. Thorpe ~uggested members of our Committee might meet with the Township Board
members and the ownship Planning Board to better coordinate our various groups' work,
and to determine this Committee's duties and authority. Mr. Harrison agreed to initiate
plans for such a meeting. (This meeting was held May 19, 1969.)
The next meeting is planned for 5:00 p.m., May 26th, 1969 at the Eagan Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Mrs. Charlotte McPherson, Acting Secretary
5/20/69 cbm Eagan Park Committee