09/26/1969 - Advisory Parks & Recreation Commission (2)
PARK BOARD MEETING
' September 26, 1969
I. IN T FO DUCT ION
Bob Ferguson
II. PARK REPORT
Joe Harrison
III. FINANCIAL REPORT
Jim Olsen, Juran & Moody, Inc.
IV. PICTORIAL REPOT
Paul r ll i son
V. ORDINANCES
Loren Maxfield
VI. SUM`1ATION
Bob Ferguson
I
PARK BOARD REPORT ON PARK SYSTEM
Joe Harrison September 26, 1969
During the last six months we have met with Park Planning officials
who have given us direction and insight for our planning efforts. Among the
pPrsons who have attended our meetings have been Al Wittman - Dakota County
Planner;; Bob Ediem - Planner from the State Planning Agency, Paul Hauge -
Township Lawyer, Jim Olsen - Juran and Moody, Inc. We have talked to others
including Bob Rosene - Township Engineer, and Minneapolis Park Superintendent
Robert W. Ruhe.
Each Committee member has studied various County, State and Federal
reports. The following reports have been of special value to us:
1. Minnesota Recreation Plan
2. LAW/CON Program Summary
3. Programs of H. U. D.
4. Metro Council Park Report
We have spent many hours studying these reports and realize that you
cannot devote as much time, therefore we have enclosed relevant excerpts in your
portfolio for your perusal.
Underlined in one report is the following statement:
"The Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Plan indicates that municipalities
should acquire 10 acres per 1,000 population and that counties should acquire 15
acres per 1,000 population. The plan stipulates that municipalities should
acquire park land for the purpose of frequent, short term use by local residents.
"The counties should acquire land for the purposes of providing areas
larger than provided by local units of government."
Foremost in our minds during our consideration of the park question has
been the rapid population growth and the urgency which it spells out for Park
Land acquisition. The projected population for the year 2000 in earlier reports
has been set at a 91,000 figure, but after discussion with the Metro Council, a
more appropriate figure would ',e 120,000. It must be emphasized that the Metro
Council did not take into consideration the aspect of a possible airport or the
multiple dwellings such as R-4 and R-6. At present we have approximately 9,000
acres zoned into R-1, R-6, Commercial and Industrial, and approximately 11,000
zoned in Agriculture. If the present agriculture zoned acres were zoned R-6
with saturation as Hillcrest Development in the Slater 80 acres, we would end up
with a population of 840,000 people.
Based on the ten acro per 1,000 population guide referred to earlier,
the township should ultimately have 1,200 acres of Park Land which would be ideal.
Naturally not all things are ideal. As we have stated in earlier Park Board re-
ports, the urgent responsibility of the Township is to provide small Community,
Neighborhood and Playground Parks. Large State and County Parks, and privately
owned "open space" will not fulfill the functions of these smaller parks.
Sept. 26, 1969
= 2 =
We have oriented our park acreage to the lakes in the township because
a park with a lake will give us a greater fulfillment of all the recreation
activities, such as swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, picnicing and just plain
aesthetic values. Eagan township has beautiful and scenic areas, and they should be
preserved for the people of the township, now and in the future.
Pollution, the word that sends shudders through all conservationists can
be conquered and I don't think we should let it deter us in Eagan Township from
preserving our lakes. Lets work to save them! They are not contaminated now,
why should they be in the future?
We have studied and set up a basic park plan of 556 acres with alternates
so that we have other areas to fall back on in case some of the designated acres
are not available. Fagan Township presently has about 20-30 acres of playground
parks and with 10% acquisition as land develops we could end up with a total of
700 acres of Park land. This would he a formidable start but it would not fulfill
the percentage of 1,200 acres as previously stated necessary.
Minneapolis presently has 2,100 acres of park land. St. Paul has 1,700
acres of Parks. Burnsville as of 1967 had 918 acres. So you see we would be far
behind them.
There is a resume of the land, estimated costs, possible activities in
the park enclosed in the portfolio. We have these areas laid out on land-use
maps and the aerial photo. These should make our comprehensive study easily
studied by you and used for demonstration purposes.
Various methods of setting up the Park System are as follows:
1. Life Estates
A. Land purchased and owners allowed to live there
until deceased
B. Tax abatement program set up for land owner if he
wishes to designate his land for parks
2. Outright Purchase
A. Bond for a given amount of the total cost
B. Apply to HUD for a given amount
C. Apply to LAW/CON for a given amount
3. Zone the land for Parks and condemn over the years.
We must remember one fact though. Four or 'five years ago we could
have acquired this land for 50% less than we will have to pay now. Years from
now it will cost ten times as much IF available at all. The Park Board is in
favor of the bonding route now because the land can be preserved in its present
state and developed into park sites. Tomorrow it WILL be TOO late
PROPOSED ~,AGAN TOWNSHIP PARK SITE PLAN
September 26, 1969
PROPOSED SITES, ANTICIPATED USE, APP)0`T•7-.T'E ACREAGE, ESTIMATED PURCHASE PRICE
ESTIMATED
AREA LOCATION ANTICIPATED USE ACREAGE VALUE
1 LE MAY LAKE Picnic and Playground 10 acres $.40,000
(Possibly Swimming) @ X4,000
2 PLACKHAWK LAKE Picnic,'Bicycling, Hiking 60 acres $150,000
+ 100 ft. around Relaxation @ $2500
lake
3 ALEXA BUROW - Adj. (Wooded) Hiking, Winter 40 acres $120,000
to KAHN SCHOOL Sliding, Nature Trails, @ 53,000
(Cedar Grove) School Recreation programs
4 THOMAS LAKE Canoeing, Picnic 80 acres x'160,000
average $2,000 per acre
5 FISH LAKE Swimming & Picnic 40 acres 580,000
@9
d 2 000
6 CHARLES GOVERN Adj.to Parranto's develop-
40 acres $80;b00
Sec. 1 ment - Picnickin Hikin
(Sec. '15) g, g, @ 92,000
Relaxation
7 MC CARTHY LAKE Skiing, Picnic, Swim, 160 acres $320,000
(Sec. 22) Hiking & other year-round @ $2,000
Recreation
8 BALD LAKE Hiking - Deep lake swimming 100 acres $270,000
(Sec. 23) @ $2700
9 CHAPELAINE Picnic, Winter sliding & 20 acres $30,000
Skating,(Shallow lake) 01500
perhaps fishing
TOTAL ACREAGE: 550 acres
TOTAL ESTIMATED VALUE: $1,250,000
ALTERNATE SITES:
A-1 HAY AND PERRIN Picnicking, Hiking, 40 acres $80,000
A_2 LIIJKERT6) Winter Sports 02,000
$40 000
Hiking, Winter Sporta 40 ac
@ 51,000
A-3 ALMQUIST-FITZGERALD Hiking 40 acres 948,000
(Sec. 33) @ 0,1200
A-4 VOLKMIER Picnic, Aesthetic values 40 acres 960,000
(off the Road) @ P1500
A-5 SCHWANTZ Excellent for swimming 40 acres $60,000
@ ft500
TOTAL ACREAGE ALTERNATE SITES: 200 acres
TOTAL ESTIMATED VALUE OF AIT ERNATE SITES :
$288,000
R Sept. 26, 1969
2
PLAYGROUND PARKS
AREA LOCATION ANTICIPATED USE ACREAGE • ESTIMATED
VALUE
P-1 HEIGHTS PARK (Country Home Heights) 5 lots $15,000
Children 's Playground @$3;000
P-2 HIGHVIEW ACRES Children 's Playground 10 $35,000
Little League Baseball @ $3500
P-3 TIMBERLINE Children''s Playground 10 $15,000
Little League Baseball 01500
P-4 ARCHD. of St. Paul Children's Playground 10 125,000
(Cedar Grove) Little League Baseball 02500.
TOTAL ACREAGE: approx. 35
TOTAL ESTIMATED VALUE: 890,000