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06/12/2008 - Open Space CommitteeAGENDA OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008 4:00 P.M. CONFERENCE ROOMS 2A&B I. ROLL CALL AND AGENDA ADOPTION II. DISCUSS PROCESS/TIMELINE FOR REFERENDUM III. OTHER BUSINESS IV. ADJOURNMENT Agenda Information Memo June 12, 2008 Open Space Committee Meeting VI. DISCUSS PROCESS/TIMELINE FOR REFERENDUM ACTION TO BE DISCUSSED: To provide a recommendation to the City Council regarding the timeline, public process and communications plan for the Carriage Hills Referendum. FACTS: As part of the settlement agreement reached with Wensmann Realty for the Carriage Hills Golf Course, the City will hold a public referendum at the November General Election to allow residents to choose whether or not the City shall purchase Carriage Hills Golf Course. This item was directed to the Open Space Committee for further review and a recommendation regarding timeline and public input process to be brought back to the City Council. • A group of City Staff met on May 6, 2008 to discuss the required deadlines and other responsibilities of this City for the referendum. The following timeline/dates were noted: June 12—Council workshop to discuss timeline, process, etc. June 16—APrC meeting July 14—APrC meeting August 12—Council workshop (could consider recommendation of APrQ September 2—Regular Council meeting, adopt referendum question and authorize referendum (resolution) September 12—Deadline to provide notice to County of referendum question October 13 (week of)—Place a PDF link on the City's Website to the Experience Eagan article about the upcoming referendum October 18 and 25—Place notice of election in legal newspaper (publish twice) October 20 (week of)—City Newsletter article regarding referendum November 4—Election Open Space Committee June 3, 2008 Process/Timeline for Referendum Page 2 • City staff also discussed public policy questions that have been raised and/or received from Eagan residents. The committee may wish to give thought on if and/or how the following questions should be answered: o Understanding the referendum only pays for the purchase of the land, does the City Council intend to determine and communicate to the public future uses and/or restrictions for the land in advance of the ballot? o Does the City Council want any further study done by the APrC or other appointed committee in advance of the referendum? ■ APrC could consider at June 16 or July 14 meetings with a report back to the Council at the August 12 workshop. o Is it the intent of the Council to utilize the $60,000 set aside in the Community Investment Fund (CIF) for communication associated with the referendum? o Will including the referendum information in the October issue of the City Newsletter be appropriate or would the Council prefer that a separate mailing be created for referendum information? • The Committee is encouraged to discuss the timeline and other public policy questions and make a recommendation to the City Council as a whole on how the City shall proceed to prepare for the November referendum. • It is proposed that the City Council discuss the recommendation of the open space committee at the June 12 Special City Council workshop. ATTACHMENTS: None 5 Open Space Committee June 12, 2008, 4:30-5:15 p.m. Meeting Notes/Recommended Timeline Committee Members Present: Mayor Maguire and Councilmember Bakken Staff Present: City Administrator Hedges, Assistant to the City Administrator Miller, Director of Parks and Recreation Johnson, Director of Administrative Services VanOverbeke, and City Attorney Dougherty. I. Discuss Process/Timeline for Referendum The committee requested that a matrix be prepared showing land use options for the Carriage Hills Property, should the referendum pass. The matrix should include the cost to establish and maintain the use. Examples should include: Passive open space (with trails only). Active open space (trails shelter, etc.), "High Density" Open Space (fields, trails, shelters, etc.), and Restored prairieland. There was committee consensus not to ask the APrC for a formal recommendation as to how the land should be used if the referendum passes. The Committee asked staff to speak to Decision Resources to inquire whether a 3-4 question, scientific phone survey could be done of Eagan residents, with results coming back to the City Council by August 1. The survey would ask residents how they should like to see the property used if the referendum passes. The Committee concurred with the following schedule/timeline: Week of June 16-20 Schedule follow up Committee meeting (staff and committee only) June 12-August 1 Decision Resources Survey Late June Committee meetings with Stakeholders (e.g. Dorothy Peterson and members of APrC, Carriage Hills Coalition rep, Wetland Banking rep, etc.) June 17 Community-wide "Listening Session" on ideas for property if the referendum passes Mid August 2°a Community-wide "Listening Session" on ideas for property if the referendum passes September 2 Adopt referendum question Early October Mail fact sheet to residents