04/23/1991 - City Council Special
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
EAGAN CITY COUNCIL
Eagan, Minnesota
April 23, 1991
A special meeting of the Eagan City Council was held on Tuesday, April 23, 1991 at 6:30 p.m. at
John Metcalf Junior High School. Present were Mayor Egan and City Councilmembers Gustafson,
Pawlenty and Wachter. City Councilmember McCrea was absent for the Board of Equalization meeting,
however, was present at the Fire Administration building for the Blackhawk Park Development discussion.
Also present was City Administrator Hedges. The purpose of the meeting was to convene the annual
Board of Equalization on behalf of Dakota County.
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION MEETING
Mayor Egan called the annual meeting of the Board of Equalization to order and informed those
present of the City Council's responsibility during a Board of Equalization meeting which is to convene
the meeting on behalf of Dakota County and further that the City Council, following the formal presentation
by the Dakota County Assessor's office will leave the school and reconvene a special City Council meeting
to review plans for the proposed Blackhawk Park project.
Mr. Bill Peterson, representing the Dakota County Assessor's office, provided instructional
comments relative to how residents in attendance can review their tax statements, specifically market
value adjustments, and further handle general questions pertaining to property tax valuations. Mr.
Peterson informed the City Council that the total net tax capacity for 1990 was $59,845,000 and the new
total for 1991 is $62,688,095. Mr. Peterson further reported the percentage increase to be 4.63 percent.
Mayor Egan and City Councilmembers Gustafson, Pawlenty and Wachter signed the Dakota County
property tax assessment record for all Eagan properties. Present were approximately fifteen (15) property
appraisers from Dakota County who met with various property owners on a one-to-one basis located
around the gymnasium in John Metcalf school. It should be noted that the annual Board of Equalization
meeting was formally adjourned at approximately 7:30 p.m.
BLACKHAWK PARK DEVELOPMENT
Mayor Egan reconvened the special City Council meeting at the Fire Administration building for the
purpose of reviewing the Blackhawk Park plans with staff from the Parks & Recreation Department. Those
staff persons in attendance in addition to the entire City Council and City Administrator were John
VonDeLinde, Superintendent of Parks, Steve Sullivan, Park Planner, Dorothy Peterson, Superintendent of
Recreation, and Ken Vraa, Director of Parks & Recreation. Director of Parks & Recreation Vraa provided
comments and exhibits pertaining to the history of why Blackhawk Park was acquired and proposed as
a community park and further modifications the plans have received as a result of review by the Parks,
Recreation and Natural Resources Advisory Commission and input by various neighborhood groups. City
Councilmembers provided information and recommendations based on their study of the issue and input
having attended neighborhood meetings hosted by residents on the east side of the park, residing on
Murphy Parkway and the west side of Blackhawk Park in the Riverton Drive area. After a lengthy
discussion on the proposed improvements, staff was given specific direction to prepare a presentation
that includes information on the original grant and planning process and the changes that were made by
the Parks & Recreation staff as a result of public input to be presented as the May 7 City Council meeting.
it was also suggested that staff prepare a fact sheet as a handout for that meeting. Following
approximately 114 hours of presentation and discussion, Mayor Egan commended the City staff for their
work on the proposed Blackhawk Park while balancing a sensitivity for the neighborhood and integrity of
a community park.
Page 2/EAGAN SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL
April 23, 1991
OTHER BUSINESS
There were no additional business items and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:15 p.m.
TLH
April 23 1991
Date City Clerk