Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/10/2003

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0 From the Director: As the metropolitan area continues to expand and develop the preservation of the remaining high quality natural areas becomes even more importanL These areas will serve to provide the open space, wildlife areas, and recreational lands for future generations.' A major effort is underway in the seven county area to acquire some of the remaining greenways and w#dlife areas to serve as connections to a/ready ex/sting open spaces, The Metropolitan Council's Natural Resources Assessment and the DNR's Metro Green~ays Program are two ex~mp/es. Anoka County. is deraonstrating it's leadership tn this area w/th a current project involving the protection of the upper reaches of the Rice Creek Corridor in Columbus Township. The Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of acclu#fng 579 acres from the St. Paul Regional Water Services agency along the Rice Creek. An additional 446 acres has been identified for/ong-terrn protection along the corridor. RICE CREEK This area known as the "Rice Creek Headwaters ~ was originally identified in the county's 2020 Vision Comprehensive Parks Plan as a priority area for protection. It was studied by the University of Minnesota and commanded sign/f/cant at?ant/on of other state and regional agenc/es /nterested /n #'s protect/on. The two mile stretch be/nE acquired by the county would complete a 25 mile long comdor of pub/ica/ly protected open space along the R/ce Creek extending from Lamprey Pass Wildlife Management area in Columbus Township south to the Mississippi River. This would be one of the longest wildlife corNdors in the metro area. On March 11~ the Anoka County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution requesting the Metropolitan Council to expand the boundary of Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve to include the additional l, 025acres along the Rice Creek headwaters. This act/on of the board fo/towed pub/ic hearings in L/no Lakes and Columbus Township, both of which also adopted resolutions in favor of the project. The ParRs and Recreation Department has been working hard to secure funding for the acquis/tion of the SLPau/ properties. /t looks favorable forthe Metropolitan Counc# to dedicate $135,000 from it's "Part 4" emergency acquisition fund for the project. Another important contributor to the project is the Rice Creek Watershed D/strict which has agreed to put $50,000 of it's funds into buying the property. An~, I can ~l overtook St. t°aul'$ contribution to the project by virtue of their discounting the purchase price from an appraised value of $384,000 to a sa/es price of $ !98, 000. By this t/me in May, Anoka County wi1/likely have entered into a purchase agreement w/th St. Paul for the property. As the funding becomes ava#able the county w/ii move .fom/ard with acquiring the propertY. Efforts will be underway to establish a citizens task force to directly involve adjacent landowners in the management and securtty of these special open spaces. Several citizens have indicated an interest in vo/unteertng to do wildlife and b/rd counts, assist w/?h wildlife management, and assist w/th resource res/oration act/v/t/es. We are encouraged by the wonderful cooperation that has emerged from this undertaking. 7'he Minnesota DNR, Metropo/iten Council, R/ce Creek Watershed D/strict, City of St. Paul City of L/no Lakes, Columbus Township. and County Board have ail been key players -in the achieving a high /eve/ of cooperation and success to date. We're looking forward to .wrapping up the acquisition of the propeay and brtng/hg the property under the county's management as permanent open space. The value, of this effort wi//be truly, appreciated as the population expands and the open space becomes even more meaningful to peop/e seek/n~ the tranqu#ity of the great outdoors. Thanks to alt of you who have contributed to the success of this pro]bct. John ~/onDeL/nde 23 Page I