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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH USEPA ACCEPTING A $900,000 GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE GRANT FOR ACQUISITION AND RESTORATION OF ECOLOGICALLY VALUABLE TAX FORFEIT PROPERTY ALONG THE ST.LOUIS RIVER AND DEVELOPMENT OF A CITYWIDE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
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CITY PROPOSAL:
RESOLVED, that the proper city officials are hereby authorized to enter into a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant Agreement bearing Grant No. 00E02834 with the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the amount of $900,000, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, for the acquisition of tax forfeit lands associated with the St. Louis River, a city-wide Natural Resource Management and Protection Plan, and, restoration of native plant communities, said grant funds to be deposited in 205-130-1220-4209-01-CM205-SLRNA-PHASE2 (parks fund, community resources, parks capital, direct federal grants capital, capital maintenance fund 205, st louis river natural area, natural resources mgmt plan/land acquisition & restoration).
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes acceptance of a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (USEPA GLRI) for $900,000. The funds will be used to:
1. $700,000--Acquire ecologically valuable tax forfeit land along the St. Louis River from St. Louis County for 20% of the market value estimated by the County Assessor.
2. $135,000--Restore native plant species on public lands along the river.
3. $65,000--Develop a City-wide plan to guide how the City manages and protects City-owned green space.
The City is not obligated to provide a cash match in association with this grant.
The land acquisition funded by this grant is pursuant to:
1. City Council resolution 18-0240 approving the Imagine Duluth 2035 Comprehensive Plan whose Open Space Policy Two directs the City to acquire and protect tax forfeit property that has considerable ecological, recreational, and/or stormwater management value.
2. City Council resolution 20-0273 creating the St. Louis River Natural Area and approving an associated management plan that calls for the acquisition and protection of ecologically valuable tax forfeit open space within the Natural Area boundaries.
3. City Council resolution 20-0275 authorizing application to EPA for this grant for purposes including land acquisition.
4. Council resolution 15-0640 calling on St. Louis County to work with the City of Duluth to permanently protect the property on Park Point known as Pontliana Woods.
Tax forfeit parcels will be selected for protection from the St. Louis River public lands area shown in Exhibit I on the basis of guidelines subject to Council approval in companion resolution 20-0617. The St Louis River public lands area includes approximately 777 acres of tax-forfeit property. It is anticipated that approximately 535 acres of this property will be identified for City acquisition and protection. Nearly all of the parcels selected for acquisition will be inadvisable, impermissible and/or unaffordable to develop due to wetlands, steep slopes, proximity to shoreline, and/or distance to roads and utilities.
Tax forfeit parcels in the St. Louis River public lands area that are not recommended for permanent preservation will be more readily available for housing, economic development, applicable public uses, or other purposes.
Specific lands that are likely to be brought forward to City Council for acquisition and protection include lands surrounding St. Louis River Estuary Area of Concern cleanup projects at Grassy Point, Kingsbury Bay, Tallas Island, Munger Landing, and Radio Tower Bay as well as the Park Point wetland known as Pontliana Woods.
St. Louis County Board resolution 20-163 affirmed the County Board’s support for the proposed tax forfeit land acquisition and their commitment to sell mutually agreed upon parcels for 20% of their estimated market value. With the reduced sale price, the $700,000 portion of the EPA grant award allotted to acquisition will be sufficient to purchase open space lands valued at $3.5 million.
The County Board and the City Council must approve the final list of parcels and a final purchase-sale agreement before any actual sales may proceed.