Title
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ADDITION OF 69 PARCELS TO THE ST. LOUIS RIVER NATURAL AREA.
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CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the Duluth City Council authorized resolution 20-0273R, designating parcels as part of the St. Louis River Natural Area; and
WHEREAS, certain tax forfeit parcels, attached as Exhibit 1, were held in stewardship by St. Louis County as Tax Forfeit parcels when the Duluth City Council passed Resolution 20-0273R; and
WHEREAS, these parcels were intended to be designated as part of the St. Louis River Natural Area, when and if the City acquired these parcels; and
WHEREAS, on August 17, 2020, the Duluth City Council adopted Resolution 20-0607R to accept grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Grant #00E02834) to support the Duluth Natural Resource Areas, committing to future natural area designation of parcels, as listed in Exhibit 1, once acquired; and
WHEREAS, the City acquired the Tax Forfeit parcels from St. Louis County listed in Exhibit 1 using funding from Grant #00E02834 in 2023 and in 2024; and
WHEREAS, on June 13, 2022, the Duluth City Council adopted Resolution 22-0251R thereby stating its intent to take the final steps necessary under Article XXIX of the Duluth City Code, to include the parcels listed in Exhibit 1 in the St. Louis River Natural Area once such property is owned by the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that that pursuant to Section 2-155 (b) under Article XXIX of the Duluth City Code, 1959, as amended, that the 69 parcels listed in Exhibit 1 are hereby designated as part of the St. Louis River Natural Area.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Management Plan for the SLRNA, approved via Duluth City Council Resolution 20-0273R, shall govern the management of these parcels, and the appropriate city officials are authorized to take all necessary action to implement the management plan.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 2-156 (a) of the Duluth City Code, the Council declares its intent to hold such tracts in perpetuity for the benefit of the city’s residents, and that so designated, may convey or use the subject parcels in contravention with the terms of this designation only upon the affirmative vote of eight councilors.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution approves the addition of 69 parcels to the St. Louis River Natural Area as foreseen and required or encouraged by:
• Resolution 20-0273R which established the St Louis River Natural Area and provided for the addition of the subject parcels to the Natural Area once under City ownership.
• Resolution 20-0607R which authorized acceptance of grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the purpose of purchasing the subject parcels conditional upon their addition to the St Louis River Natural Area once under City ownership.
• Resolution 22-0251R stating the Council’s intent to add the subject parcels to the St Louis River Natural Area once under City ownership.
The Duluth Natural Areas Program was established under city code to preserve Duluth’s natural heritage for the public good by protecting lands of special or unique environmental significance.
The St. Louis River Natural Area is comprised of nine places along the shoreline of the St. Louis River from Grassy Point in the Irving neighborhood to Chambers Grove Park in the Fond du Lac neighborhood connected to each other by the historic St Louis and Mississippi Railroad right-of-way. Comprising more than 1000 acres, the lands are a critically important bird congregation area for more than 150 species. The lands host 17 distinct native plant communities including the most significant expanses of Lake Superior coastal marsh in the state and include a series of shallow shelter bays unique to the St Louis River Estuary that were restored at great expense with state and federal funding.
The properties listed in Exhibit 1 meet or exceed the requirements of the Duluth Designated Natural Areas ordinance under Section 2-153 and are essential to the integrity of the St Louis River Natural Area as envisioned and authorized by Resolution 20-0273R.