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RESOLUTION TO APPLY FOR A STATE OF MINNESOTA CONSERVATION PARTNERS LEGACY METRO GRANT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $350,000 TO ACQUIRE AND RESTORE RIVERFRONT PROPERTY OPPOSITE TALLAS ISLAND TO BE PROTECTED AS PART OF THE ST. LOUIS RIVER NATURAL AREA AND WAABIZHESHIKANA - THE MARTEN TRAIL. (REPLACEMENT)
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CITY PROPOSAL:
RESOLVED, that the city of Duluth supports the grant application made to the State of Minnesota Conservation Partners Legacy Metro grant in an amount not to exceed $350,000 to acquire riverfront property to be protected as part of the St. Louis River Natural Area and Waabizheshikana - The Marten Trail, formally known as the Western Waterfront Trail. If awarded, funds will be used to acquire the BNSF property, remove invasive plants, restore native plants, and cover appraisal and real estate fees for this and other properties to be acquired and protected under the Duluth Natural Areas Program.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the city of Duluth will provide the required 10% non-state match from fund 205-130-1220-5441-01-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). These are federal funds awarded in a City Council approved grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the Duluth city council names the fiscal agent for this project as Wayne Parson, Finance Department Director, City of Duluth, 411 West First Street, Duluth, MN 55802
FURTHER RESOLVED, the Duluth city council hereby reverses its approval of Council resolution 18-0164 which called for development of this property for city park purposes to include a formal and ADA accessible water access with a paved access road and parking spaces.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:
This resolution authorizes application to the State of Minnesota Conservation Partners Legacy Metro grant in an amount not to exceed $350,000 to acquire and restore native vegetation to approximately eight acres of riverfront property currently owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to be protected as part of the St. Louis River Natural Area and Waabizheshikana- The Marten Trail (formally known as the Western Waterfront Trail). A previously awarded Environmental Protection Agency grant will be used to meet the 10% match requirement.
The resolution also reverses City Council approval of resolution 18-0164R that called for intensive development of the identified Burlington Northern property with a paved access road and parking spaces. Unless and until the City Council approves a new plan for the site, the City will limit improvements to removal of invasive plants, restoration of native plants, and construction or restoration of new and existing crushed stone trails as part of Waabizheshikana - The Marten Trail including its associated connector trails, such as the connection to the regionally significant Munger Trail along the proposed River West Drive. As such, the area will be available primarily for passive and non-motorized recreation opportunities, including informal access to the river for the public. The City of Duluth and Spirit Mountain Recreation Area Authority personnel will continue to use Waabizheshikana - The Marten Trail and associated connector trails as a de facto access road for purposes of maintaining the natural area, the trail, and an adjacent Spirit Mountain pumphouse.
If the grant is awarded, the City will bring forward additional measures for City Council action potentially including, but not limited to, resolutions authorizing acceptance of the grant, acquisition of the property, and designation of the property as part of the St. Louis River Natural Area. Future consideration of other uses for the property will be considered during those processes.
The City intends to construct the formal ADA-accessible canoe/kayak access park infastructure originally envisioned for this location at the existing Munger Landing water access in association with a pending federal-state contamination remediation project at that location.