Title
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE GREATER MINNESOTA REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS COMMISSION TO REQUEST REGIONAL DESIGNATION FOR HARTLEY PARK.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS:
(a) The city of Duluth is seeking Legacy designation for Hartley Park as a regional park to qualify for Legacy funds.
(b) There is no cost associated with receiving regional designation.
RESOLVED, the city of Duluth has the legal authority to act as public sponsor for the application described in the Request for Designation as a Regional Park or Trail in Greater Minnesota for Hartley Park.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the city of Duluth is fully aware of the information provided in the application.
FURTHER RESOLVED, if the city of Duluth is awarded regional designation for Hartley Park as a regional park in Greater Minnesota by the Commission, the city of Duluth has the legal authority to enter into formal designation and funding agreements with the Commission for the referenced park.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the city of Duluth certifies it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations associated with regional designation and any future grant funding for its respective portions of any project.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The State of Minnesota has established a new three-stage application process for Legacy Amendment Parks and Trails grants. The process requires council authorization at each stage. This resolution authorizes submission of a stage one application (Exhibit B) which the state will use to determine whether Hartley Park is a sufficiently significant park in our region to warrant closer examination. The state may invite a stage two application in the form of the Council-approved Hartley Park mini-master plan which the state will use to determine whether to formally designate Hartley Park as a park of regional significance. If Hartley Park is so designated, the state will invite the city to submit a final, stage three, application in September which will include a request for a specific amount of funding to implement specific elements of the Hartley Park mini-master plan.
Under the prior grant proposal process, Hartley Park received Legacy Parks and Trails funds in 2014 to implement portions of the Council-approved Hartley Park mini-master plan (Exhibit A) including buckthorn removal, improved parking, restoration of degraded trails, and improved accessibility. Designation of Hartley Park as regionally significant under the new process will enable Duluth to compete for funding to implement other elements of the mini-master plan.