Title
RESOLUTION REQUESTING ST. LOUIS COUNTY WORK WITH THE CITY TO PRESERVE THE PONTLIANA WOODS ON MINNESOTA POINT.
Body
BY COUNCILOR GARDNER:
WHEREAS, land commonly known as Pontliana Woods is located on Minnesota Point from 16th to 18th Street, south of Minnesota Avenue to the shoreline of the Duluth Harbor Basin, and is currently owned by St. Louis County as tax forfeited land, see attached map; and
WHEREAS, Pontliana Woods is one of the last undeveloped areas on Minnesota Point and has been identified by the Minnesota department of natural resources and the United States environmental protection agency as part of the St. Louis River Estuary, Great Lakes Area of Concern, as an important habitat for fish and wildlife and as an area meeting mandatory technical criteria for wetland identification; and
WHEREAS, the Duluth city council recognizes the importance of conserving and protecting Pontliana Woods to ensure public access to St. Louis Bay and the Duluth Harbor and to protect the area’s natural resources; and
WHEREAS, Pontliana Woods are presently included in a county land sale in October of this year, imperiling this remnant of undeveloped land on Minnesota Point.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the city council respectfully requests that St. Louis County remove Pontliana Woods from the upcoming tax forfeit land sale in October 2015.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that city of Duluth and St. Louis county officials work together to preserve Pontliana Woods and appropriately zone the property.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution supports the conservation and preservation of the Pontliana Woods on Minnesota Point by asking St. Louis county to remove the land from the upcoming tax forfeiture land sale and to work with city of Duluth officials to protect and preserve this important wildlife habitat and undeveloped area.