Title
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR A CONSERVATION PARTNERS LEGACY GRANT OF UP TO $400,000 FOR THE PURPOSE OF SKYLINE PARKWAY LAND ACQUISITION.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
RESOLVED, that the proper city officials are hereby authorized to submit an application to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for a Conservation Partners Legacy grant of up to $400,000 for acquisition of land near Skyline Parkway as depicted in Exhibit A.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the city of Duluth has the legal authority to apply for the money, and financial, technical and managerial capacity to ensure proper planning and maintenance of the project.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the city will provide the required ten percent match through Parks Capital funds.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the Duluth city council names the fiscal agent for this project as Wayne Parson, City of Duluth Chief Financial Officer, 411 West First Street, Duluth, MN 55802.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes application to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for a Conservation Partners Legacy (CPL) grant of up to $400,000 for acquisition and permanent protection of an undeveloped 43.3-acre parcel of forest land that bounds a 3,400-foot stretch of Skyline Parkway near Haines Road in western Duluth.
The City of Duluth Comprehensive Plan recommends protection of parcels that are, like this one, in the Sensitive Lands Overlay, fall within the setback limits for protection of cold water trout streams (in this case, Merritt Creek), are designated as Open Space in the Future Land Use Map, and/or help to maintain the integrity of views to and from Skyline Parkway. The parcel in question is surrounded by public property that the Comprehensive Plan has prioritized for protection. The parcel would be difficult or impossible to economically develop as a result of steep slopes, long distances to utilities, extensive mature forest, and shallow bedrock.
The CPL grant program funds land acquisitions that restore, enhance, or protect forests, wetlands, prairies, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife in Minnesota. The proposed acquisition would advance these goals by protecting important Merritt Creek trout habitat, expanding the deer hunting area in the annual City of Duluth bow hunt, and preventing fragmentation of forest habitat utilized by a variety of species.