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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES LAKE SUPERIOR COASTAL GRANT PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $100,000 FOR FUNDS TO ACQUIRE APPROXIMATELY 83 ACRES FROM THE DULUTH CEMETERY ASSOCIATION FOR RECREATION AND PRESERVATION.
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CITY PROPOSAL:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the proper City officials are hereby authorized to apply for grant funds not to exceed $100,000 from the Lake Superior Coastal Program under the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, via the US Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to acquire approximately 83 acres from the Duluth Cemetery Association for recreation and preservation;
FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Duluth has the legal authority to accept these funds and the financial, technical, and managerial capacity to ensure proper planning and maintenance of the project. The City will meet the required 1:1 match with grant funds received from the Conservation Partners Legacy Metro Program from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the Duluth City Council names the fiscal agent for this project as Jen Carlson, City of Duluth Finance Director, 411 West 1st Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55802.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes the application for grant funds in an amount not to exceed $100,000 from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Lake Superior Coastal Program to acquire approximately 83 acres of undeveloped open space from the Duluth Cemetery Association for recreation and preservation.
The undeveloped open space is located north of Forest Hill Cemetery in the Woodland neighborhood and will be managed for outdoor recreation and long-term preservation consistent with the Imagine Duluth 2035 Future Land Use map and the Comprehensive Plan Guiding Principle #2, which is to, “declare the necessity and secure the future of undeveloped places.” The Comprehensive Plan designates these lands as “OS - Open Space” to provide for parks, recreation, or natural resource preservation.
The property is part of a contiguous 450-acre area of undeveloped open space that provides critical habitat for a variety of species. The acreage includes mature northern hardwood forest, few invasive plants, steep slopes, extensive wetlands, and a tributary of an important trout stream, Tischer Creek. The 83-acre cemetery property adjoins 292 acres of tax forfeit open space that the City is in the process of acquiring from St. Louis County for use as protected parkland. Further, acquisition of the property will permit completion of the Duluth Traverse multi-use trail system and support the Superior Hiking Trail Association’s desire to relocate their existing trail through this area from a roadway to the forest. The purchase will also protect continued use and enjoyment of an existing network of citizen-constructed foot trails that are heavily used by the Woodland neighborhood.
The City will meet the required 1:1 match with awarded grant funds from the Conservation Partners Legacy Metro Program from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The Duluth Cemetery Association Board of Directors, responsible for the Forest Hill Cemetery property, is a willing seller though final property boundaries and a final sale price have yet to be agreed upon.