8.1. SR 01-20-2015
Request for Action
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 8.1
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
General BusinessJanuary 20, 2015Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director
Item Description Reviewed by
Houlton Farm Property Planning Committee Cal Portner, City Administrator
Reviewed by
Action Requested
Approve, by motion, eight representatives for the Houlton Farm Planning Committee as follows:
1.City Councilmember Jerry Olsen
2.Parks and Recreation Commission Member Dave Anderson
3.Resident Member Sue Seeger
4.Resident Member (Chairman) Stewart Wilson
5.Local high school student Nate Benkofstze
6.Parks and Recreation Director Michael Hecker
7.Community Operations Development Deputy Director Jeremy Barnhart
8.One ad hoc position as needed which will rotate between the Parks Supervisor and the City
Engineer.
Background/Discussion
A planning committee is recommended to develop a master plan and prioritize the future improvements
for the Houlton Farm property. The planning process is expected to occur over the next two years
before the property is open to the public in the fall of 2016.
Councilmember Jerry Olsen was approved by City Council on January 5. The proposed Student
Representative, Nate Benkofstze, from Elk River High School attended the November Commission
meeting and expressed interest in the planning of the Houlton property. If a student representative
vacancy becomes available, staff recommends that this position be appointed by the Planning Committee.
Staff recommends Stewart Wilson as Chair of committee based on his experience as the HRA Chair and
running public meetings. As a councilmember he was a strong supporter of the property acquisition.
Financial Impact
Much of the planning effort will be the need to complete a restoration/natural resource management
plan. The cost of developing the plans will be shared between the city and interested partners such as the
Friends of the Mississippi River.
Attachments
Houlton Property Planning Timeline
Draft 9-3-14
PLANNING FOR HOULTON PROPERTY
There are a number of ways that planning for the Houlton Property could be done, but here are some
suggestions. There are a number of planning needs for this property:
A restoration/natural resource management plan
A hunting plan
A plan for other recreational activities (e.g., fishing, hiking, wildlife observation,
canoeing/boating, etc.)
An improvement plan
A funding plan
A general management plan (signage, hours open, trash, rules and enforcement, etc.)
These components could all be put together in one master plan, or it might make sense to have some of
them be separate and be incorporated into an overarching master plan. For example, Friends of the
Mississippi intends to prepare a detailed natural resource management plan that will be a stand-alone
document. The hunting plan to be approved by DNR also may make sense to be a separate document.
Note that the overall plan does not need to be long or complicated. See the Anoka County Conservation
Stewardship Plan for Cedar Creek Conservation Area. The appointment of a small committee to develop
this plan will likely make the process more manageable and proceed more quickly. At an appropriate
time, some public input would also be advisable.
All of this planning should be able to be completed in less than a year. Given all of the things that need
to happen in connection with the acquisition of the property, it probably makes sense to really start the
planning after closing in October or November. Given the public resources invested in this land, it
should probably be open to the public by the spring of 2016 and open for hunting the fall of 2016.
Restoration activities on buckthorn removal should start by the summer/fall of 2015.
A rough timeline of how this could proceed in on the following page.
Draft 9-3-14
DRAFT TIMELINE FOR PLANNING AND OPENING OF HOULTON PROPERTY
2014
Oct/Nov
Closing on acquisition of property
Fall
Appointment of planning committee
Initial meetings with FMR
Initial meeting with DNR
Meeting with Anoka County to get their advice on management/planning
2015
Winter
Planning activities continue
Spring
Planning activities continue
Summer
Planning activities continue
Initial improvement activities commence (removal of house, etc.)
Fall
Planning completed
First phase of restoration begins (buckthorn removal)
Initial improvement activities continue
2016
Winter
Initial improvement activities continue
Spring
Initial improvements completed (parking, signage, etc.)
Land open to the public for hiking, etc.
Summer
Second phase of restoration begins (prairie, if funding available)
Fall
Land open to public hunting