Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 8, 2014MEOW- 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W.. ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304. (763) 755 -5100 FAX (763) 755 -8923. WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US Andover Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Agenda October 8, 2014 Andover City Hall Conference Room A &B 5:30 p.m. 1. Tour of North Woods Preserve 2. Return to City Hall for regular meeting 7:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order 2. Resident Forum 3. Approval of Minutes: September 10, 2014 Regular Meeting 4. Open Space Acquisition Update 5. North Woods Preserve Management Plan Review 6. Other Business a. Next meeting: November 12, 2014 7. Adjournment REGULAR ANDOVER OPENSPACE ADVISORY COMMISSIONMEETING OCTOBER 8, 2014 MINUTES The Regular Meeting of the Andover Open Space Advisory Commission was called to order by Chairperson Gretchen Sabel at 7:00 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners present: Aaron Jarson, Kim Kovich, Jim Olson, Bruce Perry and Suzanne Van Hecke Commissioners absent: Jim Myers Also present: David Carlberg, Community Development Director RESIDENT FORUM No one wished to address the Commission. APPROVAL OFMINUTES— September 10, 2014 Motion by Commissioner Kovich, Second by Commissioner Perry to approve the minutes of September 10, 2014 meeting. Motion passed 6 -0 -1 (Olson present). OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION UPDATE Mr. Carlberg said staff has continued to work with property owners to pursue acquisition of open space property east of Hanson Boulevard NW and north of 161 It Avenue NW. He shared that the closing will be November 21s' on the Selmer/Blanchette property, adding they tried to close today because of the October 15th second half taxes deadline date but were unable to due to a few issues including a blanket easement from 1935 for the Koch pipeline. Mr. Carlberg explained the blanket easement was given for the entire property and that a gas line is not even present but Koch has to release the easement prior to closing. Commissioner Van Hecke asked if Koch will charge a high price to vacate the easement. Mr. Carlberg said likely not but said we will be unable to close before October 15th. Mr. Carlberg then reviewed the Selmer /Blanchette issues and the access issues with the Dennis Kuiken property to the north, stating staff met with Council in closed session on October 7th to discuss options and obtain direction. Commissioner Perry asked if the City can sell a portion of the Selmer property. Mr. Carlberg said the City could as long as the piece purchased by the City for resale was not purchased with open space dollars. Once a property is purchased with open space money it must remain as open space. Commissioner Kovich confirmed the City will then own two parcels in the area. Mr. Carlberg stated that is correct. Commissioner Olson clarified the City would be purchasing 10 acres and noted the road cannot go through the proposed subdivision of the Ganter parcel. Mr. Carlberg said the road will go north to Ward Lake Drive in the future but that the location has not yet been determined. He said regarding the street going out to Hanson Boulevard, once the land is purchased as open space it is preserved, adding we may explore locating the road straight west but we may need to be Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes — October 8, 2014 Page 2 flexible in its location. Mr. Carlberg said we will legally describe the 10 acres on the south end of Selmer and purchase the land with a different funding source. If it in whole or in part is not needed to assist in the road alignment this land will be dedicated as open space and funds will be transferred accordingly. Commissioner Olson asked if the DNR will decide the road location. Mr. Carlberg said we will need to work with the watershed organization on the location but the first step is avoidance of wetlands so the road could likely be more north in its alignment but if it cannot be placed there it will be done at a wetland replacement of at a minimum of a 2:1 ratio. He said the goal is to keep the alignment as proposed. Commissioner Olson asked why we are considering sacrificing the Selmer land. Mr. Carlberg stated that the City Council wants to insure that a road gets built out to Hanson Boulevard so all of the traffic does not run down Wintergreen Street and we need to keep our options open. Commissioner Kovich inquired about the housing to the north. Mr. Carlberg said that there may need to be a transportation fee or assessment on a per lot basis to help pay for the road out to Hanson from this area. Commissioner Kovich said we will have future access from the east and south and will end up with some very nice land. Mr. Carlberg said that current access to the Kuiken property to the north of Selmer's is across the northwest corner of the Selmer property. He said staff has discussed selling a 50 foot x 50 foot piece of property on the northwest corner of Selmer's to continue to allow access to the Kuiken piece but that we in return will want a temporary road easement from Hanson Boulevard that will eventually go away when the public road is built on the south end of Selmer's. He said there needs to be access for service and maintenance of the Selmer property but not for public access. Commissioner Kovich asked about the latest sketch of the Ganter property stating we will need access through the proposed cul -de -sac. Mr. Carlberg showed the sketch of the area for potential trails and access. Commissioner Kovich asked how we will allow for street parking, adding we need something like a bump out. Mr. Carlberg said we will not promote street parking but will have a gravel -type parking lot off of the road going out to Hanson similar to what was recently done on the Aasness property. This will hopefully be done within two to three years. Commissioner Kovich said we should have had trail access to the Selmer property from Lot 1 of Country Oaks North development, adding all the houses have access but the public does not. Chairperson Sabel noted the road will end at the racetrack and access could be gained there. Commissioner Kovich said we need to allow access through this property from the road to 40 acres somewhere across, adding it would be a shame not to have access. Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes — October 8, 2014 Page 3 Chairperson Sabel inquired about any parks or playgrounds in the area. Mr. Carlberg said he is not sure yet as they are just at the beginning discussions of development in the area. He said land could be purchased using park dedication funds and park areas could then be developed. The Commission discussed the concept of developing one acre lots as a transition from urban to rural. Commissioner Olson said he does not support one acre lots. He stated the City has both urban and rural and a blurred line by Constance Boulevard. Mr. Carlberg thought it would be best if we could avoid a hard urban/rural line. Chairperson Sabel asked when the one -acre lots were approved. Mr. Carlberg said none have been approved since the 1990's when Timber River Estates and Nightingale Preserve were developed, adding the Met Council did not like the lots but said the overall density in these rural areas stayed at 2.5 acres. Commissioner Kovich confirmed Board consensus is to have access from the lower portion of the land. Chairperson Sabel said we should meet with the Park and Recreation Commission to discuss park dedication. Mr. Carlberg said once a sketch comes in on the Ganter piece and the Kuiken race track area staff will review with the Park and Recreation Commission and keep the Commission apprised. Commissioner Kovich said if we get the 15 acres Kuiken piece this would be nice transition for a park. Mr. Carlberg said staff will be working on the purchase agreement for both with the intent to close by November 21 st. NORTH WOODS PRESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW Mr. Carlberg said the Commission is being asked to review the North Woods Preserve Management Plan developed in 2011 and advise staff on changes the Commission deems necessary to update the plan. Staff also shared a draft revised plan to assist the Commission on possible updates to the plan. Mr. Carlberg said in November we will review the Martin's Meadows plan followed by the North Woods Preserve plan in December. He reviewed the Management Tasks Summary for North Woods Preserve. Mr. Carlberg said the Site Recommendations section has been updated to include a parking area valued at $15,000 but the actual out of pocket cost was only $2,500 as existing materials and in -house labor was used to construct the lot. He also reviewed access points off of the White Pine Wilderness development, trails, signage, and kiosks that will be installed yet this fall. He also reviewed the map, including Aasness, and showed the parking area and trails. He said they intend to use a brush cutter at the end of October to create trails, which should provide access to this beautiful area. Commissioner Van Hecke said the trail that cut the wetland has stopped due to high water and asked if that trail is necessary as it looks funny Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes — October 8, 2014 Page 4 splitting the wetland. Mr. Carlberg said when the area is dry we will be able to mow through it and provide a looped trail access across the wetland on the piece purchased from Larry Emmerich. Mr. Carlberg said the main change to the North Woods Preserve plan is including the Aasness property. Commissioner Kovich said the prairie would be better than hayfield as it would be very unique, adding burning will not hurt the area. Commissioner Van Hecke said if the moss is native it will be fine. Chairperson Sabel agreed the area is pretty stable and will not need to be burned. Commissioner Kovich agreed. Commissioner Van Hecke said the reason for the burn is to control the oaks that will overtake the area. Mr. Carlberg said we can leave the area until encroachment into the prairie area starts to occur. Chairperson Sabel noted that preserving does not mean having to enhance the site. Mr. Carlberg said we could take some area and do plantings for pollinators if the Commission so desired. Commissioner Kovich said the consensus is that we appreciate what is there and should wait on any burn. OTHER BUSINESS a. Next Meeting: November 12, 2014 Mr. Carlberg said the meeting agenda will include reviewing the 2011 open space management plan and making comments. He noted that Martin's Meadows will be the first plan reviewed. He will also be asking that a representative from Great River Greening attend the meeting. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Kovich, Second by Commissioner Van Heck, to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 p.m. Motion passed 6 -0. Respectfully submitted, David Carlberg Community Development Director Drafted by: Cathy Sorensen, Recording Secretary