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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.12.14 meeting packetAIVM 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 November 12, 2014 Andover City Hall Conference Room A &B 7:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order 2. Resident Forum 3. Approval of Minutes: October 8, 2014 Regular Meeting 4. Review Martin's Meadows Management Plan Update a. Special Guest — Todd Rexine, Director of Operations of Great River Greening 5. Open Space Acquisition Update 6. Develop Programming for Open Space Properties 7. Discuss Need for Joint Meeting with Park and Recreation Commission 8. Other Business a. Next meeting: December 10, 2014 9. Adjournment wt•A LNDOVE 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W.. ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755 -5100 FAX (763) 755 -8923 • WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US TO: Andover Open Space Advisory Commission FROM: David L. Carlberg, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Approval of Minutes — October 8, 2014 DATE: November 12, 2014 INTRODUCTION The Open Space Advisory Commission is asked to review and approve the minutes from the October 8, 2014 regular meeting. DISCUSSION Please share any changes to the minutes at the meeting. ACTION REQUESTED A motion, second and vote are necessary to approve the minutes. Attachment October 8, 2014 meeting minutes Respectfully submitted, David L. Carlberg REGULAR ANDOVER OPEN SPA CE AD VISOR Y COMMISSION MEETING 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 FOR UM No one wished to address the Commission. APPROVAL OF MINUTES— 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 ACQ UISITION 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 161st Avenue NW. He shared that the closing will be November 21st 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 detennined. 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 Gaiter 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 PLANREVIEW 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 bum 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 bum. 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 9 C T Y O F 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. • ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755 -5100 FAX (763) 755 -8923 • WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US TO: Andover Open Space Advisory Commission FROM: David L. Carlberg, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Martin's Meadows Management Plan Review DATE: November 12, 2014 REQUEST The Commission is asked to review the attached Martin's Meadows Management Plan that was developed in 2011 and advise staff on changes the Commission deems necessary to update the plan. Staff has also prepared a draft revised plan to assist the Commission on possible updates to the plan. Respectfully submitted, NVA �- - - -Y 011MAE David L. Carlberg ss, .41 -- r F Martin's Meadows Management Plan Table of Contents Land Cover Types Map ....................................... ............................... 1 Land Cover Types Description ........................... ............................... 2 Management Tasks Summary ........................... ............................... 4 Site Recommendations Description .................. ............................... 5 VisitorsMap .......................................................... ............................... 9 TopographicMap ................................................. ............................... 10 PropertySurvey .................................................... ............................... 11 ¢ • tif- 40 5 Ile .ttl't • �t', • �y 9 4 R J. Fbodplsin Forest, Silver Maple Subtype nA Wet Meadow, R As `test De n Fo Shrub Subtype * �a p il lacic Ash Swamp %4 w wet Meadow, Oak T ��� Shrub Subtype ' Forest Oak Forest Dry Subtype Dry R r� Subtype 41 iF V �eA Y VA Oak Forest Dry SubtYP wt�li i Planted , A _ r orllaintairwd Grasses �' Martin's Meadows Management Plan Land Cover Types Description Aspen Forest This aspen forest is of recent origin and characterized by a nearly uniform stand of quaking aspen, with generally dense amounts of brush. Interestingly, the landowner notes that the area was historically a prairie hay meadow up until the last 30 or 40 years, after which it was no longer hayed and quickly grew up to brush and trees. As evidence, where there are still some gaps in tree and shrub cover there is a good representation of mesic prairie grasses and forbs including Indian grass, big bluestem, switch grass, bottle gentian, ironweed, Canada anemone, and others. Black Ash Swamp This small forest area has a canopy dominated by black and green ash. It lies along the bluff, south of the electrical line that traverses the north end of the site in an east -west fashion. This area has a spring /seep area at the base of the bluff that is reported to flow in most years, with exception to instances of severe drought. In the past several years there have been minor amounts of water being discharged from the seep, a reflection of the below average annual precipitation in 2008 and 2009 and perhaps an indication of recharge area and residence time of groundwater prior to discharge. Floodplain Forest, Silver Maple Subtype The floodplain forest and associated wetlands along the Rum River represent the best quality natural community on the northwest side of this site. Although there are some areas with moderately young trees, many of the silver maple canopy trees are over 15 -20 inches in diameter and in places form a cathedral -like canopy. The subcanopy and shrub layer include boxelder, silver maple where canopy gaps occur, as well as black ash, green ash, and elm in slightly higher elevations of the floodplain. The ground layer here is generally diverse for the community type and exhibits overall good quality with only minor amounts of nonnative species. Common native grasses encountered here include wood reed, prairie cordgrass, giant manna grass, white grass, and Virginia wildrye, as well as several species of sedges. Observed native forb species richness was very good and includes spotted touch -me -not, toothed sage, water pepper, veiny pea, blue flag iris, sneezeweed, ironweed, several species of aster, and others. Mixed Hardwood Swamp This area of Grow Oak View Park and the adjacent residential properties is a shallow wetland that is densely populated by a canopy of paper birches, tamaracks, red maples, and black ash trees. The understory plants include a combination of grasses sedges and shrubs also found in the adjacent wet meadow. Martin's Meadows Management Plan Non - native Grassland Areas of non - native grassland are located in the southeasterly portion of the site which was cleared for farming many years ago as well as along the transmission line corridors and in Grow Oak View Park. Several groups of aspen trees are located along northerly and easterly side of this area bordered by oak forest. Oak Forest, Dry Subtype These two oak - dominated community types occur on somewhat rolling upland areas at this site and are characterized by having relatively closed to fully closed canopies. In oak woodland areas larger bur and pin oak trees are scattered, or occur in groups. These older trees have moderately dense to very dense growth of younger trees and shrubs. Common among these second growth woody species are black cherry, quaking aspen, eastern red cedar, pin oak and to a lesser extent bur oak, green ash, basswood, and white birch, in decreasing order. The shrub layer is moderately thick to very thick with the most common shrub species including common elder and to a lesser extent species that are tolerant of grazing (thorny, e.g. prickly ash, raspberry and gooseberry), spread by runners and are vigorous resprouters (e.g. chokecherry), are unpalatable to most cattle (eastern red cedar), and/or demonstrate the ability to colonize sites following moderate to severe disturbance. Sedge Meadow Sedges and grasses dominate the south end of the large wetland where the ground remains saturated throughout the year and restricts the growth of trees. Wet Meadow The floodplain wet meadow is nice quality with several species of sedges, giant manna grass, white grass, wool grass and common sweet flag.; Wet Meadow, Shrub Subtype The larger wet meadow is dominated by lakebank sedge, tussock sedge, water dock, marsh fem, spotted joe -pye weed, sensitive fern, arrowleaf tearthumb, water hemlock and many others characteristic for wet meadows. Past attempts to drain the south wet meadow through ditching appear to still be affecting the hydrology and plant community composition of this wetland. This is evidenced in part by the large amount of red raspberry in some areas as well as some other shrubs that appear to be on the increase. M6O VE 2 Q � ( Martin's Meadows Management Plan Y t ND Management Tasks Summary Task Description Time Frame Approximate cost Site Access/Trails 1. Clear path through shrubs to facilitate entrance Winter 2010 -11 $250 2. Maintain existing trails On -going $1,000 3. Boardwalk access future Option a. Six foot wide by 485 feet on helical piers with handrail $160,000 Option b. Six foot wide by 550 feet with steel frame on poles with mud feet $50,000 c. Develop new trails future $3,000 Signage 1. Maintain signage and add signs as needed On -going $500 Manage invasive species 1. Clear buckthorn, prickly ash, and honeysuckle from wooded areas Fall 2011 $5,000 2. Continued removal of invasive shrubs Every 5 years $2,500 3. Manage reed canary grass within floodplain Future $5,000 4. Manage reed canary grass and purple loosestrife within wetland Future $3,000 Manage Native Species 1. Establish prairie within grassland. Remove invasive species (red cedar) Future $20,000 2. Manage wooded areas Future $5,000 Erosion control 1. Prevent erosion of soils On -going $500 Martin's Meadows Management Plan Site Recommendations Description Access The highest priority for this site is making it accessible to the public. At present, the best access is from the Rum River. Over land, the only access to the property is from the cul -de- sac at the end of Navajo Street NW. There is a relatively steep slope leading into the site that descends approximately twenty feet into a wetland. A direct route across the wetland is approximately 520 feet. There is a dense cover of understory vegetation and saturated soils in this area, which makes navigation by foot challenging. In the Winter of 2010 -11 a route through the wetland will be created by thinning the vegetation through higher areas of the wetland. In the short term, this route will provide access via land to the site. Light trimming of vegetation will be needed periodically to maintain the access. The success of this method of access will be evaluated as the general public makes more use of the site to determine if it can continue to provide sufficient access to the site. Should this natural trail access become problematic due to intermittent areas of surface water or saturated soils, a second option is to construct sections of boardwalk to bridge any gaps. If it is determined that the natural trail access and boardwalk sections will not provide sufficient access a more extensive boardwalk will need to be constructed through the wetland. Two options for a continuous boardwalk through the wetland have been identified. The first option is a permanent structure that would be constructed with wood sections secured to a steel frame that would be mounted on helical piers that would be anchored into the ground. This method of construction would require a permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Trails A second option is to construct a six foot wide boardwalk with wood sections set into a steel frame that would be supported by steel posts with wide mud feet that would sit on the surface of the ground. Based on the city's experience with a similar structure in Kelsey Round Lake Park, adjustment to the boardwalk would be necessary in the first few years as the supports settle into the ground. A series of natural trails within the site were created and maintained by the Luedtke family over many years. The highest priority is to continue to maintain these trails to provide a variety of routes through the site and to keep foot traffic from having a negative effect on the plant communities. Maintenance of these trails will involve occasional mowing and trimming of brush and tree branches. The trail routes will be evaluated periodically to determine if additional trail connections through the site are desirable. 5 Martin's Meadows Management Plan Signage Entrance and boundary signage installation began in the Fall of 2010 and will be completed in the Spring of 2011 as weather permits. An entrance sign is located at the end of the Navajo Street NW cul -de -sac as well as along the river at a point where the site is accessible by watercraft. The entrance sign summarize the regulations established for open space properties by City Code 8 -4. Boundary signage was installed along the perimeter of the property at locations where they would be visible to visitors. Trimming of vegetation around the signs will be necessary to ensure that they remain visible. The signs will be evaluated periodically to ensure they remain in good condition as well as to determine if the use of the site requires additional signs to be installed. One potential issue is at the southern boundary of the site along the access road that continues onto the Luedtke property to the south. Boundary signs have been placed on either side of the road at the property line to clearly delineate the property boundary. This area will be monitored to ensure that visitors respect the property boundary. In the event that this becomes an issue, a gate may need to be constructed at this location. Additionally, snowmobile traffic from the river and transmission line corridors has been an issue in the past and continued to be an issue in the winter of 2010 -11. Snowmobiles traversing the slopes of the site can disturb the ground cover and leave areas of bare ground susceptible to erosion. No motorized vehicle signs will be provided at these entrance points and additional measures such as temporary snow fence will be considered where necessary. Management of Invasive Species The highest priority is to remove invasive species from the wooded areas of the site to allow the native plant communities to continue to prosper. Areas of Buckthorn, Prickly Ash and Honeysuckle have been identified and several approaches for removal have been discussed. The first option is to utilize in house staff and volunteers to periodically remove areas of invasive species. If events can be scheduled on an ongoing basis, this will be a cost effective way to control the invasive species on the site. Should these efforts not prevent expansion of invasive species, the city will need to consider contracting a professional service to remove invasive species based on available funds. A second priority is to manage Reed Canary Grass within the floodplain along the river. While total eradication may be very difficult, the goal is to prevent these grasses from hindering the natural growth of the floodplain forest species, which includes trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses. A third priority is to mange reed canary grasses and purple loosestrife within the wetland along the western boundary of the site. Due to the dense vegetation within the wetland and the overall difficulty of controlling these species, eradication will be a great challenge. The goal is to reduce the amount of invasive species to allow native wetland plant species to continue to be successful. 0 Martin's Meadows Management Plan Management of Native Species The overall site has a solid foundation of indigenous plant material and maintaining its integrity is the most important goal. This will primarily be attained by the activities mentioned above. If funding or other resources can be identified, there are areas that can actually be enhanced. In general, this means a combination of management of unwanted species and introduction of native plant material. If successful, benefits include but are not limited to improved aesthetics, improved wildlife habitat, improved diversity and greater long -term sustainability. All of the different plant communities, including the prairie, woodland and floodplain have an opportunities for enhancement. The design and implementation of enhancement projects will be based on available resources. Prairie The prairie area is contains a significant amount of Eastern Red Cedar trees. Despite being a native tree, it is not a preferred species in a native prairie. In addition, there are several non- native grass and flower species that make up the prairie. Thus, a large scale cedar removal and eradication of the invasive grasses and flowers should be considered. Management activities that should be considered include prescribed burning, mowing, weeding and spot spraying. These all fall under a category of management termed Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Overseeding the site with a pre - determined mix of native grasses and flowers would also greatly benefit the site. Prairie restoration is a long -term commitment. In order to get the prairie to be fully functional and self sustaining, it could be a 5 to 7 year process. Once it's started, it's very important to continue, as stopping efforts could cause a major setback and end up being more costly in the long run. A full- fledged effort for this site could cost between $7,000 to $15,000. Project staff will do a thorough site analysis in the Spring of 2011 to evaluate the potential for prairie restoration. It can then be determined if restoration is feasible given the budget situation. A low- budget, short-term management plan for the prairie that should be strongly considered is the cedar removal and a prescribed burn. Both of these activities could be done inexpensively, but still give the prairie a significant boost. Removing the Cedars could be done by City staff or contracted out. In either case, the Cedar could be utilized, which would keep the price down. In addition, the trees are small and easy to remove. This could be done at any time. A prescribed burn would most likely be contracted out. It would knock back the unwanted vegetation and give the natives (warm season grasses) an advantage. The best time to perform this is in late April or early May. The highest priority is to establish native prairie within the non - native grassland areas of the site. 7 Martin's Meadows Management Plan Wooded Areas Along with controlling invasive buckthorn and other species, some planting of native trees and shrubs can be accomplished in select areas. An analysis will be performed by project staff to determine areas that are short or lacking of quality, native material. These areas would then be prospects for planting projects. Volunteers could be recruited by staff, and bare root stock could be purchased at a discount rate. This can be an inexpensive way to immediately improve a woodland area. Floodplain Areas Due to access challenges, the complex nature of such projects and varying conditions of these areas, improvements to the floodplain areas are the lowest priority for management. This isn't to say things can't be done, but enhancing the other areas would most likely take precedent. With adequate resources, many types of projects could be done. A few examples include, tree and shrub planting projects and bank stabilization projects involving biologs and native seed blankets. Erosion Control An ongoing concern will be the potential for erosion and its effect on the river and the site as a whole. This is a secondary concern, however, as the site is well vegetated and currently does not have any major issues with respect to this. n River Overlook Bluff Overlook IL ,I I i N _ v;- .r , . f s I i � ,- 9 i- Ir trt's ?'F..-S Certificate of Survey r r City of Andover D_u.nan..... aD...n .. d,....wr+.D.ro i 1t o WGVND '� Nakano Andamn Assoc., Inc. cmnr>rwtE FOR of am�v �`r�..'�.r...`ur'a.^�.. -. - ,m pw.�• .ie w w.m�. PMM4 ONV11 Opt NkM 6EttLi 1 = _ ne��e.r r.M rw.i. a® Gonrnrw�t.4f 1. S.D. T. TR Rn4 24 Cry a/ MdwK � 1 QI[ ID Ya bl0f Oa_ wwa. ,uwD� •nvnas r C I T Y O F pRA NDOVE Martin's Meadows Open Space Management Plan CITY OF ANDOVER 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD NW ANDOVER, MINNESOTA, 55304 (763) 755 -5100 MAIN (763) 755 -8923 FAx WW W.ANDOVERMN.GOV OTable of Contents Land Cover Types Map ...................................................................... 1 Land Cover Types Description .......................................................... 2 Management Tasks Summary .......................................................... 4 Site Recommendations Description ................................................. 5 VisitorsMap ......................................................................................... 9 TopographicMap ................................................................................ 10 PropertySurvey ................................................................................... 11 �i C • xiq �� _ Floodplain Forest, Silver Maple Subtype attire `` Wet lileaddw y k "" W � et Meadow, �'e ' fs<s Aspen Forest Shrub Subtype .° 4 . warrrF9. fad`` x Black Ash Swamp 'y0Q.40VeGAI_4 y� F A .+w Wet Meadow, Oak s ; Shrub Subtype Forest ° • 0 Oak Forest, Dry Subtype Dry Subtype �5 F, Oak Forest, Dry Subtyp z f " o with Planted _ or Maintained Grasses D pFMartin's Meadows Management Plan R Land Cover Types Description Aspen Forest This aspen forest is of recent origin and characterized by a nearly uniform stand of quaking aspen, with generally dense amounts of brush. Interestingly, the landowner notes that the area was historically a prairie hay meadow up until the last 30 or 40 years, after which it was no longer hayed and quickly grew up to brush and trees. As evidence, where there are still some gaps in tree and shrub cover there is a good representation of mesic prairie grasses and forbs including Indian grass, big bluestem, switch grass, bottle gentian, ironweed, Canada anemone, and others. Black Ash Swamp This small forest area has a canopy dominated by black and green ash. It lies along the bluff, south of the electrical line that traverses the north end of the site in an east -west fashion. This area has a spring/seep area at the base of the bluff that is reported to flow in most years, with exception to instances of severe drought. In the past several years there have been minor amounts of water being discharged from the seep, a reflection of the below average annual precipitation in 2008 and 2009 and perhaps an indication of recharge area and residence time of groundwater prior to discharge. Floodplain Forest, Silver Maple Subtype The floodplain forest and associated wetlands along the Rum River represent the best quality natural community on the northwest side of this site. Although there are some areas with moderately young trees, many of the silver maple canopy trees are over 15 -20 inches in diameter and in places form a cathedral -like canopy. The subcanopy and shrub layer include boxelder, silver maple where canopy gaps occur, as well as black ash, green ash, basswood and elm in slightly higher elevations of the floodplain. The ground layer here is generally diverse for the community type and exhibits overall good quality with only minor amounts of nonnative species. Common native grasses encountered here include wood reed, prairie cordgrass, giant manna grass, white grass, and Virginia wildrye, as well as several species of sedges. Observed native forb species richness was very good and includes spotted touch -me- not, toothed sage, water pepper, veiny pea, blue flag iris, sneezeweed, ironweed, several species of aster, and others. Mixed Hardwood Swamp This area of Grow Oak View Park and the adjacent residential properties is a shallow wetland that is densely populated by a canopy of paper birch, tamarack, red maple, American elm and black ash trees. The understory plants include a combination of grasses sedges and shrubs also found in the adjacent wet meadow. 2 DRAFTMartin's Meadows Management Plan Non - native Grassland Areas of non - native grassland are located in the southeasterly portion of the site which was cleared for farming many years ago as well as along the transmission line corridors and in Grow Oak View Park. Several groups cedar trees are located along northerly and easterly side of this area bordered by oak forest. Oak Forest, Dry Subtype These two oak - dominated community types occur on somewhat rolling upland areas at this site and are characterized by having relatively closed to fully closed canopies. In oak woodland areas larger bur and pin oak trees are scattered, or occur in groups. These older trees have moderately dense to very dense growth of younger trees and shrubs. Other species found include black cherry, hackberry, basswood and paper birch. The shrub layer is moderately thick to very thick with the most common shrub species including common elder and to a lesser extent species that are tolerant of grazing (thorny, e.g. prickly ash, raspberry and gooseberry), spread by runners and are vigorous resprouters (e.g. chokecherry), are unpalatable to most cattle (eastern red cedar), and /or demonstrate the ability to colonize sites following moderate to severe disturbance. Sedge Meadow Sedges and grasses dominate the south end of the large wetland where the ground remains saturated throughout the year and restricts the growth of trees. Wet Meadow The floodplain wet meadow is nice quality with several species of sedges, giant manna grass, white grass, wool grass and common sweet flag. Wet Meadow, Shrub Subtype The larger wet meadow is dominated by lakebank sedge, tussock sedge, water dock, marsh fern, spotted joe -pye weed, sensitive fern, arrowleaf tearthumb, water hemlock and many others characteristic for wet meadows. Past attempts to drain the south wet meadow through ditching appear to still be affecting the hydrology and plant community composition of this wetland. This is evidenced in part by the large amount of red raspberry in some areas as well as some other shrubs that appear to be on the increase. DRAFT q Martin's Meadows Management Plan 1VDOVE Z O I Management Tasks Summary Location Task Description Timeframe Cost Prairie areas Prescribed burn Burn off the prairies to Spring 2015 $2,000 knock back weeds, encourage native vegetation and prepare seed bank Prairie areas Plant (orbs Broadcast seed forbs Spring 2014 (completed) $300 Prairie areas Prep for Prepare good seed beds Spring 2015 -fall 2015 $10,000 seeding/seeding seeding/seeding after burn and seed Woodland areas Thin stand Hire a logger to come in Winter 2014 -2015 $10,000 and remove the marked trees (by project staff) to improve health of stand and allow for more diverse, native plantings to occur; logger will utilize the timber Woodland areas Tree plantings Purchase and plant a Fall 2015, spring 2016 $10,000 variety of native trees; utilize volunteer groups to erform the plantings Floodplain Manage invasives such Try and limit the invasives Spring 2015 -fall 2015 $10,000 as reed canary grass from taking over area by strategically spraying them accordingly Mixed hardwood swamp Buckthorn control Continue efforts with On -going $5,000 buckthorn control by cutting and chemical applications Sedge meadow Boardwalk Construct a boardwalk $100,000 across sedge meadow to improve access and allow for maximum enjoyment and use of open space; City would apply for grant if we choose to do this Entire open space Signage Maintain signage and add On -going $500 signs as needed Entire open space Trail maintenance Maintain trail system for On -going $1,000 users NOMartin's Meadows Management Plan Site Recommendations Description Access The primary overland access to the site is from the cul -de- sac at the end of Navajo Street NW. The site can also be accessed from the Rum River. Entering the site off of Navajo Street NW, there is a relatively steep slope leading into the site that descends approximately twenty feet into a wetland. In 2012 -13, the City re- graded the slope to provide a switch back to provide easier public access. A split rail fence was also added to define the access trail and to provide to the general public a safer traveled route. A direct route across the wetland is approximately 520 feet. There is a dense cover of understory vegetation and saturated soils in this area, which makes navigation by foot challenging. In the winter of 2010 -11 a route through the wetland was created by thinning the vegetation through higher areas of the wetland. In the short term, this route will provide access to the site. Light trimming of vegetation will be needed periodically to maintain the access. The success of this method of access will be evaluated as the general public makes more use of the site to determine if it can continue to provide sufficient access to the site. Should this natural trail access become problematic due to intermittent areas of surface water or saturated soils, a second option is to construct sections of boardwalk to bridge any gaps. The City will apply for grant money if the boardwalk idea is pursued. The applicable permits thru the DNR and the LRRWMO will be pulled prior to any activity occurring. Trails A series of natural trails within the site were created and maintained by the Luedtke family over many years. The highest priority is to continue to maintain these trails to provide a variety of routes through the site and to keep foot traffic from having a negative effect on the plant communities. Maintenance of these trails will involve occasional mowing and trimming of brush and tree branches. The trail routes will be evaluated periodically to determine if additional trail connections through the site are desirable. Signage Entrance and boundary signage installation began in the fall of 2010 and was completed in the spring of 2011. An entrance sign is located at the end of the Navajo Street NW cul -de -sac as well as along the Rum River at a point where the site is accessible by watercraft. The entrance sign summarizes the regulations established for open space properties by City Code 8 -4. Boundary signage was installed along the perimeter of the property at locations where they would be visible to visitors. Trimming of vegetation around the signs will be necessary to ensure that they remain visible. The signs will be evaluated periodically to ensure they remain in good condition as well as to determine if the use of the site requires additional signs to be installed. One potential issue is at the southern boundary of the site along the access road that continues onto the Luedtke 5 RNO Martin's Meadows Management Plan property to the south. Boundary signs have been placed on either side of the road at the property line to clearly delineate the property boundary. Agate has also been installed at this location. Additionally, snowmobile traffic from the river and transmission line corridors has been an issue in the past and continued to be an issue. Snowmobiles traversing the slopes of the site have disturbed the ground cover and left areas of bare ground susceptible to erosion of the scenic overlook. No motorized vehicle signs were provided at these entrance points. In the summer and fall of 2012, native shrubs were planted by City staff and an Eagle Scout group to help stabilize the slope, deter snowmobiles and provide additional wildlife habitat. Finally, in 2013 -14 additional measures were taken on the slope's west side with the boarding or terracing and snow fence installation. An informational kiosk is being planned to be installed at the entrance to the site off of Navajo Street NW as a part of an Eagle Scout project. The planned three sided structure will be equipped with site trail maps, birding information and other resources in an effort to enhance the visitor's experience of the site. The project will be completed in 2014 -15. Management of Invasive Species The highest priority is to remove invasive species from the wooded areas of the site to allow the native plant communities to continue to prosper. Areas of Buckthorn and Honeysuckle have been identified and several approaches for removal have been discussed. Over the past couple years, City staff has done buckthorn management in the heavily infested mixed hardwood swamp area. Plants were cut and chipped up with a wood chipper as needed (fall 2012). Other seedless plants were left in the woods. hi addition, grant funds were used to contract for the spraying of plants by Great River Greening staff. A second priority is to manage Reed Canary Grass within the floodplain along the river. While total eradication may be very difficult, the goal is to prevent these grasses from hindering the natural growth of the floodplain forest species, which includes trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses. A third priority is to mange reed canary grasses and purple loosestrife within the wetland along the western boundary of the site. Due to the dense vegetation within the wetland and the overall difficulty of controlling these species, eradication will be a great challenge. The goal is to reduce the amount of invasive species to allow native wetland plant species to continue to be successful. Management of Native Species The overall site has a solid foundation of indigenous plant material and maintaining its integrity is the most important goal. This will primarily be attained by the activities mentioned above. If funding or other resources can be identified, there are areas that can actually be enhanced. In general, this means a combination of management of unwanted species and introduction of native plant material. If successful, benefits include but are not 0 V Martin's Meadows Management Plan limited to improved aesthetics, improved wildlife habitat, improved diversity and greater long -term sustainability. All of the different plant communities, including the prairie, woodland and floodplain have opportunities for enhancement. The design and implementation of enhancement projects will be based on available resources. Prairie The prairie area contained a significant amount of Eastern Red Cedar trees. Despite being a native tree, it is not a preferred species in a native prairie. In addition, there are several non- native grass and flower species that make up the prairie. Thus, a large scale cedar removal occurred in December 2013. Prairie restoration is a long -term commitment. In order to get the prairie to be fully functional and self sustaining, it could be a 5 to 7 year process. Once it's started, it's very important to continue, as stopping efforts could cause a major setback and end up being more costly in the long run. Management activities that should be considered include prescribed burning, mowing, weeding and spot spraying. These all fall under a category of management termed Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Over - seeding the site with a pre - determined mix of native grasses and flowers would also greatly benefit the site. A prescribed burn would most likely be contracted out. It would knock back the unwanted vegetation and give the natives (warm season grasses) an advantage. The best time to perform this is in late April or early May. The highest priority is to establish native prairie within the non - native grassland areas of the site. Emphasis will be placed on maximizing plants that benefit pollinators such as bees; birds, etc. Wooded Areas The wooded areas are in pretty good shape overall. Under the latest grant received, these areas could benefit from Timber Stand Improvement (TSI), involving the thinning of the stand and the incorporation of more native trees and shrubs. This will involve involving a logger to remove the marked trees and utilizing the product. This will diversify the forest and prevent insects and diseases from having a big impact on its health. Volunteers could be recruited by staff, and bare root stock could be purchased at a discount rate. This can be an inexpensive way to immediately improve a woodland area. Oak wilt is present in this area and poses no serious threat to the stand. Staff will continue to monitor the areas for this and other insect and disease problems and take necessary management steps where needed. Floodplain Areas Due to access challenges, the complex nature of such projects and varying conditions of these areas, improvements to the floodplain areas are the lowest priority for management. This isn't to say things can't be done, but enhancing the other areas would most likely take precedent. With adequate resources, many types of projects could be done. A few examples 7 R gl Martin's Meadows Management Plan include tree and shrub planting projects and bank stabilization projects involving biologs and native seed blankets. Erosion Control An ongoing concern will be the potential for erosion and its effect on the river and the site as a whole. This is a secondary concern, however, as the site is well vegetated and currently does not have any major issues with respect to this. Big Rivers Grant and Current Management Goals With the latest grant the City received under the Metro Big Rivers Phase 4 grant program, staff is currently working with its partner, Great River Greening (GRG), to prioritize management activities and utilize the $117,000 it received. The City has until June 30, 2016 to improve the different parts of Martin's Meadows under this grant. More details of proposed activities are ensuing as discussions between the City and GRG occur. Rry O.micre I 4L 5 0 m o° yx dli. s x � ' u s: 5 ... � oyglj �9ounp•7 - r yx dli. s x � ' d V. A P i -1 W t r. r aa`t�` rev ° ia$ if �Y 4 Certificate of Survey City of Andover V/JM. WPY WI( \EW ESiRTES.MOb LantJ. Nnwol.. /.IID �,en1 W 1. 9Ma, 1. TPmeNp Yf. RY} N. Mi. f 11. NimEW. Mew a M nr w.m M1N u,..a. IglE6: I. In Pa^q.V M uwl m Hlmq M mwi WIYen. umgb IemYan q /N WI ..Mmc...m. bqM wMnv pNN..mmbpYx pMC O,,,le� mnMpm M Hla. ]. 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ASS .Ms.INC. 11V180 , LEGEND �tl +m a Im Fm .I. aatlxn im]o. 0 em nw.mw 1m m mmb b I,a ,seeel E nR �R Hd. Umll C.. Fm NTnra =H �gR Hakanson Anderson Assoc. Inc. I CERTIFICATE OF SURVEY 1 vmlHr nameN ead sm.. sHm�.. �� ,� Ear I� cw EVM.m mw s . sW »y PARK, GROW OAK VIEW ESTATES FOR M lo.. a M blM q rw.WNle. gqp sm+ Tlµem Aw..00N, Nnwa4 sym GovernmenS �o,C 1. See. 7. T32, ftng. 24 CRy of Andover ! _ WmR W ]6J- J21 -9tlb9 FAY. ]i3 -42'I -0529 SM yj(j1(yp ,k. 1b.., 1M20_ ORO rl. ww/u.ix.um w,f OW22/10 ILL!L /.0105 SYEiS ® M10 INVANSCH M Rw. ASS .Ms.INC. 11V180 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. • ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755 -5100 FAX (763) 755 -8923 • WWW.CI.AN DOVE R.MN.US TO: Andover Open Space Advisory Commission FROM: David L. Carlberg, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Open Space Acquisition of Property Update DATE: November 12, 2014 INTRODUCTION Staff has continued to work with property owners to pursue acquisition of open space property east of Hanson Boulevard NW and north of 16151 Avenue NW. DISCUSSION An update will be provided at the meeting. ACTION REQUESTED A discussion will be held at the meeting. Respectfully submitted, David L. Carlberg C I T Y O F ND OWE 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. • ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755 -5100 FAX (763) 755 -8923 • WWW.CI.AN DOVE R.MN.US TO: Andover Open Space Advisory Commission FROM: David L. Carlberg, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Develop Programming for Open Space Properties DATE: November 12, 2014 REQUEST Chairperson Sabel has requested the Commission discuss programming ideas for the open space properties. Attached is a flyer soliciting interest from residents in developing programming that was prepared by Chair Sabel for Commission review and discussion. Respectfully submitted, David L. Carlberg Interested in helping to develop programs to help people explore Andover's Open Spaces? In 2006, the residents of Andover passed a levy to establish a $2 million dollar fund to purchase land specifically to set aside as open space. The Open Space Commission was formed to evaluate opportunities to preserve open space and make recommendations to the city Council. As of October 2014, these funds have been used to purchase three parcels of land; a fourth parcel is under purchase agreement with a planned November closing. These lands will be maintained in their natural state; trails and small parking areas will open them for public access. The Open Space Advisory Commission is exploring options and partnerships that will help us develop programs that will get the public out into these Open Spaces. If you are interested in being part of this effort, please contact: Gretchen Sabel, Chair Andover Open Space Commission gpsabel @vahoo.com The two Open Space areas that are open to the public today are Martin's Meadows (40 acres along the Rum River) and North Woods Preserve (40 acres connecting Hanson Blvd. and 16155 Ave). For more information, visit : http: / /www.andovermn.gov /353 /Open- Space - Preservation Interested in helping to develop programs to help people explore Andover's Open Spaces? In 2006, the residents of Andover passed a levy to establish a $2 million dollar fund to purchase land specifically to set aside as open space. The Open Space Commission was formed to evaluate opportunities to preserve open space and make recommendations to the city Council. As of October 2014, these funds have been used to purchase three parcels of land; a fourth parcel is under purchase agreement with a planned November closing. These lands will be maintained in their natural state; trails and small parking areas will open them for public access. The Open Space Advisory Commission is exploring options and partnerships that will help us develop programs that will get the public out into these Open Spaces. If you are interested in being part of this effort, please contact: Gretchen Sabel, Chair Andover Open Space Commission gpsabel @yahoo.com The two Open Space areas that are open to the public today are Martin's Meadows (40 acres along the Rum River) and North Woods Preserve (40 acres connecting Hanson Blvd. and 16155 Ave). For more information, visit : http: / /www.andovermn.gov /353 /Open- Space- Preservation k C I T Y O F NDOWE 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. • ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755 -5100 FAX (763) 755 -8923 • WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US TO: Andover Open Space Advisory Commission FROM: David L. Carlberg, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Discuss Need for Joint Meeting with Park and Recreation Commission DATE: November 12, 2014 REQUEST Chairperson Sabel has requested the Commission discuss whether the Commission should meet jointly with the Park and Recreation Commission to discuss open space and park improvement /programming ideas in the areas of the open space properties. Respectfully submitted, 4�4 X . (109, David L. Carlberg