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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br />Tuesday, March 13, 2018 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 3 of 8 <br /> <br />Carters stated to his knowledge the 501(3)(c) has not been formed yet and that they were waiting for the <br />master plan to be created. <br /> <br />Edwards noted he has met with representatives at the Watershed District and that this is the first public <br />forum on the plan. If the Park Commission is okay with the plan, it will then go to the Watershed <br />District, followed by the City Council. If the City Council approves the plan, Bolton and Menk will be <br />given the go-ahead to prepare the grant documents. <br /> <br />Carter asked whether the Park Commission can endorse the plan tonight without a quorum. <br /> <br />Edwards indicated they can provide a consensus and that typically the Park Commission is a <br />recommending body. <br /> <br />James Wisker, Administrator with the Minnehaha Watershed Conservation District, noted the MWCD <br />owned a 56-acre easement over the entire park, with approximately 45 acres covering natural areas and 11 <br />acres covering active recreation area. Wisker noted within the last year there have been some violations <br />of the easement in regards to vegetation management and vegetation removal and the District has been <br />working on corrective actions with Staff. Wisker stated given that recent history, the MWCD Board has <br />asked staff to be as active as possible with the various groups to ensure any work is in line with those <br />goals. <br /> <br />Wisker stated a full board meeting of the MWCD will be in April. Wisker asked whether there is a Big <br />Island meeting or whether the steering committee will be handling it all. <br /> <br />Edwards stated right now the process is to bring the plan to the Park Commission, then the MWCD, and <br />finally the City Council. Edwards stated Staff is looking at the broader Big Island committee as a second <br />opportunity to have a public forum and that the meeting with the steering committee this Friday is aimed <br />at a volunteer effort for the visitor center. <br /> <br />Laura Donanchi, MWCD, stated the MWCD Board will be providing direction to Staff and the City on <br />the plan as they go through the process. Donanchi noted the switchback trail from the dock is a new trail <br />and not an existing trail and is something that was contemplated by both the easement and trail map. The <br />easement and management plan both look at ADA accessibility as a priority and identifies areas within <br />the park that are suitable for that access as well as which trails are appropriate to convert for that <br />accessibility. The recreation areas within the conservation area are outlined by white dotted lines and <br />those are areas that are allowed by the plan. The picnic plan would need to be approved by the Board <br />since it is within the natural area. <br /> <br />As it relates to the restroom facility, since there has been vandalism to restroom areas in the past, the <br />MWCD would just like to emphasize that that is a possibility and that the City will need to maintain those <br />facilities in the future. Another factor to keep in mind is the difficulty in getting equipment out to Big <br />Island. <br /> <br />Donanchi stated the MWCD is very interested in being involved in the process and in providing oversight <br />as some of the improvements are implemented and permit approval is sought. Donanchi requested the <br />City add back into the plan the labeling of the existing concrete pads, the eagle nesting sites and the buffer <br />areas around those sites. Donanchi stated there are two known eagles’ nests on the Island, with one being <br />currently active, and that the MWCD would request those be put back on the plan.