04-22-2019 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Big Island Nature Park Management Plan November 2011 ____________________________________________________________________________ 7 interim and reaching an acceptable outcome for future use of the property. During 2004 and into 2005, the City put substantial effort into discussions with existing and potential stakeholders, and concluded that permanent public ownership of the property was of paramount importance. A financial package was put together to meet the $5.85 million price tag of the Camp, including $1.4 million in available City park funds (of which $1 million was a from a generous donation by Orono resident William Lurton), $1.6 million in Orono HRA Public Project Revenue Bonds, and a $2 million grant from the State of Minnesota. In early 2005 the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District agreed to partner with the City by contributing the remaining $850,000 in exchange for a Conservation Easement over the entire 56-acre property to preserve its open space and natural character, with 45 acres to remain undeveloped, and allowing the remaining 11 acres to be developed in a limited manner for generally passive recreational and educational uses. Purchase of the property was completed in January 2006. Role of Big Island Nature Park in Orono Municipal Park System The City of Orono municipal park system includes a variety of park, recreation, open space and trail facilities totaling approximately 260 acres, in addition to those provided by regional and state government, the Orono School District, and private enterprise. Orono‘s Mini-parks are typically less than 2 acres in area, serving their immediate neighborhoods, and providing for informal recreation, play and relaxation. Neighborhood parks and Community playfields are somewhat larger, 2-15 acres in area, and include a higher level of facilities for informal as well as organized recreation. Special Use areas are typically devoted to a single dedicated use, such as the Orono Golf Course. Orono‘s trail system provides pedestrian and bicycle connections between other recreational facilities. Finally, Orono‘s Nature & Conservation areas provide opportunities for passive recreational uses such as nature observation, walking and hiking, and environmental education. Big Island Nature Park at 56 acres is the largest of Orono‘s City-owned Nature and Conservation areas, which in total comprise approximately 170 acres throughout the City. Big Island Nature Park is uniquely situated to provide for passive recreation activities related to woods, lakes, and wetlands, and is large enough to accommodate a variety of users without them ‗bumping into each other‘. The relative inaccessibility of the Park due to its location on an island surrounded by water presents challenges to development and maintenance of the property as well as in the provision of services to Park visitors. At the same time, the location of the park within the largest and most extensively visited recreational lake in the Twin Cities metro area makes it highly attractive to boaters. Primary amenities of the Park include public docking facilities, hiking trails, a swimming beach, and areas suitable for picnicking. Regional Role Big Island Nature Park has the potential to play a significant role in Twin Cities regional recreation, being situated within Lake Minnetonka and readily accessible to boaters originating from any of the fourteen municipalities and the many public access points surrounding the Lake. Because most of the approximately 130 miles of Lake Minnetonka shoreline is privately