02-08-1988 - Agenda Packet City Council - regular meeting

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3 In its 1986 report to the Minnesota Executive Council, the Metropolitan Council said, among other things, that LMCD was the most appropriate agency to deal with issues about lake surface use. It said that LMCD should generally become a more proactive body with respect to surface use management on Lake Minnetonka. The Council said it intended to follow activities around the lake by agencies such as Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD) and Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District (SHRPD). It directed staff to prepare a report on lake -related agencies' activities for the Metropolitan Systems Committee. If there -3 no progress, "increasingly directive procedures" were to be pursu he Council. During 1986, other lake agencies were eliminated from the r :ecause of study elsewhere, and the January 1987 report became essevit...Ll, ionfined to LMCD. In the January 1987 report (copy attached "A"), the Council concluded that LMCD had proposed some things which would help to meet expectations, if imple- mented. The Council did not recommend changes in January of 1987, did recommend some specific actions to LMCD, and also told staff to study LMCD's 1987 activity and to report again in January of 1988. This second LMCD report responds to the 1987 Council directive. It describes LMCD activities through 1987, draws some conclusions and recommends Council actions for 1988. Discussion COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS TO LMCD The Council's expectations of LMCD were first stated in its April 1986 report to the State Executive Council. The essence was that LMCD should become a more active planning, coordinating and regulating body for managing surface use of Lake Minnetonka. Suggested actions include: 1. Securing a memorandum of understanding among many agencies which share responsibility for the lake. 2. Exerting its current powers to the utmost and seeking new powers it may need. 3. Identifying funding needs and sources for the expanded activity. 4. Taking an active role in securing public accesses and a regional park on the lake. Other specifics included in the Council report to the state were: o Itemize and confirm costs to lake municipalities for providing free public access to the lake. o Develop recommendations to meet the costs itemized for municipalities. o Seek increases in the boating safety fund and an increase in grants to operating agencies (see LMCD legislative program numbers 7, 9, 1U, 11). o Seek exemption for LMCD tax levy from the commtnities' levy limits (see legislative program number 6).