08-26-1985 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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PHONE NO STATE OF DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 296-3572 July 25, 1985 1200 Warner Road, St. Paul, MN 55106 Mr. Mark Bernhardson City Administrator City of Orono P.O. Box 66 Crystal Bay, MN 55323 Dear Mr. Bernhardson: 1. Qv Q�QNO c�� v As agency heads for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Metropoli- tan Council (MC), and the Department of Energy and Economic Development (DEED), we are writing you to urge your community to support and to initiate implementing the goals and recommendations of the Lake Minnetonka Task Force Report and to offer our agencies' assistance in this effort. Metro Water Access Task Force In 1979, our three agencies, at thy• recommendation of the Legislative Commission on Minnesota's Resources, ..:tided together to form a task force for the purpose of developing a c�perative program for providing in- creased public access to metropolitan area lakes. The task force defined the term "adequate public access" and ranked the metropolitan area lakes according to their need for additional. or improved access. Based on this criteria, Lake Minnetonka was listed as one of the highest priority lakes for establishing new or improving existing public access. Creation of the Lake Minnetonka Task Force With this in mind, the DNR, in 1981, identified a parcel of property on Halstpd's Bay suitable for public access and with a willing seller. By February, 1982, local opposition to DNR's plans to acquire the site prompted Governor Quie to direct the DNR to abandon their plans. The ensuing dialogue between the Governor's Office, the legislature, the DNR, and Lake Minnetonka area residents resulted in the creation of the Lake Minnetonka Task Force (I.MTF); which was charged with studying the recre- ational uses of the lake and preparing a report on their findings. The task force was comprised of ten citizen members, nine government offi- cials, and a chairperson, Bob Searles, former legislator from the Minnetonka area. Both Minnetonka area and non -Minnetonka area commu- nit es were represented as well as one representative each for boating, ,;ailing, and fishing interegrs. The input of all communities on Lake Minnetonka was sought. Additionally, public meetings where held to solicit input from individuals and groups. The task force found that there is a need and a demand for additional access to lake Minnetonka. There is, however, no desonstrated need for additional lake access, f(ir AN EOUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER .401po'..6.