12-05-1994 Park Commission Minutes

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1 � 4 � ORONU PARK CaM?V�I55ION NIEETING MINUTES FOR �ECEIwIBER 5, 1994 ATTENDAi�1�E The Park Co�nmissicsn met on the above date with the�t�Ilowing mernbers present: Richard Ftint, Susan Wilson, Sherokee I1se, Robert Hourells, and 3ames White. Liii McMillan and Alex \Tangries were absent. Pubiic t3Vorks I?irector, 3ohn Gerhardson, and Recarder, Sherry Frost, represe�ted Sta#� Chair Fiint �alted the�neet}ng to order ai ?:15 P��- (#1) SAGA HILL PRESERVATIC71� SfJCIETX: FRt.}POSAL F4R SAGA HILL PARK AND NA7`IJR�PRESERVE The following members ofthe Saga Hiil Preservaiion Society were present at the rne�ting to update the cornmissianers on their prQpasals for the Sa,ga Hi11 Park and l�iature Preserve: Jean Rostad af 4650 To��kavie�v I�ane, Irene Silber of 4625 West Branch Raad, Patricia A�FFe�dt of 47b5 Tonkaview Lane, Vb£endy C}l�on af I405 Rest Pvint Rc�ad, and Steve Ruce of 4625 West Branch Road. The Commission's cor�tact persan is Pat�icia Affeldt, w�tose phorie number is 472-77Q$_ The Preservation�iciety meets at the church by Saga H'tll �n'Thursdays at 'I:QO p_m. Silber reported that their group is made up of inembers of the Saga Hill neigYtborhood and petitian sign�rs, who are in favor af preserving the land for parks and nature trai(s. The Trust for Public Land and the Minnesota Lanc3 Trust have volunteered ta assist the group in their quest to acquire land far public use. The group's�oai, naw that the City is in the pracess of acq{�iring the 9.5 acres for pub{ic use, is t+�look at the rest af the open land on Saga Hi�l, which is appraximately 50 a�res ofmostly wetland and waods, and see�fth�s land can t�e greserved for walking paths an�i other passive uses. They would like to wark with the land owners and a�uire land through satisfactory compensation. It was noted that the�;roup was informed by tt�e Trust for P�blic Land that Midway Bank, wha owns 1 Z acres received in bankruptcy, will often danate land for public use. Silber and Affeldt described ihe tand. The wetland to the narth drains into Forest Lake on the East, which has steep slopes_ The middle sectir�n is high and contains a ravine which. runs down the middle in the so�thern part. T�e group is con�erned with possible erosion. It vvas noted t�rat this land was plotted some time ago. Tt�ere are ni�land owners involved in this large area, aii af whom the group say are absentee tanc3 owners_ It was rep�rted that the County is presently only receiving approximate}y $S7a0 a year from reai esiate tax�s o�t the 50 acres. In describing surrounding lanc�,the grQup said it consists af parcels betwee�two and ten acres. There are sm�:ller par�eis an CoRd I9 and Tonkaview Lane, where it is zoned far one acre lats. One to twc�acre l�ots ars t�n the nor�heast sectian. i