Monthly Archives: February 2016

Heads-Up for the March 2, 2016 Park Board Meeting

6:00 P.M.  REGULAR BOARD MEETING.  The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.  Visitors to Park Board meetings can find at the back of the meeting room the agenda book with all the printed materials for the meeting

6:30 P.M.  OPEN TIME. Speakers can call 612-230-6400 before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to sign up or they can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time”

Note the time change for the meeting and for Open Time.  Superintendent Miller and MPRB President Wielinski will be at the Charter Commission meeting which meets at the same time as the Park Board.  Therefore, the later Park Board start time.   It appears to be a brief meeting.  Some agenda items of interest are:

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FERC Letter to MN Historical Society RE: Crown Hydro Project

The following item has been provided by Doug Verdier.

FERC Letter to MN Historical Society RE: Crown Hydro Project

On 2/25/2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Washington D.C., issued this document:


Docket(s):         P-11175-025
Lead Applicant: CROWN HYDRO CORPORATION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Filing Type:     FERC Correspondence With Government Agencies
Description:     Letter to Minnesota Historical Society re the Designation of non-federal representative for section 106 consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act for Crown Hydro, LLC’s Crown Mill Hydroelectric Project under P-11175. 
 
 

Discussion of South Minneapolis Parks Scheduled March 8

The following item has been issued by the Park Board.

Discussion of South Minneapolis Parks Scheduled March 8

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has scheduled Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting #9 related to the South Service Area Master Plan (SSAMP) on Tuesday, March 8, 6-8 pm at Stewart Recreation Center, 2700 S. 12th Ave. The general public is welcome to attend and provide input.

The meeting will feature discussions on certain parks that were identified as needing further consideration. These parks include Brackett, Central Gym, Corcoran, Diamond Lake, East Phillips, Powderhorn, Seven Oaks Oval, Solomon, Stewart and Todd. In addition, MPRB will present a revised Currie Park concept for discussion.

All park concepts are available on the SSAMP project page, along with information related to community engagement activities from summer 2015, initial concept drawings for all parks, and ongoing demographic and facilities research. Visit to view and comment on these documents. Community members may also fill out an online survey to provide input on the concepts.  

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Loring Park Vegetation Management Work Continues into March

The following notice has been issued by the Minneapolis Park Board.

Loring Park Vegetation Management Work Continues into March

Large mechanical equipment in use beginning February 29

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Forestry Staff will begin cutting and removing frozen cattail encased in ice from Loring Pond’s North Bay beginning Mon., February 29. Staff will use chainsaws, long-arm backhoes and other large mechanical equipment to cut and move the ice from Loring Park.

Removing the ice from the North Bay will remove the invasive cattail floating mat which is frozen into the ice. The ice and frozen cattails will be hauled from the site and composted at a later date.

The work is being done now as the ground is frozen and can support the weight of heavy equipment, and the ice on the Loring Pond is thick enough to support forestry personnel.

To ensure patron safety, the pedestrian paths immediately adjacent to the North Bay of Loring Pond will be closed while the work is being performed. The ice cutting and hauling will begin Mon., February 29 and is expected to last 7–10 days, depending upon weather and site conditions.

Large trucks will be hauling out the debris throughout the work day and using trails to access public streets. Patrons in the area may also notice an odor coming from the cattail debris and soil.

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Land Commissioners for Graco Condemnation Award Tour Site, Plant‏

The following article by Steve Brandt, dated February 22, 2016, was published in the Star Tribune.

Land Commissioners for Graco Condemnation Award Tour Site, Plant‏

(Land commissioners and attorneys walk the easement the Park Board was granted at Graco.)

After a hiatus of more than half a year, the process has begun for determining how much Minneapolis park commissioners owe Graco for a narrow strip of land that lies between the company’s huge factory and the Mississippi River.

Court-appointed land commissioners who will recommend the condemnation award that a court will grant to to Graco walked the easement and toured the factory Monday. The building is about as large as eight football fields.

They’re expected to hear arguments from attorneys representing Graco and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board this summer. The Park Board has said its appraisal values the easement at $622,300, but Graco is expected to seek several times that amount.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/land-commissioners-for-graco-condemnation-award-tour-site-plant/369686591/

Changes Seem Likely on Lake Calhoun’s Northern Reaches

The following article by Steve Brandt, dated February 22, 2016, was published in the Star Tribune.

Changes Seem Likely on Lake Calhoun’s Northern Reaches

Support for shifting activity away from the congested refectory area at Lake Calhoun to elsewhere on the lake seems to be gaining traction in the glacial Calhoun-Harriet master plan deliberations.

That’s the consensus emerging after the ninth meeting of the citizen committee advising the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board on short-term renovations and long-term plans for the two lakes.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune
http://m.startribune.com/changes-seem-likely-on-lake-calhoun-s-northern-reaches/369445682/

Park Board Votes to Explore Other Ballot Routes for Fall Referendum

The following article by Steve Brandt, dated February 18, 2016, was published in the Star Tribune.

Park Board Votes to Explore Other Ballot Routes for Fall Referendum

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board ramped up its pressure for a neighborhood park repair referendum on Wednesday when it directed its staff to pursue all possible options for making that happen.

The board’s action followed a legal opinion from the city attorney’s office that it believes that the City Council lacks the power to forward the levy proposal to the November ballot. That is the Park Board’s preferred  route,  and Park Board legal advisors disagree with city lawyers.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune Park Board votes to explore other ballot routes for fall referendum

Heads-Up for the February 17, 2016 Park Board Meeting

5:00 P.M.  REGULAR BOARD MEETING.  The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.  Visitors to Park Board meetings can find at the back of the meeting room the agenda book with all the printed materials for the meeting

5:30 P.M.  OPEN TIME. Speakers can call 612-230-6400 before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to sign up or they can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time”

Some agenda items of interest are:

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Crown Hydro’s 2/8/16 Response to FERC’s Previous Request for Additional Information

The following item has been provided to Park Watch by Doug Verdier.

Crown Hydro’s 2/8/16 Response to FERC’s Previous Request for Additional Information

As anticipated, Crown Hydro has submitted the attached document to FERC in response to FERC’s request of Dec. 8, 2015 for additional information about their request for license amendment.

The document consists of 107 pages. Much of the document is charts, copies of previous correspondence and emails back and forth. There are some pages where specific questions from FERC are addressed, more or less. It appears, again, that Crown hopes to overwhelm FERC with a massive document that either will delay any decision or not be read. In any case, here it is. Enjoy.

CrownresponsetoFERC282016

Public Meeting For Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvements on Feb. 18

Public Meeting For Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvements on Feb. 18

 

Please join the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board for the first public meeting regarding the Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvements project on Thursday, Feb. 18, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Lyndale Farmstead Recreation Center, 3900 Bryant Ave. S.

The project team will introduce the project, present the Draft Habitat Assessment Report and identify current habitats that are critical to the future health of the sanctuary. At the meeting we will discuss the draft bird list, identification of bird species that are threatened, endangered, or of special concern, and how the site can best support avian habitat. The public is encouraged to attend this public meeting and share opinions and concerns related to Roberts Bird Sanctuary.

Public Meeting #1

Date: Thursday, Feb.18, 2016

Time: 6:30-8:00 pm

Location: Lyndale Farmstead Recreation Center

Address: 3900 Bryant Ave S. Minneapolis

Subject: Project Iaunch and introduction

Please visit the Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvements project page for more information.

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To learn more about this project and others, visit http://www.minneapolisparks.org/planning