DAKOTA COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center – Spring Lake Regional Park Thursday, November 21, 2019, 6:30pm-9pm* * Please note the new time and location Agenda I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Public Comments for Items Not on the Agenda (limited to 5 minutes) IV. Approval of the Agenda V. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes VI. Spring Lake Park Reserve Master Plan – Public Engagement Review (Lil Leatham – Planning Office) VII. Park Ordinance – Review and comment (Steve Sullivan and Jeff Bransford – Parks) VIII. Orange Line Study – Review and comment (Joe Morneau - Transportation) IX. CDA Consolidated Plan – Review and comment (Maggie Dykes - CDA) X. Update on County Board Actions/Projects • Accepted Met Council grant for Lake Byllesby Regional Park improvements XI. Upcoming Public Meetings – Community Outreach CSAH 78 Reconstruction Nov 25, 4:30pm-6:30pm Open House Castle Rock Town Hall Cliff Road (CSAH 32) Study Nov 25, 5:00pm-6:00pm Neighborhood Meeting Lebanon Hills Visitor Center Cliff Road (CSAH 32) Study Dec 3, 4:30pm-6:30pm Open House # 3 Lebanon Hills Visitor Center CSAH 26 and CSAH 63 Reconstruction Dec 18, 5:00pm-7:00pm Open House Veterans Memorial Community Center Inver Grove Heights XII. Planning Commissioner Announcements/Updates XIII. Topics for next meeting, Dakota County Western Service Center, December 19, 2019. • Dakota County Land Conservation Plan – review draft plan • Thompson County Park Master Plan and Natural Resources Management Plan - adoption XIV. Adjourn DAKOTA COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION DATE: November 21, 2019 AGENDA ITEM: Spring Lake Park Reserve Master Plan and Natural Resources Management Plan Research and Vision Summary. PURPOSE Provide Planning Commission an opportunity to: 1. Review the research summary and community engagement highlights 2. Confirm key issues and opportunities 3. Discuss and provide input on the draft vision and guiding principles BACKGROUND The Spring Lake Park Reserve Master Plan and Natural Resources Management Plan process is occurring in four phases during 2019–2020: 1) Organization (summer 2019); 2) Research and Vision (summer–winter 2019); 3) Park Concepts (winter 2019–spring 2020); and 4) Preferred Concept and Plan (summer 2020–winter 2020). The second phase of the project, Research and Vision, is complete. This phase included inventory and analysis of existing recreation activities, natural resources, cultural resources, community demographics, current recreation trends, and review of Dakota County Parks Systemwide plans to ensure consistency. Community engagement reached nearly a thousand participants and included stakeholder meetings, pop-up events at existing community events, and online input. An open house was held in the park on October 14, 2009. Effort was made to connect with demographic groups underrepresented in Dakota County Parks, including older adults, youth, Latinos, indigenous people, and people living with disabilities. Key findings include: • Spring Lake Park Reserve’s high-quality natural assets and unique cultural landscape present an opportunity to build on current park uses and provide visitors with signature, destination park experiences. • There is a strong desire to enhance the park’s natural resources. • Today, park visitors enjoy spectacular views of the Mississippi River Valley, bird and wildlife observation, events at the picnic shelter and the gathering center, archery, biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. • The park is part of the National Mississippi River Trail, within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, along the Mississippi River State Water Trail, and as part of the Regional Park System. This creates opportunities to attract visitors from across the region, state and beyond. • Today, many Dakota County residents are unaware of Spring Lake Park Reserve and its offerings. • Though the park is along the Mississippi River, there is limited physical access to the river. ATTACHMENTS 1. Phase 1 Research and Vision 2. Phase 1 Community Engagement QUESTIONS The following questions are intended to help assist in review of the packet materials. 1. What key research findings stand out as important for guiding the development of plan alternatives in the next phase of the project? 2. Are there key issues and opportunities that are missing? 3. Do you feel the draft vision and guiding principles capture the unique qualities of this park? Do you feel they will serve as a foundation for development of the Master Plan and Natural Resources Management Plan? Do you have suggestions for changes or additions? TASK 1: RESEARCH & VISION This summary outlines the findings of Phase 1: Research & Vision, initial Community Engagement outcomes, and identifies Issues & Opportunities from the Spring Lake Park Reserve master plan. The master plan update is guided by the 2008 Park System Plan, 2017 Visitor Service Plan, and the 2017 Natural Resource Management Plan. Drafts of the Natural Resource Overview, Cultural Resource Overview and the updated Vision and Guiding Principles for Spring Lake Park Reserve are also included for consideration by the Planning Commission. CONTEXT Spring Lake Park Reserve is one of the 56 regional parks and park reserves that make up the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Regional Park System. The park is located in the northeastern portion of Dakota County and on the south shore of the Mississippi River’s Spring Lake. Spring Lake Park Reserve is 1,200 acres and one of only five park reserves within a 20 mile radius (Murphy-Hanrehan, Lake Elmo, Hyland-Bush Anderson Lakes, Miesville). This designation of park “Reserve” signifies the rich ecological and cultural assets exhibited at the park. The interplay of the ecological, cultural, and scenic assets makes it one of the most unique parks in the regional system. The park is located in the City of Rosemount and in Ninninger Township with the City of Hastings just to the east. Access from the north and south is US Highway 52 or State Highway 61 to Highway 55 and County Road 42. In addition to its role as a regional park in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area, Spring Lake Park Reserve is also a part of the broader state and national parks and trails system. Specifically, it is referenced as a destination within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area due to its natural history, cultural significance, wildlife watching, and family-friendly activities. The park is also situated along the southern most segment of the Mississippi River State Water Trail, from Minneapolis to Hastings. Maps for the Water Trail note the hazards of stumpfields and submerged logs along the stretch that borders Spring Lake. At the national level, it hosts part of the National Mississippi River Trail section that passes through Minnesota. Of the 5 sections described in the National Trail, Spring Lake Park Reserve sits within the “Forested Floodplain” section where the river begins to lose its urban character, the bluffs get higher and the river widens. Dakota County has designated the segment of the national trail that runs through the county as the Mississippi River Greenway. The trail connects Spring Lake Park Reserve to the City of Hastings with existing connections to Red Wing. Once a remaining one-mile segment of the regional Greenway is completed, trail users will be able to connect with other regional trails in St. Paul. Planned future connections included Lebanon Hills and Whitetail Woods Regional Parks. Site Photo, 2019 FALL 2019 DRAFT SPRING LAKE PARK RESERVE MASTER PLAN & NRMP UPDATE 1 CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OVERVIEW CULTURAL LANDSCAPE SIGNIFICANCE Spring Lake Park Reserve also contains remnants of late Spring Lake Park Reserve includes both historic vernacular 19th and early 20th century EuroAmerican agricultural de- landscapes associated with early EuroAmerican settlement, velopment. These include a cluster of farm buildings dating development of the town of Nininger, and local agriculture; from the early to mid-20th century at the former Schaar and ethnographic landscapes associated with living Indige- farm; a foundation possibly associated with the 1857-1858 nous communities. Blakely property; a group of structures dating from the early to mid-20th century at the former Wasserman farm; an 1880 Significance is the meaning or value ascribed to a structure, structure at the former Klink property; and a foundation landscape, object, or site based on the National Register cri- associated with the former Hanner property. Individual build- teria for evaluation. The National Register of Historic Places ings that are retained from this period have been disconnect- recognizes districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects ed from their agricultural context by park development and that fulfill at least one of four criteria of significance and pos- efforts to restore prairie and oak savanna vegetation, and do sess integrity. Although there are currently no portions of the not appear to retain adequate integrity to be eligible for the study area that are listed on the National Register of Historic National Register of Historic Places. However, these features Places, this framework can be used to evaluate the potential have important local connections, and it may be appropri- significance and integrity of historic resources within the ate to consider opportunities to preserve or adapt them to park. acknowledge the previous inhabitants and land use. POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT VERNACULAR LANDSCAPE POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT ETHNOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE The