HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-138 - ADMIN Resolution - City Council - 2005/10/10RESOLUTION NO. 05-138
RESOLUTION ADOPTING MINNEHAHA CREEK VISION
WHEREAS, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District [MCWD] City of St.
Louis Park previously adopted a resolution to create the Minnehaha Creek Visioning
Partnership to provide guidance and recommendations on policy development, technical
issues, and public involvement to create a common vision and implementation plan for the
Minnehaha Creek Corndor;
WHEREAS, the Partnership's Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), comprised
of 23 representatives from the cities of Minneapolis, Edina, St. Louis Park, Hopkins and
Minnetonka, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Hennepin County, and the
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, held twelve workshop meetings to develop a
recommended creek vision;
WHEREAS, the Partnership's Technical Advisory Committee also met to review
the technical feasibility of the vision recommendations developed by the CAC, and has
concluded that these recommendations are technically feasible;
WHEREAS, the CAC also convened a public Open House to gather further
0 public input and review of the proposed creek vision and the CAC's recommendations;
WHEREAS, the CAC has now produced a detailed report that sets forth a creek
vision as follows:
The Vision for Minnehaha Creek includes both an existing and desired sense of
place. With respect to the existing sense of place, the creek;
e Is a corridor with various reaches and destinations;
u Serves as a gathering place for people;
o Provides recreational opportunities;
e Is a contemporary cultural resource, yet it also reflects our history; and
c Provides natural and aesthetic experiences unique to its setting.
Within the creek corridor it is also desired to:
u Provide balanced opportunities to experience the creek;
• Improve the natural environment;
u Improve water quality;
e Have variation and physical differences; and
• Be reflective of our history and a priority for our future.
Resolution No. 05-138 -2-
WHEREAS, the CAC's creek vision recommendations also include management
priorities, stream bank erosion improvements, aquatic habitat management, riparian
vegetation management, woody debris management, study of weir and dam removal,
stream flow management, water quality management, and decision making criteria; and
WHEREAS, the CAC's creek vision recommendations will be considered by
both the MCWD and the USACE as they move forward with plans and designs, and it is
also intended as guidance for other organizations, such as cities and the Minneapolis Park
Board, which share creek corridor management responsibilities, with the hope is that all
organizations can work together toward a common vision for the creek;
WHEREAS, the MCWD will inform and seek support from St. Louis Park and
other respective cities in the district on actions required or options available to implement
the vision;
WHEREAS, supporting this vision does not obligate the City of St. Louis Park to
pay for any further studies or improvements that the City of St. Louis Park does not agree
is a priority for the use of City funds;
WHEREAS, the City of St. Louis Park would like to see an emphasis placed on
the recreational amenities of the creek and encourage use and enhancement to promote
recreational use throughout the City of St. Louis Park section as well as other sections of
the creek;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the MCWD City of St. Louis
Park hereby adopts the general creek vision recommendations presented by the CAC as
the general conceptual framework to guide creek corridor management, and thanks the 23
citizen members of the CAC for their hard work, thorough study, and carefully -
considered recommendations;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of St. Louis Park supports the
inclusion of these recommendations in the Water Resources Management Plan being
developed by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the MCWD City of St. Louis Park agrees
to continue to work with the other members of the Minnehaha Creek Visioning
Partnership, through its policy board, technical advisory committee, and citizens advisory
committee, to coordinate the implementation of these recommendations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the MCWD City of St. Louis Park hereby
expresses its support for the United States Army Corps of Engineers Feasibility Study
within the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to pursue the investigation of the
potential Federal interest in assisting with the implementation of Minnehaha Creek
Visioning Partnership recommendations in the Minnehaha Creek corridor.
olution No. 05-138 -3-
evie ed for Administration
Cit?'ranagew
Attest:
Adopted by the City Council October 10, 2005
Mayor