HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 09-26 Conservation agency calls it quits on purchase of 3M's Tartan Park STAR TRIBUNE EAST METRO
Conservation agency calls i� quits on
purchase of 3M's Tartan Park
Conservation agency tells Washington County,Lake Elmo officials
that open spaces proposal lacks support.
By Kevin Giles(http://www,startribune.eom/kevin-giles/30644901/)Star Tribune
SEPTEMBER 26,2015—8:34PM
Preserving 3M's sprawling Washington County corporate retreat as parkland was an idea
that caught fire in July,but interest quickly faded after a review of the proposal revealed
too many obstacles.
"It is our opinion that there isn't strong enough support to move this forward,at least at
this time,"Bob McGillivray of the Trust for Public Land(TPL)told the five Washington
Counry commissioners last week."We're all about bringing land and people together,
and if that connection isn't there,it won't work."
The 3M Co.announced in May that it would seek a buyer for 50-year-old Tartan Park,
which will close as a corporate retreat in December.The announcement came a year
after 3M opened amenities to the public on the 483-acre site to attract new revenue.
Tartan's selling price has been advertised at$10 million,said 3M spokeswoman Lori
Anderson."We're continuing to have discussions with other interested parties,"she said,
declining to disclose details.
�ti}
The Maplewood corporation asked the TPL to consider uses for the ro e y ' �
P P cty,but under �� i �'�t�.��' `
a tight deadline,and in July the TPL appealed for help from Washington County. �
Commissioners authorized two months of research on how to save Tartan Park's �, *
^a,:,
natural areas from development.In the end,funding challenges and questions t
surrounding the fate of Tartan's three 9-hole golf courses scuttled county interest in a �
�• ��� �� -� i� �.
possible purchase. q ,ii y„ ' �j�i���'
� I�! i ���� '
McGillivray,the TPL's senior project manager in Minnesota,said he learned that many ""'�'x`µ'
„., �,... . ,
people want to keep the golf courses intact.The Lake Elmo City Council,in fact,passed �" ,,;�,
a resolution on Sept.15 stating that"the city wishes to preserve the golf course in some (http://stmediastartribune.com/images/ows_144324045895�
fashion and sees a continuation of such in the best interest of the citizens of Lake Elmo." sTQR TRiBUNe F��E
Golfers played at Tartan Park Golf Course in
The council also said iYs"committed to protection of open space"in Tartan Park and Ia�ke�I�o last�m er.The Trust for Public
values"active"recreation areas there and wants to protect them from development. L' o� a�tan �r�
an as roppe e forts to purchase the 3M-
Council members said they are open to talldng about"future ownership and land use Why Washington County was interested:
issues"with 3M. Tartan Park(483 acres)is adjacent to
"There is this unfortunate timeline that the city was responding to and acting upon," county-owned Lake Elmo Regional Park
Mayor Mike Pearson said last week,referring to 3M's request for a decision soon about a Reserve(2,000 acres)and shares much of
possible conservation purchase.`"I'here really hasn't been discussion on what will be the same topography.Public ownership of
there,what should be there." Tartan,or some of it,fits with a county
objective to preserve natural open spaces.
Washington County's interest in Tartan ends now unless iYs determined that the park's
natural features,which include woods,meadows and Horseshoe Lake,will be sold Tartan Park�menities:Three,nine-hole golf
separately,said Commissioner Gary Kriesel,who chairs the boazd. courses,l2 tennis courts,four lighted
softball fields,bocce courts,an archery
The Tartan property sits next to the Lake Elmo Regional Park Reserve,Washington range,several picnic pavilions,a lighted
County's most popular park.County officials had considered linldng at least a portion of gazebo and a clubhouse.The 3M property
Tartan to the 2,000-acre county park,but funding challenges contributed to the decision also includes woods,meadows and
to suspend interest.
Horseshoe Lake.
Kriesel said the county would have to rely on its Land and Water Legacy program,which
needed"leveraged"money to help acquire the property.
McGillivray said he couldn't fmd enough financial support because of the sports
amenities sprinkled throughout the property.Those amenities might be bettered
managed by the city of Lake Elmo or private businesses,commissioners have said.
t
Conservation agency calls it quits on buying 3M's $ lOM Tartan Park - StarTribune.com Page 2 of
Tartan Park was valued in the county's 2015 assessment at $5.186 million, said Kevin
Corbid, the county's deputy administrator. The company, based in Maplewood, paid
$167,663 in property taxes for Tartan Park this year, of which $40,000 to $50,000 went
to the city of Lake Elmo, he said.
Susan Schmidt, the TPL's state director, and McGillivray told county commissioners
this summer that county ownership '�vould be the best protection" for Tartan Park. If
Washington County chooses not to act, they wrote, "the company will move fonvard
with its second option, which is selling Tartan Park for development."
The park's rolling topography is similar to that in the county park, they wrote, with pine
and oak forests, wetlands and lakes, and an outlet to Lake Elmo, the park reserve's
largest lake.
"It does have a very high conservation value," Schmidt wrote of Tartan. "We view this as
a great opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetune opportunity."