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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 01-06 City makes trade-off THE REVIEW To save park boundary26'14-4'a (i /c11( ' City trade-off P f -, i ', by Scott Carlson what we thought we'd have to pay for." � t " > � & `c _, news analysis The agreement has probably cheered the park department ` :4 . ' Michael Lane Park,which has yet to receive federal funding, which has found its goal to set upMichael Lane Park as an in- t 0" ,, 1 1,-. , " r ' ,' ' a a f ` re-emerged as a controversial sore spot in southern Maplewood terpretive center filled with obstacles along the way. tro*, . ,' 4 i +' r i last month when it was learned that workers of the Union From the very beginning residents near the wild-land �' iorepto .4. ; t- ' Cemetery were cutting down many trees close to_the park's vociferously objected,at public hearings,to any development of t -.: , <! 4 ,9 4 4 southern border. the land.Over-development and destruction to the land were the That activity angered Community Services Director Eric main concerns expressed by the citizens, the Brauer and Blank and other city officials who feared that the Cemetery Associates report stated. people would destroy the park's nearby pond. One citizen,the report noted,stated,"Why not leave it as the The Review learned that the city had been considering natural forests up north? People drive hundreds of miles to see -,": "' ..,` 4 ; .a f" purchase of cemetery land to the south and southeast of the something undeveloped because their whole lives are surrounded tt , �, existing 37-acre park boundary.But no formal negotiations had by developments.Nature does a good job of developing an area. ti; -_ APR ` r been conducted nor had the city ever made an offer for the land. Another person agreed. "We want it kept private." Yet ,. One city official speculated that the cemetery people began another person asked "Why does everything have to be over- N ,'•,',4'.".' ' .. iSt cutting down trees to spite Maplewood and to make sure that if organized?" condemnation proceedings were at all possible that the city Aside from the residents' objections and opposition to the " ; would get nothing out of the deal. proposal of bringing in other people to the park, the city has But whatever was circulating in the rumor mill,the outcome faced the problem of cleaning up the area. Old refrigerators, '. � ., of the problem appears to be very favorable for Maplewood,even cars and tires lay strewn in the ponds and the abutting land, ,9 ` though it was achieved through a trade-off. according to Blank. ,4 City Attorney John Bannigan has drawn up a "negative The park—which is bounded by Transfiguration church on easement agreement"with cemetery officials,which stipulates the north, Union Cemetery on the south, Brand avenue on the `��« '"" that: west and Sterling street on the east— has been proposed for '` t ° —The apprqximate 1.34 acre area,which will act as a buffer $100,000 in development projects. MICHAEL LANE PARK became the source of a potential sore Community Services,was fearful that development in the area between the cemetery property and the park, shall remain in a The federal office of LAWCON would have provided$50,000 spot between Maplewood officials and the Union Cemetery could destroy the pond's ecological balance. A "negative natural or passive state. in assistance with the city of Maplewood and the state of Min when workers of the cemetery began cutting down trees in easement" agreement between Union Cemetery and the city —There be no defined pathways through the area accessible nesota each submitting$25,000 in matching funds. close vicinity to the park's boundary. Eric Blank,director of was worked out, thus solving the problem, to Inc general public. But because of a shortage of federal funds, the total ap- -The city,at its discretion,will be allowed the right to enter propriation is now set at$60,000.LAWCON would provide$30,000 for purposes of maintaining the nature center in a condition of that amount with Maplewood and the state each contributing conducive to its stated purposes. $15,000 apiece. Bannigan, in a letter to Siguard Swanson, attorney for the Although the grant for the$60,000 is not finalized once the Union Cemetery, stated, "In consideration of said negative state has programmed funds for the park there is a"99 and nine- easement,the staff will recommend to the Planning Commission tenths percent assurance"that the federal government will also and city council favorable consideration of Union Cemetery's supply funding, Blank said. request for a special use permit to tile south of the negative Blank said the state, in evaluating a proposal, considers easement and to plat for cemetery purposes the area described whether the land would fit into the state recreational plan and in its application." provide a relief from development and serve as a refuge for That would include a large parcel of land directly east of the wildlife, among other things. existing and developed cemetery land. The Brauer report indicates the park is inhabited by a wide Blank admits that the city, in drawing up the easement variety of mammals, birds and by vegetation including: deer, agreement,has made a trade-off.But he says that the city has oriole, goldfinch, chimney swift, raccoon, goldenrod, cot- been able to get what it wants without having to purchase ad- tonwood, box elder and virginia waterleaf. ditional land in this instance. The Maplewood Park and Recreation Commission, on Jan. "A cemetery has many legal rights," Blank said. "Con- 12, will discuss development plans for the park and the sub- demising the land is very difficult and from a technical stand- milting of the formal application. point it may have been impossible to condemn." Should monies be appropriated for development they could Blank added that the city attorney gave no answer to only be used for such things as signing, parking area,lighting, questions about the possibility of condemning land. erosion control or construction of a floating bridge,Blank said. Blank said that the negative easement agreement, which "One of our main goals is to identify that this is a park in means that no trees or brush will be disturbed, "accomplished which people can have a feeling of pride,"Blank said.