All right. We'll call to order the Oh, boy. September 8th, 2025 Cottage Grove Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Commission. Roll call. >> Thank you. >> Uh, please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Thank you. So, approval of the agenda. Motion to make an addition to the agenda uh to add the 3M priority 2 letter of recommendation to our action items. >> Yes. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> Maybe we should have some discussion first. >> Oh, we can. Any discussion? >> Did everyone have a chance to read the letter? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Uh we just added it to the agenda. We'll talk about it under 7D. Now, it's going to be under the action items. >> Okay. >> That's just an action to add it to the agenda. >> Yep. >> So, >> okay. >> All in favor of adding it to the agenda? >> I >> I >> Any opposed? >> All right. Motion passes. >> Do I need an approval of the agenda or is that the approval of the agenda? >> That is the approval of the agenda. >> All right. Sounds good. Did everyone get a chance to read the minutes from last time? That was the remote meeting. >> I do. >> Can I get a motion to approve the minutes from last time? >> I'll make a motion to approve the um minutes from last meeting. >> I second. >> All right. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I >> I. All right. Motion passes. Open forum. >> I see none. >> Right. Presentations? >> None tonight. All right, we're going fast. So, action items. We'll talk about the 2026 to 2030 capital improvement plan. >> Thank you, Chair, members of the commission. Every year, typically this about around fall uh shortly, you know, towards the tail end of the budget season, we get into the 5-year capital improvements planning process. A very important planning process for us as we lay out all of our all of our capital expenditures, $15,000 or more. Um, as you can see, there's a lot of detail that goes into that. There's several funds that we use including the park improvement fund, the park trust fund, the public landscapes initiative amongst others. Ice Arena has its own fund. River Oaks has its own capital improvements plan which is not in here but um uh so anyways listed out the projects coming up in the five-year plans. The color coding so the green is the public improvements or I'm sorry the public landscapes initiative funding. The blue is from park trust fund which is development driven fees. So, as development occurs, fees or land comes in. That's how we pay for new um new improvements in the park system. And the park improvement fund is a combination of uh cellular to antenna leases on the water towers and other facilities uh which we'll be talking about later tonight along with uh some infusion of cash from the um from the general fund from the city council. So, that's the park improvement fund and that can fund almost anything in terms of parks improvements. doesn't matter if it's new or new or old or most of mo often times replacement. And then obviously we have um the bonded debt is typically when we go into pavement management areas and we're fixing up a park as we did this year was the uh Hidden Valley Park. So we're in there, we're ripping up the roads, we're ripping up Kirby and doing sewer and water and all that. That's a good time to go and look at the parks and see if there's any improvements that should be made there. So, a lot of times that's um the payment management, the bonded debt, but then there's other things in here like the 3M settlement dollars or um just straight bonded debt for typically like buildings or major park improvements. So, so anyways, that's the five-year plan and looking for feedback and support as we get ready to take this to council and happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have with it. >> Commission feedback. And I should say that, you know, it's not just throw things at the table. It's all budgeted. So, we work with the finance department to try to make sure that we have we anticipate for the park trust fund, how many how we try to project what will be taken in for revenue for dedication fees for the park improvement fund. We have a pretty detailed spreadsheet on money coming in, money going out. So, um it's a good plan, but it's not always perfect and we have to adjust year to year depending on what revenue comes, how revenue comes in. No feedback for already asked. >> I'll just I'll ask a question and I think I know the answer. But uh we're guided in this document by our um expressed desire to have all our parks equally up to date. So none of our parks get outdated. So isn't that one of the guiding principles in the prioritization of these various activities? >> Yes, Council Commissioner Olsen. Uh yeah, we always try to keep a minimum standard for all of our park systems and that's why that park improvement fund is a tremendous resource to do things like that. So whether it's replacing a playground or you know even this year we're adding a picnic shelter at Pine Glenn Parks and at um Pine Pine Tree Pond Parks, you know, two neighborhood parks that don't have a picnic shelter. So now they're getting their picnic shelter which a lot of other parks do have. So trying to m trying to get to those minimum standards um for sure. Anyone else? >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> I'll second. >> Any other further discussion? >> All right. All in favor of uh the capital improvement plan. So >> I >> I oppose. Looks like that's good. So East Ravine Park Plan Review. >> Thank you, Chair, members of the commission. This is a um interesting topic. U development anticipation is uh increasing for the uh land east of County Road 19. We've talked a little bit about this in the past certainly when we were doing the master planning three years ago or when we started we kicked off the master planning three years ago but now it seems like that's the windows getting shorter for when the development will actually when housing development will actually cross 19. So, uh, there are some preliminary concepts out there from from developers working with land owners. None of this has been no preliminary plat have been made. So, I want to make sure that's very clear that, um, nothing's on the table here. This is all just concept work. But it gives us an opportunity to compare, you know, a potential concept to what our master plan is and how that's all going to shake out because there's a lot of land dedicated for parks and recreation or for park space there. And um there's not enough park dedication for you to cover it all. So, we kind of have to start managing how that's going to work, whether we have to attain cash for land. Um, and that and that can it doesn't have to be just city cash, you know, we can work with the state, we can work with the public land trust and the um federal monies and all sorts of things to try to acquire money. So, we're starting to map that out. And so, attached a few things to this memo. The original park and trail master plan was the start. Each letter is a is a spot for where the parks were intended to be laid laid out. And then you can start to see we did change the East Ravine Community Park. If you remember that was running more that's this image here uh number two. Oh I included and then I included the the original image. So we kind of went for more of a linear we basically what happened was um originally the ravine parkway was going to run along that wooded section on the east side of this land and run along the lakeside. Talking with land owners and future developers, it didn't make a lot of sense because who's going to drive all the way over to the east side of the property to try to get over their neighborhood? Everyone's going to take the shortcut. So we ran the the east ravine, which is supposed to be a collector road, ran that more through the middle of the property now, which caused us to shift the community park a little bit. So same recreational elements there, but shifted it. There is a little bottleneck where it kind of connects between the reserve and the um the more active part of the park, but we think that works out just fine and keeps a little bit of separation there, which is not too bad. And eventually we'll we'll acquire some property to the south there, I would imagine, over the years. So anyways, wanted to get that in front of you. Oh, the water tower. Uh, so there's a future water tower, that null just on the east side, just south of east side of 19, just south of 70th. You can see it today. Um, there's a null up there with some trees, um, some shrubs and whatever else up there right now. That is scheduled to be a future water tower site. And kind of like we did at Metgrass, we would like to make that into a small neighborhood park to to utilize the land that'll be dedicated to the water tower there. So, wanted to get those in front of you and then just receive any information. um talk about it before we get too far down this path. Couple of these are new concepts, like I said, the community park plan and then the water tower neighborhood park. Um so wanted to get those in front of you so we can sort those out before we get into any um super detailed planning. >> So comments for Zach? >> I can start. Um uh the water tower park is I is that the one that we're talking about on the map? Uh, water tower or park would be E. >> E. Oh, okay. And would there be cell phone antennas on the top of that? That would be >> I would anticipate. So, >> okay, good. >> A dead spot for you. >> I I think everything from there through um Ravine Park is a dead spot. >> Yeah. Right. any other comments or and I know they're all preliminary drawings. Um, >> this is hard to >> it's very busy. I would say the the drawings for B where they've kind of crammed in every type of recreation but >> and and what I'll say about that's a good comment actually. Uh, Commissioner Larson, Chair Larson, we did we jammed it all in. It's kind of like if you remember, I don't know, I think a couple of you here where we did Glacial Valley Park. Originally, there was two ball fields, two rectangular fields, and there was two baseball fields. Well, eventually the the design when the development came through, things had shifted. The DNR took a little more property. The some of the development um or actually the wershed took a little bit more property. So, things had changed. So, we scaled it down. I would say with our park development, usually we start our concept plan with a maxed scale and then if we need to tone it down, we can bring it back. So, >> you can always, this can always be scaled down, but I would say it probably won't be, it probably won't ever be bigger than what it is today, but time will tell. I mean, there's a lot of things that go into negotiating and preliminary plats and all that. So, there's a lot of a lot of wrangling still to be done. I like that we maintained the um kind of natural area like more like a a passive nature space kind of separate from the recreational activities for people seeking different types of park experiences and it's nice to see an area for launching watercraft. I think that'll be really fun. >> Yeah, that's actually um we anticipate that actually being a preserve. Um, so it may even just be natural hiking trails depending on how the funding works. So if it's, you know, if we get money from the land trust, then it probably you don't even pay the trails. It's just natural hiking trails. So, um, it'll be interesting to see how that shakes out. But we're in the process of studying that right now and who our partners might be, but we think we have a couple partners that might help us acquire that. It's really the biggest lake in Cottage Grove. Um, and I guess I haven't been on it and done a a hydraology report, but I I believe it might be the deepest as well. I mean, there's it's filled up quite a bit over the years. The north side used to be a pasture 25 years ago. >> Oh, wow. >> And now it's uh underwater. It's groundwater fed, so the wershed district wants to make sure they protect it for groundwater protection. So, >> I see that there's RC car racing. Did we ever hear back from that group? Um, >> no. >> About like their interest. Okay. Cuz that was that was like a year ago. >> Yeah, that actually happened twice. >> Okay. Yeah. >> They came to us, they got approval and and then it didn't work out on the one site and then we set them up up on on another site and >> uh just kind of have disappeared. So >> Okay. And then there's also for drones. Do we have a space right now where people are allowed to use drones? >> We do not. Okay. So, that'd be a new >> although they do, and I'm not exactly sure what the ordinance is on that, but I mean, people do go to the parks and use drones for sure. >> I don't think we >> Do people currently fish on this lake? I mean, is there fishing? >> There's no public access right now. I anticipate there's fish in there just based on the depths, you know, whatever's been carried over by birds or storm water or whatever else. But, um Okay. It's over 20 ft deep, so Okay. Any other comments? >> So then is there any talk about the developing east of there? East of the these maps? >> No, not not that I'm aware of. >> So we kind of end at that red line. >> Correct. >> Yeah. And it feels like it's starting north and moving south. >> Uh if you look at image four in the memo. It's actually starting kind of yes, kind of no. It's starting between 70th and 80th Street, but it's starting in the middle of 78 and 80th Street and kind of working this way. >> Okay. So, straight across from the school kind of. >> Yes. >> Right. >> Exactly. Right. >> Yep. So, basically starting at Indian Boulevard and then working to the north and the south. >> And are tanks keeping the farm the old farmhouse at the corner of 80th? Uh that's right now they're just working on that center section so that they would keep Yes. >> keep that house for the time being anyway. >> But again, very preliminary concept. So >> well, I just appreciate having opportunity to look at it and start to get used to what we're doing there. >> So thank you. >> Mhm. Otherwise, just looking um I guess we don't need any formal action on it. I think I've gotten the direction I need. So, >> okay, >> there's no more comments. We'll move to Lamar Park cell tower lease. >> Thank you, chair, members of the commission. Well, as Chair Larson said, there's a what would you call it? A desert for cellular connection out in the east side of the community. Um, so as a matter of fact, we have uh Verizon representatives have made a request to put a tower into Lamar Park. We looked at a few different possible sites because uh well I should start out with um they're very adamant that that is a a dead space for them and they really need to get reception there and then of course if they get a tower in then they would lease out space to other providers as well. Um anyways we we had discussed with them we've walked the site several times. Um there's some areas in Lamar Park that aren't being used actively. Um in one of the spots, there was a little node on the east side, but that doesn't work out with variances and setbacks. So now we've shifted over to the west side of the park and then the northwest corner of the park where there's really just a grove of trees there. That grove of trees, I think there was some autumn blaze maple that were put in there. Um maybe a few, but everything else is just overgrown. It's buckthornne and ammer maple and um things that have and boxelder and things that have just grown. So, there's really not a lot of habitat value there. As a matter of fact, the soil is pretty eroded back there. Um, so it would be good to clear that area out. So, um, staff-wise, we're we're supportive of of doing this. And again, I think part of it being that, you know, that that is the the revenue that goes back into the park improvement fund. Um, we are working with them right now. This image doesn't show it, but originally they proposed um the image that's proposed here, we are trying to push it closer more uh more north into that wooded area. So clear out that wooded area. Then what we can do by doing that is remove the wooded area and then actually plant a new landscaping area around it. Try to beautify it a little bit. Um like I said, that that would be an improvement to the site alone. And then originally the tower was going to be outside of this maintenance area, but now we're trying to get them to push it back in their maintenance area. So they have to have they have they would have to get some variances for setbacks there because they're getting closer to the property line. But our concern is if we stay too far south of where it is in this proposed image, we do have overflow parking there for our handful of ball tournaments a year. Um so closer we can get it to the north, the better. So, looking for feedback on that before we get too far down the process. >> Yeah. I got a quick question, Zach. Is you mentioned revenue. Is it in the form of a land sale or a long-term lease? >> Long-term lease. >> Long-term lease. >> Uh, typically I think they're 20 years, 25 years. >> Okay. >> And how much do they um how much would this generate each year approximately with on the lease? It all depends on how it's negotiated, but their average is 40,000. Okay. >> There's a lot of legal fees that come out of that to start, but um and I know the answer again, but I can't see it here. So, where does this land relative to the outfield for the that ball field in that corner, the what would be the northeast corner, I guess. Uh so actually northwest it is if you look at the map there's a there's a couple arcs there. It's probably we're trying to get it probably about 40 probably about 40 yards away from the ball field fence so it won't impact the balls at all. >> That would be the thing. We do get tournaments out there and things and I just would hate to see them feeling like we're pushing in on on that that facility. So, and I can't tell from the picture. So, >> it is definitely a nonused space probably 358 days a year. >> So, then I would just like us as a commission to be supportive of that move to try to keep it within that one footprint, have moved their tower inside the footprint and um as deep into those woods like you said as possible. So, >> that's helpful. >> I feel like that's what we we we what I want for it. So, Can we request one of those cell towers that they try to make look like trees? H >> giant baseball bat. They >> How about a fall? >> Or a fall. Yeah. >> Sometimes those look worse. I don't know. I've seen some of those fake trees. I'm like, >> they do look worse. But they're the right color. >> Yeah. >> But now's the time. I mean, yeah. Um, that's the kind of feedback we're looking for is, you know, because we are going to lose trees, but again, I I if if you're worried about losing trees, I would suggest you go walk out there and look at the trees that are there. >> We I think we can do a much better job rellandscaping it with um just do a better job of planning that out. >> Okay, sounds like we're in favor. Do you need a motion from us or uh >> uh I think we should. And just one more thing to add just maybe add a little more comfort if you drive out there. I mean, right to the north of this is that solar panel field, a massive solar panel field, right? So, it's not like this is going to be just a piece of technology in the middle of agriculture and park. There's already a lot of technology out there. So, but yes, if we could get a motion, I think that would be good. Just a motion to approve the concept. >> A motion to approve the concept for the cell tower. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Sounds good. Uh 7D, we'll talk 3M priority 2 letter of recommendation. >> Thank you, chair, for adding this to the agenda. Chair and commission for adding this to the agenda. We are in the process of we haven't met since the last time. Um the commission had approved the the uh letter of intent to apply for the 3M settlement funding. We have qualified for the next round of funding. They do not tell us how many people qualified or did not qualify, but we qualified. that's all that matters. Um I believe there's about 80 uh applicants still in the pool for that $22 million or so that's in there. So we are submitting a we're we're we're getting ready we're getting our package ready to to submit our $5 million uh request for Mississippi Dunes Park which you have seen before. It's not going to change much from what you already saw. Uh but what we do need to do is start getting our letters of support. So, we're going to try to get uh we're working on Washington County, South Washington Watershed District, um Friends of the Mississippi, uh Public Land Trust, and then um the commission the commission is always helpful to have a a letter recommendation from you all as well. So, I typed one up, I put it in the packet and looking to see if you'll approve that so we can include that with our request. And if you have any questions on the request, too, you feel feel free to ask. Do you know when this award would be given out? Is it? >> So they are. So the application deadline is October 5th. I believe they're going to announce the winners. I thought they said in February, so it's going to take a little while to get through them. And then and they have a panel made up of several different organizations that are participating on that panel. So, I think February and then you would be allowed to start spending the money probably late 2026 and then I think you'd have three years to to use the funds. >> Okay. So, that wouldn't change our date in the CIP of 27 for the No Park. >> No, but we did put some money in the CIP for Mississippi Dunes Park. >> Is that what you're asking? Yeah. >> Yeah. We did set aside some money for that. Oh, I should mention partly how we how we set up the CIP. So, they do send back so after the letter of intent, they do send back a list of recommendations for our application. And you can apply you can we could have just copied and pasted the application and sent it through again. But they did say uh that things like the playground, the reflecting pool, um the building, the grand lawn. I think there was one other item that they said would not the weeping wall. Th those types of things would not uh they would hurt our application. So they said probably take those out. So we took those out. So now we're starting to prioritize what we're um um asking for. So in our in our plan, we're going to say our number one priority is to get access into the park. We need to park. We need to finish the road and we get a parking lot. Like that's number one. If we can't get in, we can't park, then there's no use of moving on. Number two is to build the trail infrastructure through there. Number three is to start building like the picnic shelters, outdoor classrooms, the board uh the um some of those natural elements. And then the last priority is just finishing off the landscaping. So that's kind of how our prioritizes and then once we're done with the application, we'll bring it back to you so you can see it again. But that's really the only change from round one to round two. >> I know the boat launch area is is a pretty high priority. Is that something that is helpful to highlight in the application thinking that the the boat launch and the fishing peers? >> Yes, Commissioner Brown. So, the road to the boat launch and the parking down there is part of this application process. The boat launch itself and the fishing pier. We are going to get uh money from the Minnesota DNR for that. >> Okay. >> And they and they want us to use they want us to use other resources of money, not just take everything from this one. Obviously, they need to try to spread it out. So, I think that's going to bode well for us because we're saying that we can get conservation partners legacy grant funding for habitat restoration. We already have the fishing pier that's already been awarded to us from the Minnesota DNA fisheries. Um the parks and trails is very interested in putting a boat launch down there for us. So I think if we can show those partnerships that's going to bode well for application. >> Thank you. >> So Zach, are you looking for the park county parks commission to do a letter like this or just the county itself? The last one came from the So, I sent it to the parks and recreation director and then the last one we've gotten him either from the county commissioner, our our county commissioner representative or we've also gotten it from um the public works director. So, it all depends on whether process, but I give it to the parks and recreation director and then he just decides who to sign off. Okay. >> But if you have recommendations, I'm happy to >> Well, I guess I have a question then. Would it be do you feel like it would be more helpful if that actual commission wrote a similar letter to this one? The parks and open spaces >> may help to have both. Let me talk to their parks and recreation director over there and I'll just ask the question. >> Yeah. And you can tell them I asked. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Thank you. It's good com because they do meet uh later this month. We meet >> prior to October 5th. >> Meets in about a week and a half. >> Yeah. Perfect. Thank you. Yep. I do need an action on this to approve the letter of recommendation. >> Okay. I will make a motion to approve the letter of recommendation for the 3M grant. >> I second. >> Any further discussion? >> All in favor? I >> I >> thank you. uh presentation of information. >> All right. Thank you, chair, members of the commission. I'm going to go through these fairly quickly. Um but please ask questions that you may have along the way. Just giving you updates on projects that you reviewed in the past like we always do. Denzer Park located on the west side of the community. We did put that on hold as we prioritize what funding was available to build out parks. Um, so the the priority was to finish Ultman Park, which we'll talk about here shortly. So, Desert Park has been on hold. We did put up a retaining wall there. That's going to be that elevated picnic shelter. So, it's a nice natural stone look. So, it's kind of cool. It's got stairs that go up. So, if you want to see a little bit of progress, you can find that. But now, we kind of put it dormant, put it to rest. And, uh, we'll probably pick that project up next year or maybe the year after depending on housing develops, how housing develops around the site. But, there's certainly housing development going around the site. So, they'll be asking for their park before too long. Granada Parking, that parking lot was complete for the pickle ball court uh uh concerns there from that from that resident. Um so, it's there. It seems like it's working. Every time I drive by, I don't see cars parking on the side of the road anymore. So, and I haven't heard from the resident um saying otherwise. So, I'm hoping that that's working. >> Crove Trailway Corridor Habit. Go ahead. >> Just I I drove past there the other day and it really looks nice. Good. Streets did a nice job. >> Yeah. And that was an all internal project. Parks did the excavation and the rocking and then streets did the paving and the striping. So, it was kind of fun to see the groups come together and get that done, too. >> The Cajrove Trailway habitat corridor restoration in between Imperial Avenue on the east and Hinton Avenue on the west that runs out of the powerland corridor. That habitat restoration hit a little bit of a snag with not being able to burn the large piles out there of the trees we removed. um which has been a source of frustration to not only the neighbors but me. I mean huge piles of timber that we should have we we we wish we could have burned this last winter when there's snow on the ground because then you just you know you can light them up they burn to the ground and then you walk away. So put them out and walk away I should say but um so neighbors been a little bit frustrated with that but we did get uh we did do our Arbor Day tree planting there. Some of those trees did not survive. I'm a little bit worried some of them might have got hit with some herbicide spraying when we went back and had to respray some weeds. But we'll we'll replant again as necessary. A lot of them did survive, but some didn't. Uh we did get our first prairie seating in the ground about a month ago. So they they should start I can see the germination underneath there already. So they should start to see some flowers and um maybe some blackeyed susans maybe even coming up late this fall. So we'll see. That's always a good indicator of germination success if those blackeyed susans come up right away. So that's that project. It's coming along. We're doing it in patches, but um once we get that um timber burned this winter, then after that it should be full full bore ahead and get that habitat restoration project complete. Any questions on any of those so far? All right, moving on. Oldman Park. Uh if you haven't drove byman Park, that is in full scale development. The first two fields are completely graded out. The third field might even be graded out as of this week. So, they had to they had a big pile of um sand up there that they're using as the base layer underneath the um underneath the soil. So, that's all there. All the drain tiles in, irrigation mains are in. So, that project's moving rather smoothly. The weather's been very cooperative for that. Um they're projected to be done by the end of October and then get a turf in and maybe even get germinated and then um get a little bit of germination and then give it a full year of rest next year. And then that's the that's the area where we have that uh natural timber playground going in. They uh I met with them last week. They intend to build that probably in November, early November. So that'll actually be put in this year. And then the picnic shelter has been awarded by council, too. So that'll go in probably later this fall as well. So piece of the puzzle's coming together. Most next year is mostly going to be just like I said, resting the fields, but um it's coming together quickly. Mississippi Dunes Park. We pretty much talked about that. No, no real changes there. Um other than we're trying to get that fishing pier in as soon as possible. Right now, our biggest challenge is we have the temporary parking lot and then the fishing pier is uh down quite a bit in elevation. We're trying to figure out how we can get that fishing pier in and still meet ADA compliance without spending $100,000 building temporary trail switchbacks. And so we're trying to figure out if we can get cars to drive a little bit just for those handicap accessible needs. So, uh, working with the engineers through that to try to figure out how we can make that happen at a reasonable cost. Kingston Park building is still on hold. Um, we will probably revisit that, I guess, probably the strategic planning session and kind of see where council's at as we get to that point, especially after the budget, this last budget is kind of coming to a close here and they'll have a better handling of where finances are and then they can give us some better direction on when Kingston Park building might go again. But right now it's just the plans and specifications are 99% complete and they're just kind of wait in hold at the moment. Peterson Peterson Park is that um lakefront property near Shepard Farm off of 70th and Jamaica. You can certainly see that the activity of houses being built there. So uh the trail has actually been cut in. We do not own the land that where that trail cuts through yet. We own some of the land, but we don't own the land all the way around the all the way around the pond. But I have had the privilege of walking it and it's going to be a really nice trail. So, and some residents are walking it already anyways. But it's a really nice trail that what they cut through and they opened it up and it turned out really nice. We had them take out all the kind of the scrub trees and the dead ash and uh it looks really nice there. So, um I think >> question on that one. Is that going to be connected to the trails that go through the Shepherd Farm property or is that totally separate? So, in the southwest corner, there will be a small connection there onto a natural trail, but it's not going to be there's they don't want signage. They don't want anything like that, but there there will be a small natural connection for those that kind of know the Shepherd Farm property, but they don't want any hard connections there. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, that's exciting. And uh I think that the only challenging part with Peterson Park is it's up to the developer to dedicate the land to us and finish the trail. So we're just we're in limbo. So obviously we're starting to get calls from residents, when's the trail going to go, when's the trail? And it's like don't know, don't even have the land yet. So um but it'll happen quickly. I'm sure by early next year we'll probably be in a better spot and get that done fairly quickly. Still Ponds Park. I did include an image that im this this image is in there, right? If you remember when we met out on site for the tour, we talked about the potential removal of that red pine um plantation out there from the previous from the previous land owner. Um I don't think I had this at the time, so I just wanted to share this map with you. This is what came from the Washington Washington County Conservation District as well as recommendation from so it was a team of the conservation district as well as the DNR forestry that came out looked at it and basically they said the site is um the forest there is quite degraded and this is what they're recommending is to save you know those pink areas and remove those purple areas. So the removal is quite substantial. I'm not asking the commission to take any recommendation on it today, but I don't want this to be a surprise when this plantation comes down or we ask to take this plantation to come down. At the end of the day, it's up to the uh to commissioners and councils and and whoever else whether we keep them or or let them go, but uh it was pretty clear from those experts that it's quite degraded, which is what we were concerned about. Um and that it's something that's probably going to be taken down and then do a full scale habitat restoration and get it back to where it should be. So again, more for information and uh trying to weed out any concerns prior to the day we actually have that conversation. >> What should it be, Zach? What would it be when we re restore it? >> So because it's near the wetland there and we already have a pretty substantial oak forest, I imagine it'll be some sort of a wetland and prairie restoration effort there. you know, truly native. I'm sure this was a um so that I'm sure this was some sort of an oak savannah. The actual wetland there, as I understand it, is a cattle pond. So, they actually damned it up and then so the cattle will go in there and water. So, it's not a natural waterway, but it's been there long enough that the U wershed district says there's actually it's a really good wetland there. So really quality habitat >> like the historian. >> Okay. >> I talked to a lot of people. >> Any questions on the action items or action updates? >> Sorry. >> All right. Donations. >> Oh, we do have a couple. Uh we had a donation for a bench at Hamlet Park. So, where the boardwalk is on the east side of the property, where the railroad on the back side, and then the boardwalk is on that northern section of trail, the Olsson memorial trail, uh we had one of the residents of the uh Norris Square had donated and remembrance of her husband who had passed. So, that was really neat. But while we were there, we installed, I think, six more pads, which if you remember when we did it at Highlands Park, we installed those six pads and they went like that. So, we're hoping maybe the same thing will happen at uh Olsson Memorial Trail as well. Um, so I think we have six pads that are available. So we hope people see those and if they wish to donate, memorialize, that's a great spot for it. And then we also had one that went to the King or the Highlands Park basketball court in memory of Jim Bus, who was a long time uh dedicated member of the community, es particularly with um sports, but also had a long uh military service background, too. So there's a nice plaque on there that talks about that. So uh those are the two donations that I have off hand. All right. Staff reports. The Minnesota's untamed de dividend. >> Yes. And I did not print out the 72page report. >> Thank you. >> I kept it simple for you. I I I I read the entire thing just so you know, like every word, but I was like, "This is it." You know, it's all when you read a whole book and you get to like, "If I have just read those three pages, I would have pretty much learned everything." Well, so this is pretty much everything you need to know in these five pages. So, I thought it was really interesting. Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but it's uh if you want to see the whole document, it's available online. It's amazing what outdoor recreation outdoor recreation and natural areas do for the economy in Minnesota. I mean, we we invest for sure. >> Commission comments. Any anyone did anything fun? All right. >> Uh council comments. Uh Commissioner Claus, >> thank you very much. A couple things from the council a couple weeks ago. Um the sports lighting system at Hamlet, excuse me, Hearthside Park is on a had a little glitch. They found some uh bedrock or some rock very near to the top that they got to figure out how to either drill through it or put a different kind of pad in for the lighting. So, that's a little bit behind schedule, but as I understand the uh budget is still there to handle the change order that's in place. So, that's moving forward, but just a slight delay. Um Boulevard tree planting. Last summer we had the storm which took out hundreds of trees and we had a bid award to replace some more of those. So there's another 155 trees coming in for dead ash and boulevard trees that were taken down. So I think even this fall that those should get started. Um other than that I've just had a comment. I'm wondering you said you put the bench pads in hoping someone will uh see a spot and wonder why. Sir, I wonder if there's some sort of inexpensive adopt a pad, adopt a bench. We could maybe put a sign or something by it that wouldn't be too expensive to say, "Hey, there's a here's a pad. Do you want to somebody want to donate a bench?" Just an idea. >> Yeah. >> Um I don't I don't know what that would look like, but just a thought. >> Maybe if anybody else has any ideas of how to sell benches, but um any questions that I can maybe answer from the council? Well, I know the uh H the Kingston Park Kingston Park building. I know it was a we commented or we're working a lot during the budget sessions sessions to trying to figure out how we can work that in, but the capital improvement requests were as they are every year a lot. Um and that one just got pushed back a little bit and um it's not in the improvement plan for 26 at the moment, but things can change. But I'm just sadly it's not there right now. >> That's all I have. Thanks. >> Any questions for Councilman? >> All right. Off the hook. Uh workshop. >> None tonight. >> Entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Anyone? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Okay. >> Second. All in favor? Hi. >> All right, We're a journey.