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9.g Discussion on Friends of Scandia Parks & Trails proposal for Landscape PlantingSC DILA Staff Report Date of Meeting: March 7, 2018 To: City Council From: Neil Soltis, Administrator Re: Friend of Scandia Parks & Trails Landscape project Background: At the March, 2018 work session Lisa Schlingerman and Cristina de Sobrino presented a proposal on behalf of the Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails to install a prairie planting on 0.25 acres of the city -owned parcel that was formerly the Rasmussen home site, 20780 Olinda Trail. They proposed a 3 -year program for site preparation and plantings to be developed by Prairie Restorations with the remaining native plants from Lilleskogen Park being moved to this new site. FSPT would continue to monitor and maintain the site after establishment. Based on the Council's agreement to move forward a memorandum of agreement was drafted and the Council approved the Agreement with the Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails for the Rasmussen Prairie Planting Project with the change to insurance requirements. Karen Schik has contacted the City on behalf of the FSPT noting that the Friends will not be doing the planting at the Rasmussen site. Based on an evaluation of the site conditions in the growing season, it was determined that the weed pressure there is too great and there are several very large Siberian elm trees on the property (a very invasive non-native tree) that will continually seed into a planting there. Staff from Prairie Restorations concurred with their assessment and advised that it would be extremely difficult to maintain and they would not recommend a planting there. FSPT requested consideration of moving the plants at Lilleskogen and incorporating them into the MnDOT Landscape Partnership planting at 97/01inda since these species should be well-suited to those site conditions and would be a nice addition to the other wildflower plantings. Based on the approved design and status of the MnDOT project, two alternative locations were proposed to FSPT. The locations were along Olinda between the skating rink and Olinda and the area by the Settlers monument between Olinda and the entry drive. Pending approval from the FSPT full board and City Council, they would like to move forward with the Olinda site this year. As shown on the picture of Olinda location that follow this report, the suggested planting area now has a combination of overgrown or dead shrubs and has a number of volunteer plants. The current plantings can be removed and the area, including areas west of the pine trees, prepped for the new plantings. Once established the plantings will enhance the aesthetics when driving into to downtown. Issue: Should the agreement with the Friends of Scandia Parks & Trails be modified to approve the plantings on City -owned property along Olinda west of the skating rink. Fiscal Impact: The Friends would be responsible for all costs related to the plantings. Options: 1. Approve modifying the letter of agreement 2. Defer action for further discussion 3. Refer to Parks & Recreation Committee for recommendation 4. Take no action on the request Recommendation: Option 1 .• i J' • - � L a `lel•- -• __ L4 e :.w