7. Request from Washington County to transfer Outlot A of Big Marine Lake Estates to CountySCANDIIA
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: August 7, 2018
To: Planning Commission
From: Neil Soltis, Administrator
Re: Request from Washington County to transfer Outlot A of Big Lakes Estates to County for inclusion in the
Big Marine Park Reserve
Background: When Big Lake Estates was platted in 1973 Outlot A (outlined in blue below) was deeded to
the Town of New Scandia to fulfill the requirements for open space on the plat. In 1988 the County Board
of Commissioners designated an area needed for future public use as the Big Marine Park Reserve which
includes Outlot A. The County has acquired property over time and as a stipulation of the designation, the
Town (now City) is required to deny every application to construct a new building or structure in order to
provide the County an opportunity to acquire the property. In Scandia the County currently owns the
parcels to the north and south of Outlot A and is working to purchase the 3 lots across Margo from Outlot
A. The nearby County parcels and proposed acquisition are shown in green.
Outlot A is 2.42 acres with roughly 1.4 acres above the ordinary high way mark. As shown in yellow on the
map, almost all of the parcel is identified in the National Wetland Inventory map which limits it use for
recreational purposes.
Minnesota Statutes require that no publicly owned interest in real property within the municipality shall be
acquired or disposed of, nor shall any capital improvement be authorized by the municipality or special
district or agency thereof or any other political subdivision having jurisdiction within the municipality until
after the planning agency has reviewed the proposed acquisition, disposal, or capital improvement and
reported in writing to the governing body or other special district or agency or political subdivision
concerned, its findings as to compliance of the proposed acquisition, disposal or improvement with the
comprehensive municipal plan.
Excerpts from the City of Scandia 2008 — 2030 comprehensive Plan
The System Statement describes the two existing regional parks, Big Marine Park Reserve and William
O'Brien State Park. Other public and private recreational areas are noted in the System Statement, including
local parks and fields, county -owned land, the Falls Creek Scientific Natural Area, and the planned Glacial
Hills Trail at the City's southeast border with Maine on St. Croix (see below). The City's park priorities,
identified in the 2006 Comprehensive Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Plan, address Scandia's
regional park assets and recommend steps to enhance their functional use by managing land use, further
developing City and regional trail systems, and adding new recreational amenities in or near these regional
parks.
The Metropolitan Council's 2005 Regional Parks Capital Improvement Program identified several priority
acquisitions in 2006-7 to expand Big Marine Park Reserve, and a project scheduled for 2010-11 to develop a
campground and related facilities in Big Marine Park Reserve. These investments will likely result in increased
use of Big Marine Park Reserve and will enhance the recreational value of trail connections or other local park
and open space efforts connecting to the Reserve.
Parks & Trails Goal 2 in the Plan Develop a close working relationship with other agencies and groups to
enhance the parks and recreation facilities and develop trails and routes in the City.
PT Goal 10: Since the adoption of the 2006 Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan, Scandia has become an
incorporated city and taken a greater responsibility for its own green infrastructure. The City will continue to
work closely with Washington County, the Metropolitan Council, and the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources on more detailed planning efforts to insure that the regional green infrastructure system is
designed in a manner compatible with existing and planned development in the City.
Included in the Park priorities is the expansion of the Big Marine Park Reserve along with a map of Park and
Recreation Search Areas that shows Outlot A as being included in the Big Marine Park Reserve.
Issue: Is the transfer of Outlot A of Big Lake Estates to Washington County as a part of the Big Marine Park
Reserve consistent with the comprehensive plan.
Proposal Details: See the letter from Washington County that follows.
P"alola
�n
Map 20 - Park and Recreation Search Areas
l/ l/OytiG�i�On/y
City of Scandia 2008-2030 Comprehensive Plan14
's
SCANDIA
I L -, � -. � I -.. , �/ � -� � / - I
wellake'
I S
I
1
1
�• ♦♦
�� Rec• �
Search�C
11 IP.r-
SearchQ�
•
nLake
"ite Rock Lake
Nielsen Lake
228th St N
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Sea Lake
30t■St N
•Z
1 O
I r�L ■
■
o �
�5
Hay Lake
Odd Manl
'Lake
185th;
�11 z
MWIMIM
N
City BoundarySearch
Areas
■
j ■
Open Water
■
A
■ d Park
■ a2 Search A
■
■
Streamswle
Recreation Facilities
0 0.5 1
4"%.* County Parkway
t`,.:� Park Expansions
Miles
,f
IO Gateway Trail
��
•
u+
C:' Park Boundaries
Data Sources: MN DNR,
Metropolitan Council,
O
+%w Gateway Trail Alignment
Washington County
Derived from City of Scandia Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Plan
iR,
y9ean A
oilfnt
'
G
�/III21
IIII
o �
�5
Hay Lake
Odd Manl
'Lake
185th;
�11 z
T ■
_.. ......-
._____ . �..�
° C 111th St N St N --------
Park and Recreation Search Areas
N
City BoundarySearch
Areas
■
j ■
Open Water
■
A
■ d Park
■ a2 Search A
■
■
Streamswle
Recreation Facilities
0 0.5 1
4"%.* County Parkway
t`,.:� Park Expansions
Miles
,f
IO Gateway Trail
��
•
u+
C:' Park Boundaries
Data Sources: MN DNR,
Metropolitan Council,
O
+%w Gateway Trail Alignment
Washington County
Derived from City of Scandia Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Plan
iR,
y9ean A
G
rch _
%Park E
Searcht8
z
ti
•
••. i■■ ■
�a/fir Z
:h C
—
a
•
■
Oakhill Rd
2 ■
o■
_
o.
ox _.... .........
i ._.._.
_. i
T ■
_.. ......-
._____ . �..�
° C 111th St N St N --------
Park and Recreation Search Areas
N
City BoundarySearch
Areas
W+E
Open Water
♦�.�► City Parks
S
Streamswle
Recreation Facilities
0 0.5 1
4"%.* County Parkway
t`,.:� Park Expansions
Miles
County Greenway
IO Gateway Trail
��
C Parcels
C:' Park Boundaries
Data Sources: MN DNR,
Metropolitan Council,
I Parks & Open Space
+%w Gateway Trail Alignment
Washington County
Derived from City of Scandia Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Plan
July 2, 2008
SCANDIA
iU
Washington
'.:� County
July 12, 2018
Mr. Neil Soltis
City Administrator
City of Scandia
14727 209th Street N.
Scandia, MN 55073
Re: Parcel: Outlot A, Big Lake Estates
Owner: City of Scandia
PID: 32.032.20.44.0003
Dear Mr. Soltis:
Public Works Department
Parks Division
Donald J. Theisen, P.E.
Director
Wayne H. Sandberg, P.E.
Deputy Director/County Engineer
Washington County has been acquiring land for inclusion into its Big Marine Park Reserve for
many years. Outlot A Big Lake Estates is located along the eastside of Big Marine Lake, is
within the Big Marine Park Reserve Master Plan and is surrounded by parcels currently owned
by Washington County. As we move forward with our future planning, we would very much
like to include this parcel as part of that planning and believe it would be very beneficial to
incorporate it formally into the Big Marine Park Reserve.
Therefore, we are requesting for the City of Scandia to consider transferring Outlot A, Big Lake
Estates to Washington County for public use within Big Marine Park Reserve.
Thank you for your consideration and support in moving the development of this park forward.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Sandy Breuer V
Parks Director
Attachment — Parcel Map
17495 Manning Trail, Marine, MN 55047
Phone: 651-430-8200 • Fax: 651-430-8205
wwwco.washington.mn.us
Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action
Washington
:= County
1\
3,,6 80
O
N
M
'CO
�
32p•21
N �
N
Ab -
340
f
o h ..:,fit: .r. .
o 'n
X90>S •',��
M
44� 66
44j66
3,3 SS 28S ��
460
'6546
.d 32032204- - rb y
Sy 07
461 (0005) O �'
541.3$
6
41.65 ,U ... U440004 . .
- 554.Zt
E m
100 50 0 100 Feet
i
400.00
N
W E
S
00
00
moo.
City of Scandia
PID: 32.032.20.44.0003