DEPARTMENT: Parks
FILE TYPE: Regular Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Release And Transfer Environmental Legacy Funds From Veterans Memorial Greenway Project P00147 To Other Eligible Capital Improvement Projects
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RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, the Veterans Memorial Greenway Project (P00147) will provide a link between Lebanon Hills Regional Park and the Mississippi River in central Dakota County and through the cities of Inver Grove Heights and Eagan; and
WHEREAS, the Veterans Memorial Greenway will include memorials along the trail, giving users the opportunity to learn about the sacrifices veterans have made over the years as they travel the trail; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 20-430 (September 1, 2020), the County executed a contract with Short-Elliott-Hendrickson, Incorporated, for preliminary and final design engineering consulting services; and
WHEREAS, the 2026 Parks Capital Improvement Program Budget includes sufficient funding for the Veterans Memorial Greenway and with active and proposed external funding agreements may have excess Environmental Legacy Fund (ELF) funding; and
WHEREAS, County staff recognizes and recommends that additional ELF funding may be able to be released from this project to fund other ELF-eligible projects in the Capital Improvement Program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the County Manager, or delegate, to authorize a budget amendment to transfer ELF budget from Veterans Memorial Greenway in an amount not to exceed $2,350,000, to other ELF eligible projects in the CIP.
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BACKGROUND
To enrich lives by providing high-quality recreation and education opportunities in harmony with natural resource preservation and stewardship, Dakota County Parks is proceeding with the Veterans Memorial Greenway.
The Veterans Memorial Greenway is a proposed regional trail and open-space corridor that will provide a link between Lebanon Hills Regional Park and the Mississippi River in central Dakota County. The five-mile corridor stretches east and west within Eagan and Inver Grove Heights, which follows the adopted Rich Valley Greenway master plan corridor. The Veterans Memorial Greenway will provide neighborhood access points connecting single-family residential neighborhoods, local park connections, and rural and undeveloped open space (Attachment: Project Location). The memorials along the trail will be planned and constructed in partnership with Veterans groups.
Dakota County has secured $15,970,000 in external state and federal funds for construction and has applied in 2026 for an additional $5,995,000 in external state and funder funds to support previously received funds. The total amount of external funds secured and unsecured is $21,965,000. If the additional external funds are awarded to the project up to $2,350,000 of Environmental Legacy Fund (ELF) funds could be released to support other ELF eligible projects in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). If the County does not receive the full amount of requested funds, project staff will return to the County Board for further discussion about project scope and budget amendments to support external funding agreement cost shares, or construction budget changes.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends releasing $2,350,000 of ELF funding from the Veterans Memorial Greenway Project P00147 and allocating those funds to other CIP ELF-eligible projects.
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FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPACTS
Project 1000636 - P00147 Veterans Memorial Greenway
|
Source |
Budget Amount |
Available Budget |
|
MN ACHF Grant |
$20,000 |
$0 |
|
Parks County Funds |
$681,583 |
$0 |
|
Environmental Legacy Fund |
$9,900,000 |
$6,681,395 |
|
Federal Aid Program |
$4,995,000 |
$4,995,000 |
|
Regional Rail Authority Funding |
$1,000,000 |
$1,000,000 |
|
Met Council State Bonding |
$10,000,000 |
$5,680,614 |
|
Transportation Advance Acct |
$412,743 |
$0 |
|
Transportation CIP |
$46,506 |
$0 |
|
Transportation Sales/Use Tax |
$40,000 |
$0 |
|
Congressional Directed Spending |
$1,000,000 |
$1,000,000 |
|
Grand Total |
$28,095,833 |
$19,357,009 |
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
20-430; 9/1/20
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Project Location Map
Attachment: Presentation Slides
CONTACT
Department Director: Niki Geisler
Author: Tony Wotzka