DEPARTMENT: Parks
FILE TYPE: Regular Action
TITLE
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Approval Of Schematic Design For Mississippi River Landing Use Area And Access In Spring Lake Park Reserve
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Approve the schematic design for the Mississippi River Landing Use Area and Access (MRLUA&A) project in Spring Lake Park Reserve (SLPR), County Project (CP) 2000410.
SUMMARY
By Resolution No. 21-313 (June 22, 2021), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners adopted the SLPR Masterplan, which outlines the development of the MRLUA&A project. By Resolution No. 23-309 (July 18, 2023), the 2024 Park's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Adopted Budget includes a project to develop the MRLUA&A.
The MRLUA&A, previously referred to as Bud's Landing near Fischer Avenue in SLPR, is currently used to provide limited public water access to the Mississippi River for waterfowl hunting and limited recreation. The current one-lane road is subject to erosion. Minimal parking creates challenges for visitors and programming, and the road grade is steep and not Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant for pedestrian use.
The project will create multiple access paths to the Mississippi River Landing Use Area, including an accessible pedestrian path connecting Fischer Trailhead, a non-accessible soft trail along riverside connecting Camp Spring Lake Retreat Center, and a vehicular access route. New facilities will include two small parking areas, a non-motorized boat launch, an accessible floating pier, self-service kayak rentals, wayfinding and interpretation elements, picnic tables, portable toilets, an outdoor classroom, fishing access points, stormwater treatment features, and vegetation restoration. The team will also study the feasibility of providing a small pavilion building with storage.
The site has a long history of precontact use and habitation by Indigenous people and was previously identified on the Traditional Culture Properties Survey. In 2024, a non-invasive geotechnical surve...
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