DEPARTMENT: Parks, Facilities, and Fleet Management
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
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Discussion To Consider Acquisition Of Wicklund Property In Waterford Township
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Review potential acquisition of the 123.5-acre Jerry and Audrey Wicklund property located in Waterford Township to establish a new County Park Conservation Area (CPCA).
SUMMARY
Background information on the establishment of County Park Conservation Areas (CPCAs): By Resolution No. 15-239 (May 5, 2015) the County Board approved acquisition of the 61.7-acre former Cemstone property along the Vermillion River to preserve a future greenway trail corridor and by Resolution No. 15-534 (October 20,2015) designated the property as the first CPCA and amended the Parks Ordinance to allow hunting. Since 2015, an additional nine properties, totaling 270.5-acres, have been acquired and designated CPCAs in anticipation of future paved greenway trail segments.
Wicklund Property:
The Wicklunds own 151 acres, including 4,100 feet of Chub Creek in Waterford Township. The Wicklund property is located within the future Chub Creek Greenway corridor identified in the 2008 Dakota County 2030 Park System Plan and within the Chub Creek Conservation Focus Area, identified in the 2020 Land Conservation Plan for Dakota County. Several State-listed rare plants have been identified on the property. The Wicklunds have planted many native trees and prairie species over their lifetime of ownership, in addition to investing extensive effort into controlling invasive species, such as buckthorn. The Wicklunds have also allowed public use of two snowmobile trails and special turkey hunting opportunities in the Spring for veteran's and youth.
County staff began working with the Wicklunds in 2009 to permanently protect a portion of their property. The County Board of Commissioners, by Resolution No. 20-633 (December 14, 2020), approved the expenditure of up to $291,912 to acquire a 121.60-acre...
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