B Assumption Seminary FenMEMORANDUM
CITYOF
CHAN SEN
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Administration
Phone: 952.227.1100
Fax: 952.227.1110
Building Inspections
Phone: 952,227.1180
Fax: 952,227.1190
Engineering
Phone: 952,227.1160
Fax: 952.227,1170
Finance
Phone: 952,227.1140
Fax: 952,227.1110
Park & Recreation
Phone: 952,227.1120
Fax: 952.227,1110
Recreation Center
2310 Coulter Boulevard
Phone: 952.227,1400
Fax: 952.227,1404
Planning &
Natural Resources
Phone: 952,227,1130
Fax: 952.227,1110
Public Works
1591 Park Road
Phone: 952.227.1300
Fax: 952.227.1310
Senior Center
Phone: 952.227,1125
Fax: 952,227.1110
Web Site
www.ci.chanhassen.mn,us
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
Lori Haak, Water Resources Coordinator 0.~,.,,/
July 7, 2003
Background on the Assumption Seminary Property and Efforts to
Acquire It
LOCATION AND HISTORY
The Assumption Seminary property consists of approximately 160 acres on
the north side of Highway 212 and west of Bluff Creek Drive. (Assumption
Creek and Seminary Fen sprawl across many properties owned by a dozen or
more property owners; however, the 160 acres highlighted in the map below
contains most of the creek and fen that is still in private ownership.)
AssumPtion Seminary Property
Around the turn of the twentieth century, the property was the home of the
Mudcura Sanitarium. People came from around the Midwest to take mud
baths in the healing sulfur-rich mud. Near the middle of last century, the
property was purchased by Franciscans and used as a seminary. When the
property changed hands again, its buildings :fell into disrepair until arson
claimed them in 1998. Presently, theproperty is owned by a private
partnership that purchased it prior to the fire,
The City of Chanhassen · A growing community with clean lakes, qualily schools, a charming downtown, thriving businesses, winding trails, and beautiful parks. A great place to live, work, and play.
The purpose of this presentation is to:
1. Provide background information on the Assumption Seminary property and recent
efforts to bring it into public ownership; and
2. Request City Council support of staff as it continues its role in the team working to
negotiate for public acquisition of the Seminary property.
ASSUMPTION CREEK AND SEMINARY FEN
The Assumption Creek/Seminary Fen complex is a very unique and significant resource
within the City of Chanhassen, the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District
(LMRWD) and the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. It contains a DNR-designated trout
stream (Assumption Creek) and a calcareous seepage fen (Seminary Fen).
Assumption Creek
Assumption Creek is a tributary of the Minnesota River. It begins just northwest of the
Assumption Seminary property and empties into the Minnesota River after flowing
through the Raguet Wildlife Management Area, west of Highway 101 and south of
Highway 212 in Chanhassen. The creek is Carver County's only remaining native trout
stream. It is one of only 15 streams in the metro area that still supports trout populations.
Additionally, it is one of the few streams in the metro area that supports native brook '
trout instead of non-native brown trout.
Seminary Fen
The Seminary Fen is a 90-acre calcareous seepage fen within a larger wetland complex of
about 600 acres. Most of the fen is located on the Assumption Seminary property.
Fens are types of bogs .that form in low-lying areas that are wholly or partly covered with
water and dominated by plants like grasses, sedges and reeds. The soils of fens are
organic (peaty) and not acidic like the soils of bogs. The water that fens receive is
typically groundwater that contains dissolved minerals and is moderately acidic.
Calcareous seepage fens are the least common type of fen because the conditions
required to create them are unique. Calcareous seepage fens are formed when water from
atop a river bluff area percolates through soils rich in calcium and magnesium, collects
those minerals and seeps out of more shallowly sloped portions of the bluff. Because
calcareous seepage fens are uncommon, the plants that live in the fen are quite rare. The
unique conditions in Seminary Fen support eight rare plants: five state threatened plant
species and three state special concern species.
The plant community of the Seminary Fen is exceptional not only because it contains
these eight rare plant species, but also because it is relatively untouched. Despite the
site's use by Mudcura Sanitarium and the Assumption Seminary, the plant community
has resisted invasion by non-native plant species to a great extent. According to Hannah
Dunevitz, Regional Plant Ecologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), the Seminary Fen is the highest quality calcareous seepage fen in the Minnesota
River Valley in the metro area.
Threats to the Resources
The most important factor in ensuring the protection of this site is the integrity of the
hydrologic system, since the mineral-rich springs create the conditions necessary for the
plants that grow in the calcareous seepage fens. Without cool, clear, mineral-rich
springs, the conditions necessary for the plants that grow in the calcareous fen will be
gone. The site's hydrology can be protected in part through the education of and
involvement with property owners in the subwatershed. However, the public sector will
also have to do its part to protect the hydrology. The Trunk Highway 312 project
proposes a cut through the upper parts of the fen's watershed and several potential
alignments of the Trunk Highway 41 realignment would do the same. If these projects do
not take fen protection into consideration, rare natural resources could be destroyed.
Protection of the bluffs above the wetlands is also important. Deposition of sediment
from the bluffs above Minnesota River wetlands often creates an environment in which
undesirable plants like reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) thrive. In addition,
runoff from golf courses, lawns, parking lots and other developed areas coUld add
herbicides and other pollutants to the wetlands.
ACQUISITION EFFORTS
Purpose
The goal of acquisition is to bring the property into public ownership so it can be
protected, restored and managed for the benefit of future generations.
Past Efforts
The City has cooperated with other organizations in the past (including the DNR) to try
to bring the Assumption Seminary property into public ownership. Between 1997 and
1998, the DNR pursued acquisition in a move that would have resulted in the relocation
of a DNR regional office to the property. At that time, the price being asked by the
property owners (backed by the property owners' appraisal) was more than 10% above
the value reached by the DNR's appraiser. For this reason, the DNR could not proceed
with its negotiations.
During 2001 and 2002, the City of Chanhassen worked with a variety of public and non-
profit organizations to acquire the Assumption Seminary property. The Conservation
Fund, one of the non-profit organizations involved, maintained an option on the property
for approximately 6 months. The first 90 days were provided at no charge; a 90 day
extension was funded by the Friends of the Minnesota Valley.
During those 180 days, the City and the other organizations successfully introduced a bill
to get an appropriation for the cost of property acquisition from the Minnesota State
Legislature. The Seminary property appropriation made it into the House and Senate
bonding bills; howeverl Governor Ventura eliminated the appropriation through a line-
item veto. The organizations worked to secure other means of funding, but no option or
combination of options provided the funding needed to acquire the property at that time.
Current Efforts
Several public and private organizations (including the City, DNR, LMRWD and Friends
of the Minnesota Valley) have been working together over the past year in a renewed
effort to acquire this property. The Conservation Fund intends to purchase the property
from the current owners once adequate funding has been secured. In turn, the DNR
would purchase the property from The Conservation Fund (using the funds acquired from
the State and other contributing organizations or individuals). The DNR would then
divide responsibility between three of its divisions (Scientific and Natural Areas, Aquatic
Management Areas and Wildlife Management Areas) to ensure proper restoration and
management of each resource.
PAST COMMITMENT
The City has repeatedly given protection of this area the highest priority of all wetlands
in the City (Surface Water Management Plan, Bluff Creek Natural Resources
Management Plan and Comprehensive Plan, Attachments 1-3). In addition, the City
Council passed a resolution of support for the acquisition of the Assumption Seminary
property in 2002 (Attachment 4). Staff has been involved throughout the process by
assisting with securing funding for the property's acquisition and providing input on its
restoration and maintenance. Other organizations have expressed similar levels of
commitment to the protection of these resources. Staff believes continued cooperation
with the working group and other organizations will accelerate progress toward the goals
outlined in the City's Plans.
COST AND FUNDING
At present, the property owners are willing to sell to a public buyer and are asking $2
million for 160 acres. It is anticipated that at least $2.2 million is needed to perform
Phase I and Phase II assessments of the property, perform appropriate remediation and
purchase the property. Through the efforts of many public and private organizations, the
latest bonding bill earmarked $1.5 million for the purchase of the Assumption Seminary
property. It is estimated that an additional $700,000 will be needed to bring this property.
into public ownership. City staff will continue to assist The Conservation Fund in
negotiating for the public acquisition of the Seminary Property.
PARTNERS
Over the past several years, many individuals and organizations have supported the
efforts to bring the Seminary property into public ownership. These include:
· Chanhassen and Chaska Residents within the Assumption Creek subwatershed;
· Senator Ortman and Representative Hoppe, as well as former Senator Oliver and
former Representative Workman;
· Chanhassen City Council (Attachment 4);
· Carver County Board of Commissioners (Attachment 5);
· The Conservation Fund;
· Friends of the Minnesota Valley;
· Lower Minnesota River Watershed District;
· The McKnight Foundation;
· Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; and
· Sierra Club.
WHY COOPERATE TO ACQUIRE THE SEMINARY PROPERTY?
Acquisition of the Assumption Seminary Property will ensure the protection of the rare
natural resources it contains and will provide open space in a wildlife corridor. By
committing the City's resources to public ownership and management of the property,
Chanhassen will be able to take advantage of the DNR's expertise in management while
keeping the City's costs fixed. Chanhassen residents will benefit from the recreational
opportunities provided by the opening of the trout stream to anglers, opening the area
south of Highway 212 to hunters and the preservation of the viewshed from the Hennepin
County Regional Trail Corridor to the north of the property. As a side benefit, the City
will be recognized as a leader in the protection of a resource the McKnight Foundation
has listed as one of 10 "Twin Cities treasures" (Attachment 6).
Over the past six years, many organizations have been exploring other ways to protect the
natural resources on the property (including increased setbacks from Assumption Creek
and Seminary Fen and the development of a Stewardship and Protection Plan to be
distributed to residents within the subwatershed). However, none of the protection
measures would protect the resources as well as outright acquisition of the property and
subsequent management of the resources.
WHY NOW?
There are several reasons to commit to the protection of these resources at this time:
· The price of the property will increase over time, particularly when municipal
sewer and water become available to the site.
· Acquisition now will ensure nonconforming uses of the property cease and
subdivision does not occur.
· With the Seminary property in public ownership, inquiries from potential
developers will vanish and City officials and staff will be able to devote their time
to other issues within Chanhassen.
The City has always been committed to the protection of Assumption Creek and
Seminary Fen. With the appropriation of $1.5 million from the legislature, a willing
seller, a dedicated group of public and private organizations and a considerable
investment of staff time on behalf of all those organizations, it seems that now is the time
to commit to protecting these resources.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Excerpt from Surface Water Management Plan, 1994
2. Excerpt from Bluff Creek Watershed Natural Resources Management Plan, 1996
3. Excerpt from City of Chanhassen Comprehensive Plan, 1998
4. Chanhassen City Council Resolution in Support of State Funding to Acquire the
Seminary Fen, January 14, 2002
5. Carver County Board Resolution in Support of State Funding to Acquire the
Seminary Fen, February 5, 2002
6. Minneapolis Star Tribune Article, September 24, 2002
7. Chanhassen Villager Article, June 19, 2003
Proposed improvements at Ponds LOM-P1.3, LOM-P1.4, LOM-P1.8, and LOM-Pl.12
described in Section IV-J3. and Appendix C are high priority, highly 'efficient
improvements which contribute the most to enhance the water quality of th~ pristine
wetlands. ' '~ '::
Wetlands
Wetlands A34-8(1) and A34-12(1) should be protected from impacts of development
of adjacent uplands and from in-flowing water by use of upland buffer zones and
minimum setbacks as detailed in the Ordinance.
Wetlands A34-8(1) and A34.-12(1) should be improved by allowing more water to pass
through the railroad grade in the northem portion of A34-12(1).
3. Wetlands such as A27-16(1) and A27-16(2) should be protected by implementing the
upland buffer zones and minimum setbacks as detailed in the Ordinance.
4. Purple loosestrife population center at
accordance with State guidelines.
wetland A34-8(1)
should be treated in
IV-K Drainage to Neighboring Communities
IV'K.1 Drainage to Christmas Lake
Watershed Description: The portion of Chanhassen draining to Christmas Lake is located at
the north central boundary of the City with a total area of about 234 acres. This area does not
receive any runoff from other watersheds inside or outside the City.
Topography within the area is fairly steep with a lot of small depressions, wetlands and ponds.
Land surface elevations range from about 1,040 feet to 930 at Christmas Lake shoreland. The
Christmas Lake area is fairly well developed (about 75%).
System Description IV-179
F2, Gree~wauj
considering the highly developed nature of the watershed that
surrounds it.
The design of the trails and park system should continue to move forward
as the Park and Recreation Commission recommends and under the
viewpoints .discussed above.
Development of the land and transportation routes should continue to
move forward with Watershed-Based Zoning and Cluster Development
and protection of the primary and secondary zones as discussed in section
V.E. The East Gorge area is erosive and it is important that the City require
setback regulations beyond the existing .bluff ordinance to protect the
spr, ing-fed creek. This may require an amendment to the existing bluff
ordinance.
Much of the area appears to already be divided into large 1or residential
home sites. Future development would target further subdivision of
parcels. The City's efforts to manage this area should focus on cooperative
agreements to protect the area, especially the southern areas where
higher quality exists.
IV, G Recjio~ 5- 5emi~'~r~ Fe~
1 Nc~tur~l Resource5
· Approach
The Seminary Fen should receive the highest level of protection
to avoid declines in wetland quality. This wetland should remain
connected to the lower gorge area of Bluff Creek. Naturally
reproducing trout within the creek on this property should also
be protected.
The Seminary Fen is an extremely rare type of wetland found in
the state and should be protected from encroachment due to
draining, filling and exotic species (see Figure 14). To retain
groundWater discharge into this area, development should be
restricted on the bluff top areas so that recharge of groundwater
may occur. Buffer strips should be a minimum of 100 feet on all
sides of this wetland. Disturbances, such as vegetation removal,
should not be allowed. This wetland should remain connected to
the lower gorge area of Bluff Creek. Naturally reproducing trout
within the creek on this property should be protected as well.
Bluff Cree¢~ Watershed N~turc~l Re~ource~ Ma~a~jeme~t PI~
7~ . G,2 Greenwood.
Deve!opme~t
The design'of the trails and park system should continue to move forward
· s the Park and Recreation Commission recommends and under the
viewpoints discussed above.
Development of the land and transportation routes should continue to
move forward with Watershed-Based Zoning and cluster development
and protection of the primary and secondary zones as discussed in section
V.E.' The City should consider a variety of land uses in this area and should
choose the use that is most protective to the area. if possible, a means for
limited access for education purposes would be ideal. Maintenance of the
fen and trout stream is also important. Therefore, it is practical that lands
that are for sale be acquired and preserved as a natural area. Lands that are
not'for sale should be protected with conservation easements.
IV,H Ed~cc~tio~
The goals for the educational component of the plan were established
after the following portion of the Steering Committee Vision:
"...The creek serves as a field laboratory for tt,e schools, teachers
and community in order to develop a stewardship of the land....'"
The implications of the vision requi~-e the development of a watershed
awareness program fo~- the entire community (school, otizens, etc.) so that
the plan implementation process is part of an ongoing community
education and involvement effort. There are some constraints, i.e., the
need for teacher training time, cumculum development, field trips, and
support fi'om the school principals.
The awareness program will focus on actively engaging children, tamilies,
and the general public in learning about Bluff Creek. its ecological and
cultural characteristics and role. It will also consider ways fo,' the public
and special groups (nature societies, schools, corporate volunteers, ga~'den
clubs, etc.) to participate ir~ corridor research, restoration monitoring and
demonstration projects.
The program will emphasize the. need for co~'~ ~munity suppo~-t beyond
private needs to .public support and involve ment and the collaboration with
other educational, community and business entities.
The City has initiated efforts to acquire a 100-.acre parcel to develop an
interpretive nature center in the upper reaches of the watershed between
the Minnesota Arboretum and the school site, south of Highway 5 and
Bk. fff Cr~e~ W~t~r~ed Natural R~o~rc~ Management PI~
p(~oje 6 2
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 1998
With the increase in Chanhassen's population in
recent years, the boat traffic on city lakes has also
increased.
As property taxes on lakeshore lots continually
increase, the demand for services to manage the ~..
problems ariSing on city lakes will also increase. ~
Future lake management within Chanhassen will be
finding the balance of protecting and improving
water quality, preventing overuse and abuse of the
resources, while, maintaining accessibility for all
Chanhassen residents.
WETLANDS
In 1992, the state of Minnesota passed the Wetland
Conservation Act (WCA), which put wetland
protection and preservation into law. The goal of
this act is to replace wetlands lost to previous
activities and to prevent the loss of existing
wetlands. Wetland identification and protection
have become integral parts of all development
throughout the entire state, including Chanhassen.
The City of Chanhassen, who has had wetland
protection ordinances in place since 1980, has
continued to take the lead on the issue of wetlands
and their protection. The city's 1994 Surface Water
Management Plan (SWMP) included identification
and reclassification of wetlands within the city. Low
areas were identified as possible wetland sites.
Wetland specialists made field identification of
these sites and detailed data sheets documenting
vegetation, landscape and existing conditions were
compiled. These data sheets serve only as a guide
for the city and are not to be used as the defining
wetland boundaries. Wetland boundaries are to be
determined by professional delineations conducted
by parties who propose to impact or develop land in
and around these areas. In.addition, any proposed
development will be required to delineate their sites
for the existence of wetlands. From this study, a
wetlands map was generated and a new wetland
classification system was implemented, replacing
the state's classification system. The city went to
four levels of wetland identification; Pristine,
Natural, Ag/Urban and Utility. Pristine wetlands
were identified as wetlands that remain in their
natural state and have special and unusual
qualities worth protecting. Natural wetlands are
wetlands that still exist in their natural state and
typically show little sign of impact from surrounding
land use. Ag/urban wetlands have been impacted
by either agricultural or urbanization activities.
Utility wetlands are water bodies specifically created
to manage surface water created by development.
The Seminary. Fen located north of Hwy. 212, in the
southwest corner of the city, is the only wetland
classified pristine. In 1995, the Seminary Fen was
identified by the Minnesota Biological Survey as the
most important site in all of Hennepin, Carver and
Scott Counties. There are approximately 90 acres
of calcareous seepage fen in this area with rare
and threatened plant species. Preserving and
protecting this resource should be at the top of the
city's wetland protection and preservation-policies.
With the change in wetland' laws, the regulation of
wetlands has also. changed. The State of
Minnesota appointed the Minnesota Board of Water
and Soil Resources (BWSR) to oversee the
regulation of the WCA. BWSR, in return, appointed
Local Governing Units (LGUs) to implement the
WCA for wetland activities. Chanhassen was
appointed as LGU for activities in its own city. This
change gave Chanhassen some responsibility and
control over wetland activities, but permits and
approval were still required from the Army Corps of
Engineers, the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
and local watershed districts. In an attempt to
simplify regulation, Chanhassen was one of a
select few LGUs selected to participate in a
program which would make LGUs the sole
governing agency in cases where wetland impacts
are less than three acres. In addition, 1996
revisions to the WCA allowed LGUs to develop their
own comprehensive wetland plans. The City of
Chanhassen has submitted a draft plan to BWSR,
and because of previous work done in the SWMP,
the city is in the final stages of having their plan
approved. This plan allows the city to develop their
own rules specific to wetlands in Chanhassen.
CITY OF CIIANHASSEN
CARVER COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RI,k.~OLUI[ON NO: 2092.01
MOTION BY: ! .nh:~tt
SI.:CONDED BY: _. Bnyle
A RESOLUTION IN SUPi%)RT O1: STATE FUN D[NG TO ACQU ! RE
THE SEMINARY FEN IN THE ASSUMPTION C I~I,'.EK WATERSHED
WHEREA.~ thc City of Chanhas~n rt~ prcvion.~ly upheld thc irn~an¢c of thc natural
WHEREA$~ Ih~. City of Chaahaasca wJsltes to pre.~erve, pr;ll¢Cl ;Il'Id enhance ~cae
~1~t1~r;~1 rt~sourccu (including the Ag~umprinn C~k and Scmina~ Fcn) to the g~ate~t eare~c
possJbJc: and
WHI,'.Rb'.AS, thc' Cily of Chanhaa$=n cncourage.~ m~d ~up~as lhc c~ration an4
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RE$OI.VED by thc Chanhaaaen ~..'i£y Council rhal thc
City' of ~:llanha.-.~n supporl.~ St;rte. fundtng to acquire th~ Sc,~i;~ary Fen in thc Assumption
W;Hur,;hcd,
P;t.~SCd ;~nd ;tcloplcd by tile Cha~fl~.',.~.,;,'r, C..i~y Cuunc]l lh~; ]4th day ot'Jmmary, '~,f:~02.
L~nda C. Jansen.
AR.qENT
.1'0 n,'~TI
Bo.vic
] .,u.I)ult
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CARVER COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO.....1 ~-02
MO~ON ~Y CO~SION~R I~he sEcedED BY CO--SIeUR .~ .......
A ~SOL~ION ~ S~ORT OF STATE ~ING TO ACQ~
~ SE~N~Y ~N ~ T~ ~S~ION ~EK WATEreD
~~, C~ Co~ h~ upheld ~ ~po~ of ~ ~ ~d n~ rcso~ ~n~ on ~
prop~es ~ i~ Water M~-~gc~t PI~; ~d
~~, a ~on of ~e A~on Cr~ W~sh~/S~ Fen wefl~d ~mpl~ f~ls ~ ~c
C~er Co~W Wa~r ~o~ M~~t ~a; ~d
~~, C~ Com~ h~ id~ ~ Ass~fion Cr~k/Se~ Fen gea ~ i~ 2020 ~reh~sive PI~
~ a ~ r~sow~ ~ ~e Co~ ~d ~ven it ~ ~t pfiofiW for pr~e~o~ ~d
~~, C~g Co~ ~ m pr~e~e, pro~t ~d e~ ~ na~al r~o~ (~clu~g As~pfi~.
Cr~ md Se~ F~) to ~ ~amst ~t possible; ~d
~~, C~ Co~W ~ages ~d suppom ~ ~r~on ~ ~flabo~ of pubhc ~d pfiv~
org~~ ~ ag~ci~ m ~ ~e ~q~sifion ~d m~~ of ~e prope~.
T~FO~ BE IT ~SOL~D by the C~er Co~ Boa~ of Com~sioners that: C~er Co~
suppom S~ ~g ~ ~sist ~ ~ ~q~sifi~ oflm~ ~ ~ Assmpfion Cr~ Semin~ F~
Wa~rshed.
~S ~SB~ NO
I~he
Nen~nn
sing f-tied
~w~l~ou
STATE OF MINN~OTA
COUNTY OI~ CARVI~R
I, Rich,~ J, Stolz, duly appoimed Md qualified County AdmWistrstor of the County of Cgtver, Sta~e of ~, do hereby ce~dl'y
~ I h~ve compared the foregoing copy of this resolution with the original mln~ltes o~ the proceedings Of the Board of ~nty Commi88iOIl~rS,
Carver Coumy, ~, ~t its se~slon held on the 4th dzy of l%bnmry, 2002, now on file in tim Aarainistration office, and h~ve fouml the same
to ~ s tr~ snd ~n-~t C~oy thereof.
County Admi ' ~ ~
fficiat state deficit could be $3. billion; he says
claLopeZ natorial candidate Tim Penny rated into the official 2004-05
'~uneStaffWriter to release the forecast'before deficitprojectionof$1.6billion
theNov. 5election. to $2.7 billion. Tl{e higher fig-
Jesse Ventura said Tom Stinson, the state ureincludesaninflati°n factor
that the state's pro- economist, told Ventura that of 2.5percent..
eficit now unofficially would not be possible but said Sfinson said Monday that if
~llfion. a
~randished the n~w finan- 'fiontothetw°-yeardeficitpr°~
· jection, making it $2.1 billion
'orecast Already, he said, the state's to $3.2 billion.
· projected'deficit has worsened ' '
hon- because of a $275 million drop BU~rl'~°~thmes on B$:
uest eariiar in 2001 idcome tax collections --pennYsaidhewantsrivals
~endence that has not yet been incorpo- to discuss scope of deficit.
ex_Beatle~s appear
crosses generations.
By Chris Rlemenschneidar
Star Tribune Staff Writer
There were no Screaming
fans who attended former
Beafle Paul McCartney's con-
cart Monday at the Xcel Ener-
gy Center in St. Paul said they
went for the familiarity that
never seems to g
unlike his two
previous Twin Cities perfor-
mances -- in 1976 and 1993 M~CARlNEYeeulinenson
.................................................................................. ~ ......... y..-.:.....,.; ..................
INSIDE: ~Revlew:Anight°fdedicati°ns'!ntima~em°ments' B4
· ' A new campaign by the McKnight Foundation and other .
organizationS lists metro-area places wort~, preserving.
: wou/d
Last IIRIt $iblifll
Activist Franc
Humphrey How;
died in Washing~
D.C. She was 88.
thel
sotatoday.
co-anthor~
holm, an e
cai
, of thing that
within.
WItRetall deer peered from the brush near Seminary Fen, one of
the ~%vl. Cities Treasures" tergethd hi a new campaign.
By RObe~tFranklln this month after .Gov. Jesse
Star Tribune StaffWriter Ventmfa vetoed a $1.5 million
· bonding provision that would
Down a wooded trail and have paid most of the put-
below a high bluff, the vista chase price. Now the future of
opens up tu Seminary Fen. In the land --'and the rare
the midst of developing sub- domed springs called fens --
urbia, it's a haven of rare cold- seems uncertain.
water plants, an unusual g,eo: The fen was listed Monday
logical formation ann wnar as one of 10 "Twin Cities t~ea~
ma)' be the onl~ trout stream sures" in a new land protec-
in Carver County. . tion advocacy'prografil by the
It also is endangered. McY~alght Foundation and ~0
An option for.conserva- nonprofit, government and
tionists to buy 160 acres of educationalorganizations.
wetlands, trout stream and
upland near the Chanhassen-: SPAC~ ee~muneen I]~
Chaska border ran out earlier -- Embrace Open Spacee~ents.
OS'brought ..... .,
metmare~/s pOVerty rate fell from 1989 to 6.9 percent in 1999.
, Moreover, the number of peo-
)ercent in 1989 to 6.9 percent ~ 1999, pie nving in poverty dropped
by about' 3,400 peo~.ie to
rite significant population g~owth. 179,316, the census indicates.
· · Had the poverty rate stayed at
": released recendy, its 1990 level, that Would have
ve Bmndt
~buneSta~Wrirer ~ Not only did the proportion meant another 32,000 people
· of the population in poverty inpoverty.
, c ties-=a eeo,*' dmp,.b,.'.*e ;' ,st wen, ongh the
cas so robust in the 1990s peopte nwng m p ~y largest and longest boom peri-
.he decade ended with decflned ~ despite significant od," said'john powell, execu-
oor eople in the re- population growth in the re- tire director of the Institute o.n
P P - ' ~lon. That's'a'significant turn- Race and Poverty at the Urn-
~ound ffonl the 19B0s. versity of Minnesota. '
Mike ZeFoy,/St~.Tr~Une
· She lived In pubflc.
terrorism, i a d
tt[
M~
quick ceme
would Uke a ~
in veterioaJ~
that a
lank
coats vet stud(
and they will":
at the end.
Classeswill
on the St. Paul
A registrationl
covers all six s~
'- For more infm
call 612-624-3
to http://ww~
.eduloutreacb
· comments
plaints? Conta~
er's repreSenta
673-4450 or re
If you have
tl~e topic ~lond~y morning, and
Welistone answered several
questions about it during a
radio ca fi-in show an ho. ur later.
Coleman and Welistone
agree that Iraq should be
forced to .comply with U .N. res-
the five permanent members,
some of which have expressed
skepticism about the need for a
new resolution.
Coleman's position
Answering questions after
his speech at an American Le-
Likening Iraq leader Sad-
dam Hussein to a poisonous
snake colledin the corner of
the room you're sleeping in,
Coleman said:
"We can ignore the snake.
We can assume he will not
harm us wl}ile we sleep, that he
Photographs by gdan Peterson/Ste; Tribune
· Judy Eflcksan~ left, publlo affaksdireetor of the Ftienda of the MinneSota Valley, and Lad Hank, water~esources coordinator for ChanhaS-
sen, looked over a map of Seminary Fern The city has gotten iqultEa few calls" about developing the property over the years; Hank said,
SPACE ~rom B1 , c ~'
Campaign aims preserve.metro area nature treasures
Semina~ Fefi is "the most [Endangered '
critical piece" of a 600-acre
wetland area that was named I-Twi~ Crdes
'the most important site in } ~ea~d~'
Hermepin, Scott and Carver
counties by the 1995 Minneso-
ta County' Biological Survey,
said Judy Brickson, public af-
fairs dffector of the Friends of
the Minnesota Valley conser-
,ration group.
The yearlong "embrace
open space" campaign is be~
ginning with a Web site, news-
paper ads mailings to public
officials, a resources "tool kit'"
and kiakoffevents Saturday.
Putpo~ful path
The campaign is aimed not
just at buying threatened open
~pace, but also at influencing
officials and zoning decisions,
promoting private gifts and ad-
vacating what Mci(night Faun-
dation President flip Rapsun
called "a more thoughtful, pur-
poseful path of development."
The idea is not antidevelop-
meet, Rapson said, but aimed
at bringing balance to a proc-
ess where "all the incentives
1. Boseett Creek
2. Crew I~ver
3. Eagen Core Greenway
4. Lower Phalee Creek
5. F~e Bend Bluffs
6. Sanci~ Crane Natural-Area
7. Semi,ay Fen
8. Twb Cities Army
~nmun#lon Plant
9. Valley Creek Area.'
10. VermEg)n River Bottoms
are tilted toward efficiency, ·
higheconopdcretum, thepath Conservationists say they
of least resistence." · hope t~ get at least the 160 cen-
~ The f~ar is that such a ~ath tralacm8 into the hands of the
threatens *treasures" sucn as state Department of Natural
Bassett's Creekin Minneapolis, Resources to protect the native
Lower. Phalen Creek east of plants, weed out invasive ape-
downtown St. Paul, the Army cies, preserve trout fishing.
Ammunition Plant in Arden provide for study by scnom
Hills, the sandhill crane Natu- groups and others. ·
ral Area in East Bethel and Friends of the Minnesota
The fen, se~
~tions of whloh
are visible by ·
ball contains
rare cold-wa-
ter plants, an
unusualgeo- .
logical forma-
tion and what
may be the
ontytrant
stream In Oar-
vet County.
Embrace Open Space kickoff: includes program explanation, butterfly
release and other events, Saturday at $~: 30 a.m. at Mounds Park, SL
Paul; :12:30 p.m~, Spring Lake Park Reserve near Hastings; 2 p.m., i.D.
Rivers Park Project,. Glenwood and Xerxes Ars. N., MinneaPOlis; 4 p.m.,
Sandhill Crane Natural Area, 207 th Lane and Goodhue St., East Bethel.
Web site: htlp://www, embraceopenspace.org. -.
Organizations Involved: Mc~n~ght Foundation, Design Center for ~he ·
Amerisan Urban Landscape at the University of Minnesota, Fdends of
the Mississippi River, Great River Greening, Metropolitan Council Min-
nesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, state Department of Natural
Resources(DN~ Minnesota Land TrusL Sierra Club Nor~ Star Chapter,
1000 Friends of Minnesota, Trust fer Public L~ndMinnesota.
ickson said. · out the oak trees."
The 90 acres of fens are pro- The foundation will spend
'tected from development by about $175,000 On the "em-
state law, but they are affected brace oPen space" c~mpaign
by what .happens in land this year and pkobably more
around them, she said. Chan- nextyear, Rapsonsaid.
hassen has gotten "quite a few McKnight, which gives away
calls" about developing the more than $90 million a year,
property over the years, said isn't likely to buy threatened
Lori Hank, the city's water-re- land, he said, but is open to
some of the scenic land along .Valley and other groups have sources coordinator, helping environmental groups
the Mississippi, Crow and Ver- been working for more than a Meanwhile, conservation- ' with planning and some "gap"
million rivers, decade to protect the fen, said ists -- more than a dozen Financing ideas; It already sup-
.. And Seminary Fen, · Holly Buchanan, Friends' con- groups and local governments plies generaloperating support
The fen land, mostly sand- servatinn manager, and with are involved in the fen effort~ tosomeofthegmups.
wiched betweenlHwy. 212 and ~assage of the bonding bill, have been workingwith nearby The foundation not only is
the rising river bluff, includes this has been the best effort." property owners on land-man- assembling resources for pub-
much of the Assumption Creek Some private and local~ov- agement practices, lic education and advocacytn a
trou~ stream 0nd, around the ernment money was raisedto- Destruction of natural re-. way that is unusual for founda-
fens, rare small white lad~t sllp-' ward the $2 million purchase' sources often catches neigh-, lions, he said. "It's an attempt
pets and five threateneo ape- price and Friends leaders said bors unaware, said Shelley to have a conversation be-
cies of'sedge, mgh and Vaieri- they will renew their lrgislative Shrefller, the McKnlght Foun- tween McKnight and the corn-
an. The state has mapped only bondingrequestnextyear. But, darion'a environmental pro- munltyoftheTwinCities."
about 100calcareo/ts (calcium- with expkation of the option, gram officer "They're sur-
rich) .fens that produce those "we're not sure we'll be able to prised one day when the bull- ' -- Rob~rtFranklin is at . '
plar~.~. ' ~ .get it fo~$Z mfifion' again," Er- dozers mov~in and start taking rfranklin,~smrtribune, c~m.
case for action against Iraq. , a U.N. resolution demanding ~;[ ~;'s'l~)ul~
Coleman said Monday he felt Iraqi ~ooperation with inspec- U.N. and'the
that Bush had met tha~burden' tots and warning Saddam ~at shoed put ~
~ his recent speech.to ~e if he does not comply, ~conse- ting a U:N: n
· quenc~ ~ fo~.' WeHstone verifiable ~
U~ted Nations. ' s~d ~e a~s~afion shoed
Wellstone's portion ~ve priofi~ to getting such'a ~E~B~k ~
On Minnesota PUblic Ra~ resolution adopted by ~e Se- eb~sm~
'DefiCit increa
attendance d
at Ordway Ce
sePt. ll fallo~g blamed for st,
new director'plans more fut~
By Rohan Preston The O~dw
Star TribuneStaffWriter ' 380,000 pal
Nearly half al
Oberall.attendance at the -- came to s~
· Ordway. Center for the Per- wayshows s~
forming Arts dipped 6 percent cific," "Anyt
and the operating deficit grew !'Contact," ~
to $882,500 in the fiscal year part of its U
that ended June 30. season.
Officials at St. Paul's pre- In additi
mier performing arts Venue, R&B concert~
whichreporteda$14.21nillion tivai and va
budget, blamed the numbers programs, [
on increased expenses and the hosts global
effects of Sept. iL The stock. Planet Ordw
market retreat also affected drew15,000.
The vanu
p&formanc~
Chamber Or,
nesota Oper
bert Ciu~ a
performance
ta Orchestra.
users drew 13
"All these
way has bee]
about askta~
for support
Gafiigan said
~nultiple
tersections.
students fr.
schools. Our
has already ~
in the imaJi~
mm~ity. 'ine:
versify.and .h
programmu
communicat
our audiem
eye,one."
-- Rohan Pn
rpreston~sta
the .Ordway's endowment
fund investments, i
The shortfalls are not un-
usual for the Ordway, which
has had deficits for most of its
18 fiscalyears.
"The budget gap is not the
biggest we ever had -- which
was $1.6 million in 1990 ~- but
these customary deficits must
be fixedf said David Galligan,
Who took over as Ordway
president a month ago. "The
consistenCy of these deficits
over the life of the Ordway is
startling. You just can't-do
businesslike this." . '
He saidthat he would look
at cutting eXpenses, increas-
ing annual fundraising and
raising more money for the.
endowment.
"We are a nonprofit arts
center that, in order to bat-
percent of its income," Galfi-
gan said, calling it an unnsu-
ally highhbrdle.
St. Paul Council =
ethanol plant cie
City says odors have pher State m
. from opera
worsened since a problems
Assistant
thermal oxidizer Eric Lurson
broke last month, cember's se
left open the
Less than a year after it city returulr
settled its first suit against lined a proc
Gopher State Ethanol, the city duction. Bu
ofSt. Paul went back to sourt Since the
Monday, seeking to Shut down, Lars~
down the plant "to ensure· advancem~:
elimination of the odor pub~ been made
fic nuisance." offthe table,
The city's complaint al~ have [secon
leges that smelly plant emis- adequately~
sions have become worse Tom Fab~
since Gopher State's thermal a~torney, sa
oxidizer ·broke down last he had not y
month. . plaint and d
The Odor has made nearby
residents nauseated and
sleepless and caused them
headaches and breathing
problems, the complaint
says. ·
Plant officials, however,
contend that they took steps
to effectively control odors af-
ter the equipment failUre.
The city also is asking the
court to compel the Minneso-
ta Pollution Control Agency
to state its position op Go-
merit. ,
· The :city
plaint at thc
quest Wedm
Council. A I~
not been set.
District Judg
has not rul~
motion last e
plant in viola
limits set
meet. '
-- gevin i
and Curt Br~
Green
Leg slatur..
appr.ovesi. ' ':
fUnding'fOr. ':
Seminary. Fen'
~5y Melissn Gilman ' .'
~ am Wetterlin picked hi~
~ way cerefully tlitough the
~ ~ tall grais, fallen trees,
~ ubiquitous fiucktho/n, and.
occ~si0nal.daisi~ as be followed a
deer path to the heart of Seminary
Fen. By midmom-
ing lasi Friday
tho temperature
was.in tha mid-
?0s', ;thel,breeze.
attached
colored hair, and
of his lice and neck.
"I heard otice that the mosqtfito~s
ears take, a p,~i~,,t ofbloo{t o. ff~a caribou
inanhour,' ~euarllhjozea.'. - ·
The Minnasota'L~gislature ap-
proved $1.5 million k~bonitiiig bill
this year to-pUr-
Chase 160 acres Of'
pmpeW] known as
Seminary- .Fen,
which is ~wi~ed by
Emei~ald Ventures
LLC, a group
clud(ng W¢ticrlin,
his sevefi siblings
and his mother.
His father, Harold,
died' as a result of
a car crash in '"
2001.
When the' family purchased the
'pieec~ of property, between 1994-
1996, they knew of this natural f~a-
ture called a fen. They figured ~hey~d
sell thc upland ne ar Highway 212
office or residential deYelopm~nt,
and leave the-attractive wetland area
natural.
The property, has bean apprais&d
atbet~veen $2 million and $3 millliSn
andto conserv~tien groups who want
to buy the propeW), that land is
g°lsd~minary Fen is a calcareous (kal-
kar-e~s) ten,Minnesota's rarest wet-
land type, and ~h~ most protected
rare
plant~ on
special concern and
species liSts.
What is it?
wetland in the state'~ Wetland Cqn- 'CreeJ~ a
servatioh Act of 19!~1:
~": ~'it tal~e~ mOntl~ 'o~ maybe.even
8 0~m 10;~0ye~t6:~!flaeal- a~eS
~ Ir
~ 0~ ~ In ~e so~we~ subu~s am i~Eod to
' ' ' .a~end a worksh~ f~m lO a.m. - 3 p.m.
. space sa~ay, June ~s,.at
McKnlght ~oundation's Embrace'
Graduate,
of 'the fen.
sit
Time.
Dist. 112
e lores
Responses' reve
pauline Chanflta '- '
COp4I~SPOI~I~4T
Ifa vote Were held today, 67 percent
of School Dislxi~t 112 re~i&nts wouM
· support a $54 mil-
lion bond i-efefen-
'dura io-fulfill the
arst phaSc'o.,f cea-
· muetion outlinedin
~e.di~ict's master ' ' B
!Wqe were qult~
suits overall," said
BillMon'is ordeal- Lev'/
sion Kesources, in reneLew~ai ~I
pres~ntiiag' the ~
firm,s ?eceiat survey
'findings th thc
school bond.last 1.4MM
'.:' ' ~ae 63-qUestion
~ survey of 400 rent
domly ' selected
households in iha
' was part of
for a enhanc
this'
The ~eY.~il~O - . Reid
.~cvcaled' that 59 HouSe
' pement o£residents Bond
would support an
add~ienalSL5 hill-
edt0 increase the lcmy to·$2.5 million in
ord& to ~ further cuts, enhance
cun'ent prbgram offerings, and ~
~1ess sizes, 36 p~ax~at would oppose eno
25 percent either did n0t know or ?fused
Morris and his wife, Diane Traxle~
this to mean that thc distfict'would
' '~q*~h more clarity, wotan tins chang(
.(toward. a mbm favorable statistic)?'
.respofiaedthat residents thougn~ o. zsom~
things ast~ing '~ce to ~ve" .whilc.th~3
were looking at thelax hill adding up. rn
also said r~pondonm wanted.to
specifies on what'the money would b~
The tax climate is moderately.hostile
' but not beastly hostile, said Monis ant
Traxler. On a tax questien, 28 peresnt fel~
· total 'pr6p~y'taxes Were ve~ hi~ 34
' p~xc~m said somewhat high and 32
I contsai&~ont~vmg~:Wh~n~k.~
I: sam~ quesfianS ~!~°ut Just the.sch°°l, ;l~v
| tlon 0ftaxes,'13 percent saia varymgn
/ 33 Percent ;5~id somewhat high aad,4
~ peWent said ~fl~ent average. .- . ' .~ '
|' "(Reslden~s) certainly are consc~o~
- oftax~," said Mon~.
One. question on the survey tried
pinpoint specifically how much resident
-wo~uld be v~illing to pay per nionth in ~d
ditional taxes'for thc next 10to 20 yea~
Oiven a choic6 of"Noth~ug,' 21'~
.indi~au~d that'S thek'ideal choice.'
Based on the answers and f.011o .W' -ul
que~onlng in ~he ~urvey, Moms sald'b
amid enemy fa'e. . ,,.
.. In anA~xil 18 letter ho sant fronlIrana nc