9.1. SR 07-21-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Conservation Stewardship Plan For the Cedar Creek Conservation Area March 2010 (Draft) Introduction / History: In 2008, Anoka County was approached by a group of Twin Cities developers, called the BF9 Group (BF9), with a proposal to sell a large undeveloped tract of land in Andover and Oak Grove along Cedar Creek and the Rum River. This unique and contiguous tract of land includes 550 acres of biologically diverse wildlife habitat that supports waterfowl, furbearers, deer, pheasants, grouse, turkey, rabbits, squirrels, as well as many non-game birds and mammals. The property consists of gently rolling hills, oak forests, sedge-meadows, prairie openings, flood-plain forests, and vast croplands. The land is situated along the state designated Wild and Scenic Rum River and the natural resources have been identified as a significant resource to be protected in the Cedar Creek Corridor Study, the Minnesota (MN) County Biological Survey, MN Wetland Conservation Plan, MN Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, MN Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan, and the Metro Greenways Plan. In 2008, the voters of Minnesota passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment which created an additional 3/8 of 1 percent Minnesota state sales tax, creating a fund to be used for environmental and arts causes over the next quarter of a century. As a result, the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council was established by the legislature with the responsibility of providing annual recommendations to the legislature on how the new sales tax funds should be used. Considering the opportunistic timing of the BF9 proposal to sell a large piece of land and the passing of the state's sales tax amendment, Anoka County submitted a land acquisition proposal in the amount of $3.8 million to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (L-SOHO) in November 2008 to acquire 550 acres land. In like manner, the county began acquisition negotiations with the BF-9 Group and also brought in the St. Paul Office of the Trust for Public Land, a national land conservation agency, to assist with negotiations and financial planning. In 2009, the L-SOHC recommended and the legislature approved, a two-phased approach to the acquisition that involves funding $1.9 million in 2010 (Phase I) and another $1.9 million in 2011 (Phase 11). The negotiated purchase price for the property is $4.2 million. An additional 40 acres is being acquired by the County Highway Department for future land offset needs for grant conversions on county parklands. Anoka County is now in the process of acquiring the 550acres of property, referred to as the Cedar Creek Conservation Area. The Phase I acquisition was completed on March 17, 2010 with the acquisition of 222 acres (see exhibit A for the Phase 1IPage