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Monoay August 21 1995 Star Tribune
<br /> Burnsville mulls 2 i
<br /> '` HENNEPIN CO. t'-‘,-
<br /> ■ 4 1. Bloomington zs. j, N --
<br /> ark land rnin = Burnsville
<br /> P '„,,,,,,--7:0P- Terrace
<br /> Into golf course . .;A d O Oaks Park
<br /> DAKOTA G�tc1/46.
<br /> r CO. iEl LW
<br /> r
<br /> n ” f'
<br /> By Norman Draper ing for ways to raise revenues with- t�P
<br /> Staff Writer out doing the same to taxes.
<br /> At a time when preservation-minded To me it comes down not so much , © <
<br /> suburbs are buying up large tracts of to being a matter of whether we need ®
<br /> undisturbed land to lock them away another golf course as to whether we ,, 4. € ` .
<br /> ,
<br /> from development, Burnsville's go- can afford to keep the park,"said city ".- Burnsville t.. '
<br /> ing against the grain.The city council council member Glenn McKee. The ■ r
<br /> there wants to explore turning a 230- actual outlay to maintain the park is � *
<br /> acre natural park — Terrace Oaks not a big number, but the loss of as , ,
<br /> Park—into a golf course. opportunity might be a big number." n.. Star Tribune Map .
<br /> This isn't mere contrariness.The Da- McKee said he'd like the matter put f"
<br /> kola County suburb faces a large to city voters in a referendum. 'Burnsville ..
<br /> budget deficit and needs to find ways Workman said golf course supporters
<br /> to make the kind of money a golf The prospect of turning Terrace Oaks are just starting to organize and want
<br /> Continued from page 1B
<br /> course might generate.Also,the land Park's rolling,wetland-pocked wood- �.4
<br /> io see the city manager's study before
<br /> on the Terrace Oaks Park site•was land into manicured greens and sand starting their counterpart to STOP's
<br /> purchased in the early 1970s with a traps isn't imminent;the city manag- cast Burnsville park in its natural active campaign.
<br /> Y P
<br /> golf course in mind.It was allowed to er has been asked only to study what ';gate.
<br /> evolve into a natural park when vot- sorts of revenues such a transforms- •But there's a notable lack of consen-
<br /> �,il don't know why they just can't
<br /> ers turned down two city bond issues lion might produce and report back Tsus eh the issue in the Workman
<br /> that would have raised the money to to the council in October. ;►save some of this open space," said '-iousehold.
<br /> build the course. :Nike McDonald, spokesman for a ....
<br /> p �ioosely knit group of Burnsville ac- .2,Torkman's wife, Liz — who chairs
<br /> Still, that's a notable departure from r•
<br /> Since then, the city has built and Still, that's as notable Prairie, e Maple-from Ztivists called STOP (Save Terrace Slte city's parks and natural resources
<br /> maintained trails now used by the wood and Plymouth, where voters '{Oaks Park). "I don't know why ev- board a supports the status quo for
<br /> park's constituency— hikers, eques- over the past two years have over- gerything has to be developed. ... Terrace Oaks Park.
<br /> trig cross-countr• skiers and whelmingly approved this is taken away,it will never »y
<br /> 5 g y pproved the use of city *some back. An oak tree takes a lon
<br /> m in bikers. funds to set aside open space. And, a "li can start some argument," Liz
<br /> already,dozens of concerned citizens �me to grow... There's got to be a Workman said."It's just one of those
<br /> But an annual operating budget have phoned and concerned
<br /> d ci hens may of[finding additional city reve- topics we try to avoid....I told him
<br /> shortfall projected to reach$2.5 mil- dreds signed petitions to keep the 'goes) without garage sale-ing this 21int if each goes to a vote, we'll just
<br /> M Park." J
<br /> lion in five years has got the city's W�, �ncel each other out."
<br /> staff scrounging for savings and look- Burnsville continued on page 2B ' .0...
<br /> *McDonald, whose Bloomington The Terrace Oaks Park controversy
<br /> • =property adjoins the park,said STOP flame on the heels of another.Hikers
<br /> 1 yeas gathered nearly 2,000 signatures and mountain bikers have feuded
<br /> eon petitions. Those include signa- !¢ver park use in the past, and, last
<br /> ,Mures of residents of neighboring tkpril, the city council voted 3-2 to
<br /> ;;communities as well. allow mountain biking in the park,
<br /> k' put to review park policy a
<br /> ,-..:I've received phone calls, and we p p en Y Bain in als
<br /> 'have all received letters to save Ter- months. Since then, city officials
<br /> '.race Oaks park," said Deb Moran, have v rejiggered pail designations k-
<br /> tune of two city council members to provide more mountain bikers,of and hh-
<br /> ers from mountain bikers, and the
<br /> 'oppose last spring's council approval dispute has cooled,said city manager
<br /> ,.of the golf course study. I have yet Greg Konat.
<br /> rte receive a letter that says, 'Build a :...
<br /> no course out there.' What I can see -
<br /> so. far is an overwhelming majority
<br /> 'Wanting to keep the park the way it
<br /> •pis
<br /> } -‘But support for the golf course is
<br /> ".building. Many of the city's golfers
<br /> 'yearn for an 18-hole course,which it
<br /> does not now have. Burnsville has
<br /> .'two nine-hole courses, one of which
<br /> ':is operated by the city.
<br /> "I think the city deserves and should
<br /> shave an 18-hole golf course," said
<br /> •insurance salesman Jim Workman.
<br /> `, ;It would also generate revenues for
<br /> • the city. ... My whole thing is that
<br /> Wit's time to put a turnstile on some of
<br /> ;,;this land we have and start general-
<br /> -ing some money."
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