9.3. SR 07-18-2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Plans and Specifications Pinewood Golf Course Page 3 of 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Section 2: Background City Profile The City of Elk River is the county seat of Sherburne County, Minnesota located about 34 miles northwest of Minneapolis. It is situated at the confluence of the Mississippi and Elk Rivers. The 2015 population is approximately 24,000. With 41 parks and recreation facilities and over 1,000 acres of parkland, the city has a strong commitment to parks and recreation for residents and visitors alike. Through the city passes the Great Northern Trail (north/south) and the Mississippi River Trail which connects Lake Itasca to the Gulf Coast. Residents also have access to some of the best cross country skiing and mountain biking trails in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Because parks and recreation facilities are essential to the city’s identity and to the quality of life for residents, a strategic approach to protecting and cultivating these assets for the future is vital. The strategic approach that the city has recently taken is the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, adopted by City Council in June of 2015. The Master Plan is intended to provide direction for the City Council, the Parks and Recreation Commission, and city staff to guide them in strategic decision making that will impact the parks and recreation system. Whether allocating resources for maintenance, building a trail, installing a playground, protecting riverfront land, or developing the next season’s recreation program offerings, the plan offers guidance. Pinewood Golf Course Profile The Master Plan made little reference to the Golf Course because during the master planning process (2014-15), it was not open to the public. Through the planning process, some residents expressed a strong desire to retain golf as part of the city’s recreation offerings (Master Plan page 23). Resident desires to retain the course include providing an affordable golf option; supporting new golfers with a learning course; ensuring family-friendly activities that appeal to all ages. Pinewood Golf Course lies on the westerly border of the city. The course is a nine-hole executive length course on approximately 27-acres of land. Course length ranges from 1,497 to 1,832 yards with a par of 30. The city purchased the course from the original owner 2005 and operated Pinewood Golf Course from 2006 to 2013. The average number of rounds for each year of operations is estimated around 10,000. A majority of the users were seniors and youth drawn from the local market. The season was typically from April to October. The city operations included a full-time Golf Course Superintendent and seasonal staff to maintain the course and clubhouse at a quality level. The course was closed for the 2014 and ensuing golf season and maintained in a minimal maintenance state with the intention that it could be returned to service in a minimum amount of time. Elk River City Council decided in April of 2016 that city personnel will not operate the golf course and expressed consensus in June of 2016 to seek a responsible firm to manage the golf operations, lease the course for operations or purchase the course with the intent of operating as a golf course. July 15, 2016