Houlton Farm Planning Committee Meeting 2015-05-11

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Houlton Farm Property Hunting Plan Background The Houlton Farm property was acquired by the Trust for Public Lands with funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund and then donated to the City for the express purpose of being managed for high quality native habitat for wildlife. The property is currently closed to the public and will remain so until the anticipated opening in the fall of 2016. Once opened, it will be open to the public year round for passive, non -motorized recreational uses such as hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, bird watching, fishing, and hunting. Hunting opportunities will follow MN DNR seasons and be additionally regulated in adherence with a hunting plan approved by the DNR specifically tailored to this unique property. Since the property was acquired, the details of the hunting plan have drawn the most interest from the public, City staff, the Park and Recreation Commission and the City Council. The primary concern relates to the safety of the surrounding neighbors and the non -hunting recreating public using the property. In response to these concerns, the city has embarked on a systematic and cautious planning process in the development of the hunting plan. This process started with a public open house on September 24h, 2014, where interested neighbors were able to share their concerns. On February 5a', 2015, MN DNR Area Wildlife Manager Tim Marion, local MN DNR conservation officer Mitch Sladek, and Bob McGillivray with the Trust For Public Lands toured the property. Later that same day, they met with Stewart Wilson and Dave Anderson of the Houlton Farm Property planning committee, and Michael Hecker to begin discussion of a hunting plan. On February 19a', Tim, Mitch, and Bob met with MN DNR Area Wildlife Manager Fred Bengtson and Deputy MN DNR Commissioner David Schad. The outcome of this meeting was the proposed framework of a hunting plan for the Houlton Farm Property that would fulfill the requirements associated with the funding, while being sensitive to community concerns for safety. See Attachment 1. On March 30a`, Tim and Fred presented the framework for the hunting plan to the Houlton Farm Property planning committee. The planning committee met again on April 13a' to discuss the hunting plan in detail and to refine the MN DNR framework into a recommendation to the City Council. That recommendation is included as Attachment 2. Once this Hunting Plan is approved, it will be sent back to the MN DNR for their final approval. Following that there are many specific details that will need to be worked out in the coming year. Once implemented, it is expected that the plan will undergo periodic review and modification if circumstances at the time require it. The DNR hopes that the Houlton Farm Property will become a model for future hunting opportunities in areas adjacent to residential areas in other parts of the state.