Cliff Buchan
News EditorIt was a good news night Monday for the Forest Lake Economic Development Authority and Lakeside Memorial Park.
Doug Borglund, the cityís community development director, reported that the city has received a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources grant totalling $94,161 for park improvements. The city had sought $375,000 .
But with 84 communities seeking funds and only seven grant applications approved, Borglund said Forest Lake was in good company. ìWe were one of the top projects,î he told the EDA.
The seven successful applicants will receive funds from a pool of $800,000 federal dollars distributed by the DNR. Additional state dollars are tied up in a bonding bill that was not approved by the state legislature and still awaits a possible special legislative session.
The DNR award is a matching grant that requires city spending of the same amount and will be used for new playground equipment, picnic facilities and earthwork that are all part of a park board master plan for major changes in the park.
The Forest Lake Lions Club is a key partner with the park board in the redevelopment effort. The Hallberg Family Foundation earlier donated $25,000 for a new dock.
The park project was at one time intended for 2004 construction but will be pushed to the 2005 construction season. The delay is necessary to merge the park project with the still-to-be-defined phase two of the municipal parking lot improvements.
The latter project is in concert with redevelopment efforts in the north end of the municipal parking area.
The EDA goal of completing north end improvements in 2004 was lost when plans for a new restaurant near the park dissolved.
For its Monday, July 26 meeting, the EDA board expects to review updated cost estimates for the phase two work. EDA Engineer Paul Hornby will report at that meeting.
Under the current schedule, the city plans to prepare final plans and specifications this summer and fall and go out for bids at a later date. A spring construction would follow.
That schedule would follow with DNR requirements for funding, Borglund said, as long as the DNR was told of the scheduling process. He said the city would be able to seek an additional grant in 2005. As part of the approval process, the city must complete a DNR-required environmental assessment statement.
Temporary steps
The EDA Monday also approved spending up to $8000 for temporary improvements to the parking area behind the Park Place development. Dan Wilson, the cityís development consultant, said the project owners have agreed to match the EDA funding total for leveling and paving work in the municipal park area behind Park Place.
The plans for the work will be reviewed by city staff before the developer can move forward with the project. The EDA voted 3-0 with two members absent to approve the spending.
Staff recommended the move to keep the EDA in compliance with its development agreement for Park Place. ìWe are now tardy in performing on that contract,î Wilson said.
The board also received a report from Wilson on the Forest Laker remodeling project proposed by owner Peter Paidar. Paidar, who plans to start work in September, has demonstrated that the remodeling will increase the value of the property for tax purposes from $883,000 to $963,000.
Wilson said the downtown business owner would be eligible for approximately $55,000 up front in tax-increment financing to assist with eligible project expenses. Wilson said the Laker project will not require a TIF plan amendment. A budget amendment would be needed, he said.
With two members absent Monday, the board took delayed final approval. until July 26.
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