Lilydale bluff protected for another 60 Days
A group of Lilydale citizens committed to protecting the natural, scenic and open space values of the river corridor had a small victory this month when the DNR denied a proposed critical area plan amendment to rezone 0.85 acres of bluffland along Sibley Memorial Highway from passive open space to multi-family residential.
John M. Thompson, now deceased, donated the property to the city and wanted it maintained as open space and a natural bird sanctuary. Because no official easement or covenant was established, the city has the legal right to sell the property and allow development. Hoping to cash in and pay off city debt, Lilydales city council voted 4-1 to rezone and sell the land, but Metropolitan Council and the DNR approval are also required because the site is within the state-designated Mississippi River Critical Area.
City Council Member Marilyn Lundberg, the lone vote against the proposal, has been trying to convince her colleagues to think long-term. Protecting the remaining Mississippi River bluffs should be a high priority, says Lundberg. The land in Lilydale was given for open space 30 years ago and shouldnt be sold to ease a short-term financial problem. In addition, now is the time for a concerted effort to use conservation easements, land donations or other means to protect other undeveloped bluffs while the real estate market is down.
Local citizens on the Committee to Preserve the Upper Bluff have been urging the proposal be denied in order to protect the beautiful bluffs, prevent erosion and water problems, and maintain safety on Highway 13. The neighboring City of Mendota Heights also opposed the proposed plan amendment.
The victory was small because the DNRs denial left open the door for a private home to be built on the site, which has a mere 1,800 square feet of land that is level enough for development. In a letter to the city (72 KB PDF) dated 29 February 2008, DNR Waters returned the proposal to the City for modification, finding that residential development is consistent with the Urban Open Space designation of this area, but concludes multi-family residential development could not be accomplished without degradation of steep (greater than 18%) bluff on the site.
The Lilydale Planning Commission is holding a public hearing on March 24, 4:00 p.m. at City Hall on a proposed critical area plan amendment to rezone the parcel from open space to single-family residential.
The commission will also be reviewing the citys 2008 10-year Comprehensive Plan updates, and the bluff preservation committee wants to raise the bar on bluff preservation in general by proposing a new city goal to coordinate with the county and neighboring communities to permanently protect the upper bluff from development.
If you would like to get involved with the local citizen effort, please contact:
Committee to Preserve the Upper Bluff
Kay Frye, Chair: 651-454-8234 or kaymfrye@yahoo.com
Marilyn Lundberg: mardonlun@hotmail.com
Recent coverage in the Star Tribune
- Lilydale: DNR rejects rezoning of city-owned land 12 March 2008
- In Lilydale, a small plot of land is causing a big fuss 12 February 2008