A misfortune for woods purchase?

Mark Weber Publisher/Editor (May 18, 2000)

In what is a setback for Eden Prairie's acquisition of the 37-acre Birch Island Woods, the Legislature this session allocated just $1.5 million for the Metro Greenways Program run by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The DNR had sought $10 million for Metro Greenways, a program that doles out grants to organizations and cities such as Eden Prairie that are seeking to preserve open space.

The small allocation is unfortunate for Eden Prairie residents because the city had applied for Greenways money that would have allowed it to acquire and preserve the Birch Island Woods from Hennepin County, which has placed a $1.23 million price tag on the forest-wetland complex labeled "surplus land."

With just $1.5 million in hand, Metro Greenways officials must decide how to shuffle 15 grant requests -- EP's included -- totalling about $9 million.

In desperation, Greenways officials are now turning to the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources for funding help, seeking $5.5 million in acquisition dollars from the LCMR. That panel's response may be: Get in line. The LCMR has already received 403 requests that total $424 million. Unfortunately, only $43 million in funds is available to distribute, and that money won't be dished out until legislative approvals are given in 2001.

Which brings us back to a fundamental question about the Birch Island Woods: Why is so much effort being expended to win state money for a city government that wants to buy land from the county? The undeveloped property, benignly forgotten for many years, already rests in public ownership. A simple conveyance from county to city ownership would ensure that it remains as is: open space that is passively used.

Now, we can understand the endeavor by county officials to be fiscally responsible. They have bills to pay, and selling unneeded, surplus county land -- even when only a small portion is developable -- helps pay those bills. But for one level of taxpayer-supported government to charge another level of taxpayer-supported government a price that is nothing less than fair market level, forcing a scramble for other tax dollars, borders on absurd.

If Hennepin County cannot in good faith convey the property to Eden Prairie at no charge, it should offer it for a minimal amount. Greenways money is best left for parcels where development is a very real threat. The only threat here comes from Hennepin County, which represents -- let's see, now -- us!

The above is an editorial that appeared in the Thursday, May 18, 2000, Eden Prairie News. The editorial is copyrighted "© 2000 Southwest Suburban Publishing", who retain all rights to it. The editiorial is reproduced here by permission.