Item Description:
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Amd 9 to Agmt A080755 with the Mn Land Trust to co-hold conservation easements in the cities of Independence and Medina; incr NTE by $48,000 for a new total NTE of $546,500
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that Amendment 9 to Agreement A080788 with the Minnesota Land Trust to co-hold a 27 acre conservation easement in the city of Independence (PID 29-118-24-21-0002) and a 49 acre conservation easement in the city of Medina (PIDs 15-118-23-31-0002 and 15-118-23-31-0003), increasing the not to exceed amount by $48,000 to a new total not to exceed amount of $546,500, be approved; that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s office, the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the Amendment 9 and related easement documents on behalf of Hennepin County; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
Hennepin County works with landowners to conserve natural resources, protect wildlife habitat, and advance climate action. A conservation easement is a set of development restrictions a landowner voluntarily places on their property to preserve its conservation value. The landowner retains ownership of the land and continues to pay property taxes.
Hennepin County and the Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) have jointly been awarded three grants totaling $9.3 million from the Outdoor Heritage Fund to fund the acquisition of conservation easements and to undertake habitat restoration and enhancement activities. Overall, Hennepin County co-holds 611 acres of conservation easement with MLT and holds or administers 1,149 acres of conservation easements total.
Staff recommend two additional easement projects that meet the criteria set forth in the Conservation Easement Program (Resolution 16-0144R2). These projects were also reviewed by a technical advisory committee of external partners who agreed the projects are worthy of protection.
- Pioneer Creek (Fink) in the city of Independence: 27 acres of forest, grassland, wetland, and marshland; 933 linear feet of shoreline along Pioneer Creek; adjacent to protected land from a previously placed conservation easement to the west.
- Elm Creek (Friedrichs) in the city of Medina: 49 acres of agricultural land, upland forest, grassland, and wetland; contains 11 acres of maple basswood forest designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as a site of biodiversity significance; opportunity to convert farmland into native prairie and forest.
Agreement A080755 outlines the roles of MLT and the county as co-holders of these and 18 previously acquired conservation easements and places the responsibility for administration of the easements with MLT. MLT’s responsibilities include the completion of title searches, coordination of surveys and appraisals as well as annual inspections of easements and enforcement of the terms of these easements. These services are funded in part by stewardship fees.
The amendment allocates $24,000 per easement, totaling $48,000 to cover MLT stewardship fees. The stewardship fees associated with these easements are part of Hennepin County’s committed match to the Outdoor Heritage Fund grant. The negotiated purchase prices of these conservation easements will be paid by MLT from the Outdoor Heritage Fund grant.
Current Request:
This request seeks approval of Amendment 9 to Agreement A080788 with MLT to co-hold one additional conservation easement property in the city of Independence and one additional conservation easement on property in the city of Medina, increasing the amount not to exceed by $48,000 with a new total not to exceed $546,500.
Impact/Outcomes:
The proposed easements will permanently protect 76 acres of ecologically significant natural areas in the cities of Independence and Medina. These projects connect and expand existing land protected by prior easement projects, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, or Three Rivers Park District. Conservation easements provide wildlife habitat, flood storage, water filtration, groundwater recharge, and carbon sequestration, and improve the county’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Securing these easements supports the county’s Climate Action Plan goal of protecting 6,000 acres of conservation easements by 2040. This action also supports the county’s goal of planting one million trees by 2030 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 goal. These easements will make 14 acres available for forest and woodland restoration, and nine acres will be restored to a prairie.
Further, this action supports the county’s disparity elimination efforts by storing and sequestering carbon, which mitigates climate change and its impacts on vulnerable populations.
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Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval