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Sept. 8, 1999
Council OKsFlandrauexpansionPlan adds 164 acres to parkBy GUY PRIEL Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- City Council members approved Tuesday a request for expansion of the boundaries of Flandrau State Park. The request came from the Department of Natural Resources who want Flandrau boundaries included in the 2000 State Park proposal. The original proposal called for an additional 159 acres to be added to the south and west of the park along the Cottonwood River, assuming DNR officials could get the approval of the various government entities and the land owners in that area. Following a series of meetings and a review of the proposed boundaries, the DNR negotiated deals with the property owners for the land, DNR Spokesman Grant Scholen said. "After reviewing the proposal, we determined that we were wrong in our initial information," he said. "We actually have approximately 164 acres to add to the park instead of the original 159 acres." Flandrau Park now contains 840 acres. The proposal calls for 12.6 acres of land within the city limits of New Ulm along the east side of the river and an additional 152.04 acres of land in Cottonwood Township, according to Scholen. "We have determined that the acreage within the city limits is not developable land because it is a steep area with large slopes," he said. Tuesday's meeting was the first of three needed as park officials approach the Oct. 1 deadline for the boundary bill. Officials will also meet with the Brown County commissioners and the Cottonwood Township board. "Legally, we don't need any resolution from the local units of government, but we do need to present the issues," Scholen said. "Without the support of the entities involved, it will be difficult to get the legislators to look at the proposal." The concern has always been for the city to keep the area open for development, City Council President Daniel Beranek said. "The area is logical for park expansion and is a large enough area to do something with," City Manager Richard Salvati said "We are faced with limited growth corridors because of the location of the city within the two rivers and the expansion of the utilities." Although no plans have been developed for actual usage of the expanded acreage, the possibility exists that some type of trails will be established in the area. However, the main goal is to prevent development along the southern fringe of the park, DNR Region IV Director Charles Mitchell said. "The plan certainly has merit and does not impede our ability to grow in any way," Salvati said. The DNR wants the expansion because it reflects and reinforces the park's and location. "We wouldn't be pursuing this if we were dead on the vine," Mitchell said. During the meeting, the council approved an upgrade to the railroad crossing signal at 12th South Street. A motion sensor and improved flashing lights will be installed to provide a more reliable indication of train movement. The council unanimously denied a request from Paragon Cable to have a "40 years of cable service in New Ulm celebration" on the sidewalk adjacent to its business on Oct. 2, providing food and musical entertainment. "There is a problem with safety here, especially when you consider a large number of people," Councilor Joel Albrecht said. "We have spent a lot of time and money to develop a park nearby for this purpose." Paragon should either have the event entirely inside its place of business, or use German Park, he said. There is a city ordinance that prohibits this type of activity on the sidewalk or right-of-way, City Attorney Hugh Nierengarten said. During the meeting, the council also: * Appointed Ron Fleischmann to replace Albrecht on the Heritage Preservation Commission. * Approved the installation of stop signs at four locations on the east side of South Payne Street. * Approved retention of the four-way stop at the intersection of Fifth North and Garden streets. * Approved an easement agreement between Dale Bushard and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod for a 7-acre plot of land to be used for science trips for students at Martin Luther College. * Approved a change order for pavement tiles to link the new picnic shelter at German Park with the new handicapped parking area in the amount of $24,792.80.
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