Title
Approving the Phalen Creek Daylighting Development Agreement.
Body
WHEREAS, Lower Phalen Creek Project (d/b/a Wakaŋ Tipi Awanyankapi), is a registered 501(c)(3) Minnesota non-profit corporation (“LPCP”); and
WHEREAS, the City is the owner of Phalen Regional Park property encompassing the future location of the daylight Phalen Creek (“Creek”) from Lake Phalen to the Mississippi River, an ecologically and culturally important waterway that has long been pushed underground by development, which project is known as the Daylighting Phalen Creek Project (“Project”); and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to grant LPCP permission to design, construct, and maintain the Project; and
WHEREAS, LPCP has engaged a qualified engineer to undertake initial planning, design, and permit coordination of the first reaches of the Project (Reaches 7 & 8), with future Reaches to be addressed in phases, via amendment to this Agreement, and as funding and permitting allow; and
WHEREAS, the City and LPCP intend to enter into a Maintenance Agreement after design and other planning progresses to the point where such agreement is possible, but in any event prior to any construction taking place; and
WHEREAS, the City will amend the Phalen-Keller Regional Park Long Range Plan (formerly “Master Plan”) as part of the Project; and
WHEREAS, the City and LPCP wish to set forth the expectations of each party as to what is needed for the parties to proceed with the Project (see attached draft development agreement); and
WHEREAS, that the Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Commission supported this development agreement on August 8, 2024, and recommended its approval by the Saint Paul City Council; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby approves the Phalen Creek Daylighting Development Agreement between the City through its Department of Parks and Recreation and Lower Phalen Creek Project (d/b/a Wakaŋ Tipi Awanyankapi).