Small Craft Harbor/Marina Worksession

The City Council hosted the Department of Natural Resources for 3 hours on March 17 to discuss how we might work together for a Safe Harbor and Marina in the Grand Marais Harbor.

City Council Attendees: Mayor Sue Hakes, Bill Lenz, Jan Sivertson, Tim Kennedy
City Employees: Mike Roth, Dave Tersteeg, Kim Dunsmoor
DNR Attendees: Larry Killian (Harbors Program) and Tom Peterson (Operations & Maintenance Program)

Abbreviated Meeting Notes:

Sue Hakes welcomed the DNR and self-introductions were made. Hakes then made a few brief remarks about the hard work that has been done in Grand Marais to come to the general agreement for the Safe Harbor Marina project outlined in Resolution 2007-05 which passed under Mayor Larsen. Hakes acknowledged that much Public Input has been given and has been heard and it is now the responsibility of this City Council to take action in moving that resolution forward.

Larry Killian gave an overview of the following:

- North Shore Harbors Program
- Community Project Development Process
- Other Projects in Process (Two Harbors)

Killian also gave a Funding Overview and potential partnerships:

- The Army Corp of Engineers (Federal) requires a 50/50 cost-share for Boating & Safety projects. A project for our Safe Harbor & Marina could fall under the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The City hopes to work with Congressman Oberstar for inclusion in that bill.

- The MN Department of Natural Resources (State) has a wealth of experience in working with the Army Corp on Harbor and Marina projects. The DNR brings design and development expertise--typically funded through the State Bonding Bill--and can be the 50% cost-share for projects with the Army Corp.

- A partnership for the design, development and construction of a Harbor & Marina in Grand Marais could be structured with the City of Grand Marais, DNR & Army Corp of Engineers.

- New Marina Operation and Management could be done by the City of Grand Marais, the DNR, or a 3rd Party.

Sue Hakes gave an overview of Resolution 2007-05 noting specifically that it must be located in the NW corner of the harbor with a basin size of about 6 acres. Hakes also noted that community support has been demonstrated by the joint letter presented to the City Council on March 7, 2008 from the Grand Marais Business Council and the Harbor Friends which supports Resolution 2007-05.

At this point, a discussion was held on several issues, with (3) being the most significant at this time:

Private Property Owners
The rights of private property owners within a Safe Harbor must be considered with respect to liability. Also, any advantage created for private property owners by development of a Harbor or Marina must be addressed. These private property issues must be resolved prior to any funding.

Land Control
The State must have control of the land within a Safe Harbor. This does not necessarily mean State ownership. Options for control include ownership, lease, or easement. The City of Grand Marais has an example of how a lease arrangement can work successfully in their lease agreement with North House Folk School.

DNR Harbor Criteria
The DNR has guidelines for state harbors and marinas. Further discussion and understanding is required to determine how both the DNR and City of Grand Marais criteria may be met through this project.

Also discussed..
Dave Tersteeg (City Park Manager) has been working for over a year with the Tom Peterson to improve the existing ramp in the SW Corner of the Harbor. New docks have been ordered for installation this summer. Further improvement to this ramp is under consideration.

Actions
1. Larry Killian will meet with DNR Acquisition & Development Management in St. Paul (Stan Linnell and Kent Skaar) to determine private property owner rights issues and DNR requirements.
2. Sue Hakes and Jan Sivertson will create a short informational pamphlet regarding the Safe Harbor and Marina project in Grand Marais. This pamphlet will be used on a temporary basis to begin raising awareness with our State Legislators Tom Bakk and David Dill, and possibly Congressman Oberstar, Senator Klobuchar. This pamphlet will be used until a more technical proposal with some design concepts and costs can be developed.

Summary
This meeting was a good first step toward meeting our mutual goals.