City Hosts Department of Natural Resources

City of Grand Marais and DNR Safe Harbor and Marina Meeting

The City of Grand Marais hosted the DNR last week to do the following:

A) Re-establish trust between the City of Grand Marais and the DNR
B) Discuss City of Grand Marais, DNR, and Army Corp of Engineers requirements for building a Safe Harbor and Marina in the Grand Marais Harbor.
C) Identify next steps in the process

DNR Attendees: Stan Linnell, Les Ollila, Larry Killien, Cheryl Erickson
City Attendees: Sue Hakes, Mike Roth, Dave Tersteeg, Kim Dunsmoor

Key topics discussed included:

1) Meeting City Resolution No. 2007-5 parameters
2) Satisfying the Army Corp of Engineers requirements including a Cost Benefit Ratio Analysis
3) DNR requirements for Safe Harbor and Land Side Uses & Easements

Points of Particular Interest:
a. Riparian Rights---Public funding may not be used to enhanced private property. In other words, a new or improved break wall cannot benefit private land owners.
b. Basin Size---Our City Resolution identifies the new basin size to be of about 6 acres
c. Land Ownership---DNR agrees that the City may retain land ownership and provide lease or easement. (The City has a current example of a successful lease arrangement with North House Folk School.)
d. Marina Size--may be built incrementally with limited number of slips.

The DNR agreed to discuss the results of this meeting with Commissioner Mark Holsten and Sue Hakes will report to the City Council. The DNR offered to draft an agreement outlining how the DNR and City of Grand Marais might work together. Safe Harbor and Marina are on the City's Top Priority List as established in early 2009.