Minto Brown Island Park Restoration Project Q&A

Minto Brown Island Park Restoration Project Q&A
(Updated October 29, 2009)
Minto Brown Island Park and Restoration Areas
What and where is Minto Brown Island Park?
This 898-acre park is located in South Salem along the west side of River Road South and
adjacent to the Willamette River on the park’s west side. It includes 286 acres of cropland,
almost 486 acres of recreational and natural areas, and 97 acres for other uses. The Park
includes more than eight miles of trails; a pavilion, picnic area, and dog park; restrooms; and
parking lots for visitors.
What is included in this restoration project?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will
purchase a permanent floodplain easement from the City of Salem at Minto Brown Island Park
that will remove approximately 198.5 acres of cropland from agricultural use. The NRCS will
then pay to restore the easement area to a more natural native condition and maintain the
new plantings for a period of three years. A significant public outreach campaign will involve
the public in developing a planting plan in the easement areas.
The NRCS will pay the City $4125 per acre for the easement, approximately $818,000 for the
total easement.
This project is part of a $145 million federal stimulus program announced in March 2009. On
April 6, 2009, the City Council authorized the City Manager to submit an application. On
June 3, 2009 the USDA announced that the Minto-Brown proposal was one of three proposals
selected in Oregon. In the U.S., over 4000 applications had been received, totaling over $1.4
billion.
What is the current status of the restoration project?
As of October 21, 2009 the status is:
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The Mayor and City Council entered a floodplain easement agreement (August 24,
2009).
A property survey to define boundaries and required setbacks is essentially complete.
The pumpkin crop on a portion of the easement is scheduled for harvest the last week
of October.
Once the harvest is complete, the area will be planted with a cover crop of barley to
prevent erosion during the winter and provide food for the annual geese population.
While restoration planting will not begin until early 2010, planning is underway.
The Salem City Council invites residents to participate in helping to develop the planting plan
for the Minto-Brown Island Park restoration project.
The NRCS and the City of Salem have scheduled five public meetings to involve citizens in
developing the planting plan for the Minto Brown Restoration project. Child-friendly activities
will be offered at each of the meetings. These meetings will take place between October 27
and November 24, 2009 as follows:
Please attend one of two initial meetings:
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Leslie Middle School,
3850 Pringle Road SE.
or
Saturday, October 31, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pringle Hall, 606 Church
Street SE.
These initial meetings are to introduce Vigil-Agrimis, a local design firm that specializes in
planning, analysis, and design of water and natural resources projects. Vigil-Agrimis will be
working with NRCS, the City of Salem, and the community to develop the restoration plan for
this project. We would also like to take this opportunity to solicit your input regarding some
overall planting concepts. Our goal is to work toward restoring the floodplain to a more
natural condition, and your feedback regarding the level of open space and types of natural
habitat is an important part of the development process.
You are also welcome to attend one of the next series of meetings listed below:
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Thursday, November 12, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Leslie Middle School, 3850
Pringle Road SE.
or
Saturday, November 14, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pringle Hall, 606 Church
Street SE.
At these meetings, we will solicit your input on two or three alternatives based on the input
received at the first meetings.
A final meeting is scheduled on November 24, 2009, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Salem
Conference Center, 200 Commercial Street SE. Feedback will be taken on the first draft of the
design (50 percent complete).
Will Salem give up ownership and control of the easement area in the park?
No, the City is not selling the Park property and it will retain ownership of the easement area.
Undeveloped recreation uses (hiking, fishing, bird watching, etc.) will be allowed as they are
currently throughout the rest of the park.
The easement is consistent with the terms of the original grant that allowed the property to be
purchased for recreational purposes, and is consistent with the Minto-Brown Park Master Plan.
Isn’t farming a compatible activity for the Park?
The 1995 Park Master Plan update identifies farming as a compatible park use. In 2009, 286
acres were actively farmed. The restoration project keeps 116.8 acres of active cropland, 60
acres of former cropland, and a 37-acre filbert orchard for a total of 213 acres available for
agricultural purposes. The easement removes 165.3 acres of active cropland and 33.2 acres of
inactive cropland for a total of 198.5 acres of cropland being placed into the easement.
While the Master Plan does recognize cropland compatibility, the 1995 Park Master Plan
update includes the following goals:
• Maintain and enhance the pastoral and “natural” qualities of the Park.
• Maintain the integrity of the environment and increase the diversity and area of wildlife
habitat.
What is the environmental benefit of the easement?
While the easement area will still flood regularly because it is in a floodway, annual erosion in
the easement area will be reduced, improving downstream water quality.
Fish and wildlife biologists from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife have testified that
restoring this acreage to a natural state will have a positive benefit to the environment for fish
and birds in the area.
What would the money that the City receives from the easement be used for?
This money will go to the City’s General Fund. An option is to create an endowment to
support Parks’ needs. The use of these funds will be decided by the Salem City Council.
What activities will be allowed or not allowed on the easement in the future?
Soft (bark dust type) trails may be added in the easement but no permanent (paved) trails will
be allowed. An additional 198.5 acres will be available for public use. The easement area will
be open to the public for undeveloped recreation including hiking, bicycling, boat/canoe
launching, fishing and picnicking. All current trails, the dog park, the playground/picnic area,
restrooms, the perimeter of the park, and most land inside the park are not in the easement
area.
The easement area will no longer be used for agricultural purposes.
What does the City receive from this project?
The City receives $4125 per acre ($818,000) and will have 198.5 acres restored to a natural
state. The City will be required to maintain the easement after the three-year period. Based
on experience in other areas of the park, the maintenance cost after the three-year period will
be about $75 per acre. This cost will decrease as the vegetation develops.
It should be noted that while the Master Plan identifies restoring more of the park to a natural
state, it is unlikely that Salem will be able to do so without funding assistance. This proposal
presents an opportunity that may not be available in the future.
Permanent trails, restrooms, and other facilities are not permitted within the easement area
without securing NRCS permission.
What do Salem’s residents receive from this project?
No current park uses by residents are reduced or eliminated. In fact, the public gets a park
where an additional 198.5 acres are available for passive recreation.
Restoration of the easement to a native state will also put approximately $500,000 into the
local economy in private jobs and purchased plantings.
Will access to the paths be affected?
Access to the current paths will not be affected and may even be improved if citizens can
traverse the easement areas along natural paths or soft (bark dust) trails. Today, the
cropland is not usable by the general public.
What will it cost the City to maintain the easement after the three-year period?
The City will be responsible for keeping invasive and noxious vegetation from encroaching
upon the easement area to the extent practical. Maintenance costs will vary depending on the
outcome of the planting plan. Based on experience, these costs will decrease as the
vegetation matures.