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Mississippi Headwaters Board briefs commissioners on planning authority, easements and outreach
Summary
The Mississippi Headwaters Board told Beltrami County commissioners about its unique planning-and-zoning authority on the first 400 river miles, easement and acquisition work, public signage and a social-media outreach program with about 55,000 followers.
The executive director of the Mississippi Headwaters Board told the Beltrami County Board that the agency holds planning and zoning authority over the first 400 miles of the Mississippi River and highlighted recent easement work, outreach, and signage projects.
"We possess planning and zoning authority on the first 400 miles of the Mississippi River," Tim Terrell said. He described the board as a governmental regulatory body that also conducts voluntary grant-funded work in water quality and recreation.
Terrell outlined the board’s easement and land-acquisition program, explaining the difference between selling development rights (an easement) and transferring property ownership. He described a project that began in 2016 and emphasized coordination with counties and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for acquisitions and management agreements.
The board also described public-facing efforts: a Minnesota Traditions social-media program that the director said has about 55,000 followers and a signage project that places river-access signs with QR codes and trip-time guidance at high-visibility river accesses. Terrell said the QR-code signage generates timestamped scans HRB staff can share with local partners to estimate recreational usage and local economic activity.
Terrell also mentioned the Lake Irving stormwater-retention project and a donated $50,000 opportunity fund contribution that supported local acquisition and protective measures. He said the board runs a biennial conference and that county commissioners are invited.
Commissioners asked a few questions about the conference and costs; Terrell said the biennial conference is free to counties. He concluded by encouraging counties to coordinate with the board on acquisitions and planning.
