Park board reviews draft Cullen Nature Preserve master plan; residents raise safety, accessibility and funding concerns

Minnetonka — The Minnetonka Park Board on Aug. 6 reviewed a draft master plan for the 30-acre Cullen Nature Preserve that lays out conceptual parking, trails, boardwalks, interpretive signage and restoration goals and is open now for public comment.

The plan, presented by Matt Kumpka, Park and Trail Project Manager, proposes a modest roadside parking area on Oakland Road with five vehicle stalls plus one ADA space, an accessible compacted-granite trail to select overlooks, a network of earthen footpaths, and two boardwalk segments extending into cattail wetlands. Kumpka said the master plan is intended to “provide resident access to experience these native plant communities” while maintaining the site’s conservation-focused character.

Why it matters: the site is protected by a conservation easement held by the Minnesota Land Trust and was donated to the city with conditions that limit development; the planning choices will be folded into the easement and guide restoration and public access. The plan also identifies a roughly $700,000 preliminary cost estimate for trails, parking and related work, while the city’s capital improvement program (CIP) currently lists about $200,000 over two years. Kumpka said the city’s LCCMR (Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources) grant request was denied and staff will pursue other grants and CIP discussion with the City Council.

Master-plan context and conservation terms

Kumpka…