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Council reviews Prairie Green Preserve plan, approves two-year farm lease amid hydrology questions
Summary
The council heard a high-level update on the 580-acre Prairie Green Preserve, including wetland mitigation credits and remaining hydrology issues, and approved a two-year farm lease (245 acres) with Pitstick Farms after questioning about lease competitiveness and ongoing wetland-credit work.
Community Development Director David Degrroot told the council that Prairie Green Preserve encompasses roughly 580 acres of city-owned prairie, wetland mitigation area and passive recreation lands, with 106 acres established as a wetland mitigation bank (76 acres of wetland and 30 acres of buffer). He said the city still faces hydrology issues in the wetland center and has budgeted a drain-tile study to identify fixes.
"If we are able to sell the remaining wetland credits, we should generate another $1,728,000 for the project," Degrroot said, describing the revenue path the city expects to use to complete trailheads, loop trails and viewing amenities.
The council pressed staff about the timeline and costs. Degrroot said repair costs will depend on what the hydrology study finds: "I think it depends on what they find," he responded when asked whether a cost estimate was available. Councilmembers also discussed why some acreage was removed from previous farm-lease contracts (some land was too wet or dedicated to the mitigation bank) and whether weed-control monitoring and tenant obligations are clearly enforced (Degrroot said the tenant manages weed control but staff will check lease specifics).
At committee of the whole the council considered a two-year lease for 245 acres with Pitstick Farms, the only bidder at $270 per acre ($66,150 annually). Farmer Dale Pitstick answered council questions about tillage and cover crops, saying local climate limits cover-crop effectiveness and describing consultation with chemical suppliers on weed control. After discussion about market comparators and outreach to potential bidders, the motion carried 9-1.
Councilmembers also debated the fate of the 6.3-acre Peck Farm farmhouse and barn annexed to the preserve. Staff described the barn as structurally dilapidated with large holes in the roof, blown-out windows and no nearby utilities; staff noted demolition was included in the approved budget and said the city will award a demolition contract when bids are solicited. Several members asked for a separate council discussion on preservation options and cost estimates before demolition proceeds beyond the budgeted action.
No formal changes to preserve policy were made other than the farm-lease approval; staff will return with study results and any future actions tied to sale of mitigation credits or capital improvements.
