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Planning commission backs Minnehaha Creek Watershed District purchase of 6300 Painter Road for stream restoration
Summary
The Minnetrista Planning Commission recommended City Council support Minnehaha Creek Watershed District's acquisition of 6300 Painter Road for conservation and stream/wetland work, approving the recommendation with one opposing vote.
The Minnetrista Planning Commission voted on Oct. 27 to recommend that the City Council find the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District's proposed acquisition of 6300 Painter Road consistent with the city's comprehensive plan and adopt a resolution of support. The commission vote carried with one member opposed.
Achilles Surac, planner and project manager for the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, said the district intends in the near term to remove aging on‑site structures, perform mild grading and native seeding, and run a sub‑watershed diagnostic study. The site includes roughly 1,500 feet of Painter Creek frontage and is adjacent to existing MCWD and city holdings, which MCWD said positions the parcel well for larger‑scale stream and wetland restoration work.
Surac said short‑term use would likely keep the parcel in a conservation status (some site features retained for district use) while studies are completed; longer‑term options include passive recreation or other public amenities if they fit the restoration program. Staff told the commission that the parcel is currently zoned for agriculture and that under existing zoning no housing development is permitted without a future, separate application and rezoning.
Commissioners voted to forward a recommendation of consistency with the comprehensive plan and to ask the City Council to adopt a resolution supporting the acquisition; one resident comment was recorded and MCWD had notified adjacent property owners as part of its public process. The recommendation does not itself execute the purchase; it advises the City Council and affirms that the acquisition aligns with the city's long‑range plan goals for natural resource protection in the area.
Next steps: the MCWD said it has scheduled its own public hearing on the acquisition and the item will be considered by Minnetrista City Council as a resolution of support. MCWD staff noted that further technical studies will inform any restoration project scope and timeline.
