Memo - Blake Road/Cottageville UpdateMemo
To: Mayor Maxwell a d Hopkins City Council Members
From: Kersten Elverum re or of Planning & Development
Date: 1012312009
Re: Blake Road /Cottageville Park Update
Staff has continued to work on implementing the recommendations of the Blake Road small area plan
and will be providing the Council with a status update at the October 27, 2009, work session. One
concept that has been discussed is a partnership between the Metropolitan Council, Minnehaha
Watershed District, the City of Hopkins and possibly Hennepin County that would involve the
acquisition of several parcels adjacent to Cottageville Park and Minnehaha Creek. The Metropolitan
Council's interest in this partnership would be to relocate the lift station currently at the NW corner of
Blake and Lake Street, which is scheduled to be replaced by 2011. The Watershed's interest is in
exposing and restoring the creek as well as in additional treatment of area runoff.
In an effort to determine how both parties interests could be met and therefore justify the acquisition of
property, staff hired SEH to analysis the treatment options and prepare concept plans illustrating how
the area could be transformed into both a neighborhood and regional amenity. The plans are very
conceptual and if funding can be secured for the property acquisition, the neighborhood and broader
community would be brought into a park planning process. Attached are those plans.
Staff will provide an overview of this effort as well as an update on other Blake Road properties and
projects on Tuesday evening.
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