Briefs: Burnsville and Apple Valley will fight invasive pond weed

Efforts to fight curly-leaf pond weed are planned this year in Burnsville and Apple Valley.

Burnsville will spend up to $27,920 for the harvesting of curlyleaf pondweed on Crystal Lake.

Curly-leaf pondweed is an invasive plant that contributes to algae in lakes. Removing the plant by water harvesting has been shown to improve water quality.

About 43 acres of curly-leaf pondweed will be harvested in Crystal Lake — all beyond a 150-foot shoreline of private property. Homeowners are responsible for harvesting the weed along the shoreline, the city said. The homeowners will pay the contractor directly and the city will send them contact information.

"J&N Harvesting is the only known contractor in the area with the proper number of harvesters and proper size to handle a project of this size,'' according to a city staff report. The staff recommended approval of a $22,920 contract with the company and advised adding $5,000 for potential extra harvesting time on Crystal Lake if needed, as well as mileage to be paid for the hauling and dumping of the cut weeds. The City Council approved it last week.

Elsewhere, Burnsville and Apple Valley will team up to remove the weed and bottom-feeding fish from Lake Alimagnet and Keller Lake.

The $8,500 cost of the lake management will be split between the two cities.

Valley Natural Foods, the co-op in Burnsville, is hosting a Community Food Day next month.

The free conference and exhibition is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. April 5 at the Minnesota Valley YMCA, 13850 Portland Av. S., Burnsville.

The keynote speaker is Jim Riddle, who has served on the federal government's National Organic Standards Board, speaking to the environmental and health benefits of organic foods and farming.

There are also kids' activities, other informational sessions and a vendor showing local food resources.

The schedule is at http://tinyurl.com/kw59vtu.

Eagan's Advisory Parks Commission has recommended the City Council consider one of three names for a new park to be developed in the Cedar Grove redevelopment area near Hwy. 13 and Hwy. 77. The council will have the final say over the name of the park, which will be south of the new outlet mall being built by Paragon Outlet Partners.

The three possible names are:

• Onion Patch Park, chosen because of Eagan's history as a major onion producer, leading to its onetime nickname as the Onion Capital of the United States.

• Nicols Station Park, a historical reference to a flag station that opened in the 1860s on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad, one of the first in Minnesota.

• Bridgeview Park, a reference to the old and new Cedar Avenue bridges, both of which have been important transportation links connecting the south and north metro areas.

The city will pay $850,000 to Starbucks, 1470 Robert Street, and Buffalo Wild Wings, 1458 Robert Street, to compensate the businesses for the loss of driveways and land in preparation for the reconstruction of Robert Street, which is scheduled to begin this year.

The city will take land on Thompson Avenue from the businesses for construction of a right turn lane on Thompson onto Robert. The loss of that land forced the closing of Starbuck's driveway and one of Buffalo Wild Wings two driveways. The two businesses with both be served by the remaining Buffalo Wild Wings driveway.

On Robert Street, the city took land in front of the businesses for sidewalks, streetlights and driveway repair work.

The settlement will be split, with $580,000 going to Starbucks and $270,000 going to Buffalo Wild Wings, according to Public Works Director Matt Saam.

The City Council approved the payment last week.

Comments from previous open houses will be summarized and residents will have a chance to review and discuss the concept plans that have been drafted for the area.

Since November, the city has sought public comment on issues such as land use, transportation and quality of life in and around the Southview-Marie area.

Staff reports