resources for the future of open space, natural …space, natural areas and reclaimed lands in...

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RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE OF OPEN SPACE, NATURAL AREAS AND RECLAIMED

LANDS IN DISTRICT FIVE

For District Five Planning Council, City of St. Paul, MN

University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Natural Resources

Report 4 of 4 December 9, 2004

Amber Ellering Blayne Grave

Michael Lankton Christine Powell

Dana Wilson

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Acknowledgments

There are a number of people that we wish to thank for their contributions, help, andadvice. First, we would like to extend a special thank you to District Five of St. Paulfor allowing us to do this project and welcoming us into their community. We wouldspecifically like to thank Ms. Leslie McMurray for her help in getting this off theground.

We would also like to thank the following people for their contributions and time:

Don Ganje, St. Paul Parks and RecreationEric Korte, Ramsey–Washington Metro Watershed DistrictSteve Manger, City of St. Paul Vacant HousingCurt Milburn, The Phalen CorridorAbigail Miller, Railroad Island ReservoirsRuth Murphy, Community Design CenterCathy O’Dell, Minnesota Pollution Control AgencyLouise Watson, Ramsey–Washington Metro Watershed DistrictMichael Welch, Minnesota Environmental Initiative

Last, but certainly not least, we would like to thank our professors Dr. Gary Johnson,Dr. Kristen Nelson, and Dr. Tom Wegner and teaching assistant, Ms. Monica Missrie,for all their support, guidance, and patience.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Class goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Group goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Study Area/Site Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Methods for Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

GIS Information Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6GIS Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Reclaimable Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Natural Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Green Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Recommendation One: Brownfield and Vacant Lot Identification

and Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Recommendation Two: Preserve and Enhance Natural Areas . . . . . . . . . . . 22Recommendation Three: Develop Community Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Recommendation Four: Greening Commercial Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Appendix A. Inventory Data Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Appendix B. Map of District as used for driving inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Appendix C. Grants for invasive species removal and restoration of

native plant communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Appendix D. Resources for assistance with natural areas information

and protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Appendix E. A dozen positive steps that local governments can take to

protect natural areas in their communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Appendix F. Community Resource Gardening Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Appendix G. Resources for community gardeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Appendix H. Minnesota resources for brownfield cleanup and

reclamation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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List of Figures

Figure 1. District Five Payne-Phalen Neighborhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Figure 2. Land use percentages in District Five by area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Figure 3a. District Five Payne-Phalen Neighborhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Figure 3b. District Five Payne-Phalen Neighborhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Figure 3c. District Five Payne-Phalen Neighborhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Figure 3d. District Five Payne-Phalen Neighborhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Figure 3e. District Five Payne-Phalen Neighborhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Figure 4. Payne-Phalen Neighborhood VIC sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Figure 5. Payne-Phalen Neighborhood Swede Hollow Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Figure 6. Duluth Park and associated woods-Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

List of Tables

Table 1. Formatted results of data from survey of District Five, St. Paul, MN, October 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Table 2. Voluntary investigation and cleanup (VIC) sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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Executive Summary

District Five, otherwise known as the Payne-Phalen neighborhood, is located innortheast St. Paul. Like many communities in urban areas, the Payne-Phalenneighborhood is experiencing a major shift in demographics and land use. Challengesarise in determining how to address community planning and, more specifically, howto incorporate natural resources into planning. Students from the University ofMinnesota’s Problem Solving in Natural Resources class were invited by the DistrictFive Planning Council to provide recommendations on how to address this issue. Thepurpose of this study was to provide the citizens and the planning council with aninventory of current and potential natural areas, green space, and reclamation sites. This project is in response to both the mandate issued by the City of St. Paul to havedistricts implement comprehensive area plans for their neighborhoods and the wishesof citizens to improve the natural resources of their community.

Based upon information gathered through inventoried properties, GIS data, andinterviews with local community organizations, several recommendations werederived:

• Reclaim and transform brownfields into green space areas.• Preserve and enhance natural areas.• Create community allotment gardens.• Create green space in commercial areas.

For the upcoming District Five Plan that is to be completed in 2005, a number ofimportant choices will have to be made which will effectively steer the environmentof Payne-Phalen for the years to come. By creating a plan that encompasses greenspace in the neighborhood and working to preserve and enhance the remaining naturalareas, District Five can help the residents take pride in their living space and work toimprove their quality of life.

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Introduction

Community growth and development are major issues facing neighborhoods in theTwin Cities Metropolitan Area. District Five is a community that has seen a lot ofredevelopment and change over the past decade. Many of these neighborhoods arechanging at a rapid pace that has the potential to leave a community fragmented intoseveral social and economic classes. According to the Wilder Research Center, only47 percent of the residents have lived in the same household for more than five years. They also reported that 19 percent of the residents did not own a vehicle and werebelow the poverty level. Payne-Phalen is home to one of the largest Hmongpopulations in Minnesota, as well as major groups of Latinos and African-Americans. This rapidly changing demographic character presents challenges to communitybuilding; however, it also provides opportunities for cultural enrichment andexperiencing diverse perspectives.

The community has also played a significant historical role in the development of thecity of St. Paul and the surrounding areas. Historically, the community has primarilybeen comprised of working class families as well as industry and family-ownedbusinesses, particularly along Payne and Arcade avenues. Many companies includingCanon, the Stroh Brewery, and Whirlpool have based their operations in District Fiveand have contributed to the progress of the Twin Cities area.

Recently, new developments and improvements have been active within thecommunity. Redevelopment of an old railroad and industrial area has been cited forimprovement through the Phalen Corridor project, which already has successfullybrought new economic development to the area through the first phase. The hope isthat this project will add residential, commercial, and aesthetic values to the area.

Including natural resource planning in community development is of great importanceto District Five. Oftentimes neighborhoods are faced with so many challenges whenassessing community needs that natural areas, green space, and reclamationopportunities are overlooked. Natural resources are essential to building a healthycommunity for providing recreation, building a sense of pride, drawing business tothe area, increasing real estate values, maintaining physical and mental health, and theecological integrity of a community.

Similar to other urban areas, problems arise in determining how to approach naturalresource planning. While many Minnesotans would identify the environment andnatural spaces as something only found in Greater Minnesota, in the form of wildforests, lakes, prairie, and rivers, significant metropolitan amenities do exist.Residents of cities prefer to have green areas near their homes and work, and childrenbenefit from natural areas and parks with increased opportunities for recreation and

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education. These “green” amenities have many positive effects including lowerresident turnover and higher property values (Hayes 2003).

The purpose of this study was to provide the citizens and the planning council ofDistrict Five with an inventory of current and potential natural areas, green space, andreclamation efforts. This project is in response to both the mandate issued by the Cityof St. Paul to have districts implement comprehensive area plans for theirneighborhoods, and the wishes of citizens to improve the natural resources of theircommunity. The University of Minnesota’s College of Natural Resources course inProblem Solving in Natural Resources Management cooperated with the District Fiveplanning council to provide this service to the district.

Class goalTo empower the Payne-Phalen community by providing them with a planningframework that will enhance natural resources while raising citizens’ awareness of thebenefits associated with their environment.

Group goalTo assist the District Five community with long-term planning by providingrecommendations that will increase citizen benefits from green space and naturalareas within their community.

ObjectivesIn order to accomplish both our group’s goal and the overall class goal, severalobjectives were established:

• Collect and inventory location and quality data about current natural resourcesincluding parks, community gardens, brownfields, wetlands and currentenvironmental assistance programs.

• Provide advice on how to improve current infrastructure, enabling an increasedinteraction between the community and their natural surroundings.

• Develop a set of recommendations based on community input to guide futureplanning decisions.

Study Area/Site Characteristics

District Five is located in the northeast section of St. Paul and the Twin CitiesMetropolitan Area. It is located between downtown St. Paul, Interstate 35E, and thecity of Maplewood (Figure 1). The location is important in shaping both thedemographic makeup of the neighborhood and its natural features.

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District Five is home to one of the city’s most renowned regional parks. Lake PhalenRegional Park is located in the northeastern corner of the district and provides thecommunity with many recreation opportunities and green space. The park not onlyserves residents of Payne-Phalen but also attracts many visitors from othercommunities. The community is also known for its connection with two major biketrails in the area, the Gateway Regional Trail and the Bruce Vento Regional Trail. Both trails connect St. Paul to outlying communities through the Payne-Phalenneighborhood.

Specifically, our survey focused on natural areas, such as wooded lots and wetlands,green space, such as community gardens and boulevards, as well as brownfields andvacant lots.

Methods

An inventory was conducted to locate and assess the quality of natural areas, greenspace, and sites for possible reclamation. This was determined to be an appropriatearea of focus after hearing from community members that there was a lack ofinformation on these resources.

Resources inventoried included: recreation areas, and other spaces which have nodesignation for formal use, such as open lots, neglected fields or wooded areas.

• Natural areas were defined as areas which visually exhibited nonhuman createdqualities.

• Green space was defined as lands that are managed for human use, often forrecreation and aesthetic reasons.

• Reclaimable land refers to post-industrial, commercial, or residential lands whichappear unused. A subcategory of this section is brownfields. Brownfields areoften contaminated lands and generally support little to no desirable vegetation.

We classified the category of lands observed during our survey by three main criteria;vegetative cover, facilities, and evidence of maintenance. Since we have defined thecategories of lands based on human use and visual appearance (i.e., natural areas,green space, and reclaimable lands), we recorded location, amenities, and evidence ofmaintenance in our inventory. The form we used during data collection is included asAppendix A.

• Green space included: areas maintained for recreation where woodland coverageis absent or minimal. Also, parkways and boulevards consisting of deliberatelycontrolled vegetation such as grass and urban tree plantings.

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• Empty lots in residential areas were classified as reclaimable lands because theyfit into our definition of one type of reclaimable lands, namely as post-residentiallands that are underutilized.

• Wooded vegetative cover and wetlands fall into the natural areas category becausethey exhibit features which are not deliberately created by humans for direct,active use.

For this part of our study we divided the district into two sections in order todistribute our labor west and east of Payne Ave. In order to remain consistent in theareas we targeted to describe, we established guidelines ahead of time that bothgroups used to guide their survey. Guidelines included placing the responsibility ofrecording on the passenger who was also the navigator. We sought to record thestreet address of the site to the best of our ability. In order to do this we had to pullover and get out of the vehicle at certain sites. We recorded the cardinal direction ofthe lot in orientation to addresses surrounding the lots, which were often residential. The map we used for surveying the district was provided in the last copy of theDistrict Five area plan and is included as Appendix B. In summary, we examinedevery potential sampling unit, and classified every unit based on features we observedon site.

We allowed flexibility in the description of natural features such as living fences andgardens in order to gather as much information as we could to best capture thecharacter of the resource. Our intent was to gather as much information as possible atevery site we visited, and the descriptors used, differed by type of resource.

Methods for Maps

GIS Information SourcesA common programming option called GIS, or Geographical Information Systemsoftware package, ArcMap, was used to both make reference maps and to extractinformation such as total neighborhood area. We created original information layersby digitizing from aerial images and querying database tables. Other layers, such asPlanned Land Use were imported and are available from websites such as theMetropolitan Council’s MetroGIS website and the Department of Natural ResourcesData Deli (MetroGIS website 2004, Data Deli website 2004). The versions used inthis project were resident files on the data library provided by the University ofMinnesota Remote Sensing Laboratory computer lab (Remote Sensing Lab website2004).

The background image of the Payne-Phalen neighborhood is from the NationalAgricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) Digital Orthorectified Images (DOQ),Minnesota, 2003 (NAIP website, 2004).

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Parcels information was derived from the “Regional Parcel Dataset—Seven CountyTwin Cities Metropolitan Area” files located in the Remote Sensing Library’s datalibrary. The data is accurate to 01/01/2004. Additional information on selectedparcels was derived from the website Ramsey County Property Information (RamseyCo. Property Information website 2004)

Planned land use was derived from a data set collected by the Lawrence Group for theMetropolitan Council in 2003. Data from parcels was submitted by the cities between2000 and 2003, and is as accurate as submitted.

GIS MethodsSoftware used was ArcMap 8.3 with ArcPress and ArcCatalog. Cover class sets,including vacant property, educational property, and parks was derived from thePlanned Landuse dataset (Remote Sensing Lab data library). This was done byrunning a query to first select all parcels with the municipality “Saint Paul” andsubsequently selecting in the Saint Paul selection all parcels with the PLU_LEV2 orPLU_LEV1 attribute of the correct determination.

Parkway line map attributes were hand digitized from the background image, as wasArcade St. and Maryland Ave. These two streets were included primarily for thepurpose of allowing map viewers to gauge locations on the map from theneighborhood’s primary intersection.

The projection used is UTM NAD 83 with zone 15N.

Findings

In the Payne-Phalen area there are a variety of natural resources. These naturalresources include open and wooded areas, community gardens, and city and regionalparks. The majority of our findings involve the land use data from our drivinginventory we completed in District Five. A summary of these results can be found inTable 1 and in Figure 2.

Each of these areas provides a rich mixture of benefits to the community. Somebenefits are social in nature such as the creation of meeting places and recreationopportunities, aesthetic enjoyment, and buffers to separate residential areas frombusiness areas, main roads and highways. Other less measurable benefits are theecological effects of natural areas including air filtration and storm water control.

Many of these resources are well used by people both from within and from outside ofthe community. Because of the nature of the natural resources and the way people usethem, each resource has a different management need.

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Table 1. Formatted results of data from survey of District Five, St. Paul, MN, October 2004.Additional Property Information from Ramsey County

Empty Lots

Property ID Address/ Location Description and Owners

292922420158 679 Wells St Housing and Redevelopment Authority



292922429150 647 Wells St Zoned commercial

292922220185 851 Magnolia Housing and Redevelopment Authority

282922130002 1114 Magnolia Tax Delinquent

282922240162 944 Lawson Housing and Redevelopment Authority

323933310064 715 Burr State of MN, Habitat for Humanity

292922340072 754 Burr State of MN

242922430064 767 Payne Boarded up house, Housing and Redevelopment Authority

332922210015 568 Beaumont Housing and Redevelopment Authority,

332922210014 663 Payne Housing and Redevelopment Authority

829 Payne Developer owned

292922320195 Arkwright and Whitall Next to 401

1505 Arkwright Public Housing Agency

331 Geranium Ramsey County, Tax Forfeit

292922120181 622 Jessamine State of MN

292922130176293550000000

965 Payne

Neglected Properties that Exhibit Signs of Dumping


192922410019SW Corner of Arlington and GatewayTrail

Dumpsters on site, Zoned Residential

Hyacinth and Mississippi*Wooded area with dumping, no address. Habitat forHumanity

Natural Areas


** NE of Frank and Sims intersection Woods adjacent to Duluth Park

Mississippi and Grove Wooded area adjacent to transit stop

Payne and Tedesco Open space and wooded area

650 Rivoli, south end of street Wooded area, Housing and Redevelopment Authority

Minnehaha and Mt Ida and Rivoli Rd Wooded area, north end near Phalen corridor, UnionPacific Railroad

** Bradley and Case Wooded area

Near Gateway trail on Wheelock Parkway Wooded area east of trail, north side of Parkway

380 Arlington Pond, City of St Paul

Wheelock Parkway northwest of GatewayTrail

Pond, City of St Paul

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Lake Phalen Lake

Swede Hollow Park Park and Woods

Hyacinth and Mississippi*Wooded area with dumping, no address. Habitat forHumanity

Mississippi and Sherwood Faith Baptist Church, wooded buffer to Mississippi

Bradley and LawsonGreenway, Bradley ends, wooded area with pedestriancrossing

Green Spaces


7th St and Payne Bruce Vento Trail

Payne and Tedesco Open space and wooded area adjacent to 500 Tedesco

North and Payne Green median

322922220130 Desoto, North, Lafayette, and Tedesco Lawn with trees, commercial property

Burr and Tedesco Eileen Weida Park

Bush and Desoto Pond, State of Minnesota

Burr and Minnehaha Open area adjacent to New Hope Baptist Church 712 Burr

Ostego, Desoto, Lafayette, and Tedesco Triangle median with garden and trees, near commercialareas

520 Beaumont Railroad Island Youth Community Garden

Terrace Court Pond

300 Mississippi Rain garden, more landscaping can be done

Payne and Parkway Garden on triangle

Wheelock Parkway and Parkway Dr Garden on triangle

1255 Desoto Garden

Bruce Vento Elementary Garden

Bruce Vento Elementary Playground

Arlington. Arkwright Park

546 Hoyt Athletic Fields next to school at 1521 Edgerton

604 Wheelock Parkway Basketball court-Private Property

1318 Westminster Westminster Place, good use of green space

Cottage and Mississippi Faith Baptist Church playground

Rose and Burr Sue S Park

Wilder Park Park

471 Magnolia Ave Community of Peace Charter School, playground andopen space

526 Wheelock Parkway Lawn next to First Church of the Nazarene

Mississippi MN Historical Society, open lawn area

Lake Phalen Regional Park Park* Property listed twice in data; qualified as both a Neglected Property because of dumping and Natural Area because ofwooded cover.** See Property Details page for detailed information on property comprising this area.

Figure 2. Land Use Percentages in District Five by Area

17.9%

6.4%

2.5%

73.2%

Natural Areas (including Lake Phalen)

Green Space

Vacant Land

All Other Uses

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Reclaimable LandsWe identified three types of reclaimable lands within District Five: vacant lots,brownfields and dumping areas.

The majority of the reclaimable lands identified are underutilized and vacant lots. The vacant lots identified in our inventory are listed under vacant lots in Table 1andare shown on Figure 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e.

• The majority of vacant lots are in residential areas and zoned as residential.• Some of the empty lots are owned by public agencies or governmental bodies.• A few of the lots were contiguous with other vacant lots.• Vacant lots were found throughout the Payne-Phalen district.

Many agencies and residents within District Five, in particular the Phalen Corridorproject, are actively working on identifying and reclaiming brownfields. We did notfind any federally listed brownfields in the district, however many VoluntaryInvestigation and Cleanup (VIC) sites were identified (Table 2) and (Figure 4).

Two neglected properties were identified that exhibit signs of dumping (Table 1). From our survey we observed trash, old appliances and scrap materials on subjectproperties. At this time, no definitive information has been found to substantiate thelegality of dumping.

Natural AreasIn Payne-Phalen, similar to other urban areas, there are few remaining natural areas.Of these natural areas in the district we identified four as having the greatestsignificance.

• The largest is Lake Phalen located with Phalen Regional Park (Figure 3b).• Swede Hollow Park has regional and historical significance (Figure 5).• A well wooded area is adjacent to Duluth Park and the Bruce Vento Trail

(Figure 6). - These properties are owned both publicly by Ramsey County and privatelyby Minnesota Public Radio.

• A wooded area (located on Bradley near Case) is privately owned by both theUniversity Lumber Company and private citizens (Figure 3c).

Green SpaceA large number of green spaces in District Five include city and regional parks,playgrounds, green boulevards and community gardens. Of the green space in thePayne-Phalen district, nearly all of the area is located in city or regional parks. Mostof the acreage of parks is concentrated in the Phalen Regional Park.

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The remaining green space, excluding parks, consists of less than three and one-halfacres. Of this:

• Nearly 25 percent of the total number consists of community gardens. - Most of the community gardens are operated for food production.

• More than 50 percent of the total count consists of greenways (roads,walkways or bike paths that are well landscaped), lawns, fields with trees,boulevards (strips of vegetation separating streets and sidewalks), ponds andmedians. - Many of these spaces, such as the median through Wheelock Parkway are

significant and well developed, however, they are not large enough formany recreational activities.

• There is little to no green space near the key commercial areas on Payne Ave.or Arcade Avenue.

• There is a significantly greater amount of green space near the commercialareas in the southern area near Rail Road Island neighborhood.

• There are few natural buffers to Interstate 35.

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Table 2. Voluntary investigation and cleanup (VIC) sites.

Property Name Location

Westminster Junction - Phase 2 North of Whitall, east of Westminister, south of Cayuga, and west ofArkwright

Mpr 1140 Sims Street

Edgerton Street Bridge "Edgerton St, south of Whitehall St Brid e

Atlantic/cnw Railroad 930 Duluth/933 Atlantic Between Duluth St & Johnson Parkway

Williams Hill University Ave. & I-35E

Barber Electric 470 Kittson St

Whirlpool NE of 7th and Arcade

Phalen Corridor "between Barclay & Mississippi St, along "Johnson Pkwy, Maryland& Back on 7th St

G & K Services 826 Payne Avenue

Vomela Specialty Company 321 East Grove Street (site also include 340 E 13th ST & 603 Pine St)

Miller & Holmes, Inc. 501 Lafayette Road North

Mississippi & Cayuga Site Southeast corner of the intersection of Mississippi St & Cayuga St

Blue Lot "Between Olive St., Pine St., Grove St, and University Ave.

Westminister Junction Phalen Corridor/Whitall Street Area

Lafayette Park Redevelopment Between Lafayette Rd, 7th St, BNSF RR and University Av

Habitat for Humanity - Mississippi NE corner Mississippi St and Hyacinth Av

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Recommendations

Recommendation One: Brownfield and Vacant Lot Identification andOpportunity

BrownfieldsThere are several areas within District Five that we identified as brownfields (Figure4). Brownfield areas are defined as contaminated lands, primarily from industrial useor lands highly altered to the point that vegetation establishment is difficult. In thiscase, brownfields are not necessarily lands contaminated with petrochemicals orextremely hazardous substances. There are currently no federally listed brownfieldswith the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) within District Five. In order tomaximize utilization of sites listed in voluntary cleanup programs, we recommendthat these sites be reclaimed and transformed into green space areas.

There are many industrial sites located in the southern portion of the district that havebeen enrolled in the Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup (VIC) program by theMinnesota Pollution Control Agency (Figure 4). These properties have beenvoluntarily enrolled by the property owner to investigate for possible contamination. Many VIC sites, such as Barber Electric and G & K Services have been enrolled inthe program for many years and have remained inactive in planning for reclamation. The planning council should seriously consider working with these companies toacquire or develop a plan to create these sites into green space for the community.

Many areas in the district have been designated for transformation into the PhalenCorridor project. Although many benefits do exist in creating new economicopportunities in brownfields, we feel that using many of these sites as new greenspaces would be extremely beneficial for the residents of District Five.

There are many benefits to reclaiming brownfields to green space. The MinnesotaPollution Control Agency (MPCA) has developed a volunteer program to assistcommunities in cleaning up brownfields and making them green. The MPCA citesseveral of these benefits:

• Fundamental environmental health improvement.• Improvement of adjacent water quality.• Added green plants for human health and air quality.• Reduced stormwater runoff and higher infiltration rates.• Providing corridors for wildlife.• Reduced noise and traffic.• Enhanced property value.• To draw people to live and work in the community.

(MPCA 2004)

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Along with many aesthetic and environmental benefits, green spaces have beenproven to create more closely-knit neighborhoods and improve the community’sperception of safety and quality of life. In inner-city neighborhoods, tall trees andopen, grassy areas that preserve visibility are recommended as potential deterrents tocrime (Kuo and Sullivan 2001). “In urban neighborhoods it appears that greenery notonly creates a better environment, it also creates a safer environment,” said Frances E.Kuo, assistant professor and co-director of the Human-Environment ResearchLaboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Many cities across the country, including St. Paul have been actively involved in theconversion of brownfields into working green space within their communities. Brownfield restoration projects have been successfully completed along ShepardRoad in St. Paul and on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis. Nicollet Island waspreviously contaminated with large amounts of buried shrapnel from past industrialuse. Through several studies and cleanup projects, Nicollet Island has successfullygone from a barren dumping ground to a magnificent example of green space that is afocal point for historic downtown Minneapolis (Johnson 2004).

Another city particularly proactive in brownfield reclamation is Toronto, Canada. ThePlanning and Parks Departments of that city have focused on enhancing the greenspace inventory and overall quality of urban life in the city (Toronto Planning 2000). Conversions have included new parks, green corridors (streets lined with greenboulevards, trees, gardens, etc.), new bike trails, community gardens, and restoredwetlands. The Toronto example makes it obvious that the redevelopment ofbrownfield sites holds a significant value in revitalizing urban areas and brings aboutmany intrinsic benefits for members of the community and the environment.

Vacant lotsVacant lots are very prevalent throughout neighborhoods in District Five (Figure 3b,3c, 3d, 3e). In many of these areas it is not feasible to create a new park or largerestoration effort. A good option for these sites would be to create a green corridorfor the neighborhood by adding trees and walking paths to connect neighborhoodstogether. Several options exist to connect neighborhoods through greenways inaddition to adding trees and walking paths. Blooming boulevards (boulevards thatconsist of flowers, shrubs, prairie grass, etc. rather than turf grass), butterfly gardens(gardens that consist of plants and flowers that attract butterflies) and raingardens(gardens that consist of plants that help filter stormwater). Not only will this add tothe aesthetics and ecological integrity of the neighborhood, but will also helpresidents stay connected and increase a sense of pride in their community.

Possible partnerships and resourcesAn effective way to begin to reclaim these lands and to make them accessible to thecommunity would be to conduct a public interest survey to identify the best use for

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the land. Many options exist including recreational space, greenways, or communitygardens (see Recommendation Three). Several organizations in the Twin Cities areahave technical and financial resources available to communities seeking to reclaimbrownfields (Appendix H). Two major organizations include the Minnesota PollutionControl Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Environmental Initiative (MEI). MEIoffers financial assistance through their brownfields to green space grant program thatprovides communities with the funds for environmental assessment, soil sampling,creating a response action plan, green space design, and implementation. Along withfunding they also provide technical and staff assistance. They have been activelyinvolved with the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary green space and stormwatermanagement project. For a full set of resources see Appendix H.

Recommendation Two: Preserve and Enhance Natural AreasWe defined natural areas as the National Park Service does, which is “an area thatvisually exhibits primarily nonhuman created qualities such as an urban forest orwetland. In this case, natural does not mean pristine or without any influence byhumans.”

Natural areas provide many benefits to a community. They can provide importantplaces for recreation, low-cost stormwater management and flood control, act as apurification system for drinking water and surface waters, contribute to air purity, andincrease property value (Allman 1997). In addition, natural areas provide habitat forwildlife. For many people, urban wildlife provides the only exposure to viewingwildlife at all. Preserving remaining natural areas in a highly urbanized communityis, therefore, quite important.

We have identified four natural areas in District Five that we believe are significantand should be preserved and enhanced. These are Lake Phalen, Swede Hollow Park,the forested land located along Duluth-Case Park, and the forested land owned byprivate citizens and the University Timber Company (Figures 3d, 5, 6).

Other communities in the Twin Cities area have taken steps to preserve their naturalareas for various reasons. Citizen groups from all over the metropolitan area havefought and succeeded in protecting natural areas remaining in their communities. Forexample, the entire twenty-two acres of Cenacle Big Woods in Wayzata have beensuccessfully placed in a conservation easement held by the Minnesota Land Trust. This forest parcel is considered by experts to be a remnant of the east centralMinnesota’s Big Woods biome. Friends of the Wayzata Big Woods and the Trust forPublic Land worked with private land owners and the city to preserve the woods andsave it from development (Sierra Club 2004).

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Restoration and conservation projects currently in District FiveLake Phalen is a very important feature to the Payne-Phalen community, and well-developed conservation projects such as shoreline restoration and Eurasianwatermilfoil removal are already in place here. It is important to note that weconsider the lake itself to be a natural feature but the outlying park to be green space. Restoration and conservation projects should be continued and opportunities toenhance these projects should be taken advantage of.

Swede Hollow Park is another important natural feature to the Payne-Phalencommunity and is rich in cultural and historical significance. It is important to note,that by our definition, only the undeveloped portion of Swede Hollow Park isclassified as a natural area. The rest of the park is considered green space. The parkincludes Phalen Creek, the Bruce Vento Regional Trail, and historical sites. TheFriends of Swede Hollow is a group that has formed to protect Swede Hollow and hasnumerous ideas for long term preservation and enhancement of the park. This groupalong with the Upper Swede Hollow Neighborhood Association worked with GreatRiver Greening to remove exotic species from Swede Hollow Park and have donethree plantings of native forest and prairie species. Restoration and conservationprojects should be continued and advantage should be taken of opportunities toenhance these projects.

Opportunities for conservation in District FiveThe forested land located along Duluth-Case Park is the largest contiguous forestedland in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood aside from Swede Hollow Park. The BruceVento Regional Trail runs through this area. The land is owned by both RamseyCounty and Minnesota Public Radio. Ramsey County owns the majority of the plotsand Minnesota Public Radio owns only a few plots (Figure 6). The Ramsey Countyowned land has great potential for conservation as it appears to be largely unused andcould add to developed recreation areas adjacent to it.

There were many Boxelder (Acer negundo) trees observed in this parcel. Boxelderare known for their opportunistic nature and often can take over an area, but they areconsidered to be a native species. These trees provide habitat and food for a varietyof wildlife including birds, squirrels, and deer, though they are generally consideredundesirable due to its invasive nature (DNR 1997). Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica),a non-native, invasive species, was also observed. This species degrades habitats byout-competing native species and can cause significant ecological damage (DNR1997). However, there are grants for invasive species removal and restoration ofnative plant communities available including the United States Department ofAgriculture’s Invasive Species Grant. This grant has been previously awarded forbuckthorn removal along East River Parkway in Minneapolis. Additional grants arelisted in Appendix C.

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A large amount of litter was observed in this wooded area. An ongoing clean-upproject, perhaps done by community schools, may be appropriate to deal with thissituation in conjunction with signage. The usage of signs is important not only for thepurpose of informing users of the legality of littering, but also for education and theappearance of maintenance and perception of safety. Therefore, this area also haspotential to serve as an educational site. Finally, no record of this area being namedhas been found, and naming this forest would be an important step for thepreservation of it.

We attempted to track down records of this property to determine its past uses andany planned future uses, if applicable. However, access to the City of St. Paul’sproperty records is limited. If this land has not been cited for future development, itcould continue to provide important ecological services for the neighborhood andserve as a potential site for recreation. We recommend that the Planning Council lookinto this matter further and take appropriate action to preserve and enhance the area.

The forested land owned by the University Timber Company is much smaller than theforested land located along Duluth-Case Park, but is also important. This land isbounded to the north by Case Avenue, the west by Burr, the south by York, and theeast by Jessie. Research on this land should be completed as well to determine itspossibility for conservation and as a resource for the community.

Further information consisting of suggested steps that local governments can take toprotect natural areas in their communities and additional resources for assistance withnatural areas information and protection are available in Appendices D and E.

Recommendation Three: Develop Community GardensThe area plan presents a great opportunity for the planning council to establish goalsfor and support citizen based land management. Community gardens are compatiblewith District Five’s development, and are complimentary to the landscape and humandemographics of the area. The social, environmental, and economic benefitscommunity gardens generate can increase the quality of life for Payne-Phalenresidents. The high success of community gardens in District Five and in the TwinCities area, serves as an indicator of achievable rewards in similar developments aswell as a resource for new gardeners.

While urban neighborhoods such as Payne-Phalen can provide social benefitsuncommon in rural areas, they often lack the facilities to provide residents withopportunities to interact with nature and work directly with the land. People acrossall types of settlements, however, place high spiritual, psychological, andphysiological value on their interaction with natural systems. Increasing facilities thatwill permit activities that satisfy these needs will help to improve the quality of lifefor urban residents.

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In District Five these benefits can be provided in part by developing additionalcommunity gardens. Converting reclaimable lands such as brownfields or vacant lotsto community gardens can improve the urban landscape two-fold. First by addressinginherent safety hazards such as contamination and criminal activity and second bycreating green space for people to use. A study conducted by Tufts University and theTwin Cities Greening Coalition that included a survey of 202 community gardenneighbors at fourteen gardens in the Minneapolis- St. Paul area documented someevidence of quality-of-life benefits from gardens (Filapek 2002). They investigatedpeople’s perceptions about the gardens and evidence of neighborhood impacts. A fewimportant findings included:

• Gardens facilitate many social activities in addition to gardening. - 93 percent of respondents reported some kind of social activity happening

in the garden. Some examples they gave were: meetings, classes, parties,meditation, crime prevention, making new friends, interactions betweenpeople who speak different languages, exercise, and plant swaps.

• Gardens provide benefits to nongardener community members. - The philosophy of garden advocates is that community gardens increase

social capital. This study found that garden neighbors perceive this to betrue and evidence provided can justify their perception. As stated in thereport: 1. 94 pecent of gardeners view their garden as public space or public and

private space. As a basis for interaction among both gardeners andnongardners this is an indicator of public benefits.

2. 30 percent of nongardeners reported spending some time in the gardenon their block, and an additional 29 percent reported that they passedthrough to look at it.

3. 88 percent of nongardener neighbors interviewed said that they likedhaving the garden in their neighborhood.

• Community gardens are an important green space resource for gardeners. - Because urban neighborhoods have very few green spaces within

residential neighborhoods, green spaces that do exist within residential ormixed use developments are of elevated consequence. That green spacewhich is incorporated within residential areas is unique in its geographicservice area in that it can provide alternative accessible green space forthose who are less mobile such as seniors and families with children. InDistrict Five, community gardens can provide for this demographicsegment (Filapek 2002).

Social benefits from community gardens may be the most visible, but the advantagesto the community are certainly not limited to this domain. Economic benefits fromgardens are two-fold. The food yield, as well as the attractiveness of gardens iseconomically valuable. The significance of food production and increased self-

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sufficiency should not be underestimated. Fresh produce is a critical component to ahealthy diet and gardens can provide these goods at a low cost to gardeners. Reducing the cost of living for low income households is a pertinent goal in DistrictFive. Furthermore, as human populations increase, the role of local and urban foodproduction will become increasingly important.

In another respect, community gardens and all green space has been shown tosignificantly increase interest in the neighborhoods from outsiders. Businesses in thePayne-Phalen neighborhood could benefit from increased patronage to areas wheregardens attract visitors. Because gardens are aesthetically pleasing and are verypopular in Minnesota, it is a reasonable prediction that businesses in the area willexperience a rise in consumer activity in the area. The Swede Hollow Café on 7th St.,which is bordered by one of the Community Design Center’s gardens, attracts a highvolume of customers based on the fact that is an attractive and socially desirableestablishment (Murphy 2004).

From the inventory of green space in District Five we have identified several parcelsof land which are well suited for the development of community allotment gardens. Listed in the Findings section in Table 1, the parcels are currently vacant lots onresidential blocks. Some are owned by the St. Paul Public Housing Authority orRamsey County and may be held for future housing development at this time, whileothers are privately held. These parcels are ideal because they are located withinresidential areas, are otherwise insignificantly utilized, are already publicly ownedland, and/or are in areas where we perceive there to be a significant amount of rentalproperties. Renters are one such demographic segment that may experiencecompound benefits from the gardens because they likely do not have the opportunityin their homes. Because we did not inventory the rental density in respectiveneighborhoods, we suggest that it be included in an interest survey and taken intoaccount during the planning process. Since no development has yet occurred in thelots of subject and in some cases a beneficial alternative is not available, communitygardens are an attractive option. This would effectively create a working andproductive landscape of underutilized and low quality green space.

Vegetable gardens have a history in urban Minneapolis-St. Paul at least since theWorld War II victory gardens campaign. Currently there are numerous productivecommunity vegetable and flower gardens in St. Paul, six of which are within theDistrict Five boundaries, tended and maintained by residents. The CommunityDesign Center of Minnesota (CDC) and local youth programs are responsible forinitiation of gardens in District Five. One example of such a garden is that on 1288Forest Ave. In this case, the property owner donated a portion of their yard to theCDC to build the garden (Murphy 2004). The CDC is a non-profit organization thatseeks to improve communities by providing programs and technical assistanceintended to enhance the physical, social, economic, spiritual and ecological

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experience of residents. Their Minnesota Youth Conservation Corps program, one ofmany internship programs offered through the CDC, aims to provide conservationtraining and work experience to youth through service projects. The CDC communitygardens give Conservation Corp youth interns the opportunity to create somethingthat will become a functional landscape for the community. Conditions of thisprogram require that the neighbors of the garden adopt it, claim the resources from it,and care for it. Alternatively the CDC will use the gardens in their youth programs asan educational tool to help youth connect to their local environment, and distribute theproduce to each person who purchases a produce share (Murphy 2004). For details ofthe partnership options for the development of additional community gardens in thedistrict contact the CDC directly.

Assessing small fees for garden allotments is a good way to generate some money forgardening maintenance. Not all community gardens charge plot fees, but most do.They range from $10 to $35 (per season, per plot) and usually go into generalmaintenance funds. These funds can be used to pay for leases, insurance, water, tools,or specific projects. Some funding sources for starting the gardens include smallgrants available through federal and state agriculture and food projects programs, theEnvironmental Protection Agency, and several nonprofit organizations andphilanthropic foundations. One such grant is the USDA’s Community Food ProjectsCompetitive Grants Program. Other grant resources are listed below in Table 3. Werecommend that multiple sources are approached for funding since many of theseprograms operate by matching funds that are already designated for the project.

Grants that require environmental education or youth education be incorporated intothe community garden project are common. Gardens and other green spaces can bevaluable educational resources and should be incorporated into the planning phase ofthe project design. The CDC is a good information resource for local environmentaleducation programs. In addition, there are many resources on where to obtainmaterials for gardens, and guides addressing how to start a garden available on theinternet. We have compiled some of these tips and resource guides from Twin Citiesbased gardening groups and support services which are included in the appendix. Inthat section you will find:

• The Sustainable Resource Center’s “Resources for Gardeners” guide.• The Twin Cities Greening Coalition Community Resource guide table of

contents.

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Table 3. Funding programs for Community GardensSource Title of Award Amount ($) More InformationUSDA Community Food Projects

Competative Grants Program10,000- 300,000 http://www.crees.usda.gov/fo/fundview.cfm?fo

num=1080Captain PlanetFoundation

Small Grants 250- 2,5000 http://www.captainplanetfdn.org/aboutUs.html#policies_grant_guidelines

Toshiba AmericaFoundation

Environmental ScienceGrants

Up to 10,000 http://www.toshiba.com/taf/environmental.html

National GardeningAssociation

Youth Gardening GrantProgram

500 http://www.kidsgardening.com/teachers2.asp

U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency

Region 5 EnvironmentalEducation Grants

Up to 5,000 http://www.epa.gov/region5/enved/pastminn.html

Recommendation Four: Greening Commercial AreasThere are several vital and vibrant commercial centers in the Payne-Phalen district. Most notable are the areas surrounding Arcade and Payne Avenues. There will soonbe new commercial areas added with the construction of the Phalen Corridor throughthe southern part of the district. There are also several businesses in the southernmostarea including Rail Road Island. Increasing commerce to locally owned businesses isimportant to strengthening the local economy. Beautification of commercial areasthrough incorporation of green space can serve to improve consumers’ experiencesthereby increasing popularity of the area.

The significant difference between commercial areas in the Payne-Phalenneighborhood is the amount and quality of green space. Most of the areas alongArcade and Payne Avenues lack any green cover. Many commercial areas in thesouth have planters, flower boxes, small green spaces adjacent to the property, andboulevards separating sidewalks from the street. This creates a more inviting area anda buffer from traffic thereby increasing the quality of experience in the area.

There are many studies available that have analyzed the impact of environmentaldesign on safety in commercial and residential areas. According to a study done bythe University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign on the effects of greening communities,apartment buildings that had high levels of greenery had nearly half as many crimes(48 percent fewer property crimes and 56 percent fewer violent crimes) whencompared to buildings with no vegetation. Even buildings with medium amounts ofgreenery had 42 percent fewer total crimes (40 percent fewer property crimes and 44percent fewer violent crimes) (Kuo and Sullivan 2001).

The studies found that inner-city residents who live in areas with green spaceexperience fewer quality-of-life crimes, such as littering and graffiti, as well as fewerincivilities, such as noisy or disruptive neighbors. They also cited that residents ofneighborhoods that include medium to high levels of green space felt safer in theirneighborhoods (Kuo and Sullivan 2001).

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The Payne-Phalen area has many opportunities to increase the level of greening nearcommercial areas. Due to the proximity of District Five commercial centers to theurban commerce of St. Paul there is potential for the neighborhood businesses to drawin additional patrons. To this end the Payne-Arcade Marketing and BrandingInitiative, a joint effort between the East Side Neighborhood Development Company(ESNDC) and the Payne-Arcade Business Association (PABA), is working oncreating a lasting brand for the arteries of Payne and Arcade. Advertising taglines forcreating a unified marketing strategy are currently being considered for adoption andlocal business owners are voting for their preferences.

Increasing green space in commercial areas is a great way to impart a lastingimpression on patrons and is complimentary to this branding initiative. Increasing thevalue of the customer’s experience will directly promote an increased recognition ofthe quality of Payne-Arcade goods and services.

As an example, consider Stillwater or Red Wing, Minnesota. Like the Payne-Phalendistrict, both are historic to their area and have vibrant commercial centers. Toincrease the value of their customers’ experiences, the Red Wing Better BusinessBureau included greenery into their plan for the downtown area. Like many older andwell-developed neighborhoods, space for conventional boulevards was not available. Both Red Wing and Stillwater adopted hanging baskets for their central businessareas, thereby creating green areas, where before there were none (Briseno 2004).

Areas in District Five have similar limitations but there are several options availableby which to add greenery to the commercial areas. Hanging baskets are a choice thatallows flexibility in design because they can be incorporated into a variety oflandscapes, regardless of space and funding limits. Creating flower boxes andgrowing climbing vines on buildings are options for business owners who want tobeautify their establishments.

One advantage to this type of greening is the low cost of maintenance. Care of thehanging baskets in downtown Stillwater is done entirely on a volunteer basis byMaster Gardeners. A similar arrangement may be made with Master Gardeners inRamsey County programs and with local businesses. Targeting business owners tomaintain the plantings is ideal because they are likely to be good stewards of the areawhich they do business in and are likely available routinely on the premises.

Another option to increase the aesthetic appeal of some sites within Payne- Phalencommercial areas is to alter landscaping around parking lots to include green space. There are several parking lots that are lightly landscaped if at all. The parking lot forthe Salvation Army at Payne Ave. and Jenks St. is an excellent example of one withlittle landscaping. There is currently space for ornamental trees and additionalplantings to further beautify the area.

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Another possibility for reclamation of neglected or unappealing commercial centers isdevelopment of a downtown park. The site of a previous gas station, located on theeast side of Arcade just south of Maryland, would be an excellent location for adowntown park. The social benefits of the park may include serving as a location forcustomers of local businesses to congregate, rest and relax as well as for employees oflocal business to go for outdoor breaks.

We recommend the creation of an advisory board, consisting of members from thecommunity at large as well as business and commercial property owners to furtherinvestigate the needs of the Payne and Arcade Avenue businesses, and act to improvethe amount and quality of green plantings in the area. This board would beresponsible for development of a commercial greening plan, identifying potentiallocations for improvement of greenery or reclamation, and organization of volunteersto administer and maintain the greening program.

Conclusions

The Payne-Phalen community is one with a rich history, a vibrant culture and robustbusiness areas. It is a cornerstone to the City of St. Paul. Although it is highlyurbanized, it is still rich in natural resources and potential sites for incorporating greeninfrastructure into redevelopment. Because this community is so well developed,natural areas are highly concentrated (e.g., Phalen Lake). Yet residents understand thebenefits of green space in their community and have taken many steps already toenhance these spaces with community gardens, ponds and trails. Furthermore, naturalresources in District Five will continue to be an important asset to the community andwill play an important role in the lives of its diverse citizens.

Through our inventories and further studies, we have found specific areas on whichDistrict Five can focus that will increase benefits from natural resources by increasingusable lands through reclamation or redevelopment. Brownfield reclamation is animportant and achievable venture. Preserving and enhancing natural areas will ensurethat these features which serve important recreational, aesthetic, ecological,economic, and educational roles in the community will remain for future generationsto enjoy and use. Community allotment gardens serve roles as a direct connection forpeople with the environment and each other, and provide a source of food for manyhouseholds. These areas should be developed to a higher extent in the Payne-Phalencommunity to generate benefits from the many open lots that exist in theneighborhood. Commercial beautification projects liven up dull business areas andmake them more inviting places to be.

Brownfield reclamation, preserving and enhancing natural areas, allotment gardens,and commercial beautification projects are means by which the residents of the

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Payne-Phalen community can utilize their natural resources to improve the quality oflife and the sense of pride in the community as well as to help revitalize the localeconomy. Utilizing lands that have been previously been ignored may serve as adeterrent for crime and illegal activity on these lands by increasing the amount ofobservance and focus on these areas. Our aim is to provide the Planning Council witha tool for guiding decision making to address natural areas, green space, andreclamation sites in their area plan.

The District Five Planning Council has a great opportunity to set a precedent bymaking the establishment and preservation of green space and natural areas a criticalpart of the plan. By continuing to partner with the city and other agencies, theCouncil will be able to further reclaim abandoned lots and brownfields. Bysupporting efforts to preserve the remaining natural areas, a unique part of the city’shistory will be preserved. Through establishing new community gardens, the Councilcan provide the residents with a resource to strengthen their neighborhoods.

For the upcoming District Five Plan that is to be completed in 2005, a number ofimportant choices will have to be made which will effectively steer the environmentof Payne-Phalen in the years to come. In this report we have suggested some goalsthat the district can work to complete in the near future, such as creating communitygardens, replacing bare lots and brownfields with amenities, and restoring theneighborhoods remaining natural areas. These are opportunities to both better thephysical and social environment of the neighborhood. Working together on tasks canhelp families find shared pride in their environment. This neighborhood is rich inboth history and diversity, and with an inclusive planning process, District Five canwork to create a place that reflects the recreational desires of its residents and increasethe value of homes and businesses by removing eyesore lots, restoring contaminatedlands, and giving purpose to the wooded area adjacent to Duluth Park.

In creating a plan that encompasses green space in the neighborhood, and working topreserve and enhance the remaining natural areas, District Five can help the residentstake pride in their living space, and work to improve their quality of life.

References

Allman, L. 1997. Natural areas protecting a vital community asset: A sourcebookfor Minnesota local governments and citizens. St. Paul, MN: Natural Heritageand Nongame Research Program, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Bauer, D. W. 2004. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency data file, Master EntrySystem for Ramsey Co. Brownfield and VIC site information for Ramsey Co.Accessed 2004.

Briseno, A. 2004. Branding News, 2.

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Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. 2004. Website.Online at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/fundview.cfm?fonum=1080 Accessed11/3/2004.

De Sousa, C. 2003. Turning brownfields into green space in the City of Toronto.Landscape and Urban Planning 62:181-198.

Kuo, D. E., and W. C. Sullivan. 2001. Environment and crime in the inner city: Does vegetation reduce crime? Environment and Behavior 33(3): 343-367.

Metropolitan Council GIS Deparment DataFinder website. 2004. Accessed online onOctober 20, 2004. http://www.datafinder.org/

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Data Deli website. 2004. Accessedonline on October 20, 2004. http://deli.dnr.state.mn.us/

National Agricultural Imagery Program website. 2004. Accessed online November28, 2004. http://www.apfo.usda.gov/NAIP.html

Ramsey County Property Information website. 2004. Accessed online at onNovember 21, 2004. http://rrinfo.co.ramsey.mn.us/index.asp

Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis Laboratory website. 2004. Trent Erickson.http://rsl.gis.umn.edu/index.html

Sierra Club. 2004. Citizens’ Guide to Endangered Green Space. University of Minnesota Extension Service Yard and Garden Website. 2004. Online

at http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ Accessed 11/3/2004.Waliczek, T. M., et al. 1996. Benefits of community gardening on quality-of-life

issues. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 14(4):204-209.Wilder Research Center. 2004. Census Facts Payne–Phalen neighborhood (District

Five, Saint Paul). Retrieved October 7, 2004,http://www.wilder.org/research/reports/pdf/5Paynephalen.pdf

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 1997. So, what should I plant?: Trees,shrubs, and vines with wildlife values. Wildlife and Your Land. Available at:http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/publ/whattoplant1.pdf

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Appendix

Appendix A. Inventory Data sheet

LocationDescription

Evidence of Use Evidence ofManagement/Facilities

Type of Vegetation/ Landcover

Other SiteCharacteristics

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Appendix B. Map of District as used for driving inventory

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Appendix C. Grants for invasive species removal and restoration of nativeplant communities

This information was taken directly from the document prepared by Melvin J.Baughman for the University of Minnesota’s Extension Service website available at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD5946.html. Thefollowing grants seem appropriate for a project in the forested area adjacent toDuluth-Case Park:

Community Environmental Partnerships Grant ProgramThis program encourages environmental service projects and related educationactivities through public and private partnerships. Private organizations, cities,counties, townships, and school districts may apply. Typical projects includecommunity environmental service projects to clean up natural areas such as streams,lakes, and wetlands; producing environmental education handbooks, manuals, videos,and newsletters; and developing educational sites and exhibits that demonstrateenvironmental conservation principles. Funds cannot be used to fund curricula orexisting staff and program activities. Applicants must fund at least 50% of the projectthrough non-state contributions of cash, materials, or in-kind services. The maximumgrant is $20,000.

Conservation Partners Grant ProgramThe purpose of this program is to improve fish, wildlife, and native plant habitats andto fund research and surveys that improve such habitats. Private organizations, cities,counties, townships, and school districts may apply. Typical habitat projects includerestoring natural plant communities, reforestation, protecting wetlands, establishingnative plant buffer strips along streams and lakes, protecting water quality, andreducing soil erosion. Common research/survey projects include monitoringenvironmental indicators; surveying plant and animal populations; evaluatingenhancement projects; and researching methods to conserve or enhance fish, wildlife,and native plant habitats. Applicants must fund at least 50% of the total projectthrough non-state contributions of cash, materials, or in-kind services. The maximumgrant is $20,000.

Natural and Scenic Area Grant ProgramThe purpose of this program is to increase, protect, and enhance natural and scenicareas. Cities, counties, townships, and school districts may apply. Projects includepurchase of land or conservation easements. Some funds may be used for interpretive,educational, or boundary signs; or protective fencing. Applicants must fund at least50% of the project through non-state sources. The maximum grant is $500,000.

A more complete list of funding and conservation opportunities including cost-shareprograms, loans, conservation easements/land retirement programs, and landdonations is available at the University of Minnesota Extension Service website.

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Appendix D. Resources for assistance with natural areas information andprotection(excerpt from Natural Areas: Protecting a Vital Community Asset)

The following private organizations and government agencies are especially goodresources for assistance with natural areas information and protection. Other sourcesof information related to various aspects of natural areas protection are too numerousto list her, but include other government agencies, other programs within theMinnesota Department of Natural Resources, museums, public libraries, anduniversities.

For Natural Features Information:Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program (NHNRP)Minnesota County Biological Survey (MCBS)Section of Ecolgocial Services, Division of Fish and WildlifeMN Dept. of Natural Resources500 Lafayette Road, Box 25St. Paul, MN 55155-4007Tel.: (612) 8319 or 296-8324The NHNRP and MCBS are two programs of the Minnesota Department ofNatural Resources that can provide information to local governments on knownlocations of rare and/or significant natural features in the state. Information maybe useful for local governments involved in land conservation programs,environmental reviews, planning, management, research, and education

For Land Protection Tools and Methods:Friends of the Minnesota Valley3815 East 80th StreetBloomington, MN 55425-1600Tel.: (612) 854-5900Fax: (612) 725-3279Friends of the Minnesota Valley is a nonprofit citizens group devoted toconserving the natural and cultural resources of the Minnesota Valley, and topromoting environmental education. Local governments may contact Friends ofthe Minnesota Valley for information about the organization’s Heritage Registry(a program that encourages landowners to voluntarily preserve the naturalqualities of their property), and for help with informing their citizens aboutconservation practices along the Minnesota River and its tributaries.

Minnesota Land Trust (MLT)70 North 22nd AvenueMpls., MN 55411-2237Tel.: (612) 522-3743The Minnesota Land Trust is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes theprotection and enhancement of open space, including farmland, wetlands,

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woodlands, bluff lands, wildlife habitat, and scenic areas in Minnesota. MLTspecializes in working with private citizens and public agencies (includinglocal governments) that wish to establish perpetual conservation easements onqualifying land.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Minnesota Chapter1313 Fifth Street Southeast, Suite 320Mpls., MN 55414-1588Tel.: (612) 331-0750The Nature Conservancy is an international, private nonprofit organization. Withpriorities guided by science and ecological research, TNC protects land throughacquisitions, gifts of land, management agreements, conservation easements,cooperation with state and local units of government, and enrollment of privatelandowners in a voluntary registry program.

Land Stewardship Project (LSP)2200 Fourth St.White Bear Lake, MN 55110Tel.: (612) 653-0618The Land Stewardship Project is a private, nonprofit membership organizationthat advocates for thoughtful community development that conserves farmland,forests, and natural resources. LSP fosters information exchange throughworkshops, videos and publications, partnerships with local governments,community groups and other organizations, and serves as a resource and referralcenter for information related to sustainable development issues, including suchland protection tools as transfer and purchase of development rights programs.

For Assistance with Planning:Amercian Planning Association (APA)122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600Chicago, IL 60603Tel.: (312) 431-9100The American Planning Association is a national nonprofit, public interest, andresearch organization with a membership of more than 30,000 planners, electedand appointed officials, and citizens concerned about urban and rural developmentissues. Minnesota’s APA Chapter publishes a monthly newsletter, sponsorsprofessional development programs, conducts an annual meeting and offersnetworking opportunities for anyone with an interest in planning. Members haveaccess to an advisory service that provides information on planning-related issues.

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For State Acquisition and/or Dedication of Natural Areas:Scientific and Natural Areas (SNA) ProgramSection of Ecological Services, Division of Fish and WildlifeMN Dept. of Natural Resources500 Lafayette Road, Box 25St. Paul, MN 55155-4007Tel.: (612) 297-2357The Scientific and Natural Areas Program selectively acquires and manages landthroughout the state that hosts exceptional natural features such as undisturbednatural communities, rare or endangered species habitat, geologic formations, andseasonal habitat for concentrations of birds and other wildlife. Local governmentsmay wish to contact the SNA Program to inquire about the potential for SNAdesignation of natural areas on existing public lands, or the protection of naturalareas on private lands through acquisition from willing sellers.

For Assistance with Financing and Land Transaction Involving Conservation RealEstate:

The Trust for Public Land (TPL)420 North 5th St., Suite 865Mpls., MN 55401Tel.: (612) 338-8494The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit conservation organization withits Midwest Regional Office in the Twin Cities. TPL specializes in the purchaseof properties from willing sellers, with subsequent resale of the land to publicagencies or nonprofit organizations for public open space use. TPL can assistlocal governments with identification of potential funding sources and financingfor land acquisitions, can serve as interim title holder while a public agencyprocures the funds necessary for a purchase, and can help local governments andcommunity groups to implement campaigns to mobilize support for natural areasand open space projects and their funding.

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Appendix E. A dozen positive steps that local governments can take toprotect natural areas in their communities

(excerpt from Natural Areas: Protecting a Vital Community Asset)

• Promote voluntary landowner conservation practices through education andincentives

• Utilize the services of natural resource specialists with ecological expertise toadvise decision makers

• Review and update local ordinances that my compromise the integrity of naturalareas in the community

• Develop and maintain high standards for development, encouraging practices thatprotect the integrity of quality natural areas

• Apply cash park dedications from new development to acquisition of natural areas• Include a section in comprehensive plans that identifies specific goals for natural

areas• Ensure that public land managers are trained in the management of natural

communities• Budget for natural areas protection in the same way that budgeting is done for

other community assets• Consider using conservation easements to ensure permanent protection for public

open space land• Establish partnerships with neighboring units of government to protect shared

natural areas• Use native species in plantings on public lands• Identify natural areas on public lands and take steps to ensure that paved trails,

parking lots, or other developments that could negatively impact important naturalfeatures will not be placed within them.

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Appendix F. Community Resource Gardening GuideThis online guide provides many tips and links to additional resources for gardeners,and has specific information about starting a community garden. Online you can linkto any of the sections shown in the table of contents below.

Twin Cities Greening Coalition2002 Community Gardening

Resource GuideWritten by Kyla Zaro-MooreGraduate Research Assistant

Twin Cities Greening CoalitionMay 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSINTRODUCTION

PART I: RESOURCES A. CompostB. TopsoilC. WoodchipsD. MulchE. Lead testing

A. SeedsB. Starting your own seedsC. TransplantsD. PerennialsE. Trees and Bushes

A. Hand toolsB. WheelbarrowsC. Motorized equipment

A. Raised bedsB. Compost BinsC. Cold FramesD. Other StructuresE. Materials

A. Master GardenersB. BooksC. ClassesD. World Wide WebA. Garden InternsB. Paid ServicesC. Community Services

A. Contributors to Community GardensB. FundraisingC. Writing grantsD. Becoming a nonprofit

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A. Finding LandB. OrganizingC. Mediation Services

PART II: COMMUNITYGARDEN GREEN PAGES

A. Garden ClubsB. NeighborhoodsA. Community GardeningB. Fundraising

A. Farm ConnectionsB. City ConnectionsC. CompostD. Greening OrganizationsE. Neighborhood web sitesF. University resourcesG. Public LibrariesH. Volunteer SourcesI. FundersJ. Finding FundingK. Neighborhood InformationL. Property Search

A. Compost and SoilB. Garden LeasesC. Hydrant AccessD. Extension ServicesE. Lead TestingF. Liability InsuranceG. Mediation ServicesH. Plants and Seeds

FOOTNOTES

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Appendix G. Resources for community gardeners(Directly from the Sustainable Resources Center’s Urban Lands Website athttp://www.src-mn.org/SRC_RES_CommGardeners.htm) A community garden can indeed be an inexpensive project. Start looking forresources close to home. Does anyone in your gardening group have access to a pick-up truck? Who has extra equipment or supplies to donate? Is anyone willing to shopgarage sales for used garden gear? Use this list of local resources to start yourgathering.

Seeds and Seedlings* Garden City Seeds has a seed donation program for northern-hardy varieties ofvegetable seeds. Call 406-961-4837 or email [email protected] for moreinformation. Seeds of Change has a seed donation program for organic, untreated,open-pollinated seeds. Call 505-438-8080 or check out www.seedsofchange.com formore information. The America the Beautiful Fund, 800-522-3557, distributes bulkseed for the price of postage and handling. A caveat: many of these seeds are treatedwith fungicides. * Join the Minnesota Horticultural Society’s Minnesota Green Program 651-643-3601to gain access to free plant donations. * Your local garden store may be willing to donate seedlings in late spring or earlysummer to your community project. Ask ahead of time.* Grow some plants yourself. Call for a copy of Urban Lands’ Growing Seedlings factsheet; visit the Urban Lands library or your local library for books on seed starting.It’s easy and very cost effective.

Mulch and Compost* Wood chips in large quantities can be delivered to your community garden site forfree. Call George Wells at Northeast Tree and Timber, 612-910-8274 or Cleve at A-Tree Service, 612-724-6045. Allow several days for a response.

* Wood chips are available to pick up at no cost from the following city public worksdepartments. Please phone ahead to check availability. Some sites also offer compost.Brooklyn Center 763-569-3380Brooklyn Park 763-493-8007Edina 952-927-8861Maple Grove 763-420-4400Minneapolis 612-370-4900 or www.minneapolisparks.org Oakdale 651-730-2740Plymouth 763-509-5506Ramsey County 651-633-3279Roseville 651-490-2310St. Louis Park 952-924-2565Woodbury 651-430-6655

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* Compost is available for free to Minneapolis residents through NRG ProcessingSolutions, 620 Malcolm Avenue in Southeast Minneapolis (in Prospect Park nearKSTP). Call ahead for hours and availability at 612-331-4610. NRG has other sites aswell; call their main number for more information: 952-946-6999. * For the location of Saint Paul’s eight composting sites, call the Saint PaulNeighborhood Energy Consortium at 651-633-3279. * If you live outside of Minneapolis or Saint Paul, call your city’s public worksdepartment for information on access to compost.* For large deliveries of topsoil, compost, or composted manure, check the phonebook for suppliers. Expect charges for delivery, and charges per cubic yard of thematerial delivered. We’we worked with John Orrison of One World LandscapeSupply, 612-379-2939, and ÏBotany BobÓ Pollack of Arch-Tech Landscaping, 651-450-9178.

Tools and Tillers* The ReUse Center, located at 2216 East Lake Street near Hiawatha Avenue inMinneapolis, sells used garden equipment, windows for cold frames, and lumber.Phone 612-724-2608.* Call your local rental supply store to rent large equipment such as tillers, sodcutters, wheelbarrows, tampers, fencing equipment, and other items.* Shop garage and estate sales, and solicit tool donations for your community gardenin neighborhood newsletters and newspapers.

Community Gardening Information* Minnesota Green Handbook: Creating Community Gardens. 651-643-3601, or seetheir web site: www.northerngardener.org* American Community Gardening Association: Tons of resources and connections tocommunity gardens and garden organizations across the US, publisher of books andmanuals, and the periodical Community Greening Review. Seewww.communitygarden.com* www.cityfarmer.org is a wonderful community garden resource site from Toronto

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Appendix H. Minnesota resources for brownfield cleanup and reclamation

Minnesota Pollution Control AgencyEvaluate a brownfield site for potential sale, purchase, investment, redevelopment orother purpose through the Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup (VIC) and VoluntaryPetroleum Investigation and Cleanup (VPIC) programs. These programs providetechnical assistance to parties who voluntarily investigate brownfield sites and carryout cleanups needed to facilitate property reuse and/or redevelopment. The MPCAalso offers financial assistance. Contact Cathy O’Dell at 651-282-2381

Minnesota Department of AgricultureSpills or contamination problems associated with agricultural chemicals are regulatedby the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. MDA has developed a voluntarycleanup program to assist persons willing to clean up pesticide-contaminated sites651-282-2697

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development The Legislature has provided significant funding for grants to cities, housing andredevelopment authorities, economic development authorities, and port authorities toinvestigate and clean up contaminated land 651-297-1291 or 1-800-657-3858

Minnesota Department of Health Site Assessment and Consultation UnitThe Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will assist individuals or communitieswith questions about the potential health impacts of land contamination 651-215-0916

Minnesota Department of RevenueVoluntary parties with an MPCA-approved investigation or cleanup plan may receivea reduction in their property taxes based on a lowered assessment of their propertyvalue as a result of contamination problems 651-296-2286

Minnesota Environmental InitiativeThe Minnesota Environmental Initiative (MEI) Resources for Redevelopment(formerly known as the Redevelopment Grant Assistance Program) is intended topromote the redevelopment of urban property by providing funds and expertiseneeded to conduct environmental investigations of sites which non-profitorganizations own or seek to acquire. Contact Michael Welch at 612-334-3388

The Saint Paul Port AuthorityThe Saint Paul Port Authority is the industrial development agency for the City ofSaint Paul and the east metro area of the Twin Cities. Contact Lorrie Louder or MikeStrand at 651-224-5686.

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Minneapolis Community Development AgencyThe Minneapolis Community Development Agency (MCDA) is the housing andredevelopment entity of the City of Minneapolis. For more information, contact theMCDA at 612-673-6232.

US EPA Brownfields PageProvides general information about brownfields, discussion of brownfields projectsand initiatives, brownfields tools and contact, and links to other brownfieldsresources.

ROBINThe Great Lakes Regional Online Brownfields Information Network (ROBIN) isproduced by the Council of Great Lakes Governors. ROBIN links state and provincialbrownfields program and assistance information as well as other online resourcessuch as local and federal government, business/industry, research institutions,community organizations and other interests within and beyond the Great Lakesregion.

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