Timeline of Engagement
June 13, 2021
June 12, 2021
June 6, 2021
https://www.kfai.org/episode/06-06-2021-wave-project/?fbclid=IwAR1xJzFihnDbjbTD_LaW8Z3ZKy_GkAqazl6Z4I4MPslIWd7_rtXQKmYr8J4
June 5, 2021
For Immediate Release – 6/5/21 Friends of Fredrick-Miller Spring Incorporates as Spring Valley Friends + Lower Riley Creek Watershed District Vote Delay Issuing Permit to Pulte
The Friends of Fredrick-Miller Spring & Riley Creek (“Friends”) are excited to announce some recent developments in the effort to ensure the quality and safety of the drinking water from Fredrick-Miller Spring and to protect the culturally important, biodiverse and ecologically sensitive area known as the Lower Riley Creek Watershed District from urban development by Pulte Homes. Friends is now registered in the State of Minnesota as Spring Valley Friends, LLC. And have appointed their initial board members.
Join us! Spring Valley Friends will be hosting a Live Q&A on Saturday 6/12/21 at 3 PM via Fredrick Miller Spring Friends on Facebook to discuss what’s happened, where we are going, what we need for volunteers and donations, and answer any questions from the public.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fredrickmillerspringfriends
Spring Valley Friends filed an appeal for the May 4th, 2021 decision to deny the citizens petition for an EAW with the city as of 6/2/21. More details about the appeal coming soon!
Watershed Win – This week the Lower Riley Creek Watershed District board voted to delay issuing the Pulte building permit for 60 days. The Watershed District is requesting more information and possibly a slope stability analysis for the proposed development area due to soil erosion and grading concerns. This 60-day delay will prevent Pulte from beginning construction which is helpful while we move forward with our EAW appeal.
We thank the Watershed District board members and staff for their due diligence and shared concern for this unique area. We would also like to extend a special thank you to the experts who came forward to speak. We also thank the Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for their recommendation to delay the permit to the board.
Spring Valley Friends Contacts:
For more info on the Watershed District decision: Eden Prairie Resident & Spring Valley Friend Member: Sue Bennett, scbennett1957@gmail.com,952-334-5617
For more info on the EAW Legal Appeal process: Eden Prairie Resident & Spring Valley Friend Member: Rebecca Prochaska, rlprochaska@gmail.com, 612-396-3019
For more info on Spring Valley Friends, LLC.: Spring Valley Friend Treasure: Briana Crusan, crusan.consulting@gmail.com, 651-239-6007
May 31, 2021
May 19, 2021
https://www.kfai.org/episode/05-19-2021-am-drive/
May 17, 2021
Hello Supporters:
We hope you are enjoying the weekend. Since there was no consideration of the environmental impact data or proposal to acquire the land, our only path forward is to appeal the City’s decision to deny the environment assessment. This is done by filing a declaratory judgment action in district court. The estimated cost for this process is $15k. Please consider donating to our Go Fund Me campaign (if you haven’t already): https://www.gofundme.com/f/fredrickmiller-spring-friends-lawyer-fund Any amount helps!
In the meantime, please feel free to provide the City Council with comments. Here are a few ways to share your feedback:
Send a message to City Council members to voice discontent for the process and outcome: allcouncil@edenprairie.org
Post comments on the Eden Prairie Website: https://www.facebook.com/67533112767/posts/10159129350832768/?substory_index=0
Write a short editorial to the EP Newspaper: editor@eplocalnews.org/
Send an email to Senator Cwodzinski regarding outcome: https://www.senate.mn/members/email-form/1234
Share on social networks: Nextdoor, Facebook, etc.
A few take-aways from the city council meeting:
The Mayor allowed Pulte 40 minutes to present information and only 2 minutes for everyone else
There was no consideration or review given to the information provided by experts, like Professor Alexander
No consideration given to the multiple alternatives presented to acquire the land. For example, a legacy fund bill
The Mayor completely missed the point of the petition for a study. The environmental review is about the Biodiversity and understanding the long-term cumulative effects
In the April 29th Sun Sailor, the Mayor publicly announced that he planned to vote no on the study. This was prior to the 5/4 meeting and distribution of the 1600 page staff report containing all the updated information and study details. How do you make a sound decision without all of the data?
-Spring Friends, Organizers
May 11, 2021
Updated scientific assessment needed for Noble Hill development
By LETTER TO EDITOR - May 10, 2021Updated:May 11, 2021
https://www.eplocalnews.org/2021/05/10/updated-scientific-assessment-needed-for-noble-hill-development
The members of the Eden Prairie City Council are elected to represent the best interests of the community. On May 4, 2021, the Eden Prairie City Council unanimously voted against the best interests of a very special community, one that extends well beyond arbitrary lines on a map.
The Fredrick-Miller Spring, Riley Creek, and the surrounding watershed is an invaluable natural and cultural resource. The City of Eden Prairie needs to ensure this special area is protected for future generations by conducting an updated, thorough scientific assessment before approving the proposed Noble Hill development.
Tara Gardell
Eden Prairie, MN
May 11, 2021
Miller Spring decision, upper class development running rampant in EP
By LETTER TO EDITORMay 11, 2021
https://www.eplocalnews.org/2021/05/11/miller-spring-decision-upper-class-development-running-rampant-in-ep
I am utterly disgusted and whole heartedly disappointed as an environmentalist and concerned citizen that has lived in EP for 16 years on the unanimous decision you made last night without taking into account all the data, comments and research presented to allow an Environmental study is beyond disgusting to me.
I grew up in MPLS and decided to raise our family out here because of the close connection to history, nature and the environment. The Developments in the last 10 years has been running rampant in Eden Prairie. There is less and less prairie and more and more concrete.
We have felt like the Miller Spring is a sacred gift given to this land and the bounty is a gift to so many people from near and far. If you study the watershed and how it runs and how these water tables are impacted with the steep slope decline down to the Miller Spring the data will show the impacts a development will have.
The Development will have critical impact on the well being of the area, the water stream and the spring. I am in complete disbelief that you would allow a greedy decision to move forward for this developer and take away any cultural, historical, and environmental significance this land has here.
I follow the mindset that we pay it seven generations forward. What are we leaving for our future? What are you approving this for? A growing population? Right now our cities highest density population is the Boomers. I understand you are trying to create housing for the retiring age, but have you also looked at how unreasonable your housing costs are becoming?
In 10-15 years when the Boomers begin passing on, you are left with a dense overload of expensive houses that younger generations cannot afford. What an oversight.
The affordable housing is so out of range for people, that you are not creating a pathway to diversity, but a homogenous mix of upper class. This development is set to attend the needs of the $600K-$800K range. Do you know how many people would like to live here and send their kids to school, but the pathway and voting you are taking are shutting them out. This is just another decision building upon that.
The people are going to put in every effort to take action against this. The natural resources are worth way more than the money the developers are going to make off this precious and sacred land.
GROSS. None of you will be getting my vote.
Vanessa Nordstrom, Eden Prairie
May 10, 2021
Disappointed with EP council’s Pulte decision
By LETTER TO EDITOR - May 10, 2021
https://www.eplocalnews.org/2021/05/10/disappointed-with-ep-councils-pulte-decision/
I’m very disappointed in our elected officials and the city council process.
I thought we were following a fair process where 3200 petition signatures had a voice. Instead, the Mayor allowed Pulte 40 minutes to present their information. The concerned residents were only given 2 minutes to speak and present their support for an EAW.
I thought our EAW would go to a neutral third party. A third party that would fairly evaluate the information presented by both parties in an unbiased way. There was no consideration given to the information that was provided by Professor Alexander from the University of Minnesota. No consideration given to the multiple alternatives presented to acquire the land. For example a legacy fund bill.
Now we have an empty nester community that will serve around 100 people and no study to analyzes the effects on this important area of Eden Prairie. Unfortunately the Mayor and council completely missed the point of the petition for a study. They think the petition is about the quality of the water coming from the spring only. People love this unique area surrounding the spring. The environmental review is about the biodiversity and understanding the long-term cumulative effects.
Given all the concerns from the community why wouldn’t the City, at the very least do the environmental study to stop all the controversy?
Sue Bennett
Eden Prairie Resident
May 4, 2021
May 4, 2021
May 1, 2021
April 25, 2021
April 20, 2021
April 16, 2021
Frustration re: Noble Hill project, biodiversity concerns
By LETTER TO EDITOR - April 16, 2021
https://www.eplocalnews.org/2021/04/16/frustration-re-noble-hill-project-biodiversity-concerns/
Regarding the Noble Hill housing project in Eden Prairie, it is extremely frustrating to see the lack of cooperation between the city and the citizens. The citizens and myself have asked repeatedly for scientific evidence to back up the mayor’s and the builder’s statements that the spring will not be harmed.
They are both keen to repeat these comments without any proof. Furthermore, they only address the spring and mention nothing of the surrounding biodiversity and the creek which is already under restoration efforts. I fear that come May 4th, when the project is voted on, the builder will trot out their biased “expert” that says everything will be just fine.
There is also a rallying community who wishes to purchase and preserve the land but the city doesn’t acknowledge that either. In all my communications and my neighbors’ with the mayor, he has seemingly already made up his mind. What is the point of democracy then?
Sincerely,
Justin DeAngelo
April 13, 2021
April 9, 2021
April 8, 2021
April 8, 2021
April 7, 2021
People fear proposed housing development would impact popular Eden Prairie spring
People from all over the region flock to the Fredrick-Miller Spring in Eden Prairie to fill jugs with untreated spring water.
MELISSA TURTINENUPDATED:APR 7, 2021ORIGINAL:APR 7, 2021
April 6, 2021
Noble Hill opponents raise money for legal help
By MARK WEBERApril 6, 2021
https://www.eplocalnews.org/2021/04/06/noble-hill-opponents-raise-money-for-legal-help/
The Noble Hill development is proposed for 28 acres near Fredrick-Miller Spring in
April 6, 2021
April 3, 2021
April 2, 2021
April 2, 2021
Water Advocate Vigil at Spring Aims to Delay Noble Hill Development Approval-Eden Prairie, MN
Water advocates organized through the Friends of Fredrick-Miller Springs gather to hold vigil at the Spring in the wake of a threat of development. www.frederickmillerspringfriends.org
The Friends of Fredrick-Miller Springs intend to delay the rezoning initiative by the City of Eden Prairie City Council, which entitles Pulte Homes, a company who has a controversial track record with violations of the Clean Water Act and consumer complaints. The Eden Prairie City Council will vote on the Noble Hill development plans May 4, 2021.
Mayor Ron Case, and the city's position, is that the “... Fredrick-Miller Spring will not be impacted.” Yet, the Mayor sourced outdated material in reference to this claim. In addition, several city planning commissioners, voted nay to the development; due to an incomplete environmental impact study. A proper updated ecological, hydrological, geological, and watershed evaluation needs to be conducted. to truly ass,ss the specific impact of the Noble Hill Development.
The F-M Spring is located in the biodiverse and ecologically sensitive Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District. The Friend’s and fellow water advocates are concerned about groundwater contamination of which the Spring is safe to drink, but has been exposed to nitrates from a nearby land-fill. The Riley Creek is susceptible to poor stormwater management, and Pulte has had to pay settlements due to sloppy stormwater management design and installment. Wild-life and biodiversity are also at risk: as up to 5 endangered have been identified as possibly living within the habitat; and upwards of 500 trees are destined to be cut down out of the fragile ecosystem along Spring Road.
Fredrick-Miller Springs is recognized as a landmark, and thousands of MN citizens, collect the untreated water as a preferred water source. The Friend’s recognize the relevance of the historical landmark of the Spring, as well historical trauma as detailed in the Land Acknowledgement of Eden-Prairie: that there is “... a painful history of unfair treaties, genocidal policies and forced removal of Indigenous people from their homeland.”
March 25, 2021
Fans of natural spring worry about nearby development
By MARK WEBER - March 25, 2021
https://www.eplocalnews.org/2021/03/25/fans-of-natural-spring-worry-about-nearby-development/
Amy Anderson, of Victoria, stopped Tuesday at Fredrick-Miller Spring, which is drawing attention because of development proposed nearby.
March 25, 2021
https://www.kfai.org/episode/03-25-2021-am-drive/
March 23, 2021
Proposed development sparks outcry over impacts to Fredrick-Miller Spring
By Christine Schuster cschuster@swpub.com - Mar 23, 2021
https://www.swnewsmedia.com/chanhassen_villager/news/proposed-development-sparks-outcry-over-impacts-to-fredrick-miller-spring/article_d55b80eb-a9ae-5d3c-b794-6dd2b52c1b10.html
Pulte Homes is proposing to build 50 single-family homes on a roughly 28-acre property along Spring Road in Eden Prairie. The development, called Noble Hill, would be located across the road from the Fredrick-Miller Spring and near the Riley Creek, which runs through the west side of the property.
Courtesy image