Hubbard County approves amendment with SRF Consulting to advance Deep Lake Park design and grant application

The Hubbard County Board of Commissioners voted to approve an amendment with SRF Consulting to add professional planning and design services for Deep Lake Park, including campground design, updated phasing and park graphics, and preparation of a Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission grant application.

The amendment, described by parks staff as "just under $16,000," would allocate roughly half of the additional funds toward preparing the Phase 2 grant application, which staff estimated at about $1.5 million to $2 million. "Once a project is kind of in the stream ... it's not a matter of if it's gonna be funded, it's a matter of when it's gonna be funded," a presenter said, explaining the strategy for applying now and reapplying if necessary.

Board members and staff discussed specific design elements the amendment will cover: campground layouts for upper and lower campgrounds, a road and parking design for RV access, sizing a trailhead building that staff said would "hold about 50 people," and adding the balance of an archaeological survey to the scope. Staff also reported ICS provided a lower-than-expected estimate to remodel the old maintenance facility, and recommended removing the rear 40 feet of a 120-by-40 structure to leave an 80-by-40 functional building.

Engineering considerations for road design drew attention: speakers said the main access road would be about 22 feet wide plus shoulders and that turn radii must accommodate large tow vehicles and Class A RVs. The county expects to publish bids for the road work in January or February and to carry the SRF design work through initial bidding and into the Phase 2 grant process.

Board members moved and seconded approval of the amendment and adopted it by voice vote. The parks board will review detailed designs and phasing in upcoming meetings early in the year.

The amendment was introduced in the Natural Resources portion of the meeting and was approved by the commissioners; no dollar-specified vote tally or individual roll-call appears in the transcript.