Clay County directs MPCA settlement funds to Moorhead parks projects, including tree plantings and crosswalk work

The Moorhead Park Advisory Board heard Feb. 26 that Clay County Public Health will allocate about $120,000 in funds it received from a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) settlement to five park and trail projects in Moorhead.

Forest, the staff presenter, said the county received just under $130,000 as part of an environmental settlement tied to the former Anheuser-Busch agricultural plant; Clay County Public Health designated $120,000 of that to Moorhead projects after public input. The city held open houses and an online survey that drew 192 unique online responses, Forest said.

The five proposed projects are:

- An Arbor Day tree-planting on May 18 and 29 that will involve fourth-grade students and plant 100 trees in Woodlawn Park;
- New river-corridor amenities (benches and a bike-repair station) to serve neighborhoods along the trail;
- Pollinator plantings at four prairie sites (15th Avenue North Prairie, original Homestead Park Prairie, Riverfront Park Prairie, and Horn Park/I-94 prairie), some of which will include controlled burns to restore native plants;
- Trail lighting for the Blue Stem Bridge (planned to start construction next summer), with Moorhead Public Service providing quotes for the work; and
- High-reflectivity, ground-in pavement crosswalk markings near Moorhead Area Public Schools based on recommendations from a Safe Routes to School study.

Forest said the Clay County Board reviewed and unanimously approved the slate of projects on Jan. 26. Staff are preparing a memorandum of understanding that will make the city the implementing agency (city will obtain quotes, do the work, and submit reporting), and they will ask the Clay County Board next Tuesday to adjust funding allocations to cover a project that came in over budget by shifting savings from other projects that bid under estimate.

Why it matters: The projects put settlement funds to visible neighborhood improvements — tree canopy, pedestrian safety, pollinator habitat and amenities along the river corridor — and include youth engagement in the tree-planting effort.

Next steps: Staff will return to Clay County with revised funding amounts, finalize the memorandum of understanding, obtain contractor quotes and schedule the tree planting and pollinator work.