Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Barb Schlaefer, District 6

After the Hiawatha Golf Course flooded in 2014 and unpermitted pumping issues were discovered, MPRB Commissioners directed a citizen advisory committee (CAC) to work with park staff to develop a new master plan to guide the future of the site. The master plan was presented in 2020 and the MPRB Commissioners voted on it twice in 2021, failing to pass the plan each time. As of now, no master plan exists for the Hiawatha Golf Course Area, and the pumping issues and flood risk remain unaddressed.

1. What are the next steps MPRB should take with regards to planning for the future of the Hiawatha Golf Course Area?

There are two significant water problems at Lake Hiawatha: stormwater pollution flowing into the lake and more frequent and severe flooding of the low areas of the golf course. I recommend addressing the stormwater pollution problem affecting Lake Hiawatha immediately and pausing on proposed changes affecting the golf course. Having spent time around Lake Hiawatha – seeing and hearing about the volume of trash that is flowing into the lake from 900 acres of neighborhood streets to the north of the lake as well as from the Minnehaha Creek – I view the pollution as the urgent priority.

The stormwater pollution must be tackled in full partnership with the city’s Department of Public Works. While the Park Board has responsibility to protect and maintain the city’s natural resources, stormwater management is the city’s stated role.

With an approved stormwater system plan targeting neighborhoods north of the lake and along Minnehaha Creek, the city and MPRB can begin to secure regional/state funding to update the woefully inadequate stormwater infrastructure. Such a plan should include best management practices to address silt, trash and chemicals before they enter the creek or Lake Hiawatha, and include the full participation of the city and the Minnehaha Watershed District.

By acting on the pollution problem now and pausing on the rest of the project, the MPRB can reconsidering some of the most controversial pieces of the failed master plan. Concerns include:

• The desire of Black golfers and others to maintain the historically significant 18-hole course
• Lack of natural areas and habitat in the failed Hiawatha master plan
• The funding sources for the $43 million estimated cost of the master plan
• Environmental and ecological impact of pumping as well as sustainability
• Financial viability of a public nine-hole golf course
• The need for clarification around flood risk to nearby homes for all scenarios
• How a new and different kind of proposed park would be responsibly maintained and managed
• Community mistrust of the MPRB on this issue

For now, I support the MPRB addressing the egregious stormwater issues in full partnership with the city. For now, a golf course is not the worst place to store excess flood water. The MPRB can revisit the golf course plan later as it continues to listen, learn and share impartial scientific data and analysis broadly with stakeholders.

2. According to the master plan document, “Water management alternatives that address fully the range of issues faced by a property situated below the elevation of an adjacent lake render the opportunity to create an 18-hole golf course impracticable, if not impossible.” Would you support a plan for the site that retains 18 holes of golf and does not address pumping levels or flood risk?

I have more to learn and am not ready to commit on these questions. There seem to be many contradicting facts and rumors on this topic. While much discussion has already occurred, more may be needed. The project has been discussed for 7+ years. Yet it remains a very contentious issue and, if implemented, could be the largest Minneapolis parks project in a generation. I have more to learn and would like to hear more impartial scientific analysis from hydrologists, geologists, environmental entities, government agencies and others about the trends, the land sinking and the geology.

3. Would you support a plan for the site similar to the master plan developed in 2018-2019 that provides a 9-hole golf course and integrates other land uses (such as walking, cycling, paddling, and picnicking) when possible?

[See question #2]

4. Would you support a plan that removes golf entirely from the site and replaces it with other land uses, such as walking, cycling, paddling, picnicking, and natural space?

[See question #2]

5. Hiawatha was a historically important course for black golfers in Minneapolis in an era when they faced widespread discrimination. How should plans for the site honor this legacy and serve current communities of color?

This fall I met with a group of Black golfers who play weekly at Hiawatha. Many have generational memories and important stories about the course. Those who have a deep personal affinity to the course should be at the center of planning for how to honor its history. They should also be part of discussions about any new building or facility at the site.

This land, once known as Rice Lake, has a rich Indigenous history as well. Let’s learn it and honor it, with Indigenous voices at the center.

6. What should be done about trash entering Lake Hiawatha from the “north pipe”? More generally, how should MPRB address water quality concerns in Lake Hiawatha?

The trash we see, and the hazardous street runoff we cannot see, should be the immediate focus and priority. I recommend the MPRB start there immediately, with a collaborative plan for stormwater management and best management practices in neighborhoods to the north of the property and along Minnehaha Creek.

7. Two major issues MPRB is facing at this site and citywide are correcting historic inequities and planning for a more variable future climate. How would you balance the needs of MPRB properties to be sustainably designed and managed with the need to equitably serve all Minneapolis communities?

Environmental injustice is real and persists and the equity issues at this site are complex. As a matter of equity, if needles, trash and microplastics were flowing into Lake of the Isles or Lake Harriet, as they are at Lake Hiawatha, I believe the city would have addressed the problem long ago.

Black golfers and others value the history, accessibility and affordability at this 18-hole course in the heart of South Minneapolis. The course is active with diverse summer youth leagues; golfers of all incomes, races and ethnicities; local high school golf teams and it employs staff from the community. And yet, like many golf courses, there is a fence around it and these 100+ acres are off limits to all but those who pay to play.

By addressing the environmental challenges posed at Hiawatha in two phases, I believe we can effectively tackle the most urgent issue now, and take time to further consider what could be the Park Board’s largest project in decades. As Park Board Commissioner, I will be listening carefully, probing deeply, seeking community input and making the best possible decisions for people, parks and the environment.