Over the last several years we have had an ongoing discussion,
as it relates to spending tax $ on lake improvements, AIS control, and
the relative importance of the lake to the community.
In 2010 the
City's Lake Improvement Committee and the Forest Lake Lake
Association obtained data
which confirms the importance of Forest Lake as a recreational
and economic asset to our community. We thought it was important you have
this information
Attachment 1
( DNR data labeled Percent) shows that of the 6,910 residences in FL,
over 50% have at least one watercraft permit. And of the 3605 watercraft
permits in FL, 34% live on the lake and 66%
do not live on the lake. This dispells the common notion that the lake
is primarily used by lake residents.
Attachment 2
(DNR Creel Surveys, labeled Outside) shows the importance of the lake to
attracting visitors to Forest Lake. During the summer 53% of the boaters on
the lake lived OUTSIDE Forest Lake and 47% lived in Forest
Lake. The winter usage of the lake was similar, with 57% of
users coming from OUTSIDE Forest Lake.
These thousands of people represent a
strong economic opportunity for our local businesses in bait, gas,
lake supplies, food/refreshments, and restaurants / bars, etc.
Finally, from the previous chart we saw that of people living in FL
and using the lake, 66% did not live on the lake. So when you combine that
statistic with the 53-57% of the lake users that DO NOT live in FL, then it
turns out that 85% of FL users do not live on the lake . The lake then is a
community asset utilized much more broadly than by just
residents on the lake.
Attachment 3
( Washington County tax data,
labeled TAX),looks at the impact on
city residential property tax revenue of
lake property on FL. This data came from both :
(1 The City's 2009 financial
plan for 2010 projected revenue and
(2) A special report on 2010 (E) Residential
Taxable Mkt Value for properties on Forest Lake run on 8-10-2010 by
Kevin Corbid, Director , Property Records and Taxpayer Services.
The 984 residences on the lake accounted for $449
million taxable residential mkt value. This represented 34% of the
City's total taxable residential mkt value, while the 984 lake properties
represent only 14.2 % of the total FL residences.
Of the 2010(E) residential
tax levy of $4.372 million, $1.53 million (34%) came from FL lake
residences. The critical point here is that $857,000 of the $1.53 million lake property tax revenue came from a tax premium
paid because the residences were on FL. This extra tax is paid over and
above the normal value of their lot and home and is assessed based on a
lake frontage estimated mkt value assessment of $4400/ft for main
lake residences and $2200/ft for bay residences.
The $857,000 lake property premium tax revenue
represents nearly 20% of the city's 2010(E) residential tax levy. Forest
Lake is a lake asset for the entire community and not just for lake
residences...and should receive a higher funding priority.
Finally, Attachment
4 (labeled Parks ) look at the importance of parks as a spending priority
and compares FL parks to the
lake:
1. There are 204 acres of parks in 2016, up 11% from 2010. The Lake
is 2,300 acres and brings in a
minimum of $857,000 in extra tax revenue.
2. The city will spend $404,000 on park maintenance and park programs
in 2016 compared to $205,000 in 2010. Lake spending dropped from $62,000 in 2015 to $55,000 in 2016.
3. The city's key park is on the lake
and the key park program "Arts in the
Park" is on the lake and probably one reason it draws 200-250people /
Tues nite. The lake, as we have seen, draws
thousands of people both during the summer and winter and 53-57% of
the people come from outside FL.
We agree that parks are important to the community and
should be in the long range plans to maintain and improve. Based on the
data presented, the Lake is definitely undervalued as a community
asset and should be elevated to a priority in the city's long range
goals and future spending.
Finally, I had the opportunity to work our FLLA booth at
Arts in the Park the last two weeks. I met a fella (who did not live on the
lake) who was raving about how much he enjoyed Arts in the Park and he
commented he especially liked the fact it was on the lake.
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask him the
question we have been debating for the last three years". How
important do you feel the lake is to Forest Lake?" '' Well
heck", he said" without the lake, we'd just be another Wyoming on hwy 61". From all our debates
and now current facts, I don't think any of us could have verbalized the
importance of the lake in more realistic and understandable terms!
We look forward to receiving your support. Thank you,
Steve Schmaltz
City lake Improvement Committee Member
Board of
Directors, FLLA
|
