BRAINERD LAKES AREA AUDUBON SOCIETY (BLAAS)
CROW WING COUNTY LAKES AND RIVERS ALLIANCE (LARA)
CROW WING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
DNR NONGAME WILDLIFE PROGRAM
DNR SECTION OF FISHERIES
MINNESOTA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY (TNC)
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION
PROUDLY ANNOUNCE
THE THIRTEENTH ANNUAL
LAKE-FRIENDLY DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
The Brainerd Lakes Area is still one of the most desirable places for Minnesotans to live. Our lakes and rivers, which are part of the attraction to the area, are feeling the pressure. The current trend is to build large homes (humorously referred to as "starter castles") that are situated on postage stamp-sized lakeshore lots. Often, there is very little regard for shoreland regulations, or how their house/landscaping design fits in with the existing natural environment or the human community.
Several Brainerd Lakes Area and statewide environmental organizations along with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are combining efforts to publicly recognize homeowners, business owners, contractors and local units of government that have chosen, instead, to develop or redevelop their lakeshore or riverfront properties in full compliance with shoreland zoning ordinances and ecologically sustainable and sensitive principles. The hope is that through these awards, ecologically sensitive development along lakeshore and river shore will become the fashionable trend. The future health of the region's lakes and rivers depends on it.
The 2016 award for LAKE-FRIENDLY HOME/BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION is for a homeowner, business owner, or a contractor who has undertaken new home construction or major reconstruction while preserving the environmental integrity of the natural lakeshore or river shore setting. Entries and nominations will be accepted on those projects that have occurred within the last ten years. The winner of this award will receive a framed nature print, a framed certificate of appreciation, and recognition in the local print media.
The 2016 award for LAKESCAPING is for a homeowner, business owner, or contractor who employs the use of native vegetation and mostly natural materials to landscape their riparian property in a manner that not only complies with local shoreland regulations, but goes even further to protect the shoreline's environmental integrity in a way that can potentially improve water quality. Entries and nominations will be accepted on those projects that have occurred within the last ten years, and have proven results. The winner of this award will receive a framed nature print, a framed certificate of appreciation, and recognition in the local print media.
The 2016 award for a LAKE-FRIENDLY PROTECTION STRATEGY is for an organization or a local unit of government that has created an ordinance, or regulatory code, or other initiative that officially seeks to preserve the environmental integrity of our lake and river systems. Past winners have included the City of Baxter for an ordinance requiring non-motorized boats on tiny Rush Lake, the Morrison County Department of Public Works for re-routing a road that bisected a lake, and the DNR’s Alternative Shoreland Management Standards. The winner of this award will receive a framed certificate of appreciation, and recognition in the local print media.
The 2016 award for LAKE STEWARDSHIP is to recognize a riparian property owner who protects water quality by simply leaving their shoreline in a non-disturbed natural state, which can include maintaining shoreland and aquatic vegetation, tree canopy, screening of structures for aesthetics, and non-removal of woody debris from the water. This award could also be used to recognize the use of a conservation easement to permanently protect a significant piece of shoreline. The winner of this award will receive a framed nature print, a framed certificate of appreciation, and recognition in the local print media.
The 2016 awards will be presented at a ceremony on June 16, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. This event will be part of the Brainerd Area Environmental Learning Network (BAELN) schedule and will be held in the Land Services Department building on Laurel Street in Brainerd right behind the historic County Courthouse. Attendance is free and all are encouraged to attend. Donations are accepted.
Eligibility: projects on any riparian property (i.e. on lakes and rivers) in Cass, Crow Wing, Aitkin, Morrison, Todd, northern Mille Lacs, or southeastern Wadena counties.
Applications will be accepted until April 1, 2016 from any homeowner, business owner, contractor, lake association, local government unit, developer, or other interested party. Lake associations, neighbors, nonprofits and local units of government may know of some projects that merit recognition, and may nominate them for the award. There are no contest entry fees.
To nominate a project worthy of recognition, either submit a completed application, or simply complete the first part of the application, and we will contact the nominee to see if they wish to be entered into the contest by completing a full application. Nominations should be received by February 29, 2016.
To enter the contest, fill out a completed application and submit requested photographs, Description, plans and drawings to Tasha Lauer, c/o Crow Wing SWCD, 322 Laurel Street, Suite 13, Brainerd, MN 56401. Application materials (including photographs) may also be submitted electronically to . Questions may be directed to Tasha at 218-828-6197 or Eleanor at 218-828-2326. We prefer electronic submissions with digital photographs, but will also accept applications and photographs in any form that is convenient for the applicant.
Judging Criteria:
1. Compliance with shoreland standards for setbacks, vegetation maintenance, percent impervious surface, density, etc.
2. Use of native vegetation and natural materials in plantings/landscaping
3. Maintenance of aquatic vegetation
4. Degree of preservation of natural vegetation (especially in shoreland area, but may include upland vegetation if applicable)
5. Aesthetics
6. Minimal impact solutions to problems encountered
7. Other environmental factors such as energy-efficient designs, minimization of light pollution, use of pervious pavement and earth-friendly materials like recycled materials or certified lumber.
Judges will be a panel representing the sponsoring organizations.
Brainerd Lakes Area Lake-Friendly Development Awards
2016
Check One: Completed Application Nomination (complete at least first half)
Project Location (address): ______
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Owner's Name: ______
Owner's Telephone # ______
Owner's Email Address:______
County: ______Lake/River: ______
Award Applying For (Check all that apply):
Lake-Friendly Home/Business Construction
Homeowner/Business owner New Construction
Contractor Reconstruction
Lakescaping
Homeowner/Business owner
Contractor
Lake-Friendly Protection Strategy (for organizations and local units of government)
Lake Stewardship (for riparian property owners)
Year Project Completed: ______
Give Brief Project Description: ______
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Nominated By (name, telephone, and email contact): ______
*** For nominations only, you may stop here. If you are submitting an application, please respond to all questions and submit required photos and drawings.
Please describe, in detail, your project. The information provided should address
the judging criteria. Attach additional sheets if necessary.
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Did this project require any variances or deviations from shoreland standards, steep slope or bluff setbacks, or floodplain standards? If so, please explain.
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Did this project require any wetland filling? If so, please explain the exemptions used and/or the sequencing that was applied.
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Describe efforts to retain native vegetation during construction, or describe vegetation that was used in lakescaping/landscaping project.
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Please check the following materials that are being submitted. Note: some are required.
Photograph of the development/project from the lake or river. (required for Lakescaping Award and Lake-Friendly Home/Business Construction Award)
Photograph of the lake or river from the development/construction. (required for Lake-Friendly Home/Business Construction Award)
Photograph showing the lake and lakescaping project. (required for the Lakescaping Award)
Photograph of lake and undisturbed lakeshore (required for Lake Stewardship Award)
Copy of official ordinance, code, or initiative (required for Lake-Friendly Protection Strategy Award, if applicable)
Photograph of before-project conditions (optional, but recommended for Lakescaping Award and Lake-Friendly Home/Business Construction Award)
Top-view drawings showing pre-project and post-project conditions. Hand drawings are acceptable, but should be to scale. Helpful Hint: Using graph paper makes this easy to do and easy to interpret. (required for Lakescaping Award and Lake-Friendly Home/Business Construction Award)
I, the undersigned certify the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge, and I agree to allow the photographs, drawings and information contained within this application to be displayed or published for the purpose of showing good examples of lake-friendly home/business construction, lakescaping and lake-friendly protection strategies.
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Name(s) Date