Lester Park Golf Course

Nearby resident thanked Durrwachter and the amendment sponsors and described her petition-gathering across the city, urging the council to move forward protecting the parkland.

Quoted Judge Reid's ballot-initiative ruling and warned that the Planning Commission's cryptic amendment would gut the land use study's protections; asked the council to adopt the plan without it.

Natural Resource Commission member suggested connecting the upper parcel to the Lester-Amity-Hawk Ridge natural area and noted tourism tax options could out-earn property taxes from development.

Criticized the December 2025 conveyance as 'political hostage taking' and said the amendments were a start to righting wrongs, warning the public is watching.

Thanked councilors for the amendments and asked them to restore parkland protections to the upper 207 acres while following the study's recommendation for the lower 60 acres.

Urged a no vote on the DECC appointment (26-0723R) and asked that Lester Park land go to a housing-focused entity, citing that 33% of Duluth lives at 200% of poverty or below.

Thanked Kennedy, Nephew and Randorf for their amendments and urged adoption of the resolution with both, calling it a reasonable compromise between housing and public land.

Urged following the study — 63 acres for affordable mixed-use housing, 207 for park use with supermajority protection — and spoke about rebuilding trust through clear communication.

Speaking for the W.J. McCabe chapter of the Izaak Walton League, supported the study and the amendments, and asked the council to keep P-1 zoning on the 207 acres and pursue permanent protection.

The Duluth Energy Plan Commission chair said his commission passed a resolution against any new natural gas infrastructure in the Lester Park golf area, urging grid electricity and clean energy in any future development agreement.