Plan for Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles opens for 45-day comment period

A graphic showing plans for the South Isles area in the Cedar-Isles Plan

Check out long-term plan for Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles and surrounding parkland and trails and send comments by March 10

Today, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) published its draft Plan for Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles (Cedar-Isles Plan) for a 45-day public comment period ending March 10.

The Cedar-Isles Plan is a 20-30-year vision dedicated to Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, Dean Parkway and a portion of Cedar Lake Regional Trail. It was created through three years of discussions with park users, park employees and stakeholder organizations about the future of the two lakes.

Use the links below to view and comment on the plan. They are also posted on the Cedar-Isles Plan project page, along with much more background information on the project.

Cedar-Isles Plan Document

Ch. 1: Introduction

Ch. 2: History of the Lakes and their Cultural Landscapes

Ch. 3: Community Engagement

Ch. 4: Existing Conditions

Ch. 5.1-5.4: Overview, Vision and Guiding Principles, and Project-Wide Recommendations

Ch. 5.5-5.6: Recommendations for Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, Kenilworth Channel and Dean Parkway

Ch. 6: Implementation

Appendix A

Figures List, Glossary, CAC Recommendations

Draft Historic Preservation Plan

Cedar-Isles Plan Comment Form


About the Plan

The Cedar-Isles Plan outlines long-term strategies to maintain and improve Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, Dean Parkway and a portion of Cedar Lake Regional Trail. These park spaces are part of Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Regional Park, the most popular park in Minnesota, with 7.5 million visits in 2021. It draws people from across Minneapolis, the metro area, and the entire state.

A major benefit, and primary reason, for completing a park plan is that it allows the MPRB to seek or capitalize on opportunities to improve parkland. When volunteers, philanthropic organizations, or regional, state or federal funding agencies express interest in supporting the regional park system, the MPRB will have a community-vetted plan for potential partners to follow.

No immediate major changes or projects based on the Cedar-Isles Plan are scheduled following plan approval. Smaller scale projects could be implemented within the first few years; these could include safety upgrades at critical intersections, new or repaired paths, or adding seasonal bathrooms.

Development of the Cedar-Isles Plan is the final part of a decade-long process by the MPRB to create and approve master plans for every park in the Minneapolis park system. Areas included in the Cedar-Isles Plan are the only areas in the park system that do not have an adopted plan.

A Community Advisory Committee (CAC) comprised of people appointed by MPRB staff and commissioners met 13 times to vet and refine ideas incorporated in the Cedar-Isles Plan. The draft plan document is based on final CAC recommendations. Visit the Get Involved tab on the Cedar-Isles Plan project page to view project materials and learn more about the planning process.

Renaming the “Master” Plan

This project was known as the Cedar Lake-Lake of the Isles Master Plan throughout its conception and development. However, recently universities, organizations and government institutions have begun to grapple with their role in institutional and systemic racism. One facet of this is the power of language.

The term “master”, which is often defined as commanding control or being eminently skilled, has been identified as a word to remove in certain contexts due to its connection with the history of masters and slavery in the United States.

As the MPRB takes initial steps to acknowledge it role in systemic racism, staff will no longer use the term “master” when referring to MPRB planning processes and final plan documents. This current plan is titled The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Plan for Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles.