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Last week, the city of Winona presented a proposal to buy five lots on the bluffs overlooking Winona. The reason is two-fold: To protect bluffland and turn it into a park.
Winona’s got a lot of parks, but there’s only so much bluffland, and it only looks natural once.
We wholeheartedly support the idea of the city purchasing this prime real estate, even if, as some have pointed out, it’s expensive. The aesthetic beauty and view of natural blufftops is too important to leave up to the whims of developers. The bluffs that seem to define what Winona means to so many should be preserved by the city, for the enjoyment of all.
With that being said, what’s the hold-up?
Winona Mayor Jerry Miller says the city has reached a tentative agreement with the blufftops owner. That’s great. Now, Miller says he is just waiting for public reaction before completing the sale.
In recent months, as the city has talked about a proposed bluffland protection ordinance, it’s been fairly clear that residents value, cherish and want to preserve the pristine, natural view of the bluffs. We don’t want a skyline that’s dotted by behemoth homes.
We say, let’s move on the deal.
We believe Miller is doing and has done the right thing to let this idea stew a bit in the slow-cooker of public opinion. That’s a good thing. However, during the previous few months, we’ve heard a lot of discussion at both the city and the county level about protecting our sensitive lands, like blufftops. And it’s clear that there is a healthy appetite for gobbling up areas like blufflands so that we don’t have to tell our grandchildren, “I remember when” stories.
For those who argue the price is too steep, the price, like most prime real estate, will likely not go down. And for those who would argue the view’s unnecessary, we will only have that view once. After its developed, that pristine, wonderful view will be gone.
Leadership means taking a stand, and it seems the precious bluffs should be a priority for which the council and the mayor should fight, even if it’s unpopular with some citizens. With limited blufflands, we only have one shot at protecting it.
And if residents think the price is costly now, try rehabilitating and restoring bluffland back to its original condition. It’s an exercise in impossibility. Once we lose our blufftops, they’re gone for good, and that’s bad.
The Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and online editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call (507) 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com.
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