The Washington County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday declined a donation of land for the creation of a new county park in Scandia.

The estate of Joyce Heinisch surprised the county with the 300-acre bequest in March, calling for the establishment of a county park on her farm along the border of Washington and Chisago counties and County Highway 3.

County officials in May reviewed the property, discussed potential risks in accepting the gift and reviewed the implications of a conservation easement that protects the land, said Board Chair Stan Karwoski. They met again last week to review additional information and respond to items raised during the May workshop, he said. Based on the information provided, county staff recommended the board decline the bequest.

“It just wasn’t a good use of our tax dollars,” Karwoski said. “There were too many restrictions on it, too many risks. It didn’t have a high enough rating when it came to protecting water resources.”

A family photo of Joyce and Roger Heinisch of Scandia. Roger Heinisch died in 2020, and Joyce Heinisch died in 2023. (Courtesy of the Heinisch Family)

Most of the Heinisch property is subject to a conservation easement, given in 2011 to the Minnesota Land Trust, which restricts the uses of the property. The protected portion consists of “approximately 205 acres of agricultural land, 52 acres of grasslands, 26 acres of woodlands, 10 acres of wetlands, and 1 acre of open water,” according to the easement.

The easement “protects the natural habitat and character of the property and limits the uses of the property to passive recreation activities, such as hiking, bird watching, and potentially some hunting,” county officials said. “The conservation easement also prohibits any development on the property including public facilities such as bathrooms, pavilions, playgrounds, and paved parking.”

The county board declined the bequest because the land already is protected by the easement, there were limitations on its use, and there are “liabilities that would come with accepting the donation,” county officials said.

Joyce Ann Heinisch died at 81 in 2023; her husband, Roger, died in 2020.

The attorney who handled the estate could not immediately be reached for comment.

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