County to reassess Sawtooth Bluffs plans after city declines cost-share proposal

In the coming weeks and months, county officials will reassess their plans and strategy for the potential development of a master plan for Sawtooth Bluffs after the City of Grand Marais chose not to participate financially in the project at this time.

The Sawtooth Bluffs is a 640-acre site along the Gunflint Trail west of the Grand Marais water tower. It comprises land owned by the City of Grand Marais and Cook County.

Plans to update the 2018 master plan for the site have been underway since December 2024, when the county allocated $29,500 for design and architectural work for Sawtooth Bluffs. More recently, the county received a draft proposal from HKGi, a Twin-Cities-based planning and landscape architecture company, outlining the scope of work to update the master plan. The estimated cost is $53,080.

Given that the Sawtooth Bluffs site is a mix of county and city-owned property, the county requested that the city split the cost of developing the master plan. The proposal was presented by County Administrator Kristin Trebil-Halbersma and Parks and Trails Coordinator Mitch Travis during the June 17 city council meeting.

The city council ultimately voted 3-2 against the proposed cost-share agreement, which would have required the city to contribute $26,540. Council members cited several concerns during the meeting, which included the project not being included in the city’s 2026 priorities, uncertainty about future funding requests, and the city’s share of the proposed cost split.

“It wasn’t supported, and that’s okay,” Trebil-Halbersma told WTIP. “That’s a decision the city gets to make.”

Trebil-Halbersma said the issue will return to the county board in the coming weeks and months for further discussion. Commissioners will consider whether to proceed with the project without the city’s financial participation or support, pause the project, or pursue another option. Trebil-Halbersma said she plans to meet with Travis after gathering feedback from the Parks & Trails Commission, which has been leading the initiative.

Sawtooth Bluffs – a mix of city and county owned property near Grand Marais | Photo by M Baxley

Travis presented the city’s decision and discussed next steps during the June 23 Parks & Trails Commission meeting.

“It’s a setback,” said Parks & Trails Commission Board Chair Shane Steele of the city’s decision.

Commission members discussed potential opportunities to re-engage with hiking, biking, and other various user groups to demonstrate support for the city’s proposed project. While plans for the Sawtooth Bluff site are not finalized, conversations in past meetings have included potential hiking and mountain biking trails, disc golf, a campground, educational opportunities, and other recreational activities.

Commission member Randy Knudson said, “If we don’t have the support of the city, I don’t think it moves forward. I don’t think it should move forward if we don’t have the support of the city.”

Knudson also said that, in addition to re-engaging with user groups, there’s potential for the county to hire someone to craft a rough-draft conceptual plan, rather than a full master plan, so “we can help people visualize” the site’s potential uses. Commission members also discussed applying for a grant to cover the city’s share of the cost-share proposal.

Ultimately, the Parks & Trails Commission did not vote or take action on next steps, but encouraged Travis and other members to re-engage local user groups for the remainder of the summer and to continue discussions with county officials about how to move forward.

With several ongoing capital improvement projects, such as the Cook County Courthouse, Law Enforcement Center, and others, Trebil-Halbersma said the county is “stretched pretty thin” right now and will have to reassess whether the Sawtooth Bluffs project is a priority.

“We need to have that discussion with the county now that the city is not supportive financially, at least supporting this initiative, moving forward with the proposal,” she said.

Trebil-Halbersma said, “There are a lot of high-priority items that we’re working on right now, and so I’m not sure where this will land.”

Kalli Hawkins June 27, 2026