08-23-00 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 23, 2000 Fahey pointed out that drainage ditches are common in many communities and are not considered to be dangerous in and of themselves. Fahey stated that he understands that some people would like to have the ditches filled in, and he pointed out that the City is willing to allow property owners to fill the ditches. However, engineering work needs to be done to determine the proper culvert size, and it has been the City's past practice to assess the cost of storm sewer work to the benefiting property. Olson reported that she is willing to pay for the culvert and the fill, however, she would like the City to absorb the cost of the engineering work. Olson pointed out that the City offered to do the project at one time, and noted that she was not a property owner when that offer was made. Scalze pointed out that when the offer was made to the residents it was with the understanding that the cost would be added to the street reconstruction project and assessed back against the property. Schorn pointed out that the ditch is almost entirely on City property. Morelan noted that the ditch was not filled at the time of the street reconstruction based on input from the property owners at the time. Olson again indicated that the ditch is dangerous and that children have drowned in ditches in other communities. She indicated that if she had a swimming pool, the City would require the pool to be fenced. Fahey pointed out that there is a difference of opinion as to whether or not the ditch is a dangerous situation, and he understands that some people feel they are dangerous while others do not. For this reason, the City is agreeable to property owners filling the ditches at their own cost as long as properly engineered culverts are installed. Olson again stated property owners in the area have indicated to her that they would have supported the ditch being eliminated if the City would have given them more than two weeks to remove trees. The City Administrator again indicated that tree removal would have been done by a contractor as part of the project and it was never indicated to the property owners that they would be responsible for tree removal. Olson pointed out that the neighborhood minutes reflect that one property owner did mention the ditches as a hazard. The City Administrator pointed out that the ditch is dry most of the time given that it does not drain a major area. While a culvert can be installed 14