10-20-08 Council Special Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 20, 2008 One property owner asked about the law related to the protection of lily pads. Vanderbosch reported that State Statutes govern public water and dictate that plants growing in public waters are owned by the State. The DNR also has Rule 62.80 which governs the destruction of aquatic plants. This property owner suggested that it may be time to re-evaluate the law given that in some cases lily pads are overtaking lakes. Vanderbosch indicated that lily pads generally disappear from lakes as development occurs around them. He indicated that Savage Lake is a wetland and while the 3 acres maximum eradication maybe conservative, the DNR does not want to do more harm than good to the lake. He indicated that this 3 acres of eradication is the best the DNR will do. Tom Day asked if the DNR has any responsibility for water quality as relates to the garbage that is being dumped into the lake. Vanderbosch replied that the PCA and Watershed District regulate water quality, and pointed out that the Clean Water Legacy Act on the ballot this fall would provide a stable funding source for water quality improvement projects. Day indicated that garbage is pouring into Savage Lake from the freeway project. The Public Works Superintendent indicated that the freeway pipe to Savage Lake was disconnected as part of the Unweave the Weave project. Aichinger reported that the only freeway outlet into Savage Lake is on the east side of the freeway. Day indicated that the freeway from Highway 36 to Little Canada Road is sloped toward Savage Lake. The Superintendent pointed out that there is curbing that prevents the freeway runoff from flowing into the lake. Aichinger reported that there is a buffer in place that filters out sediments before run-off gets into the lake. Day indicated that there is one dock on the lake that is being lifted up by the sediment. The Superintendent again indicated that the freeway pipe has been disconnected and he has contacted MN DOT relative to cleaning out the pipe. DREDGING The City Engineer reported that the City has looked at how to improve OF JACKSON/ the quality of water getting into Savage Lake. One proposal is to clean DEMONT the Jackson Sheet/Demont Avenue wetland area. He reported that a WETLAND significant area drains into this wetland, and pointed out that the pond is working given the amount of sediment that has accumulated. The Engineer indicated that the hope is to combine the work with other pond cleaning work to be done by the Watershed or else bid it out as a separate project. He noted that once the wetland is cleaned, there will be open water for a period of time until the cattails fill in. The wetland has not been cleaned since the 1980's, and it is anticipated that it would be cleaned every 20 to 25 years.