06-23-2027 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL JUNE 239 2025 Reid Vizeeky, 2612 Edgerton Street, commented on the four gold medals he earned this past weekend at a competition with his team. He stated that there are kids of all ages, and some are recruited for youth nationals. He asked the people on the team to identify themselves, noting that two girls on the team have been D- I recruited and there are boys on the team in the process of being D- I recruited, recognizing that rowing is a path for them to receive scholarships for university. He thanked the city for considering this permit on behalf of the athletes. Monica Schmidt, a rower on the team, commented that this is a short-term solution that will allow them to find a long-term solution. She commented that they are hard workers and are asking for this temporary step to allow them to continue. Katie Rivard, President of Gervais Lake Association, commented that they provided a list of comments that had been provided to the city staff and Council. She commented that there are 79 homeowners in the association, and she is speaking in representation of those property owners. She expressed concerns of residents related to parking, vehicles blocking the bike lane, megaphone usage being disruptive, inaccuracies on the club website and social media site related to practice locations, potential growth, and congestion of the lake. She commented that some residents stated that they like seeing the boats but do not like hearing the activity. She noted that Dragon Divas are on the lake one or two days per week. Chris Rivard, 753 Carla Lane, stated that he likes the creative solutions that have been presented to address some of the concerns. He referenced the issue of lake access and overcrowding. He stated that 25 boats would be a lot and expressed a concern with safety. He stated that there have been fatalities on the lake, and he would hate to see a situation where they cannot respond to the number of people. He agreed with the idea of getting the club back on Lake Phalen, noting that if a structure is needed, he would volunteer to assist with building that. He noted that this is a temporary situation, but believed that after this four-year period, it would simply move to another home on the lake. Dennis Hanson, 585 Keller Parkway, stated that any activity that allows youth something constructive and positive is something he supports. He asked if there is any way to determine where the boats will be during practice. He asked if the route is consistent or whether it could be consistent. Sandy Varberg, 2622 Edgerton, voiced her full support for the program. She stated that her neighbors approached them early on with open arms and communication. She noted that the practice was changed in time to avoid the time they would be hosting a baby shower. She stated that the students are hardworking and impressive, noting that they come to the site and get to work, also cleaning and neatly stacking the equipment. She stated that they look forward to watching them once a day. She stated that they enjoy having them next door and hoped that the City could accommodate this temporary solution. Russel Senquest, a neighbor of the applicants, commented that he has lived on the lake since 1976,* and some of his favorite neighbors are the Rivards. He commented that he rows at 6 a.m. almost every day and believes that they can work together to find a solution. Renee, North St. Paul resident, commented that she kayaks and pontoons on all the lakes in the chain. She stated that she has seen the rowers on the lakes and has never had any issues while in her kayak. 0