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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES May 7, 2013 <br /> <br />Page 9 of 14 <br /> <br />• the April 16 ordinance meets Washington County and DNR satisfaction, and when amended on enforcement and penalties, is within defined designed standards and; <br />• Tri-lakes landowners seem to be in favor of no change and no compromise of time on the currently adopted ordinance. Mr. Zuleger also noted that DNR is caught in kind of a quandary because they usually never see proposals come to them that want to relax lake restrictions, and that they generally do support increased use of the lakes. Mr. Zuleger then presented staff recommendations. Staff recommends: <br />• that the City Council adopt formal enforcement and penalty language to strengthen the ordinance; <br />• create a uniform, seven day a week time on the Tri-Lakes for ease of enforcement and to clearly delineate lake use expectations; and <br />• that an annual review be including in the ordinance that would allow the City, the DNR and Washington County the ability to examine the previous season’s lake use effect on quality of life, water quality, and shore land erosion. Mayor Pearson commented about surveys and the Ground Source tool that the City is currently working to implement as a way in which the City could survey residents. Mr. Zuleger talked about the Parks Survey that the City will be sending out, which will have some lake use questions on it. He also highlighted other ways in which the City has been reaching out to residents via communication tools. Council Member Park asked about section 97.23 Prohibited Structures and Uses, of the Perfecting Amendment, and about whether an applicant who would like to have a special event on a lake will be required to provide insurance. City Administrator Zuleger stated that there is a form applicants must fill out from Washington County, which will then be validated by the City Clerk prior to the event. The responsibility for determining whether or not it is a proper event is accomplished by Washington County and then they send info to the City so that we know the event will be taking place and that it has been authorized. Council Member Smith commented about the numbers of people who spoke against the Ordinance changes at the last meeting. She spoke about a belief someone had that coming to the Council Meeting was a bigger vote or weighted more heavily, and that that is not true. She also commented that some of the names on the surveys submitted of people who are against changes have sent emails saying that they are for changes and that it is confusing as to which opinion should be listened to. City Administrator Zuleger responded that staff has taken the viewpoint that if a name is on the petition they are a signatory of the petition. Council Member Smith commented that her issue with the petition is that it was not conducted by an outside party. Mr. Zuleger commented that any petitions turned in to the City are taken seriously and are put on the record. Mayor Pearson reminded everyone that public comment will be for a period of 20 minutes and that intent is to take comments from those wishing to offer new information which will be valuable to policy deliberation. He also asked that comments be kept to three minutes per person.