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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES <br /> OCTOBER 6, 2015 <br /> <br /> <br />Page 3 of 7 <br /> <br /> <br />Jean Mandrinich, 11240 50th Street N., spoke in opposition, noting that her property is adjacent <br />to the proposed site and she feels the proposed cemetery would disrupt the rural residential <br />character of the area. Jeff Saffle, 11180 50th Street N., spoke in opposition, stating that he and his wife chose to live in <br />Lake Elmo because of the rural character and stated the proposed cemetery as described is not a <br />cemetery. <br /> Susan Saffle, 11180 50th Street N., spoke in opposition, stating that the proposed cemetery is a large, for profit venture and does not fit the rural residential area. <br /> <br />Saxe Roberts, 11165 50th Street N., spoke in opposition, stating that he has water quality and <br />runoff concerns, concerns about property values and feels the proposal is much more than a cemetery. <br />Christy Roberts, 11165 50th Street N., spoke in opposition, expressing concerns over traffic <br />across the road from her young children and water runoff. <br /> Joe Fleming, 5040 Lake Elmo Avenue N., spoke in opposition, stating that a mature cemetery without a mausoleum wouldn’t impact property values much but the proposed project would. <br /> <br />Richard Day, 11049 50th Street N., spoke in opposition regarding the impact the project would <br />have on his property that has been in his family since 1847, listing concerns over traffic and water runoff. Stated this proposal is a privately owned business and should not be allowed in a rural residential district. <br /> <br />Margaret Schmidt, 4525 Lake Elmo Avenue N., spoke in opposition stating concern that the <br />proposed cemetery would affect the entire city. Mrs. Schmidt noted that she and other volunteers collected signatures on a petition requesting denial of the application from residents and asked the Council to consider public opinion along with facts. <br /> <br />Robert Williams, attorney representing concerned residents, reiterated that the intent of the rural <br />residential zoning is not for commercial use and parking, and requested denial of the application. Yvette Oldendorf, 5418 Lake Elmo Avenue N., spoke in opposition, noting this is a permanent <br />decision that cannot be reversed once a cemetery is built. <br /> <br />Dean Dodson, 2915 Jonquil Tr. N., spoke as a Planning Commissioner and stated he would have voted against the proposal if he had known there was a legal basis to do so. <br />Lee Rossow, applicant, stated he wanted to design something special and worked to design the <br />parking to avoid on street parking that would disrupt the neighbors. Mr. Rossow stated he was <br />not proposing this project to make money, but was doing it for the greater good. Councilmember Fliflet stated this proposal is not what the zoning code allows for, as it is a large <br />scale business and has overwhelming citizen opposition. Mayor Pearson stated that a cemetery