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last 13 years via these sites as well as casual access up and down our street has <br />not caused complaint or hardship, nor calls to the park board or sheriff's <br />department. <br />We are grateful to the City of Lake Elmo for providing this park property and <br />maintaining the grounds and access as a natural wildlife area. If potential <br />park users are unaware of existing access sites we suggest these sites be posted <br />as park entrances. They are currently not identified as park entrances. If it <br />be determined these two entrances are inadequate for park access we then <br />encourage the park board to seek a suitable site which would benefit the <br />public but not cause disruption and hardship to the community. <br />We feel the access easement between lots 13 and 14 was ill- <br />conceived for the following reasons: <br />The lots along the north side of Highlands Trail were never plotted to allow for <br />an 8 ft. park walkway access easement; none of the lots were allowed the <br />buffer required for such an easement. <br />The lots were plotted all the same width, narrow and deep, and simply do not <br />lend themselves well to the proposed thoroughfare. <br />The access easement was granted after development had begun in the <br />neighborhood, with most homes already in place. The easement was also <br />granted without consulting the current residents at that time. <br />At the time Derrick Land Company granted this easement Derrick was engaged <br />in a legal dispute over lot lines with Robert and Patricia Jungmann, owners <br />and residents of lot 13. The easement was granted adjacent to the disputed lot <br />line, effectively restricting the Jungmann's from land aquisition or variance <br />for a driveway already in place at that time, as well as causing considerable <br />delay in a timely resolve of the lot line dispute. (Jungmann has moved the <br />driveway at his own expense) <br />In 1982 the Lake Elmo City Council viewed the access site on a visit led by <br />Jeanie Novak and determined at that time this site to be one of the poorest <br />locations for a walkway into the park. <br />The main reason for that judgement was the close proximity of both dwellings <br />to the shared property line. For whatever reasons, these two homes are located <br />closer together than any two on the street. <br />Because of the <br />location of the <br />Jungmann's home on lot 13 <br />and the location of <br />the Cusick's home on lot 14, <br />this proposed walkway will <br />pass directly adjacent <br />to their family <br />areas. Both <br />families' privacy and future <br />enjoyment of their <br />homes will be <br />disrupted; property value will be adversely <br />affected as well. <br />Also, concerns <br />of vandalism, <br />trash, noise, burglary, parking, maintenance, <br />etc. have been <br />voiced by the <br />residents of this area. <br />A fenced and blacktopped walkway will breakup the continuity and openness <br />of our neighborhood, a prime reason for moving into this area in the first <br />place. We are not a community that puts up fences; there are currently no <br />fences in our area. <br />We also wish to halt encroaching urbanism and maintain our open rural <br />setting. A fenced and paved walkway is a very inappropriate addition to this <br />end! <br />