Council_Minutes_1978_02_27 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I nhruiry 27, 1978 Page 3 1curry, 5391 Clifton Drive asked why there was no alternative minted to the project. Acting Mayor Baumgartner replied that nUs personal feeling was that there should be at least one alterna- tsvn and added that there was another month in which citizens could ubmit their comments before the Council makes a decision, and that that decision could be to stop and regroup and look for alternatives. Councilmember Ziebarth added that the question was not so much what the City could do right now as what the citizens could do with their written comments and letters. Lyle Nelson, 2357 Sherwood Road stated that he felt the project should be handled on a small scale, rather than one major project and asked if there were other recommendations for solving the problem other than the project. Acting Mayor Baumgartner replied that the project was going to have to be done sooner or later, whether it be now, five years from now, ten or twenty years, and that the problems in the Spring of 1975 made the City aware of what it was facing. Mr. Nelson stated that he did not feel the system was necessary and pointed out that homes were built on low spots the past summer. Administrator Achen replied that the City Council had been advised that its ability to limit construction is limited as the people who own the wet lands have been assessed the same as all other residents, and thus could not be denied the right to build. He added that the court will not support the Council in stopping construction on wet lands that have been assessed, but that even if the City could totally prohibit construction on wet lands, there would still be a problem. Administrator Achen added that the drainage problems that exist now are in single family areas and that a good percentage of the cost would be charged to the property owners of the wet lands. Clyde Linell, 5205 Sunnyside Road stated that he was confused with the charge on his tax statement referred to as drainage, and stated that he felt he was paying for a drainage system already. Acting Mayor Baumgartner replied that Mr. Linell should stop into the City Hall during business hours and see the City Engineer who would check into it, or also call the Ramsey County office of taxation. Mrs. Scott, 5100 Red Oak Drive asked why no one had checked into the assessments between the public hearing and the Council meeting. Councilmember Rowley replied that Mr. Swanson had taken down infor- mation at the hearing and was checking into it for various residents. Kathy Lanke, 2234 Lambert asked why everyone should have to pay for the problems of very few. Councilmember Ziebarth replied that the Council was still collecting information before making such a decision. Jerry Linke, 2319 Knoll Drive stated that he had checked with the weather bureau and found out that they classified the storms of 1975 and 1977 as 50 year rains, and that he had not heard of problems being caused by five year rains, which is what the project would be capable of handling. Acting Mayor Baumgartner replied that they could not predict the rains but that the City should look to the future and try to solve the problem somehow.