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<br />Item No: 07 <br />Meeting Date: July 17, 2017 <br />Type of Business: Work Session <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: James Ericson, City Administrator <br />Item Title/Subject: Guidelines for City Removal of Storm Debris <br /> <br />Introduction: <br /> <br />The metro area experienced some severe weather the morning of July 12, 2017. Storms, <br />which including straight-line winds, caused some localized damage to properties near Long <br />Lake Road, Sherwood Road and Hillview Road. Trees were uprooted and many large tree <br />limbs fell in the storm, some falling on structures and vehicles. Other parts of the City <br />however were untouched. Due to the narrow swath of storm damage, it was <br />communicated to residents that the City would not be collecting storm debris. Some <br />residents were displeased with this decision which prompted staff to prepare the attached <br />information for the City Council. <br /> <br />Discussion: <br /> <br />In the last 20 years, there have been just two severe weather events which resulted in the <br />City coordinating a collection of storm debris. The threshold to initiate a city-wide clean up <br />in those cases was the extent of the damage being more widespread throughout the City <br />rather than isolated. The last such event occurred in 2005, and the total cost to the City <br />exceeded $100,000, which did not include a significant amount of staff time. After the July <br />12 storm, some residents have asked what the policy is to make such a determination. We <br />do not have a formal policy or even guidelines, which after asking other cities the same <br />question, seems to be typical. <br /> After the June hail event which caused so much property damage in Blaine, the League of <br />MN Cities put together some information to assist cities dealing with storm events and their <br />potentially damaging after-effects. Only one City was referenced as having a policy, and <br />that was Saint Paul. Other cities post language on their websites that residents are <br />responsible for tree debris on their own property—regardless of how widespread the event <br />is. The League suggests that if a City DOES decide to collect tree debris resulting from a <br />storm that the decision to do so be announced within 24 hours after the storm’s conclusion. <br /> <br />Recommendation: <br /> <br />Review the attached information and provide staff with direction. <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />________________________ <br />James Ericson <br />City Administrator <br />