08-23-1999 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mounds View City Council August 23, 1999 • Regular Meeting Page 25 Mayor Coughlin stated many might be aware that he is a building contractor by trade, and happened to be in New Brighton when the 100-year rainfall event occurred. He stated he was installing a back door on a house at the time, and saw the rain coming down. He stated he saw a nice soggy backyard turn into 7 ~/z feet of water. He stated he had to stop installing the door, and help salvage people's wedding albums and personal items. He stated water was literally pouring through basement windows. He stated this situation affected six to eight houses in that area. Mayor Coughlin stated one of the major contributing factors to that problem, was that this was lowland, with a low spot across the street that the City of New Brighton had decided to develop, even though it was marginal land. He stated this resulted in the water having no where to go other than the next lowest spot, which happened to be these people's backyards, on the other side of the street. He stated the city of New Brighton has spent a considerable amount of time and money rectifying that situation, by installing a huge drain in the back of those people's yards, in order to accommodate the storm water. He stated he had seen first hand what developing even marginal buffer drainage area, can do to surrounding properties. Mayor Coughlin stated he was not one to chain himself to a tree, and protest for environmental causes, nonetheless, he considers himself somewhat of an environmentalist. He stated he had been raised on a farm, and learned to appreciate the environment. He stated in the most basic sense, • wetlands means it is "wet land." He stated that you can discuss what plants and animals are there, or its delineation off of a satellite photograph, but essentially, it is wet. He stated the more footprint of buildings you put into that area, the more displaced the water becomes, and will go into someone else's basement. Mayor Coughlin stated he was a property rights advocate. He stated he has been all of his life, and he did swallow hard in a situation where an individual owns property that they essentially cannot develop, however, this is not a matter of the City taking this property. He stated this person signed in good faith, signing over these parcels so that she could reap the development rewards of the other properties, that some of the individuals present now own and occupy. He stated he did not view this as "taking" in any sense of the word. He stated the Council must weigh the needs of the many against the needs of the few. He stated the surrounding neighbors also have property rights, which include not having their basements fill up with water, or having their contractor attempt to save their wedding album the next time they have a major thunderstorm. Mayor Coughlin stated, in driving by the area, he would concur it would be very difficult to specifically delineate where the wetland starts and ends. He stated his heart goes out to the individual who owns the property, and is required to pay taxes on it, however, they signed in good faith, and he would stand by the decision made on April 15, 1983. MOTION/SECOND: Coughlin/Stigney. To Deny the Introduction (First Reading) of Ordinance No. 638, an Ordinance Vacating a Portion of a Drainage Easement Over Lots 17 and 18, Block 1, . Edgewood Square. Ayes - 3 Nays - 0 Motion carried. 25C:\ADMIN\MINUTES\CC\8-23-99.CC