Minutes - Council Work Session - 09/13/2011

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Mr. Kramer, 5200 - 156th Lane NW, stated two legs of the system are broken because of the standing water over the summer, adding there is no backup system and there is now drainage into the groundwater. Public Works Director Olson stated the City will inspect the systems with the owners' consent. Consensus was reached that Mayor Ramsey and City Administrator Ulrich will speak with City Engineer Himmer and the neighbors to discuss possible solutions. Mayor Ramsey confirmed that the property owners will be notified of any future meetings or developments. Councilmember Wise said he would like to see a solution that doesn't just delay the problem until a future time. Councilmember McGlone noted this item will be removed from the regular Council agenda for consideration until a solution can be determined. 2) Discuss Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO) Proposed Wetland Protection Standards City Engineer Himmer reviewed the staff report. Mayor Ramsey stated these standards will likely dictate what the City can and cannot do, such as in the example of drainage easements. Councilmember Strommen said that wetland buffers and stormwater are important in light of the last item and that we need to be concerned with these issues. She said we need to monitor what people are doing in the easements as the cost comes back to the City either way. Councilmember Elvig agreed, stating we don't issue permits for things in the easement such as retaining walls, adding if we had a lot of unknown obstructions we would have had more problems with backup. He stated the standards are important to review though. Councilmember Wise said he understood why fencing is a problem but asked why we don't allow retaining walls in the easement. City Engineer Himmer said retaining walls have to be filled in behind which results in the water having to squeeze out somewhere else. Councilmember Wise said he does not want to have to permit for these types of items. City Engineer Himmer noted these standards are on the LRRWMO Board's agenda for approval later this week. He added that the building process requires silt fence removal and two rounds of landscaping for an =maintained area, which would result in a building process change in the City. City Council Work Session / September 13, 2011 Page 3 of 5