Agenda - Council - 07/09/2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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be supported on the roadway. She stated that she is not opposed to homes being built on the parcel, simply the number of homes proposed. Commissioner VanScoy stated that when he looks at this request, he also considers the clean-up of the site that needs to be done. Ms. Chancler stated that she has been at her home for 19 years and most of the residents have lived in that area for long periods of time. She noted that it is a private, quiet neighborhood. She stated that it is her understanding that the debris on that site was construction debris from the previous owner that constructed the homes in the area. She stated that there is nothing visible, the debris is all buried underground. Commissioner VanScoy asked if Ms. Chancler is concerned with the contamination. Ms. Chancler stated that the issue has been talked about between the neighbors and no one is concerned with the debris on that site. She did not believe that there is anything harmful onsite and that it is just a lot of debris that would need to be dug out and removed from the site. Commissioner Anderson asked how many homes the resident would be comfortable with. Ms. Chancler stated that she would be comfortable with three or four homes, which is typical for a cul-de-sac. Jennifer Shoemaker, 6150 Rivland Avenue, stated that her home is directly next to this parcel. She stated that she has been very involved in this process as the result will directly impact her family. She stated that they moved from downtown Anoka to this quiet neighborhood in Ramsey on the Mississippi River. She stated that several years ago the bank decided to develop this property, cut the trees down and dug up the land before deciding that they could not move forward because of the contamination. She noted that the bank left the property in that condition, which increased noise and visibility to Highway 10. She stated that the Mississippi River Trail was then extended through the neighborhood, noting that the road does not have sidewalks or bikeways and therefore the road is part of the trail. She noted that this project would hugely impact this neighborhood. She explained that currently the neighborhood has 17 homes in entirety. She stated that the houses proposed are large homes, over 2,000 square feet, with small lots. She encouraged everyone to walk down through the area to get a better feel for the neighborhood and what the bank did to the property. She stated that the contamination has been there for years, noting that you cannot see the buried construction debris. She noted that wildlife often walk through that property and 14 homes would change the character of the neighborhood. She stated that she is pleased to see that the tree preservation plan has been revised to save trees. She felt that this project is getting pushed through under the guise that the site needs to be cleaned up. She stated that if the site ends up not being developed, that is not the problem of Ramsey residents. She noted that something being left out is the request for the City of Ramsey to contribute towards the clean-up if the grant funds are awarded. She stated that she would have a problem with the City contributing funds to help a bank develop its property. She stated that this is the bank's problem, not the City's problem, and not the problem of residents. She Planning Commission/ June 6, 2019 Page 3 of 8