Ramsey Resident - 2000 - March/April

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12 ROADSIDE EASEMENTS YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Governor Jesse Ventura 296-3391 County Commissioner District No.1 Dennis Berg 323-5680 STATE LEGISLATORS District 50 Senator Paula Hanson 755-3533 & 296-3219 District 50B Representative Kathy Tingelstad 421-2000 & 296-5369 NATIONAL OFFICIALS Senator Rod Grams 427-5921 Senator Paul Wellstone 645-0323 CONGRESSIONAL District No. 6 Representative Bill Luther 730-4949 .. 111111111111 11111111111111111111111 N OW OPEN A new chiropractic clinic is now open in the City of Ramsey. Dr. Jesse Ternus, a lifetime Ramsey resident and volunteer fireman, has begun seeing patients at his clinic located at 9459 NW Highway # 1 0 near the Links golf course. Dr. Ternus treats adults and children suffering from all types of aches and pains. He can be reached at his office at 712-5986. The City of Ramsey, like most communities, retains a roadside easement on all of its public roads. An average roadway is 66 feet wide. This distance includes the actual roadbed and the easement on both sides of the road. For example on a 66- foot road you would measure 33 feet from the centerline to find the edge of the easement. On residential roads this distance from centerline can be anywhere from 30 to 40 feet. The City retains ownership and control of this easement for several reasons: Maintenance - Roadside easements are mowed throughout the summer months to control vegetation. If left unchecl(ed small undesirable trees, such as Siberian Elm, or Box Elder tend to grow rather quickly causing larger, more time consuming maintenance requirements. Safety - The city has an obligation to its residents to maintain clear sight lines along its roadways. This is especially true at intersections. Improving visibility is crucial in the prevention of accidents. Snow storage - Without the easement, the city would essentially be storing snow that was plowed offpublic roads on private property. City personnel will repair any grass that is damaged in the easement during plowing, with black dirt and grass seed, in the spring. Storm-water run-off - On some roadways the easement is used to channel rainwater away from the road. The ditches and culverts direct the flow of water into holding areas, such as lowlands and other retaining areas. Filling of the easement disrupts this flow, and can potentially cause damage to private property up stream. It could also cause water to pond on the road during a heavy rain, which presents a traffic hazard. Utility Work - Most of the utilities that serve your home such as natural gas, electricity, telephone, and cable TV all require unobstructed access to their equipment. This includes all lines running underground as well. Construction - In the future your street may need improvements such as storm sewer, curb and gutter, sidewalks or sanitary sewer and water. The easement is set aside for improvement projects such as these. So when planting trees, shrubs, or landscaping please take the time to make sure you are planting on your property and not in the road right-of-way. A good indication of where your property starts and the easement ends, are the power poles, telephone boxes and the electrical transformers on your street. Normally this equipment is located on the property line. If you have planted trees or other plant material in the easement please move them now while they are still small. If you have any questions about roadway easements call the Public Worl(s Department @ 427-8254, or email us at the address found at the top of the Public Works page under Streets. NORTH METRO MOM'S A group of at-home moms and their children has weekly outings, activity groups, monthly newsletters, baby-sitting co-op, and mom's night out. The annual fee is $25, which can be reduced or waived if needed. Visitors are welcome to attend a month's worth of activities before deciding to join. Call Patty at 767-8724 for more information. ff all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. - Anonymous