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erosion caused by the higher boat traffic. He stated he definitely favors a no wake zone and has <br />witnessed changes over 12 plus years. Mr. Lundeen stated he believes this will add a degree of <br />safety for smaller watercraft such as canoes who use the Rum River over the weekends. <br /> <br />Mr. Perkins asserted that canoe users don't live in Ramsey. <br /> <br />T.V. Rao, 14359 Waco Street NW, stated that he purchased his home three years ago because he <br />had canoed the Rum River and fell in love with the beauty and tranquillity of it. He stated that <br />he has found others doing the same as well as using pontoon boats. Mr. Rao stated he concurs <br />with the comment that there has been a change in the River traffic and his yard has suffered <br />significantly from that increased activity. He stated his property did not suffer as much erosion <br />during the flood as after it. Mr. Rao presented pictures of his property from several viewpoints <br />showing severe erosion and advised that he obtained five estimates for ways to eliminate erosion <br />and the cheapest is $6,800. He stated that he is paying higher taxes to live on the River and has <br />lost nearly four feet in the last single year. Mr. Rao stated the speed boats raise high wakes and <br />some have no sense of other boat activity such as paddle boats due to the turning River route. He <br />stated that the bottom of the River has a lot of wood and he is also concerned that a speed boat <br />will hit that wood and damage their boat or tear the prop off. Mr. Rao stated he believes that it is <br />in the best interest for both uses to say that no wake is better for all. <br /> <br />Mat Casale, 14379 Waco Street, stated he has lived at this address for 13 years and thought he <br />could beat the erosion problem but about two to three years ago he realized that six feet of his <br />River bank has been eroded. He explained he went through considerable expense to install rip <br />rap to prevent further erosion. Mr. Casale stated that he has noticed a lot of boats and canoes on <br />the River and just purchased a pontoon himself. He stated that he is very conscious of the no <br />wake ordinance in Anoka and practices the same in Ramsey. Mr. Casale stated that he is in favor <br />of a no wake zone but his concern is who will enforce it because he sees boats speeding up and <br />down the River now and doubts they stop when reaching the Anoka border. He stated that he has <br />never seen Sheriff's boat and has only seen a DNR boat once or twice. Mr. Casale restated that <br />the issue will be how to enforce the no wake zone to prevent erosion. He indicated that he <br />believes increased boat activity has increased erosion. <br /> <br />John Amdt, Andover, stated they went over the same issues in Andover and if you could see <br />pictures from the air then you would understand how the river bends (oxbows). He stated that <br />these oxbows have always happened no matter how many boats are on the River. He asserted <br />that erosion will happen regardless of what is done and it happens every spring. He stated that to <br />have balance a system of four no wake zones needs to be enforced but he questions who will be <br />enforcing it. <br /> <br />Councilmember Haas Steffen advised that the Sheriff's Department will enforce it. <br /> <br />Mr. Arndt stated this will be a huge enforcement issue and suggested several zones be identified <br />instead of shutting down the entire River. <br /> <br />Mayor Pro Tem Zimmerman explained that public input is being received tonight but no decision <br /> <br />City Council Public Hearing/June 9, 1998 <br /> Page 2 of 6 <br /> <br /> <br />