HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 03-19 Citizens voice opposition to 'high' assessments THE REVIEW 1od, Minnesota t,. Paul , Mn . 55109
WED.,MARCH 19, 1980
IOW
At special meeting
Citizens
•
voice Opposition
,
to .
assessm
eats
By MARY LEE HAGERT property and he feared his trees and
owners in the project area, assessments
shrubs would suffer when the area was
Angry citizens opposing sewer and drained. "This project will have an ad- were estimated to average between$500
street improvement projects is becoming verse affect on my Schultz and $600.
a regular occurence at public hearings stated. '
before the Maplewood city council. A public hearing on this project was
Citizens, unhappy with the proposed Under old business, the council tabled conducted on Feb.21.At the hearing, the
assessments for the Gladstone Park action on the Beam Avenue sanitary council directed its staff to investigate
Storm Sewer Improvement Project, sewer project west of Highway 61. The alternatives to the proposal made in the
packed the council chambers for the first council directed its staff to determine the project's feasibility study.
hearing on the agenda at a special council pollution and health problems in Kohlman
Three alternatives were presented to
meeting on March 13. Lake and area well water.
the council at th
During the course of the two and a half
Total estimated cost of constructing the engineering staff.e meeting by the city
hour debate on the project, only one sanitary sewer line from Gulden's Supper
citizen said he had water problems on his Club along Highway 61 down to Beam One alternative included building a
property. Avenue and then along Beam until the system of ponds in Ramsey County open
street curves northward is$315,300. space area to help alleviate drainage
On a 4-0 vote the council denied the problems in the project area, which is
Landowners in the area north of bounded by Lower Afton Road, O'Day
improvement project. Mayor John
Kohlman Lake want to develop their Street and Mailand and McKnight Roads.
Greavu abstained from voting because he
is an employee of the railroad company property with residential housing. This alternative was the cheapest to
which owns property within the project Presently the homes along the lake have install, but Councilman Nelson pointed
area. private wells and do not have public out that the Ramsey-Washington Metro
sanitary sewers. Watershed District might "take a dim
In his motion for denial, Councilman Mayor Greavu said, "The main reason view of our changing its water
Norman Anderson said he felt the I'm in favor of this project is because we management plan." He also feared the
assessments for the project were too high are polluting the lake. The more homes open space program might not like "all
to warrant approval.Total estimated cost we get in there (the project area) the that water being dumped on its proper-
of the project was $521,000. Proposed worse the pollution gets."
assessment rates were nine cents a ty."
foot for residential properties and Citizens owning single-family home
18 square8 cents a r foot for commercial, within the project area oppose the the Keith Freeburg,t most 2594 Pond people in told
cents and square iamry preri , sanitary sewer installation because of the council that of the the
high assessment costs. community opposed any of the alter-
their sewers.
The project area is bounded roughly by Councilman Earl Nelson told the natives"Mostf opo pr led ing Maplewood have
Highway 36, Hazelwood and English audience, "We may have a health
r service and they
Streets and the railroad tracks on the problem in this area. If that is the case are
storm Why do we have to have
south.Existing storm sewers and culverts then we don't have any other choice than Cadillacd ha
in the area are operating at maximum to put in the sanitary sewers. Crservice?aMaybe the city shouldh
capacity and occasionally overflow. lower its standards so the costs for these
projects aren't so high,"Freeburg asked.
When the council finally addressed the
Richard Schultz, 211 Birmingham St., final item on its published agenda, theOna 4-1 vote, the council decidedra to got
told the council,"I fail to see any need for Condor Storm Sewer Improvement ahead with part of the project. It
this storm sewer project. The water only Project, it was 11:15 P from authorized the installation of sewer d pipes
stands for three days in Weaver School property owners living wi within the projecta
nce again, from the middle of Dorland..Road to
pond and then it soaks into the ground." area were not in favor of the sewein- council o Lane to Jednsr's Pond. The
He was concerned that the project stallation because of the step houalso decided CrestviewePond
would lower the water table around his assessments. For single-familyhome should out dredged and the cleaned.
drainage pipe
coming of it should be cleaned. P P