HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 01-28 Lakes group ends battle with Toyota THE REVIEW \AR/7 01- 9g/.
Lakes group
ends battle
with Toyota
A petition signed by over 500 area
residents asking for an environmental
impact statement far a proposed project
to build an automobile dealership near
Kohlman Lake has been withdrawn.
The Kohlman-Gervais-Keller Lakes
Improvement Association, which sub-
mitted the petition to the Minnesota
Environmental Quality Board, has
decided to drop its request,according to
Don Christianson Jr., 1111 E. County
Road C,president of the association.
The petitioners had contended that the
construction of a Toyota automobile
dealership at the intersection of Beam
Avenue and Highway 61 in northwestern
Maplewood would adversely impact
Kohlman Lake.
Christianson said there were several
reasons why the officers of the association
decided to drop the petition.
He anticipated the attorneys for Ron
McDaniels, developer of the property,
would fight the petition in court.The legal
battle and the preparation of the en-
vironmental impact statement could have
taken two to three years,he said.
During that time,no work would have
been allowed on the Phalen-Keller Lakes
Restoration Project approved by Ramsey
County.Christianson said the association
members did not want to impede any
work on the restoration project, which
will benefit the entire chain of lakes.
He added,the association withdrew the
petition reluctantly and would continue to
closely monitor the progress of the
proposed auto dealership.
McDaniels still has to receive permits
from the Department of Natural
Resources before proceeding with Rs
construction. Christianson said his
organization would"keep a careful eye"
on the permitting process.
The lakes association members have
been the main group spearheading a
movement to stop the auto dealership
project.