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6 Display 1645 Lake Lucy RoadCITYOF ~0 CiO' Ce, ter D~ive, PO Box 147 71~anhasse,. Mi,,esota 553 I7 Pho,e 612.937.1900 Ge, eral Fax 612. 937. 5739 3~gi,eeri,g Fa.,: 612.937.9152 ~:blic $,~O' £a_r 612.934.2524 .~b wwu: cl. cha,hasse,.,m, us MEMORANDUM ? TO: Scott A. Botcher, City Manager FROM: DATE: Teresa J. Burgess, Public Works Director/City Engine~ February 12, 2001 SUBJ: Discussion of the Lake Lucy Christmas Display The City Council is requested to give direction to City Staff and Carver County SherifFs Deputies on the Lake Lucy Christmas Display. Past practice as per verbal direction of the City Council has been to ignore the violations related to the display; however, the display has grown and continues to grow in size and popularity each year. The Christmas Display is a private display put on by Robert and Sandra Kendall at 1645 Lake Lucy Road. There are several violations related to the Christmas Display, including: 1. Parking is prohibited along both sides of Lake Lucy Road. The display is designed to encourage drivers to stop and' get out of their vehicles to tour the property. The property owners have never applied for a temporary lifting of the no-parking restriction. 2. Loudspeakers are used to play Christmas music during the display. A permit is required for loudspeakers in the City. The property owners have never applied for a permit. 3. Portions of the display are on City right of way. These items pose a hazard to errant vehicles and also hinder proper snow removal. The property owners do not have approval for use of the right of way. Verbal approval was given in 2000 for temporary traffic warning signs. The traffic warning signs meet MMUTCD and are acceptable. The property owner has been repeatedly requested to remove the display itself from the City right of way. 4. The display is in violation of the City's light ordinance. 5. The display is in violation of the setback requirements for accessory structures. The property owners have never applied for a variance to the City Zoning Code. A notice was sent to surrounding property owners informing them of the Council discussion. Property owners desiring to comment were requested to submit written comments, which are attached. Tonight's meeting is not a Public Hearing, however, Mr. and Mrs. Kendall were informed of the meeting and offered a chance to address the Council. Attachments: 1. Color pictures of the display and traffic. 2. Notice to surrounding property owners. 3. Copies of the neighbor comments. g:\eng\teresa\memos\kendall christmas display 2-12.doc ~e City of Cha,hassen. A ~rowi,~ commu,in, with clea, lakes, auahn, schools, a cham#,~ dou,ntou,,, t/,qvin~ bush~esses, a,d beautihd oarks. A .~reat t~lace to rye. work. and ola~: CITYOF CHANHASSEN 690 C)'O, Ce,n,;' D;'it,e, PO Box i4.7 C/,,~;~h~:sse;~, .,~li,;~esot~: 5531; Pho~:e 6129321900 h~bh'c S,¢t5, L~.v 612 934. 2524 January 31, 2001 Re~ Notice of City Council Meeting Discussion' Annual Christmas Display at 1645 Lake Lucy Road The Chanhassen City Council will discuss the annual Christmas display at 1645 Lake Lucy Road at the regularly scheduled City Council Meetina on Monday, February 12, 2001 at 6:30 PM or as soon thereafter as possible in the City Council Chambers at Chanhassen City Hall. The Christmas display is a private display put on by the property owners. The Council will discuss the display and its impacts on the city. Anyone wanting to submit written comments for distribution to the City Council can send them care of: Teresa Burgess Public Works Director/City Engineer P.O. Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55317 Comlnents need to be received by 4:00 PM, February 6, 2001, to allow time for photocopying and distribution to the Councilmembers prior to the meeting. No formal action is anticipated by the City Council at this meeting. The intention of the discussion is to provide direction to City staff regarding this display and other similar events in the city. Sincerely, CITY OF CHANHASSEN _ Teresa J. Burgess, P.E. Public Works Director/City Engineer g:',eng\teresa\letters',.display mtg notice.doc The City o£C/;~.uhmse;~. .~ ..... :" ' with Kendall Notification Area 65t~ St. Crest Lake Dovc ir Lane Kendall Property W E S February4,2001 bls Teresa Burgess Public Works/City Engineer P.O. Box 147 Chanhassen MN 55317 FAX (952) 934-2524 Re: Notice of City, Council Meeting Discussion Annual Christmas Display at 1645 Lake Lucy Road Dear Ms Burgess: Our concern regarding the Kendall light display on Lake Lucy Road is primarily a traffic safety concern. The location of the display near a sharp curve on a 35 mile-an-hour road is dangerous. The dty has designated this stretch of road as No Parking for obvious reasons. The No Parking designation is, however, not being enforced. In addition, cars, limousines, and tour buses routinely stop in the middle of the road to either view the display or unload passengers. People also routinely wander Lake Lucy Road as if it were a parking lot. On many occasions, Lake Lucy Road is either impassable because of vehicles, or dangerous because of pedestrians. This display is more appropriately suited for a setting like Lake Ann Park where traffic could be controlled, not a residential neighborhood on a dangerous curve. Klm Terning PhS1 Thiesse 1675 Steller Court Excelsior MN 55331 (952) 474-2303 DF. FT. February 2, 2001 Susan Akins 6699 Mulberry Circle Chanhassen, MN 55317 Public Works Director/City Engineer P.O. Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55317 Dear City Council: I do not know ifI will be able to make the meeting on February 12th, so I decided I better send in rny comments as such. First of all, you did not give us much ample time in regards to this. I just received the notice yesterday and have less then a week to answer. I do not know what this meetings agenda is but I am guessing there is a concern regarding the'traffic that this display causes. Please do not let just a few people (I am guessing a few) shut this display down in favor of the hundreds/thousands that do enjoy the effort and love that goes into this. We have only lived in this city a few years and it is such a tradition to drive by their house. Even when we have holiday parties; it is all of our friends from all over, tradition to drive by this house. This display is such a plus to the city,. People know where Ch_anhassen is by renting their limousines just to come out here to see this attraction. Lake Luq Road is not a major thoroughfare and I have never been inconveniently troubled by the traffic. I live right off of this road on Mulberry and if residents cannot slow down just for 1-2 minutes to let the children in the car ahead of them see this fantastic show - they have other personal issues to realize. The added signs do benefit and I feel there is nothing left to discuss. Please - please leave them alone and let us enjoy this display in peace and harmon,,-! There are much greater things in life to worry about. Sincerely, Susan Akins A neighbor FEB 0 $ EO0t ENGINEERING DEPT. February 4, 2001 To: Teresa Burgess, Public Works DirectoffCity Engineer Linda Jansen, Mayer - City of Chamhassen Cc: City Counsel Membership Scott Botcher- City of Chanhassen Deputy Potts - Liaison Office, Carver County Sheriffs Dept. Subject: Citizen comments in response to City Council Meeting scheduled for Monday 2/12/01 -Annual Christmas display at 1645 Lake Lucy Road. Thank you for reading our input on this subject. We are 12-year residents of Chanhassen at 6601 Charing Bend. The entry to the street we live on and a portion of our property runs next to Lake Lucy road slightly east of the 1645 Lake Lucy address. The subject of the Ct~ristmas light display is relevant as it is the source of an enormous traffic problem for all of us from November ttn'ough January every year. At first it was novel but the problem of increased traffic has turned the novelty into gridlock. The current situation is a steady steam of heavy traffic that is a hazard with distracted tourists repeatedly driving back and forth and often using our little cul-de-sac and other local streets and private drivexvays as a turn around. Limousines often stage in the Charing Bend turn around, idling for long periods of time. Lake Lucy Road is already an existing source of traffic related problems that are long overdue for city action. This includes high sjgeed trc~fic on what is essentially a residential road (Not a highway - take a flesh look at current driveway spacing and density. I thi~ you will see that this growth requires reconsideration by the city of speed limits if not the road classification the city is using.) The illegal use of snowmobiles that run up and down Lake Lucy Road using the yards of the residents as their highway contributes to this increasingly irritating situation. And most concerning to me Of all are the safety issues of the common or shared use of the road-level surface of Lake Lucy by high speed motorized traffic and lots and lots of foot traffic (joggers, walkers, roller bladders many of whom are kids.) The only thing separating those people from the 40 to 50 miles per hour traffic are some painted lines. So,... what do these other traffic issues have to do with the Christmas display? Plenty,... the intersection at Lake Lucy and #17 becomes an increased hazard for 90 days of the year because the shear volume of vehicles trying to get on and off of Lake Lucy to get to the Ctn-istmas display creates a very real problem. The impressive success of this Display in attracting seasonal crowds is so real that the Limousine touring business has institutionalized 1645 Lake Lucy as common stop on their holiday light tour. (There is a direct commercial exchange resulting from this display.) Recommendations: Eliminate the current scope of the Christmas display at 1645 or move the whole thing to the town square park in front of City Hall and put the residents of 1645 Lake Lucy in charge of it. It would be a win-win for all of us. , Narrow the width of the Lake Lucy road surface by converting ten feet of it into a curbed raised hard surface pathway for pedestrians joggers & kids just like the city has done on the West side along #117 or to the East along #17 and Kerber. '~ If not, I fear that the city will have a tragedy on it's hands one day because of the extremely close proxintity of non-motorized foot attd peddle traffic to high speed atttomobiles. 3. Reduce Speed and do something about the intersection of Lake Lucy and #17. Thank you, Doug & Joan Ahrens 6601 Charing Bend Chanhassen, MN 55317 (952) 474-6715 inscience~worldnet, att.net Burgess, Teresa From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Potts, Dave Monday, February 05, 2001 10:48 AM 'inscience@worldnet.att.net' Botcher, Scott; Burgess, Teresa; City Council RE: Resident comments on Christmas display at 1645 Lake Lucy Mr. Ahrens, The City is in the process of looking at the light display issues you mentioned. I just wanted to briefly address some of your concerns about ongoing speeding traffic on Lake Lucy Rd. With the addition of the liaison sergeant position in Chanhassen, and the pilot running of a new traffic safety pro,am (Project LeadFoot), last year was the beginning of coordinating traffic concerns around the city. From last year you are already in our data base and you will be hearing from me, and/or Beth Hoiseth, before spring. We have prepared a new information packet regarding Project LeadFoot. I think pieces of the pro,am could work well on Lake Lucy Rd. Also, our enforcement efforts city wide will be better coordinated and documented. Lake Lucy Road is a busy collector street that cuts through neighborhood areas. That puts it on our priority list of city streets for traffic safety monitoring and enforcement. While we can't be everywhere all the time, and we'll never eliminate unsafe drivers, I believe with better coordination, and neighborhood help, we will have an impact on roads like Lake Lucy. Sincerely, Dave Ports .... Original Message ..... From: Doug Ahrens [SMTP:inscience@worldnet.att.net] Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 12:10 AM To: tburgess@ci.chanhassen.mn.us; IjansenC_,ci.chanhassen.mn.us; sbotcher@ci.chanhassen.mn.us; dpotts@ci.chanhassen.mn.us Subject: Resident comments on Christmas display at 1645 Lake Lucy Attn: Please forward copies to each City Council member. Thank you for reviewing our comments. Sincerely, Doug & Joan Ahrens << File: Response to City of Chanhassen Christmas lights 2-4-01 .doc >> Dear Deanna (and Craig), Just got your letter today and value the time you took to share your feelings. I appreciate your frustration; this has been a very frustrating year for us as well. Maybe we asked for it in trying to please everyone--like talking to the city and having that meeting and all. But I appreciate your expressing your feelings and would appreciate your allowing me to do the same. I guess I could start out by first addressing the things you brought up in your letter... . . 27+ td ,5 3) City ordinance is 11:00, not 10:00. I never told anyone 10:00; it has always been 11:00 weeknights and later sometimes on weekends or Christmas Eve'and New Years. This is what I've always told everyone because that's what we've always done; I think Bob may have thought about doing earlier, but people seem to remember it's always been 11:00 and have that in their minds, so that's what we went with. Regarding any calls to our house, we always answer the phone if we are here. If we are outside and do not hear the phone, we cannot answer it. Perhaps you called sometimes when we were outside--as Bob spent a lot of time out there this year up on the street trying to direct traffic. With all the confusion and commotion going on with the display, we oftentimes don't listen for our home messages until the next day. I know Don (who works for us and is sometimes here in the evenings) sometimes took a message from you, and we tried to do our best to address your needs...except for the time you asked us to shut things down at 7:30 at night--which we could not do as we told people things would be on until 11:00, and people count and plan on that. Even the county deputies acknowledge we have the right to keep the lights on until 11:00 as we are not violating any city ordinance. Also, the deputies really can't do much about the busses since they have a right to use a public road as well--although Bob has been outside often asking them to move along once they have let people off--and we saw they were not parking in front of your house when we put the cones out; they'd actually park back by Al's house where there were no cones. Also, one night, we shut the lights off at 10:30, and we got a knock on our door from a woman and a little boy who travleled all the way from Faribault to come here so he could put the money he'd saved all year ($10.00 in pennies and coin) into the donation box as he wanted to help the homeless. He's done this for the last 3 years, the mother said. When we shut the lights off early, we took in the box--and they actually came to the door to ask us for the box--and if we could turn the lights back on so he could see them. When people call and are told something, we just can't arbitrarily change that when it impacts so many people--even if we ~,o~,~,,d to. You state it is "now several weeks past the stop date". Our "stop date" has always been the 2nd weekend after New Years. And it was also that way this year--which was 4 days ago. We actually talked about turning them off after the weekend after New Year' s--but we got so many calls from people asking us to leave them on because they hadn't had a chance to come by and walk around due to the horrible cold weather we had during the Christmas season. The lights have not been turned on since except for a couple of nights ago when Bob left a few on so he could plow the driveway with the bobcat. I might add that he plowed the neighbors' driveways before our own--including an attempt to plow yours--until you called us and the police. He was just trying to help you. When you asked him to stop, he stopped doing yours and came back across the street. He had a big pile of snow behind his truck and tried to move it so he could get his truck moved before quitting all together...when Craig called. He and Craig talked, and Bob told Craig he would appreciate another couple of minutes to move the snow behind his truck, and Craig said that would be fine; yet, you still called the police. 'They seemed to think Bob w~"0ut'0n"the~ b0bcafd0ing-'Something for th - Christmas disPlay when all he was trying'tO 'do' ~'~s 'help °(it ~1~e neighb0r~ by plowiTn~-their,.~ driveWaYs. Both A1 and Tim told Bob they really appreciated it--and he thought he was helping you and Craig also. We were only trying to help you. It was quite a surprise to us that you called the police again after Bob talked to Craig. But just so you know...we didn't even get out own driveway plowed out that night because Bob wanted to do the neighbors-- including yourswbefore our own. All Bob did AFTER talking to Craig was to move a little pile of snow from behind his truck so he could get out in the morning, and then he quit--per.. your request, i?t. 'x~, ? ~ ,(~ /1 4) We have always tried to meet everyone at least half way, as you say, Deanna. Whenever you've called, we've jumped--except for the o,n~e time you asked us to shut down at 7:30, and I hope you understand why we just couldn t do that--plus neither Bob nor I were even kCN /" here that night until almost 10'00 (which is why we couldn't remm your call). When we do ,~~ something so public like this huge Christmas display, people make plans on coming--and ~ ~,' we don't ever know what those plans are. "l"hat night as it so happens, we had a bus of ~59q- elderly people that was chartered to see Christmas lights that night; had we shut down early, ~o ~ r"o~ they would have come all this way only to see blackness. The only reason we even knew .~-.- ,~ t/. about that is that one of the people came to the door and asked Don if we were here to meet ," c,, C/us. We just have no idea who plans on what and when~but when you tell the public 7 e- gr ~ something, you just can't change it. It's like you go to the State Fair one day and make plans >-' ,<:> ' on a certain day, and then you get there and they decide to shut down early. We just couldn't ~-' ~ do it. '5' F '~--As far as your comment about your knowing that we enjoy Christmas, I don't know that we really do anymore~at least I don't. We've done this for so many years in an effort to give c, something back to the community and to people who just couldn't do it for themselves. This  5 0 year, we put out a log that people could sign as to where they're from and any comments. I wish ,-- -'5~ you could read it as whenever I think about not doing this anymore, I see and hear these ~~ hundreds of people telling us how it's become an annual family tradition for them...how it was one thing that brightened an elderly person's life before they died...that it was all little children 7' ' talked about when they learned to talk...how the display brought back childhood memories to ~ elderly people whose friends have all died before them...how little children consider this a 4~ % "Christmas Disneyland". When I think about how tired I am and how much money and time and ,.. 7r' energy '~:~,~ cost~ us ever7 "~.~.~ .... , I also have *o~ thip± about., how the smiles li~ht~ urn. the faces of the ~ t, little children~and adults~I see out there who are absolutely giddy with delight over the .~- "Christmas wonderland" they've encountered. I guess that's what we've tried to make it~a <' Christmas fantasyland that means something different to everyone. And, of course, to celebrate ~ ~ Jesus' birthday (you have no idea how many people have called us and written to us about our ~" '-- ' displays regarding the true meaning of Christmas)...and to give back to the homeless and :..-'.,_. forgotten elderly through the donations. ! o But it's just not worth it, I guess, if you are so hurt. I don't care about Tracy because she can't ~ really see the display anyway, and she complains about everything~and everyone~all year , ~ around, not just at Christmas. Tim and Amy have been extremely supportive~as have A1 and o ~ Carolyn; A1 actually spent a considerable amount of time here this year helping with putting up the display as well as helping Bob police the streets and grounds. You, of course, are just as important, however. It grieves me that the good thing we have tried so hard to do has affected you so badly. We always tried to be mindful of your needs. We tried to help with the cones and signs and everything we could do to help you--including trying to help you with plowing your driveway recently. But all we seem to do is irritate you further. We never intended to cause you such hard feelings. We are torn between our own feelings of fatigue and expense and time--and those of the thousands of people who love and appreciate the magnitude of what they could never do for themselves--as well as those feelings of you, our neighbors across the street. Even if we did less of a display, it would not affect the traffic that knows about what we do since we've done it for so long. There is, of course, only one street, and that is Lake Lucy Road. So I guess the only answer is for us to just not do it anymore. That's the only way you won't have traffic or lights, and Tracy will just have to find something else to complain about. It's very hard for us as we know how many people the display helps...but for the sake of a few, there doesn't seem to be any other alternative. At least that's what I'm thinking nowmbut I'm pretty wiped out myself right now as I've said. As Craig said at the meeting we called, you can't please everyone. I just don't know what the answers are. I think it's a shame the way our world has changed so everyone is only concerned about themselves and can't be inconveienced for awhile to benefit others--and I don't mean you when ! say that; I'm actually referring to Tracy and the other people in the large house down by Gaipin w~no wrote us a hateful letter about how they are upset over being inconvenienced every year by not being able to speed through Lake Lucy Road going east (even though they are ½ mile away). This is the same guy who speeds on our road all year long and lays on his horn while going past our houses, even at other times than Christmas. That, of course, is ok; but making people smile and giving to the poor and needy is not...if it inconveniences him at all. Then, of course, there are a couple of people at the city who simply seem to hate Christmas, or consider it their prime directive in life to pass piddly ordinances that no other city ever even thought of having (and not limited to Christmas)--just to be powerful, I guess. Well, I said I just wanted to express my own frustrated feelings since you have written to express yours. I don't know what the answer is. Sometimes I just want to go somewhere where there is no one else, but I guess that's not really practical or an answer. We've tried to make sure our dogs don't bark and irritate the neighbors; we've put up a fenced area so they don't run around in other people' s yards; we've tried to help our neighbors when they've asked us for help; we've tried to put out cones so people don't park on your lawn or in your driveway during the Christmas display. Being appraisers, we work 14+ hours a day and I guess that means that sometimes Bob gets started on our own things later in the day sometimes, but we try. That's all I can say is that we try. I guess we just don't try hard enough. As you say, we could be a crack house across the street, but it sounds like we're not much better since we are obviously making your !~.ves so miserable. I just want you to know that we are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience we have caused you. It was never our intent to hurt you or your family or anyone else. Teresa Burgess Public Works Director/City Engineer PO Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55316 February 3,2001 CITY OF CHANHASSEN ~9 7~-.--.~ ~:· FEB 0 G 001 ENGINEERING DEPT, Re: Discussion meeting Annual Christmas Display Chanhassen City Council My name is A1 Kmeger. I have lived at my current address 1600 Lake Lucy Road for 20 years. I am a close neighbor to Bob & Sandy Kendall's Christmas display on Lake Lucy Road, approx. 300 feet from my home. I speak in strong support of the Kendell attraction. As a close neighbor, I have chosen to look openly with a positive attitude towards their display. I have offered help and encouragement to Bob & Sandy for all they do and give to the community. I would be hard pressed for words to express the Joy and shier excitement a display of this magnitude brings to people of all ages. I know. During the weeks before Christmas, I walk over almost every night. Weekends with Santa are fantastic. It's really quite an experience. Kids, ear to ear with smiles. I have met people come from all over the Twin Cities metro area as well as from 5 countries. I have personally arranged tours for seniors from several homes. I have been asked by families and couples and kids alike to take pictures with their cameras. Christmas time to most people is a very special time. Familes and friends from all over come together to share their love. The display on Lake Lucy road is an asset to this city. It brings people together. I know all people are not totally happy with the display. Some people will always have or find problems. Some actions can be taken to address issues of the most effected homes. Sound and light are not issues to me. One positive thing is that it slows down traffic from the norm of 45 to about 25. That's more than the city can do. Overall this display very good... It's good for the city... The numbers of people stepping into fantasyland surly out weight the few complaints. I will attend you meeting of Febuary 12~h. If requested, I will address the council. Sincerely A1 Krueger 1600 Lake Lucy Road Excelsior, MN 55331 952 474 7869 Hello, ! reside at Lak~ L~cy road.~ ,, ~ ,Thsre are som~ issues tkat I would like our ,city 'council to consider on My behalf, I am'aware' of the charitable aspect of this display Which ! conunend, I do not want to diminish the joy that.it brings to people of all ages, .BUT here are some things that I feel are over looked in to the pgople who have to .deal with them on ~ DAILY basis during the "season" , ,FIRST and foremost is TRA~?!c. It is my understandiag, that Lake Lucy Road is considened by all accounts ,to have bi. ke, lanea,.Which to'me mea~s' ~O PARKIng. BLLt this Ls o~a~ko, oked which "opens a pandonas box of p~oblem~.kre, you pnaD==~d to'.aLLow tho' same dLsczsssion to tho othez residsnts on Lake Lucy Bead in rsgards to parking on that strest any time of th~, year,'for any r~ason based on your precedence~Tbe~e is no control of the %raffle wh~ so eve.=, people stop an~ gawk fro~ ~heir'cars, bus's and limo's and ore,ate maas congmstion, and major INCONVIENCE to .orbs'rs. Remember ~hi, s display ia.situated in. a very bad ~pot, for visibility from' a motorists p~int of view from both dire'onions,You hays pedestrians in th~ street (toddlei~$ to adults) oblivio~$ %o casa coming and g.oing AT NIGHT. it is my belief that its not IE someo~a is. ~oing to. be hurt or kilLed'by a, Das~iLg. car but ~N. I ca/% only' ~agi~2~ wha~ a 'good att~r~.y will' Dercisve from what I see am a lack of control b'y th~ city. that the lawsuit that follows will certainly include the city as a party,People who park leaving trash beh,ind %hat is a ~ye soge a,nd prop.e.rty owner~ have. to clean it up. SECOND and last is NOISE,Th~ 1645 reside.hr driving a. BOBCAT around doing work on the display at 9:30-t0:~0 at night?.?' Music playing from loudspeakers facing towardm .other homes at a level high enough to hear inside with tk~ wLnduwa abut all night and mea~ ALL NIGHT??, Fims.t i~ was the. %'igkt$ now we, ha~e to p~t up with music.?? What ~z~??Tk~=e ,a~a'.con~~ n~i~e~ not intermitted and ace d~ing, the. week wh~ child~eu, kave. sckool and working p.euple ~ve to get up e~y, ~. i exited to'hav~ to c~tl tke po,lice an~be the BAD ggy, , , ~ ' ' ,. . . . . ,: .,., ' : ', . .. '... '." ,.. . · ....... . , , ,. . . ... .,. ,, . ,- ," . .,. ~ - , . , ".. ,.. .. ..,. .. ., · .,, . .~ . ... , .~'. .~ .. .. .'. , . " ' ,.., ,' ' ~" .As I said before . , is' the city pregarsd to ~rant th~ same dicrsssicn to other rusiden~s on Lake Lucy Road a= any,~a o~ ~e year rea. son baaed on the,p~e.cade~e.,. FEB 0 ~ ~001 ENG,N'--cR~NG DEPT. T~ 82/86/2881 15:32 S524782283 CBR ASSOCIATES PA6E 82 February 5th, 2001 To: Chanhassen City Council From: Mark & Tracy Williams 1655 Lake Lucy Road Chanhassen, MN 55331 Subject: Annual Christmas Display at 1.645 Lake Lucy Road Most everyone likes Christmas and all the traditions and festivities that go along with it, TNs includes Christmas displays such as the one at 1645 Lake Lucy Road. However, kav/r~g the display in your bactcyard is a different story. Every year the amount of irritation and disruption caused by the display increases, At times there can be in excess. of 50 cars parked on both sides of Lake Lucy Road, tour buses and limos idling in the middle of the street and numerous adults and small children crossing the road. In past years this display has been a 6-month process from start to fi.aish and looks to be that long this year as well., We are tired of it! As you know and can see this display evokes a variety of em. oti. o~s. When discussing this display at the meeting on Febma~ 12th the City Council needs to look beyond the em. otions that will surface and concentrate on safety of the general public and the City of. Chanhassen. Please consider the following comments in your discussion: Ordinances and regulations already in place related to parking on Lake Lucy, and the lighting of Christmas displays have been etfforced infrequently or not at all. It is not a matter of if there will be aa~ accident as a result of this Ckristmas li~t display but only a matter of when it will happen, if this ammal display continues, When aa accident does happen it is vew likely that the City of Chanhassen Mil find itself in court defending the lack of action taken to protect public safety. This will result i_n significant expenditures of taxpayer money even if the city is absolved of any responsibility. We appreciate your consideration of our comments and attention to this public safety concern. Regards, Mark & Tra%~ Williams ,Burgess, Teresa From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Follow Up Flag: Due By: Flag Status: Burgess, Teresa Tuesday, January 16, 2001 3:33 PM Ayotte, Robert; Botcher, Scott; Burgess, Teresa; Jansen, Linda; Labatt, Steve; Peterson, Craig Aanenson, Kate; Potts, Dave; 'claybd345@att.net' FW: Light display Lake Lucy rd Follow up Monday, January 22, 2001 5:00 PM Flagged I am forwarding this e-mail for your information. Sgt. Potts will be discussing the issues with the Carver County Deputies to see what can be done in the meantime, however, this item is scheduled for Council discussion on February 12th. This will allow the City time to publish the item, notify the neighborhood, and also to review the issue prior to the meeting. Please let me know if you have any questions. Teresa J. Burgess, P.E. Public Works Director/City Engineer City of Chanhassen Phone: 952-937-1900 Ext. 156 Fax: 952-937-9152 E-mail: tburgess@ci.chanhassen.mn.us ..... Original Message ..... From: claybd345@att.net [mailto:claybd345@att.net] Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 11:33 AM To: tburgess@ci.chanhassen.mn.us Subject: Light display Lake Lucy rd To whom it may concer at the City of Chanhassen, My name is Deanna Claybaugh I live at 1630 Lake Lucy rd. For the past seven years I have tried kindly to respond to the Kendall Light display that keeps growing year by year. Before this all started this year I met with them and they agreed to turn things off by 10pm weeknights and 12 on weekends. This never happened. I called and asked several times for things to be shut down only to get a brother in law on the phone who stated he had to get permission from them to do so. I was forced several times to call the sheriff dept to try to calm traffic and noise levels way after 11 pm. Its now several weeks past Christmas and my children still are awakened by noise from across the street whether it be people or Bob himself plowing the street as last pm at 1030. they are school aged and got 6 hours of sleep last night due to the plowing this was after I called the sheriff. I want to be kind but expect the same in return, this does not seem to want to happen unless I press the issue. I feel bad it has come to this but it needs to be shut down. Its to bad a thing that benefits some can be ruined by not complying with the simple respect of your neighboors. If they would only keep it from November thru the 1st of the year and shut things off at a reasonalbe time we could meet half way. I doubt this will happen. Please respond to my letter at the next council meeting. Sincerly, Deanna Claybaugh Theresa please forward this to as many people you think would be interested. Or send me the email addresses and I will do so. thanks for you interest ans support. I also contacted a few neighboors who will send letters. Some stated they have, with no response in the past.