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12d Snowmobile/PedTrailConflictCITYOF CHAN SEN P/,oJ~e 612. 9.1.-. I900 flax 612. 9.C. X~/J~;, f'}.v 612 2; MEMORANDUM TO: Park and Recreation Commission FROM: Todd Hoffman, Director of Parks and Recreation DATE: January 20, 1999 SUB J: Snowmobile/Pedestrian Trail Conflicts With the construction of the 1998 trail projects, conflicts between pedestrians and snowmobiles are on the rise. I have taken several phone calls from residents who believe strongly this mix of uses is putting them at risk. On Monday, January 11, Mr. Ken Durr spoke to the city council regarding his concerns over snowmobiles using the southern Highway 7 ditch. The minutes of the conversation are attached. The City Council instructed Todd Gerhardt to schedule a meeting with Mr. Durr to discuss possible measures the City could take. Does the Park and Recreation Commission have an opinion on this issue? G: ,park'xth",Snowmobile&PedTrailConflicts ........ ,, , :,,,,'.,', ,,' ,'t' City Council Meeting - January 11, 1999 Kenneth Durr: Madam Mayor and Council. My name is'Kenneth Durr. I live at 4830 Westgate Road, Minnetonka. I'm the developer and owner of a subdivision called Minnewashta Landings, which is on the northwest end of Lake Minnewashta, bordered by Highway 7 and Minnewashta Parkway. Right. across from the Fire Station. During the development of the property and subsequent to it's development I had a fair amount of problem with trespassing in the way of snowmobilers. The first year that we had the problem I talked to the snowmobile club and Mr. Littfin, one of the other gentleman in the club were as helpful as they could be. They put up lathe and binder twine and flags and some signs but the snowmobilers continued just to completely ignore this and would continue trespassing, ruining evergreens and shrubs and crisscrossing the property. At one point I was behind the berm on Highway 7 on a Sunday afternoon with a client putting markers in the snow for their house when a snowmobilers came over the berm, nearly hitting the three of us. And immediately behind him another one nearly hitting us from the other side. It is a hazard and a real problem as far as this invasion of the propdrty. Subsequent to that first year when the snowmobile club put UP the lathes and twine, which was not sufficient at all, we purchased 65 steel fence posts, over a 1,000 feet of half inch yellow rope and it takes two men a day to put it up. and a day for two men to take it down. Plus the cost of the materials and we put up 30 signs. After the first year, I think we had 10 of the signs left. They were just completely destroyed. The ropes were cut. Fence post pulled and in one case along the lakeshore where we attempted to block off the access from the lake, the fence posts were even hurled up into the trees and hanging there for the balance of the winter. It has cost me about $1,024.00 each year to put up and take down the roping and the fence posts and they still cut the rope and proceed to go through. We put those up for the last two years. This year we hope that with the trail going in, and I talked to Mr. Hoffman about that and my hope was that with the trail going in, that that would prevent the snowmobilers from being up on the property, but stay down in the roadway ditch. Well contrary to my thinking, it's just the opposite. Now the trail becomes a challenge to them as well as the side of the berm and now they're beginning to go through the property again. They're crisscrossing the new walking trail which is a big hazard. Last week, not right in front of my property but a little further east from there, there was a lady and two children walking the trail. Snowmobilers crisscrossing around them. In their frustration they left the trail, crossed the ditch and went up and walked the edge of the highway. So it's not just a problem of property being damaged and invasion there, but I think it's only a matter of time before someone is either going to be injured or worse on the trail if that's allowed to continue. I don't 'know what more I can do as a property owner. We pay taxes there. Over $200,000.00 a year, which is a fair amount and then have to spend another $1,000.00 plus a year to put up fencing and posts. One snowmobiler that I stopped indicated to me that the posts that I had up there last year were a hazard. He said that some snowmobiler's going to get hurt and that I'd be sued. Now I don't know if that could be a possibility. I guess anything's possible when someone hits something on your property. But the question in my mind is, if that were the case, what if any responsibility does the city have once they have put in a trail to maintain a safe condition for those people using the trail. I don't think it's a matter if somebody's going to be injured on that trail. I think it's only a matter of when. And this year I did not put up the posts or the rope and of course the snowmobilers are all over it. I talked to Mr. Littfin of the snowmobile club. He said he and his people would be out and put up lathe but I know that's not going to do the job. Last year Mr. Littfin and one of his people came out at my request to observe firsthand what was happening. While we were there snowmobilers were completely ignoring where they should be. They were up on the property so we got in my Jeep. Drove down the highway. Stopped them at a cross street and Mr. Littfin and his other man got out to talk to'the snowmobilers. They just completely ignored him. Hopped back on their machines and just wheeled right around us. So even the snowmobile club admits they cannot control the situation. Now I don't have any suggestions. I'mjust here for some taelp. It's been sort of a desperation really and I don't know that we should have to continue to spend that City Council Meeting - January 11, 1999 kind of money and effort and then still to no avail to ke-.eP, the snowmobilers from the property. you. - -- Thank Mayor Mancino: Well before you sit dOwn Mr. Durr..Why don't Todd Gerhardt, our City Manager, give you a call and let's set up a time to get together and discuss it and look for some possible solutions. I don't know if anybody on council right now.has a particular solution but let's get together and talk about it and figure out what we can do. . Kenneth Durr: Thank you. Mayor Mancino: Bob, if you could wait just one second so that I can answer Colleen's. I didn't expect to just leave your question out there. The City Manager and I met and were starting to talk about this morning some of the work sessions or upcoming work sessions because as you said we have not gotten together as a council. This is our first meeting and we really haven't talked about it, but we are going to bring it up as far as procedure and what we want to do at our work session on the 19t~. So it will be on the agenda. Other than that you know we haven't come to any conclusions or gone forward at all but to bring it to the entire council on the 19th. The 18th is a holiday so it will be on Tuesday the 19th of January. And we will probably have a schedule as far as timing. I don't have that tonight but we can certainly give that to you. Okay? Anyone else wishing to approach the council? Well if he wants to come back and say something, ~ve'll let him. PUBLIC HEARING: REQUEST FOR AN ON-SALE BEER AND WINE LICENSE, THE GREAT X, VALL RESTAURANT~ 566 WEST 78TM STREET 0fORMERLY ANH LE ORIENTAL CUISINE). Todd Gerhardt: Mayor, councilmembers. The Great Wall Restaurant is requesting a wine and beer sale' license. They are looking at moving into the Anh Le Restaurant. They have purchased that restaurant from Anh Le so it will now be called the Great Wall Restaurant and the Great Wall is from North Mankato. A background check on them showed up negative. No outstanding warrants or fines that they received in North Mankato. With that staff would recommend approval of the wine and beer license for Great Wall Restaurant. Mayor Mancino: Thank you. Any questions for staff at this point? Councilman Senn: Todd just one quick one. Anh Le had the same thing, correct? Todd Gerhardt: Correct. Councilman Senn: Okay. Mayor Mancino: This is open for a public hearing. Is there anyone tonight wishing to make comments on this for City Council tonight? Okay, the public hearing is closed. Bring it back to council. Any other comments or questions? May I have a motion please? Bob Ayotte: I'm sorry, you're not talking loud enough mayor so I'm afraid I didn't hear you. May I approach to ask a question? Approach the bench. Mayor Mancino: Excuse me, Bob this is on the on-sale beer and wine license. Yes, okay.