1983 06 13
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SPECIAL CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL MEETING JUNE 13, 1983
PUBLIC HEARING
PROPOSEO PUBLIC BOAT ACCESS ON THE NORTH SlOE OF LOTUS LAKE
Acting Mayor Geving called the hearing to order with the following members
present: Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman Horn. Mayor Hamilton
was absent. The following interested persons were present:
Candy Takkunen, Lotus Lake Task Force
Mel Kurvers, Lotus Lake Task Force
Nadean Collver, 6686 Hopi Road
Jack Ernst, 6735 Nez Perce Drive
Earl and Judith Miller, 7417 Frontier Trail
Robert and Rosean Amick, 581 Fox Hill Drive
Alan Fox, 7300 Laredo Drive
Candace Peterson, 6891 Navajo Drive
Roger Byrne, 6724 Lotus Trail
Alex and Helen Hartmann, 6687 Horseshoe Curve
C. Peter Linsmayer, 7421 Frontier Trail
Les Ellesson, 7410 Frontier Trail
Marilyn Holter, 7201 Frontier Trail
Mary Palmer, 7337 Frontier Trail
Rick Murray, 15 Choctaw Circle
Bob Ools, 7407 Frontier Trail
Tom Seifert, 600 Pleasant View Road
John vonWalter, 510 Pleasant View Road
Raymond Schuyt, 51 Choctaw Circle
Tom Schoenecker, 2820 Sandpiper Trail
Henry and Georgette Sosin, 7400 Chanhassen Road
Fred Albrecht, 6575 Pleasant View Way
Myrna and Frank Kurvers, 7220 Chanhassen Road
Mrs. Gordon Tock, 6640 Lotus Trail
Greg Cray, 320 Pleasant View Road
Tim Rashleger, 31 Choctaw Circle
Ladd Conrad, 6625 Horseshoe Curve
Ken Erickson, 7203 Frontier Trail
Bill Kirkvold, 7423 Frontier Trail
Acting Mayor Geving - The purpose of the public hearing is to approve or
deny the amendment of the Lotus Lake Park Conditional Use Permit to either
include or exclude a boat access on the north end of Lotus Lake. Tonight's
procedure will be this, I would like to have the Task Force Committee make
their report. They have been meeting since approximately May 2nd. Then I
would like to have the City Manager, Don Ashworth, make his report and we
will open the hearing for public comment. You will have an opportunity to
speak. We will close the hearing and then the City Council will discuss
the entire issue.
Don Ashworth - I will give the summary report both staff wise and from the
committee. The City, approximately five years ago, sought a grant applica-
tion for a park on the north end of Lotus Lake. That encompassed approxi-
mately 27 acres and was seen as a potential boat access site. There was no
requirement, as part of the grant application that carried out the acquisi-
tion of that park, for the City to put in a boat access. It was envisioned
as a potential. We had not gone through any of the studies to identify
potential problems, etc. The park was obtained primarily to insure that we
would have a neighborhood park up on the north end of Lotus Lake as that
developed. The City, approximately two years ago, made a secondary grant
application for a boat access. We did receive that grant approval. We
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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were not restricted solely applying those monies to this north site
although the grant application was made considering this northerly site.
For the past two years there have been a number of groups who have been I
working on the issue of boat access and where it should reasonably occur.
The Park and Recreation Commission carried out a number of meetings. They
did a lot of work in trying to accumulate data as to where the boat access
should reasonably go. The Lake Study Committee was very involved in
looking at a number of sites around the lake as far as potential boat
access. We had a number of citizen groups, including the Lotus Lake
Homeowners Assn. who did a tremendous amount of work in terms of potential
sites and more specifically, trying to identify what type of problems may
occur. The City Council, approximately two months ago, determined that a
task force should be selected to compile all of the information that had
been received and put together by the various groups.
The Carver Beach neighborhood has a quasi-public access that has been used
for a number of years by, primarily the neighborhood. It has been a
problem for that neighborhood and for the City for a good 10/15 year period
of time. Various times it had been chained off because of problems that
were occuring in that neighborhood. It's very difficult to get to that
boat access through the Carver Beach area. They are very narrow roads.
There is not reasonable parking but that is a quasi-public boat access.
The primary site was the park site that I spoke of earlier. The Park and
Recreation Commission had prepared a concept plan for the development of
that parcel. They were not considering developing the northerly portion.
That should most reasonably be sold or otherwise used for private develop-
ment. It was not necessary to have that five acres to meet park demands I
for that north corner of the community. Proposed uses in there included
softball fields, tennis, hockey, and primarily a nature area. It also
showed a public access. Because of the nature of this area it is a wetland
area. It serves as a wetland and assures that run-off from this area is
filtered out. It became an area of significant concern.
The other site reviewed by the study committee is the ONR site. The ONR
has developed a plan and they would be able to put a boat access in at this
site. This site lies south of Lotus Lake Estates and north of Colonial
Grove, right off Highway 101. There would be reasonable area in here for
parking. One real problem is that this is a wetland area in here. The
extent of environmental problems associated with this site is not as severe
as on the north site.
The last site reviewed by the committee is the Bloomberg property on the
south end of the lake. This is a total of 27 acres. Only a part of the
site would be used for boat access. The developer did approach the City.
He is interested in selling that land. Basically, what it would involve
would be a swap of land. Approximately eight acres in this area for the
five acre parcel in the north.
The recommendation of the study committee is that the City should not pur-
sue the boat access at the northerly site at this time but instead should
concentrate in attempting to put in a boat access at the southerly site.
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Tonight's public hearing is solely to give a go ahead or not on the north
parcel. If the City wishes to pursue an alternate site, whether it be the
ONR site or the Bloomberg site, a new public hearing would be required to
present the details associated with this alternate site. Again, the recom-
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Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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mendation of the task force is that the Council should deny issuing a con-
ditional use permit for a boat access for the northerly parcel and that the
City should pursue a boat access on the southerly parcel. The second part
of that recommendation was that if the City fails to be able to get a boat
access into this site, that the next site to look at would be the ONR site.
Acting Mayor Geving - I think the third alternative is a very important one
because if we fail to agree on either the north or the south sites, we
then would do nothing. We would lose the $100,000 grant and at that point
we would not have a public access.
Candy Takkunen - At the fourth of our five meetings, we were looking all of
these three alternatives, rather than closing the door and saying right
now, these are the three alternatives, is there any possibility that there
is any other land on Lotus Lake that might be suitable for a boat access
and because it appeared in the paper that prior to that or that it was Mr.
Bloomberg's idea that this be used as a boat access, I guess I really felt
it was necessary that we correct that. On a Tuesday night meeting it was
our idea that he be approached. We thought there was no possibility of
this ever occuring and it is not the fact that he approached us first. I
think it you look in your packet, the amount of dollars that it would take
to mitigate the kind of problems that you have going through the wetlands
in the northerly site, that the kind of dollars that are necessary are so
enormous that it makes the amount of LAWCON Funds look like a drop in the
bucket. Therefore, it would be silly to take those funds and have to add
an enormous amount to them in order to mitigate all the problems. Not
having known anything about boat accesses prior to this, it is a foregone
conclusion that there will be a boat access on Lotus Lake. If we don't put
it there, the DNR will put it there and I have a problem with that. That
boat access will have parking spaces for 12 car/trailer spaces. The ONR
site would require dredging which is something that is not the best use of
the lake.
Acting Mayor Geving - The task force that was formed on May 2nd had a for-
mable task. Their job was basically to come up with alternatives for the
Council to decide upon tonight. Their basic task was to go through the
amount of documentation that had been taken on this issue since 1976, and
it's very extensive, boil it all down, look at the sites and give us a firm
recommendation. They have done that. This is a very important issue for
the City of Chanhassen and, of course, for the people who live on the lake.
At this point I would like to open it up for discussion by those people who
wish to speak. Please limit your discussion to new information. The City
Manager gave you quite a bit of information and background on what the
recommendations of the task force are so try not to repeat those. Give us
new information if you will.
Raymond Schuyt - I would like to know, what is the ONR site. It wasn't
quite clear, to me as a new comer, whether the DNR could actually put
another site there, whether Chanhassen does do it or not. 00 we get two
boat sites?
Don Ashworth - The ONR purchased the parcel approximately three to four
years ago. It lies just south of Lotus Lake Estates. It's basically the
creek. They purchased this property primarily for a rough fish control
area. They have made it clear that if the City does not put a boat access
onto Lotus Lake in a place that we choose and that we control that they
will. One of the facts considered by the City is that if we do this we
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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will potentially have greater control over any boat access than if they do
it.
Raymond Schuyt - Ooes it include, if I look at my property, I recently did I
a survey-on-hOw far my property goes and it's almost in the creek. That
doesn't leave enough room on the north side of the creek so that to me that
means the boat access will be on the south side, right?
Acting Mayor Geving - That's the way I understand it.
Raymond Schuyt - In other words, I am looking at 101 which is a through
road which connects 5 and 7, a lot of people use that, so what you have if
they have their boat access there it will be, I think, a dangerous
situation for people coming with their boats and trailers. If nothing
happens, ONR will still pursue?
Acting Mayor Geving - The word that we have is that DNR would put in a
launching facility because they want to get in to do rough fish control.
Candy Takkunen - If we don't give them any other alternative, then they
have what they consider their alternative and that's their property. They
only require that we have one boat access and that it accomodate 12
car/trailer spaces.
Tom Schoenecker - I am representing the Park and Recreation Commission. I
would like to give a little background on the Lotus Lake Park area. The
reason that land was purchased is two-fold. At the time it was purchased,
the Park and Recreation Commission was given the task of finding a site for I
a boat access and at the same time we knew we had to find some property up
in that area for park and recreation purposes. In purchasing this piece of
property and knowing we could apply for these funds we felt we had two
things. We had the boat access and we had funds to help develop the land,
put the road in and open it up at least for further development in the
future. Our prime thought on that piece of land is that we want it for
recreational purposes. We aren't really fixed on having the boat access
there. However, we are fixed in getting a boat access because we do need
the LAWCON funds to develop that property. Last Tuesday, the Park and
Recreation Commission had the opportunity to visit and walk the Bloomberg
property. I did talk to Mike Lynch about it and they had a meeting after
that and they had a number of pros regarding the Bloomberg property.
Number 1 is you could put a boat access in there and it would have very
little impact on the wetland portion of the lake. It would probably be the
least expensive and one of the better places to put a boat access. Number
two, it would give us a piece of property at that end of the city to deve-
lop toward further park and recreation purposes. We don It have property
down there now. We are going to need it sometime in the future. The only
objection they could think of was how is it going to affect us getting the
LAWCON funds because we need those monies to develop that property. I got
this packet of material on Saturday and it's quite extensive going through
all that but in reading that I am assuming that if we do develop a boat
access and we could get the Bloomberg property it would not affect our
LAWCON funds. We still would have those funds. I
Acting Mayor Geving - I would like to have Oon glve us a review on that
because that was the very first question that we were concerned with. That
is to make sure that whatever happened, the impetus for building this boat
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Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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access was to secure the funds. We wouldn't be able to do it without the
LAWCON funds at any site on the lake.
Don Ashworth - The City made an application. We received that grant. It
was $113,000. That was solely for a boat access. Those monies can and
would be used to develop a boat access somewhere else. Any monies
remaining could be used up in this area but basically, the previous grant
application did not really include any grading for this site. In a review,
the costs of this access through this wetland area to put in a clay barrier
as being recommended by some of the experts would be up to $200,000 all by
itself. I anticipate that most of the money, the $113,000, would be used
to construct a road into the Bloomberg property, a turn around, parking
areas, etc. It would not affect in any way the $277,000 that we received
to purchase the site initially. We had that money to spend.
Acting Mayor Geving - The only thing they were concerned about is that the
five acres that were being proposed on the north end of the lake was equal
value to the eight acres that Mr. Bloomberg would swap with us. That's the
only thing that wanted to make sure because their feeling was that they had
invested $10,000 per acre in the land which we got through our grant, so
they would be looking at $50,000 from us if we didn't utilize that swap and
it didn't come out equal. They have told us that they would accept that as
long as the dollars matched up and they were not shorted on their $10,000
an acre.
Tom Schoenecker - Could I make one last statement regarding the last
meeting notes that the task force had. They came up with three recommen-
dations. Number one was to try to develop the Bloomberg property. We are
for that. Number two to allow DNR to develop theirs. The third recommen-
dation is really the one that I am primarily concerned with. The third
recommendation is to do nothing and then lose the LAWCON funds. I think
that our group would be against that recommendation.
Nadean Collver - I was wondering if we swap lots with Mr. Bloomberg, we
won It be sure that he won It put a dock on the lake.
Acting Mayor Geving - He can't.
Oon Ashworth - On the Bloomberg property, we could limit it to the 12 or 13
boat/trailer spaces that are required as a minimum. Again, if it's to go
on the ONR site, if they can put 30 of them in there, that's potentially
what they might do.
Nadean Collver - We have got a boat landing that1s so small in Carver
Beach, can we still use that?
Acting Mayor Geving - I would prefer not to bring that up at this time.
I cannot address your question. It1s a very good one and I understand your
problem but we are going to have to decide tonight whether or not we are
going to have a boat access and where it's going to be placed if we do.
Then sometime later, maybe in July or August, we are going to address the
Carver Beach lake lot frontage and the whole bit and the access to the lake
and at that time we will make that decision. I can assure you of one thing
that if we do develop a public boat access on Lotus Lake, it will be the
only one. At least that's my opinion. I have no idea how the other
Council members feel about this.
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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Myrna Kurvers - I wasn't so much interested in the Carver Beach landing but
I was wondering what was going to happen, if we were going to have two
parks on the land and what other lakes in Chanhassen could support two I
parks. It was my understanding that the ONR really felt that the size of
the lake only merited only a limited number of dock space and I was won-
dering what the City's feeling was.
Acting Mayor Geving - First of all we heard from the Park and Recreation
Commission, they were pleased in either event that we would have a park on
both the north end and south end of Lotus Lake and we already have a park
on the west end in Carver Beach.
Myrna Kurvers - My question was what other lakes does the City have more
than one park on the lake.
Acting Mayor Gevi~ - Lake Ann to a certain extend because we do own a good
share of the eastern side of the lake including Lake Ann Park and a portion
next to Greenwood Shores. I would say there are two park sites there now.
I suspect Minnewashta has, of course, the regional park and we also have a
launching facility on the west side. There are two also on Lake
Minnewashta that I am aware of.
Myrna Kurvers - The number of parking spaces for boats that the City recommends.
Acting Mayor Geving - There is a minimum by the granting of the LAWCON
grant. Oon indicated that if the ONR were to put in their own facility we
would have no control whatsoever. There could be any number that could go
in there and launch boats from the ONR site. The City would lose control.
Myrna Kurvers - My understanding was that the City would be open to more
spaces than the ONR.
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Acting Mayor Geving - No. That's one of the reasons why we are anxious to
have control of the lake through this public access. We would actually
have less than the ONR.
Myrna Kurvers - 00 you have an approximate number?
Acting Mayor Geving - No.
Councilwoman Swenson - The regulation is one boat for each 20 acres and I
would be very much surprised if the ONR did not stay with that also. That
is their basic guideline.
Oon Ashworth - The ONR has stated that they would
they developed the site. My only point there was
you don It know what may happen at a future date.
requirement to take and go through this type of a
only put in twelve if
the City doesn1t own it,
There would be no
process.
Acting Mayor Geving - It seems to me that if the ONR had such a location we
would have no control over when people could use the site. Whether it be
5:00 in the morning or 12:00 at night whereas we might have some control.
Fred Albrecht - Are there going to be hours on that park?
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Acting Mayor Geving - The City park does have hours. It has worked out
well at Lake Ann and any place else where we have had a City facility just
to protect it from vandalism.
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Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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Georgette Sosin - I would like to address this idea about the DNR. We have
had many converations with them. The DNR has control over every site that
is approved by them. There is no difference in the number or boats or the
hours. They would have the say no matter where that site is. I think that
we are under a misapprehension if you feel that the City is going to have
more control over our own site than over their site. The actual fact is
that for them to approve of the hours, it would have to be the same as
anyone using it on the lake no matter whether it's on City owned land or
whether it's on their own land. That, I think, is a very important thing
to remember. I would also like to mention that the ONR site and I am not
speaking for one or the other here, the ONR site really is not in the
wetlands area. There is some emergent vegetation there but it is not on
the map as part of the wetlands. Another point that I would like to make
about comparison here is that the dredging amount which would occur in the
ONR site as opposed to the Lotus Lake site, is very different. There would
be 50 feet of dredging in the DNR site as opposed to 250 feet in the Lotus
Lake Park site. .
Henry Sosin - I would like to make two additional points. You are talking
about LAWCON funds which are federal monies that the City has got for
construction of a boat access and you are talking about losing LAWCON funds
if the City doesn't create their own boat access versus allowing the ONR to
exercise their right to build their access on their site. The City really
as I understand it, if all of the LAWCON funds were to be used to build the
boat access, would not lose anything by not utilizing because if that were
true, the City decided not to build the City access and to suggest to the
ONR that the ONR go ahead and build their own, the DNR would use state funds.
Now, obviously those LAWCON funds are federal tax money and you might say
we will get a few more dollars back in Chanhassen if we use federal tax
money but in reality on the City property there would be no added expen-
diture because the ONR foots the bill for building their own access. They
would build the access, the ramps, the road, the parking lot for 12 cars
and trailers the same way the City would use LAWCON funds to build their
own. So I don't think that is a big bug-a-boo or it should be a big bug-a-
boo. I realize the discussion tonight is limited to yes or no, boat access
in the northern park and I would like to just state that the Lotus Lake
Homeowners Association, through their board, has unanimously voted that if
they have one say whatsoever, that it not be placed in the northerly site
in that park for two major reasons, one are the environmental concerns in
terms of the destruction of the wetland which is there and the second major
problem is that if it's built in conjunction with a large park, such as
what is going in on the north side where there are approximately 300 more
parking spaces available, the possibility of overutilization of the boat
launch and having too many boats on the lake at one time making it very
unsafe for everyone is a very real problem.
Ric Murray - We own the site adjacent to the park site and I would like to
ask has there been any time schedule placed on that? If we put a boat
access in there, does it speed it up in any way or does it slow it down in
any way versus whether Mr. Bloomberg ends up with the north portion there.
Don Ashworth - The land was purchased so that the City would have park
lands when Near Mountain development occurred and when your own occurred.
The City does not have any immediate plans to improve this property. There
really is not the need for it until some of that housing does occur nor do
we really have the money. In one way it may have speeded it up in that it
would have required this road construction for the boat access.
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
-8-
Ric Murray - Would Mr. Bloomberg have any requirement for the development
or-that?
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Don Ashworth - We did not discuss what we may look to there. The original
discussion occurred in terms of potentially the City purchasing that eight
acres. It was really the City that approached him in terms of saying that
we had this portion of the property that we would not need as far as park
purposes and would he consider that.
Acting Mayor Geving - As early as 1978 the City platted that area for sale.
We never intended to do anything but develop that for single family
housing.
Ric Murray - There are $50,000 or $60,000 worth of specials.
Acting Mayor Gev~ - Yes, we have a considerable investment in that area.
Ric Murray - It would be nice if the rest of the taxpayers did not have to
pay for that.
Acting Mayor Geving - That's another subject.
Oon Ashworth - That was one of the reasons that we did consider that
because there are individual sewer and water stubs into that property and
from a park standpoint this lower acreage had far less of a cost on a unit
basis.
Ric Murray - One last question, it's about the Bloomberg site, is there any I
dredging required on the Bloomberg site?
Don Ashworth - The ONR visited the site along with state planning, their
initial look at the property was that that would be no dredging required.
We did not go through the measurement technique.
Ric Murray - It seems to me if we are looking at that much dredging on
north or the ONR site that the Bloomberg site is a viable alternative. You
have got $113,000 to use and I think to best serve the City and the com-
munity would be to put it where it would do the most.
Are there any set hours for public boat launching? I am just
wondering if you are going to set the hours in the park and somebody wants
to come in there to use the boat access, what are you going to do?
Councilman Horn - That was one of the problems with this proposal is that
it would have-extended the park hours for normal park use much longer than
what the City would have wanted.
Candy Takkunen - Sixteen or 18 hours but you set the hours that it is open.
Mrs. Tock - I have been hearing about this Bloomberg property. I have been
hearing-about the north end and the south end. Now what I am concerned
about is where is the original state opening? There is a map but some way I
or another it has disappeared from the courthouse. We did have it at one
time but in our process of moving I have misplaced it.
Acting Mayor Geving - I think things have changed a lot in the years just
since I have here. I have seen a lot more development around the lakes.
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Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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You are seeing things that because of time and change are going to change
the density of the lake, the look of the lake and how we react to it. I
don't know if there was an original access to the lake and quite frankly I
really don It care.
~ Krey - I personally don It care whether that site is developed for a
boat launch or not but I do look for some sort of a site for boat launching
because I would like access to the lake. If the DNR developes a site
rather than Chanhassen, what time frame would they be looking at?
Acting Mayor Geving - That's a very speculative question because they would
react to whatever our decision is tonight and without knowing what our
decision is going to be I can It tell you how the DNR might react tomorrow
morning. If we do nothing then I can assure you the DNR is going to do
something and quite frankly it could be next year.
Candy Takkunen - Con Leckler from the DNR said that she thought three or
four years.
Marilyn Holter - President of Sunrise Hills. At this time I would like to
say I am representing 58 families and we definitely support the position of
the Lotus Lake Homeowners Association which is not to approve the north
boat access.
David Blackowiak - I live at 335 Pleasant View Road. If that boat access
does not go through, does that park not go through?
Acting Mayor Geving - I can assure you that at some time when we get enough
money 40gether we are going to develop that north Lotus Lake park and put
in ball diamonds and a tennis court and whatever else has been sketched on
that plan. It's going to happen. It may take the development of Near
Mountain. It may take Ric Murray or someone else to develop their land.
There are literally hundreds of units to be developed in that area.
David Blackowiak - I am also representing Mr. Lundquist and he is the per-
son that owns the property across Pleasant View Road. Pollution control,
with the people going through there, how is that going to be handled and
taken care of with all the traffic. He is not developing his land right
away. Three years ago, because of the woods back there, there has been a
lot of kids back there, a lot of destruction, a lot of dumping and we also
had some waste dumped back there and that is another concern that we have.
If the boat access does go through, which I don't want, but if it does go
through, more boats can park there that causes more people bringing more
bottles and more people will be going by that woods and more people will be
cutting down and destroying his property and they are doing that right now
and we are trying to control that. It's kind of hard because there is not
enough police force and enough people to watch around it because it's not
developed and we don't want it developed because of the nature that is
there.
Acting Mayor Geving - We are trying to do the best we can to police that
area now.
Councilman Horn - Your position is though you would oppose a boat access at
that site.
David Blackowiak - I would not oppose the boat access.
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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Tim Rashleger - I am adjacent to the ONR property. I think it was a
pleasant surprise to find the group searching out an alternative site to
the north site. Although it is about a divided vote in our community to I
that site or not to use that site. I think the reason for that was a lot
of people simply want a site. They want to be able to get their boat in
and our of this lake and as you know our community has not had the ability
to get lake access. Living over there I can tell you first hand in fishing
the lake often in both those sites, I think are terribly poor site in lieu
of the fact that there are so many other better choices on the lake.
However, if I had to choose between one of those sites certainly I would
pick that you would develop one of them even if it's the one adjacent to my
property. I think in lieu of the fact that you have an alternative third
site which certainly doesn't have the destruction of nature, the highway
access problems, by the way the ONR property does support a great deal of
wildlife, that it would be foolish to invest the kind of resources, money
and the problems that you are going to develop with the lake here and the
amount of silt you are going to turn up, the amount of dredging involved
with both those sites, the third site option that you have here certainly,
I would .think would be the one to exercize.
Acting Mayor Geving - Are you speaking for the Lotus Lake Estates
Homeowners Association?
Tim Rashleger - I am not, in fact I think had they been more aware and I
don It know where we are missing the boat, I think our outlook would have
been much different. We had chosen our site on a very close margin.
Acting Mayor Geving - Would it have had something to do with the fact that I
you abut the ONR site?
Tim Rashleger - Certainly I am prejudiced I supposed to that but that site
~back of me is probably a better site than the one on the north side if I
was to be completely honest. That north site is just a terrible site. I
am concerned if you choose the ONR site or choose to do nothing that this
thing is going to drag on forever and the City of Chanhassen, I believe,
certainly deserves to have a site as convenient and accessible to them. I
think this site has a great advantage in being closer to the City or the
majority of the people than having to drive down 101 where I think you will
have a lot of influence from the Eden Prairie people if you use the ONR
site. The ONR site does support a great deal of wildlife and I can't
believe they can go in there without destroying some of that.
Candy Peterson - We have a real problem where we live during the summer and
the winter. We have had people parking their boat trailers and their
snowmobile trailers right in front of our driveway. I am against the north
side as is my husband and some of our neighbors that we have talked with.
We would like to see as little dredging done as possible. Also, limiting
the amount of people that can use the lake to as few as possible. I am
real concerned with safety. We have had skiiers coming right up to the
beach area where there are children playing and dropping off right there.
There has been lots of trash there. Sometimes almost to the point of being
disgusting. There has been no pick up. The trash gets carried around and I
blown around. My concern is that it not be put in the north site. I would
like to different location that doesn't threaten the wetlands as much.
John vonWolter - If the north site were chosen and accepted and approved
~all this dredging would have to be done, wouldn1t this have to be
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Council Meeting June 13, 1983
- 11 -
redredged periodically?
Acting Mayor Geving - Yes. I think it depends on a lot of factors that we
have no control over. It isn't a one time deal. Once you build it you still
have to maintain it.
Myrna Kurvers - Regardless of where this park will be, how does the City
propose to differentiate parking spaces for boat access and the parking
spaces for park?
Don Ashworth - Realize the parking requirements for a boat trailer, the
physical size of a trailer spot is much larger than that for just a
vehicle. The lots would be built in such a way that they can solely hold
just a car and the areas designated for boat trailer would be limited to
13. I would look to a gate keeper type of operation. The City would have
to carry out some form of control to insure the number of vehicles, type of
usage, we would be maintaining the property.
Candy Takkunen - As a member of the Public Safety Commission I wouldn1t
have a problem with instructing the Sheriff and his deputies to ticket,
very strongly, people who were parked, it's not difficult to post the
parking areas for a park that says no trailers.
Tom Seifert - You have an open boat launching area now in Carver Beach and
it1s free and if you are talking about limiting access, therefore, looking
at charging for boat launching in the future?
Candy Takkunen - I am of the understanding that charging is not looked
highly upon by the ONR. Whatever site is chosen, it will be the only
public access.
Tom Seifert - That's what has me a little bit concerned. We have a free
boat launching area now.
Candy Takkunen - Except that it does not have any parking facilities. It
doesn't meet the ONR's qualifications for a boat launch.
Frank Kurvers - I am a little bit concerned on the Bloomberg property as
far as the assessed value of that property. I understand it's 250 feet on
the lake. We look at that value, that's a quarter of a million dollars.
We already got the ONR site so I would like to have you consider that
that's a quarter of a million dollars without houses on the property.
Georgette Sosin - I just wanted to make a comment about ticketing and
controlling boats. I got a chance to speak with Officer Bengson from the
Water Patrol and he says that there is no way that there could be any kind
of control over people bringing boats and trailers into the lake and going
home with their cars and trailers so I would like for you to keep in mind
that even though there will be a way to limit parking to 12 spaces, those
people who live near by and wish to put a boat in and go back home and walk
have every right to use that site. The density and where it's located all
that is very important.
Councilman Horn - They can do that today.
Acting Mayor Geving - And I think they do do that. I saw a person do that
Sunday on Lotus Lake.
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
- 1 2-
Mrs. Tock - Talking about controlling with the police, they are supposed to
come down at least once every 24 hours and I have yet to see, over the week
end unless we call, that there is a patrol car down there. I don't know I
how they could possibly patrol that lake and control it. There is entirely
too many boats out there.
Acting Mayor Geving - I have to say this in defense of the police patrol,
you know we have in Chanhassen roughly 50 miles of streets. We have 26 square
mi les of property within our boundaries and to see those patrol people down
there every day or once a week, I don't know how often they get down there,
but I know they do. May be the next time they drive by your house I'll
have them honk the horn or something. If you would need them, they would
be there.
Frank Kurvers - What kind of action are you actually going to take tonight?
Acting ~ayor Gevi~ - The purpose of the meeting tonight is to determine
whether or not we approve or deny a boat access on the north Lotus Lake
Park area and we amend the existing conditional use permit for that park.
That's the action we are going to take tonight. Once we have made that
decision we will go on to the next phase.
Ken Erickson - I guess I understand the need on the lake for a public
access and the ONR's desire to have one and insist that there will be one.
I have lived on the lake for 23 years and have seen that traffic grow. I
would hope you would minimize the number of parking spaces necessary.
Bob Ools - I think what we are talking about in general is a regional I
recreational facilities. It is not going to be limited to residents of
Chanhassen and the LAWCON funds as they are currently established don't
fill the full funding needs of the ramp site, that's my understanding.
There is going to be a short fall and the short fall is going to come out
of taxpayers money. The same would probably be true of the south site. I
don It think there is any assessment yet that's been done relative to the
costs to develop that particular site. Mr. Kurvers alluded to the loss of
potential tax base. The gentleman from B-T Land Company alluded to some
existing facilities at the north site that are in that we would like to get
our money back on. From a taxpayers point of view, I am much more in favor
of seeing the Oepartment of Natural Resources develop their own site using
monies that are collected from a much broader neighborhood than what we
have got in this community. I don't feel I should be supporting a
recreational facility that is going to be used potentially as heavily by
Eden Prairie or Minnetonka or other communities. Consequently I am advo-
cating that we do nothing and go with the ONR site.
Bill Kirkvold - Has there been any discussion of limiting the size of boats
or motors that would be able to use this access and have you talked about
any hours of operation?
Councilman Horn - There is no way that you can limit the horsepower on one
access alon~It has to be consistent across the entire lake.
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Acting Mayor Geving - There are hours but only gross hours in terms of
number of hours a day.
Bill Lenzmeier - You say that in that park you would only let like 12 boats
but you also say that anybody can put in there and take their trailer out
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Council Meeting June 13, 1983
-13-
of there so there are already going to be safety problems. Let's say
another ten people put in there, leave with their trailer, when you have
the 12. You have no control. The lake can be full of boats.
Councilman Horn - The point is we are giving 12 additional parking spots.
As far as a-person who can take their boat to the lake and drive home, you
have that condition today.
Councilwoman Swenson - There is a park on the east side of Lake Riley and
itls essentially the same type of park that we are ta)king about and on
Riley we have a restriction of 15 boats, 15 trailer site parking areas.
This park is monitored over the week ends and when those 15 trailer spots
are filled that launch is closed. If you live across the lake and I do
have neighbors who tried to get their boat in and they won't let them in.
Now, I don It know what the rules and regulations are but this is the effect
of the practice there so it could be that this is something I think perhaps
we should pursue.
Acting Mayor Geving - I can predict that if this goes in, the homeowners in
the adjacent areas would say, hay, I don It want those people to park their
trailers in front of my house, I want a no parking sign placed there. If
that happens then we will put in the no parking signs and we will put a
stop to that. We have done it to our own people. Cutting off the ability
to use Lake Lucy, Lake Ann, and certainly Lotus Lake by putting in some of
those very restrictive measures but it has helped cut down on people just
coming into Chanhassen from wherever and pulling up with their boat,
dropping the boat off and parking it somewhere.
Les Elleson - Like Bob Ools said earlier, where is the money going to come
for all of this. It seems to me that the DNR spot, they will control, they
will keep up every year, we don't have to keep up every year. That's less
money that we will as taxpayers have to spend. We can1t even afford a
police department here yet.
Councilwoman Swenson moved to close the public hearing. Motion seconded by
Councilman Horn. The following voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving,
Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative votes.
Hearing closed at 9:10 p.m.
NORTH LOTUS LAKE BOAT ACCESS:
Councilwoman-swenson-- I am in favor of eliminating the boat access site
from the north Lotus Lake Park.
Councilman Horn - I totally support Pat's position.
Councilwoman Watson - I agree.
Acting Mayor Geving - I, too, feel that the damage to the very nature of
that north Lotus Lake area would be extreme if we were to dredge out a lot
of that material to put in a launch facility and I am not in favor of doing
that.
Councilwoman Swenson moved to deny the boat access at Lotus Lake Park.
Motion seconded by Councilwoman Watson. The following voted in favor:
Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Watson and Swenson, Councilman Horn.
No negative vote3. Motion carried.
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
- 1 4-
Councilwoman Watson moved to direct staff to begin the process of looking
into the Bloomberg property and to discuss with ONR to make sure the grant
illoney will be applicable based on the decision made this evening. Staff I
will establish a public hearing date and prepare a financial analysis on
the property including special assessment information. Motion seconded by
Councilman Horn. The following voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving,
Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative votes.
Motion carried.
CONTINUATION OF BOARO OF REVIEW
The City Manager stated that he had generally discussed remaining parcels
to be reviewed this evening with the Mayor. Recommendations being made are
believed to be consistent with the actions of June 6, 1983, i.e. value of
wooded acreage, waste, tillable, homesite, lakeshore, and minimum values.
Individual lots in Carver Beach were set at $500 each. Some minimum values
from the June 6, 1983, meeting were changed to insure consistency with the
$500 standard, i.e. some lots reviewed during the early part of the June 6,
1983, meeting were set at $100 - $200. Increasing these was necessary,
again, for consistency. (Changes would result in tax bills of less than
$5.00 for these separately owned and platted parcels.)
Ken Erickson
25-821-0020
Councilman Horn moved to set the 1983 value at a total of $174,100. Motion
seconded by Councilwoman Swenson. The following voted in favor: Acting
Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman Horn. No nega-
tive votes. Motion carried.
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Steven Holter
25-821-0010
Mr. Holter noted that his home is assessed at a Grade Level 8 while other
homes in the neighborhood are at a lower grade level.
Councilman Horn moved to accept the $196,690 (land $86,700, buildings
$109,990) with the recommendation that the County Assessor re-evaluate the
grade system used on the structure. Motion seconded by Acting Mayor
Geving. The following voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen
Swenson and Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative votes. Motionc carried.
Alice Hess & Ruth Honaas
25-630-0020
Acting Mayor Geving moved that no change be made in the 1983 valuation.
Motion seconded by Councilwoman Swenson. The following voted in favor:
Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman Horn. No
negative votes. Motion carried.
Nigel Chilvers
25-285-0020
Councilman Horn moved to approve the adjusted 1983 valuation of $30,000
land and $68,500 building. Motion seconded by Acting Mayor Geving. The
following voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and I
Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative votes. Motion carried.
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Council Meeting June 13, 1983
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Keith Bartz
25-013-6000
Councilman Horn moved to accept the Mayor/City Manager's recommendation of
$148,100. Motion seconded by Councilwoman Watson. The following voted in
favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman
Horn. No negative votes. Motion carried.
Louise Fenger
25-012-4800
Acting Mayor Geving moved to set the 1983 valuation at $60,000 for land and
$91,400 for buildings. Motion seconded by Councilman Horn. The following
voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and Watson,
Councilman Horn. No negative votes. Motion carried.
Timothy Bernier
25-013-4300
Acting Mayor Geving moved to
seconded by Councilman Horn.
Geving, Councilwomen Swenson
votes. Motion carried.
make no change in the 1983 valuation. Motion
The following voted in favor: Acting Mayor
and Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative
Chanhassen Springs Company
25-035-0100
The City Manager recommended
$500 per acre.
changing the pasture and woods acreages to
Councilwoman Watson moved to
seconded by Councilman Horn.
Geving, Councilwomen Swenson
votes. Motion carried.
reduce the 1983 valuation by $27,500. Motion
The following voted in favor: Acting Mayor
and Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative
Lawrence Wenzel
25-006-0200
Acting Mayor Geving moved to
seconded by Councilman Horn.
Geving, Councilwomen Swenson
votes. Motion carried.
make no change in the 1983 valuation. Motion
The following voted in favor: Acting Mayor
and Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative
Arnold Hed
25-170-0060
The City Manager recommended the land valuation be changed to $60,000.
Acting Mayor Geving moved to set the 1983 valuation at $60,000 for land and
$82,500 for buildings. Motion seconded by Councilwoman Watson. The
following voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and
Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative votes. Motion carried.
E. Jerome Carlson, et al
25-565-0010, 25-565-0020, 25-565-0030, 25-565-0040, 25-565-0050,
25-565-0060, 25-565-0090
Councilwoman Swenson to accept the County
valuations for Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6,
Two. Motion seconded by Councilman Horn.
Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson
negative votes. Motion carried.
Assessor's adjusted 1983
Block 1, and Lot 2, Block 3, Park
The following voted in favor:
and Watson, Councilman Horn. No
Council Meeting June 13, 1983
- 16-
Roger Byrne
25-160-1120
Councilman Horn moved to accept the County Assessor's adjusted 1983 I
valuation of $3,800. Motion seconded by Councilwoman Swenson. The
following voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and
Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative votes. Motion carried.
Glen Grenier
25-160-0580
Councilman Horn moved to accept the County Assessor's adjusted 1983
valuation. Motion seconded by Councilwoman Watson. The following voted in
favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman
Horn. No negative votes. Motion carried.
Frank Beddor
25-002-0600
Acting Mayor Geving moved to set the 1983 valuation for the Frank Beddor
property at $265,850 ($38,500 second house and $227,350 for main house and
land). Motion seconded by Councilwoman Swenson. The following voted in
favor: Acting Mayor Geving, Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman
Horn. No negative votes. Motion carried.
SPECIAL MEETING: A meeting will be held June 21st, instead of June 20th.
Members of the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission will be present to
discuss the Lake Ann/Lake Virginia Forcemain.
A motion was made by Councilman Horn and seconded by Councilwoman Swenson
to adjourn. The following voted in favor: Acting Mayor Geving, I
Councilwomen Swenson and Watson, Councilman Horn. No negative votes.
Motion carried.
Oon Ashworth
City Manager
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