Minutes of Regular Meeting # 706 Held in the Lake Elmo City Council Chambers
Thursday, May 13, 2004

CALL TO ORDER President Bucheck called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS There were no announcements.

CITIZENS= ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT Chuck Taylor was not present, but had mailed the lake levels report to the managers.

SECRETARY=S REPORT Secretary Scheel reported that he had distributed the mail.

INSPECTOR=S REPORT Inspector Roemmich was absent. There was no report.

ATTORNEY=S REPORT Attorney Marshall said he had nothing new to report.

TREASURER=S REPORT Treasurer Borash had not yet arrived at this time.

ENGINEER=S REPORT Permit Request: Whistling Valley 2^nd Addition, Lake Elmo Engineer Hanson presented information on a project located directly northwest of the County Road 10 (10^th Street North) and Keats Avenue intersection, City of Lake Elmo in the SE 1/4 of Section 27, Township 29 North, Range 21 West. The purpose of the project is to construct 18 residential lots, about three-fourths of a mile of roadway, about 0.8 miles of trail, seven stormwater ponds, and a wetland replacement and banking site.

The site lies directly east of the Whistling Valley (1^st) Addition, and the north lobe of Goose Lake. The southern sixth of the site drains to the north lobe of Goose Lake. Goose Lake and the northern portion of the site drain to Eagle Point Lake. Goose Lake is considered semi-landlocked. Typically, the lake does not overflow, but it does overflow in the 100-year annual event. The 100-yuear flood level of Goose Lake was established by the District at an elevation slightly above the lake=s overflow.

After much discussion of the wetland concerns, the water management concerns, and the erosion control concerns, motion was made by Scheel and seconded by Johnson to approve Permit # 2004-06 with the engineer=s suggested site-specific conditions and standard conditions, and the conditions added by the managers. Motion carried unanimously.

After discussion of the wetland concerns, the water management concerns, and the erosion control concerns, motion was made by Scheel and seconded by Johnson to approve Permit # 2004-13 with the engineer=s suggested site-specific conditions and standard conditions. Motion carried unanimously.

President Bucheck addressed the landowner, and said that the area needs to be covered and seeded because of the sensitive area to which the land drains. He told Mr. Walker that it would have made it easier if he had come to the VBWD managers for a permit for the whole plan before beginning the project. He then asked for Mr. Walker=s cooperation in getting the soil covered and seeded to avoid erosion from a possible rain storm.

After discussion of the water management concerns and the erosion control concerns, motion was made by Johnson and seconded by Borash to approve Permit # 2004-14 with the engineer=s amended suggested site-specific conditions and standard conditions. Motion carried unanimously.

City of Afton Mayor, Charlie Devine, commented that he appreciated Barr Engineering coming out to the site, at the request of the City of Afton, because they didn=t know what was occurring. He said that the City will also require grading plans and drawings before a permit is issued.

Stormwater Routing Opinion Request: 50^th Street/Hill Trail Reconstruction, Lake Elmo Engineer Hanson had mailed a memorandum from the City of Lake Elmo=s engineer regarding stormwater routing in the 50^th Street/Hill Trail area. In reconstructing Hill Trail near Olson Lake in Lake Elmo last year, the City of Lake Elmo installed storm sewer to convey runoff. Residentes of the area asked that the managers work with the City to investigate options for providing additional treatment to the runoff before the storm sewer discharges the runoff to Olson Lake. The City has reviewed the option of diverting runoff into a semi-landlocked wetland north of 50^th Street and Olson Lake. The City=s Engineer does not recommend the diversion, but would like the opinion of the VBWD managers on whether to pursue this option.

President Bucheck said it doesn=t look like there is an apparent solution. He suggested that the City=s engineer meet with the VBWD engineer to see if there are any other alternatives that make sense.

Watershed Diversion Opinion Request: Schiltgen Farm 180 acres from Old Village & Downs Lake to Sunfish Lake, Lake Elmo Engineer Hanson had mailed information on certain drainage issues in the City of Lake Elmo. To reduce flooding in the Old Village Area of Lake Elmo, the City=s engineer has reviewed a scenario of diverting runoff from the farm field north of Highway 5 and west of Lake Elmo Avenue away from the Old Village and into Sunfish Lake. The City=s engineer would like the VBWD managers= opinion before doing a detailed analysis.

President Bucheck said the managers would like to see the calculations done on Sunfish Lake, and he directed the District=s Engineer to work with the City of Lake Elmo to evaluate the impacts of the proposed diversion.

Permit Request: Settler=s Ridge Parkway, Woodbury Engineer Hanson described a project located on Cottage Grove Drive from 1000 feet south of Brookview Road to 3010 feet north of Brookview Road; Brookview Road from Cottage Grove Drive to 2500 feet to the west, Woodbury in the east and south lines of Section 2, Township 28 North, Range 21 West. The purpose of the project is to make street and utility improvements for Cottage Grove Drive (renamed Settler=s Ridge Parkway south of future Eastview Road) and Brookview Road, including constructing a 10-foot wide bituminous path on the west side of Cottage Grove Drive.

After discussion of the water management concerns, the wetland concerns, and the erosion control concerns, motion was made by Johnson and seconded by Scheel to approve Permit # 2004-15 with the engineer=s suggested site-specific conditions and standard conditions, as well as the managers= amended conditions. Motion carried unanimously.

Update: Project 1007 Maintenance Engineer Hanson reported that the maintenance work on Project 1007 is completed. He had mailed a summary of the work completed as of 05/05/04. The cost is slightly higher than the estimate. He also said that when the contractor was removing debris from the Lake Elmo outlet pipe, it was determined that the pipe joints had become separated. The contractor hadn=t estimated the cost to reconnect the pipe at this time. Motion made by Scheel and seconded by Johnson to direct Engineer Hanson to work with the contractor to arrive at a time and expenses price for connecting the joints in the pipe. Motion carried unanimously.

Motion was made by Johnson and seconded by Scheel to make a check payable to F. F. Jedlicki, Inc., for $21,383 for payment of Project 1007 Maintenance work done up until 05/05/04. Motion carried unanimously.

Permit Fees and Cash Sureties At the last meeting the managers directed Engineer Hanson to gather information on the current structure of permit fees. Engineer Hanson had mailed information in the managers= packet on the current fee schedule, but will provide more information at the next meeting.

Update: Silver Lake Bioretention Project Engineer Hanson had mailed a draft of the letter requesting the Metropolitan Council for an extension to the existing June 30, 2004 contract for the Silver Lake Bioretention Treatment and Implementation and Assessment project, as well as a progress report requesting payment. The letters are written for President Bucheck=s signature. The managers approved the letters and directed Engineer Hanson to place President Bucheck=s signature on the letters electronically.

Presentation Request: Town Meeting Sponsored by the Afton Citizens= Forum, June 3, 2004 Engineer Hanson said that a Town meeting, sponsored by the Afton Citizen=s Forum, will be held June 3, 2004. He said that he and Secretary Scheel had attended the citizens= Town Meeting about two years ago, and have been requested to attend again. The managers agreed that they should attend the town meeting and make presentations as requested.

Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District=s WaterFest Engineer Hanson had mailed a copy of the brochure for the WaterFest held annually by the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District at Lake Phalen. This year=s event will be held on Saturday, May 22^nd. It is an interesting event and the attendance grows each year.

Update: Raleigh Creek Restoration in the Anna=s Grove Subdivision Engineer Hanson had mailed a memorandum discussing the Anna=s Grove Replacement Wetland Repairs. He described how the repair project will be accomplished to restore and widen the berm, restore the channel, and provide a pipe connection between the channel and the replacement wetland in order to provide water to the wetland. The estimated cost of the repair is in the $15,000 range. President Bucheck directed Engineer Hanson to finalize the plans for the next meeting.

Richard Welch - Anna=s Grove Issues Richard Welch, a resident of Anna=s Grove, had come to previous meetings to inform the managers of a proposed development on the property known as the Raleigh property, which is north of the Anna=s Grove subdivision. At this meeting he and two other neighbors were present to discuss the pipeline that crosses the Raleigh property. Mr. Welch distributed a detailed summary of the Koch Pipeline crossing the Raleigh Property, and a AProposed Pipeline Integrity Management Options@. He is concerned for the safety of the community because of the pipeline that crosses the property.

MANAGERS= REPORT Next Meeting - May 27, 2004 The managers expect a quorum to be present on May 27^th . President Bucheck said he will be absent.

Sunnybrook Lake President Bucheck said that Lyle Doerr had visited with him before the meeting began, to explain that his mother-in-law, Margaret Drusch, is now living in a nursing home. She is the owner of the property on Keats Pond, which would be affected by the proposed project to alleviate flooding around Sunnybrook Lake. Mr. Doerr has decided he needs to sell the home, and said he may turn it over to a realtor in the next few weeks. He said he wanted the managers to be aware of this, in case the VBWD was planning on purchasing the home. The managers agreed, after discussing it with Attorney Marshall, that since the District isn=t in a position to begin the project, the District cannot ask Mr. Doerr to refrain from attempting to sell the home. President Bucheck directed Attorney Marshall to contact Mr. Doerr with this information.