City Council - 05/04/2004 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP/OPEN FORUM
TUESDAY,MAY 4, 2004 CITY CENTER
6:30—7:00 PM, Council Chamber
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Councilmembers Sherry Butcher, Ron Case,
Jan Mosman, and Philip Young
CITY STAFF: City Manager Scott Neal,Parks &Recreation Director Bob Lambert,Public
Works Director Eugene Dietz, City Planner Michael Franzen, City Attorney Roger Pauly and
Council Recorder Theresa Brundage
I. WORKSHOP
There was no Workshop this week.
II. OPEN FORUM
A. MAGGIE GAGE—CITY PARK PROPERTY ON SPYGLASS DRIVE
Resident Dave Riley spoke,representing residents of the Chimney Pines
neighborhood who received letters from the City requesting them to return to its
original state the portion of their land along the Minnesota River that belongs to
the City. Riley presented photos and requested that landscaping already done on
this portion of land be allowed to remain because of erosion and fire control. He
said if the landscaping were removed, it could create significant erosion problems
and in other areas would become a buckthorn patch which would be a fire hazard.
Riley requested that Council review the affected properties and allow the
homeowners to leave the landscaping as is.
Butcher asked Stuart Fox if there is a threat of fire hazard in the area. Fox said
there are a number of areas up and down the Minnesota River bluffs that are steep
and there is no guarantee.
Lambert said there are just over 1500 acres in Eden Prairie that are considered
natural lands and he recommended not allowing the request.
Case said he visited the properties in January and some of the encroachments are
very obvious. He suggested having Fox review each case and report back on what
needs to be done. He said he is asking that the decision be made with the City
having Mr. Fox present.
Young said if the City starts permitting exceptions, someone will come back next
year with a different definition of what's right.
OPEN FORUM
May 4,2004
Page 2
Tyra-Lukens said the Council will get back to the property owners regarding this
issue.
III. OPEN PODIUM
Nobody spoke during Open Podium.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Tyra-Lukens adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m.