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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, February 22, 2021 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 4 of 10 <br /> <br />14. DIAMOND LAKE REGIONAL TRAIL MASTER PLAN UPDATE (REMOTE) –Continued <br /> <br />they do not drive a trail right through someone’s lot and that is what it looks like on the map she was <br />shown. <br /> <br />Crosby said specifically the Tamarack area. <br /> <br />Seals pulled it up on Hennepin County and it does go right between and it does not look good. <br />Walsh wants to read a couple of things that were sent to the Council. One is from Chuck Morrison, who <br />was just notified and could not be here tonight. They are in receipt of the plan, the trail, and the various <br />routes, and are shocked that they would have a trail that would go through their backyard. Walsh does <br />not know the specifics but those are Mr. Morrison’s comments. He said they definitely oppose the <br />western-most route to the greatest extent provided under law. Mr. Morrison’s understanding is that upset <br />residents on other routes that utilize existing easements and transportation corridors have managed to <br />convince them that it should instead run through private property. There are no easements or existing <br />corridors on Mr. Morrison’s property or his neighbors’ properties. Walsh received another comment from <br />Robin Johnson who owns two properties on Tamarack, 1155 and 1325 Tamarack (one is in Orono, one is <br />in Medina) and they have about 38 acres and are opposed to any trail going through either of their <br />properties. Ms. Johnson thinks that would affect their property values, quality of life, etcetera. Walsh <br />noted those are two people who would be very opposed and he thinks as a Council they would be opposed <br />to any trail trying to go through private property or needing to take property besides all the existing <br />easements and roadways they currently have in place. <br /> <br />Mr. Crosby brought over a google map to show a little more clarity on CR 6 because the area they are <br />talking about is right at the edge of the corridor map. He clarified they are talking about the trail coming <br />along Spring Hill Road up to the CR 6 intersection and then heading north up Tamarack Drive. The <br />current preferred alignment would then head due west to the corner of the Scientific and Natural Area and <br />then head north. He pointed out the area where Chuck Morrison lives off of Knoll Manor Road and said <br />the other letter of concern was from a neighbor. He said the trail would come up Tamarack and then head <br />west, just north of Knoll Manor Road where these houses are. <br /> <br />Walsh said there are no existing easements there currently, it is just the route they would like to bring it <br />through. <br /> <br />Mr. Crosby said that is correct. <br /> <br />Crosby said that would be a problem. <br /> <br />Seals said that is a bona-fide no on that. <br /> <br />Walsh would have a hard time supporting that particular route. <br /> <br />Crosby said on the other maps they were seeing, everything was south of that area. <br /> <br />Mr. Crosby said that is correct. He thinks it might be helpful to notice that as they come through Old <br />Long Lake Road the intent of the Master Plan would be not to utilize any private property, but they could <br />put the trail in the existing road right-of-way. That likely would not occur until there is a project to <br />improve Old Long Lake Road right through the area, so there would be some modifications made to