07-22-1996 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gale & Janet Putnam ^ \m'> 1365 Tonkawa Rd Wayzata, MN 55391 July 10, 1996 Mayor and City Council Members City of Orono 2750 Kelley Parkway PO Box 66 Orono, MN 55323 Re: DNR BOAT LAUNCH SITE ON TONKAWA AND CO ROAD 51 We live on Tonkawa Road directly across the street from the DNR boat launch site that is being developed. This past weekend Gale was talking to our next door neighbor, who asked him why we had not been at the meetings regarding the boat launch? Gale said what meetings, and how did you know when they were? Our neighbor informed him that the> had received letters informing them of the meetings. Today Gale called the DNR to find out what was going on and to ask why we had not been kept informed. They told him that the City of Orono had supplied them with a list of the residents affected by this site. WE WERE NOT ON THE LIST, We have lived in our house and been taxpayers since 1977. Naturally we are furious. This site is going to greatly diminish the value of our property and our enjoyment of it. The DNR has not considered screening our property from the site. They have designed the site so that the entrance will be almost directly across from our driveway. When we first heard that the DNR was purchasing the old Gayle's Marina Site, we heard that the number of parking stops for boats w as going to be minimal. We also heard that streets in our neighborhood would be posted with no-parking signs. The no-parking signs did go up, but the Orono Police Department does not enforce the ban unless residents call to complain. The old gas station site does have signs that say no trespassing, but the Police Department is not enforcing the no trespassing signs either. On weekends the lot is full of vehicles and trailers and has become an unkept eyesore. This week, the DNR installed some additional no parking signs in the middle of the driveways at the old gas station site. Without fencing, these signs will not stop people from parking on the lot. It appears that our Orono Police Department has no intention of patrolling this area and enforcing the parking ban. We would appreciate an explanation of why we were not included on the list given to the DNR. We would also like to know' why the City of Orono has chosen to disregard the impact of this site on residents who will live next to it? Sincerely iwiet & Gale Putnam