08-27-1990 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I would strongly oppose any attempt to acquire property for right-of-way purposes within this area. Still another major concern is the environmental impact upon the lake which an expanded highway would have if constructed through the existing corridor. To accomplish this bridging or extreme rip-rapping would apparently have to be constructed on pa-^t of the southwesterly shore of the lake. Pollutants from this portion of the highway would drain directly into the lake. Moving westerly, that part of the expanded highway within the downtown area would be buffered by only a jcouple hundred feet of land in an area sloping radically toward the lake. This would cause further water quality problems. Long Lake is already hypereutrophic and recent studies of the quality of run-off into the lake from sources witliin the city have shown it to be poor. The city has constructed sedimentation ponding areas to combat this problem and will do more in the future to fight it. A major highway through the middle of town would likel*' undo these efforts and cause irreparable injury to the lake. III. ISSUES. The greatest issue concerning the relocation of Highway 12 lies in the question of where it would be relocated. Long Lake recognizes that other municipalities also have a strong and vested interest in this question. It has been suggested that other municipalities lying within the limits of this study have had difficulty in conducting any sort of planning process because of uncertainity as to the relocation of the future highway. Long Lake has received conwents and complaints from landowners, home builders and realtors concerning what appears to be a de facto moritorium developing because of public uncerta'nity as to the location of the highway. In other words, land values have frozen or have become depressed in some areas and people have been reluncent to purchase properties for fear that it might ei.d up within the corridor selected. Timing of the selection has, therefore, becomi an important issue. Given these circumstance' it appears as though the basic issue revolves around the fact that everybody recognizes the need for an upgraded highway system in this area but nobody wants it in their backyard. Long Lake, obviously, supports relocation outside its city as above stated Beyond that Long Lake is willing to support any relocation corridor which (1) causes a minimum of disruption of existing hones and businesses, (2) causes minimum disruption of environmentally sensitive areas and (3) maximizes the potential for each municipality affected by the highway to meet its goals and objectives, to maintain its comprehensive municipal plan and to continue to effectively and efficiently administer necessary public services to its residents.