06-09-2025 - Agenda Packet City Council - regular meeting

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From: Jasper, Matthew M CSM USARMY NG MNARNG (USA) To: Melanie Curtis Cc: Laura Oakden; Matt Jasper Subject: RE: 4745 Northshore Drive Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025 2:11:23 PM Attachments: 2025-06-05 13-44. pdf Melanie, The area where I am putting the Kentucky Blue Grass is a flat enough area that it is not of concern with the slope stabilization. I do not want to do any kind of wild grass or fescue in this area because it does not generally fit in with the surrounding properties nor does it meet the intent of what I would like to do with my property. In the attachments, "photo 2" is a picture of my backyard from the lake showing how well the retaining walls and stairway fit into the hillside. "Photo 3" is the properties directly to the East of me, both of which have significant retaining walls and one of them is completely covered in boulders from top to bottom. "Photo 4" is a property directly to the West of me where retaining walls are visible along with a nicely manicured yard where they are able to enjoy their property just like what I intend to do with mine. The area you are indicating circled in blue along the stairs is not anywhere close to 5 feet tall as you can see in "photo 2", 1 do not believe there is a need for me to screen these any further than what the fescue grass, lilies and hosta's will achieve. I did add the no -mow fescue to the entirety of the hillside as requested (see updated plan). The reason I did not initially have that on my plan is due to me cleaning up the leaves and underbrush on the hillside it allowed lilies and various other plants to grow in much thicker (as seen in photo 1) and I didn't think it was necessary at this point to have new plants fight with ones that are naturally growing on their own very well. I did not specify the fescue mixture for the no -mow grass on the updated plan. I reached out to Public Works and they said they were unable to tell me what fescue was that they use. I was under the assumption that the one I was proposing was the same one they used around the water basin area to the East of my property. From the research I have done, these no -mow mixtures have multiple fescues in them and none of them are 100% native. I would be happy to use the mixture that the staff or city council members recommend so it blends in with the work you guys did on the water basin. I ask that this email and attachments are viewed by the members of the council as well during the Monday meeting. I plan to be in attendance, just let me know what time you would like me there and if this generally meets the intent of the staff. Thanks again, Melanie! Matthew M. Jasper Command Sergeant Major MNARNG RRB 1025 Broadway Street NE Minneapolis, MN 55413 763-477-2307 216