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--. 7 <br />·-I --I <br />~ .. "J, ·:. <br />c'---'~ j fl <br />and erosion of topsoil into the lake. Furthermore, erosion <br />blankets tend to be temporary measures and their effectiveness <br />is dependent upon the ability of ground foliage to ultimately <br />adhere to the hillside. On the other hand, the retaining wall <br />system creates pockets and terraces for the water to collect <br />and percolate down through the soil and creates barriers to <br />halt the erosion of the soil on the hillside. In addition, <br />retaining walls are not temporary remedial measures but instead <br />are permanent solutions to the particular landscape problem. <br />2. The retaining wall/deck system actually promotes the <br />purposes of the hardcover ordinance by assisting the slow, <br />methodical percolation of rainwater through the soil. The <br />spirit and intent of Orono's hardcover ordinance, is to ensure <br />that rainfall run off will be cleansed by filtering through <br />grass or vegetated yard areas before entering the lake. <br />Without the retaining wall/deck system, rainfall would most <br />certainly wash down the steep hill directly into Lake <br />Minnetonka. On the other hand, the retaining wall/deck system <br />impedes this direct flow into the lake by causing rainfall to <br />hit the horizontal deck area, collect on the deck and then pass <br />through the openings between the deck boards, much as if the <br />deck were acting like a coffee filter in an automatic drip <br />coffeemaker. This process decreases the amount of erosion and <br />also allows the rainwater to seep more slowly into the ground. <br />3. The retaining wall/deck system provides protection to <br />the trees on the hill by controlling erosion and the loss of <br />soil around their root systems. <br />3 <br />It is important to note that