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REGULAR MEETING OF THE ORONO COUNCIL, JULY 28, 1980 Page 23 The conditional use permit is requested by Mr. CONDITIONAL USE PERM] Switenki to construct a seawall along his shoreline 4510 North Shore Dri% to combat a muskrat invasion. I had originally #569 refused the Department of Natural Resources permit Peter Switenki requesting seawall construction Decause the property did not abut a channel. I recommend rip rapping. Mr. Switenki then recontacted me and informed me of the severity of the erosion along the lakeshore and the pot holes that create hazardous conditions for his young children at play, all apparently coming from muskrat activity. It should be noted that the entire shoreland area of this and the neighboring properties consists of dredge spoils and fill p'.aced over a former wetland some years ago. Th.s apparently makes the area especially susceptible to muskrat habitat. There are holes in the lawns, but a personal inspection is necessary to determine the relative severity of the situation. 7 cannot say that it is any worse here than in many other areas of the City. The Department of Natural Resources and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District would normally approve of seawall construction as an acceptable method for controlling muskrats. Rip rap would apparently not be effective against the bank rats because they could tunnel between the rocks. Mr. Switenki has hired a trapper but he gave up - the area was an ideal breeding ground and trapping was never going to solve his problem. The local game warden has been out to the site and approves the seawall as a sure method of success but could not recommend another method more acceptable to City's policy of shoreline protection. The City Engineer approves the engineering plans and feels it is an expensive method but sure to be successful. He cautions that the neighboring properties will get the overflow of bank rats and that before the City approves of the project, owners of adjacent properties should submit letters stating they approve of the proposal. The Planning Commission questioned whether other methods more in keeping with the City's shoreland policies might not be available. Eventually the Planning Commission did recommend seawall approval in this particular casc. (Continued)