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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, April 25, 2016 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 18 of 22  <br />  <br />15. BIRCHES MN SPRING RIDE EVENT – HENNEPIN COUNTY WATER PATROL <br />(continued) <br /> <br />Jane Davidson, Long Lake, stated she has a Ph.D. in fluid mechanics and is a professor at the University <br />of Minnesota. Davidson stated she has not done any formal calculations, but that she is concerned about <br />the Council thinking that moving the boats out to the center of the lake will solve the erosion problems. <br />Davidson stated if you have been out on Long Lake, particularly at the narrow end of the lake, the waves <br />actually go from one shoreline to the next. At the point where the white buoy is, the waves come around <br />the peninsula and the erosion is quite remarkable. There are tree trunks that are out as much as 15 feet <br />into the water. <br /> <br />Davidson indicated last year they renovated that area on their property from input from the DNR and the <br />Watershed District and they also have to put in their lift two or three times each summer because the <br />waves knock it sideways. Davidson stated she is concerned that the Orono City Council is not adequately <br />taking into account the environment. Davidson stated business interests are for a short time and the <br />environment is a long time. Davidson stated without further analysis, the City Council should pause it for <br />a year and get some more sophisticated information relating to safety and the environment. <br /> <br />Keith VandenBrandon, 1480 Long Lake Boulevard, stated he has lived here for 41 years and three years <br />ago he had to install $10,000 worth of riprap to save his property. VandenBrandon stated he has never <br />seen that type of erosion until the large boats started coming out on the lake. Long Lake is approximately <br />two-thirds the size of Lake Calhoun and that this lake is not the type of lake that needs this type of use. <br />VandenBrandon commented he does not know how so few can annoy so many and cause so much <br />damage and that he is not sure why the residents have to put up with it. VandenBrandon encouraged the <br />City Council to vote no on this application. <br /> <br />Printup stated it sounds like there is a question over whether Long Lake is a recreation lake and that he is <br />not sure whether it is Orono’s place to get into that tonight. Printup indicated he is okay with the <br />conditions of 9:00 to 3:00, the buoys where they are at, and asking for an emergency response team. <br />Printup stated he is not sure how much teeth Orono can put into that except for noting it on the <br />application that gets sent to the Water Patrol. <br /> <br />Walsh stated when the affected residents are being negatively impacted by this and when this is not a <br />make or break deal for Birches, he is going to side with the affected community because it will cause lots <br />of problems and there are lots of question marks. Walsh indicated he is not supportive of it. <br />Levang stated she appreciates the reminder about a business entity and the residents. Levang stated at this <br />point she is not willing to approve the application. <br /> <br />Walsh moved, Levang seconded, to deny the special event lake usage permit for the MN Spring <br />Ride Group for June 24-25, 2016. <br /> <br />McMillan stated it is difficult for Orono to oppose this with the Long Lake Council having approved it <br />and the business and residents being in Long Lake as well. McMillan indicated she respects what the <br />Long Lake Council has done but that she understands some people were not given the opportunity to <br />speak because they were out of town, which is why they are here tonight. McMillan stated she has a lot <br />of respect for Orono’s neighboring council, but that it was a 3-2 vote, which means that the Long Lake <br />City Council was not completely in favor of it.