06-09-2014 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, June 9, 2014 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 22 PLANNING COMMISSION COMMENTS – DENISE LESKINEN, REPRESENTATIVE Leskinen stated she had nothing to report but would be available for questions. PUBLIC COMMENTS Mark Jensen, 1520 Minnie Avenue, stated he has resided in Orono for approximately 30 years and that he is currently experiencing a situation on his street dealing with water. Jensen distributed some photographs showing the water. Jensen indicated the water flows from the left down Minnie Avenue from Cherry Avenue. There is a drain at the bottom of Cherry and his property is on the left. Jensen indicated the water stays in the street until it gets about 10 feet from his driveway and then goes left into his driveway. Jensen stated photo #5 is looking up Minnie Avenue. The new homes are located on the left of the photograph and his house is on the right. Jensen indicated photo #6 shows the logs that have been placed to help keep the water out of his driveway. Jensen stated his current driveway has deteriorated quite a bit and will need to be replaced, but given the current situation with the street and the water, he does not want to replace it since the water will wreck the new driveway. Jensen stated photo #8 shows his house and driveway. Jensen indicated he has had to build kind of a ramp for a car that is in the garage that is low to the ground so he can get the car out of the garage. Jensen stated photo #9 is another picture of the driveway with the new houses located down on the left. Photo #10 depicts the house located across the street. Jensen stated when the rain runs down the street and down his driveway; it then goes into his neighbor’s property. Jensen indicated they have dug a little channel to help divert the water to keep it away from the neighbor’s foundation but that his neighbor has experienced damage to his foundation. Jensen stated his neighbor has also hooked up a sump pump to try and keep the water out of his basement. The neighbors across the street also have sump pumps and that water goes out to the street. Jensen stated the last photo shows the logs. Jensen noted the curb is approximately six to eight inches higher than when he first moved out to the area. The street is also sloped to where the water comes off of Cherry and stays on his side of the street. Jensen stated the area has had an unusual amount of water this year, but since the road has been resurfaced five or six years ago, the water stays on Minnie Avenue until it hits his driveway. Jensen stated something has to be done about the situation and that he has spoken to Jesse Struve a couple of times about it. Jensen stated in his view the only way the situation can be remedied is where the majority of the water would stay on Cherry Avenue. Jensen indicated he is not asking the City to replace his driveway but that something needs to be done, such as the installation of a drain or drain tiles. Jensen indicated he is willing to work with the City to correct the problem.