HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 6903 ���p CITY OF ORONO
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
� � No. 6 9 0 �
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A RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THE
LAKE MINNETONKA CONSERVATION DISTRICT DISCONTINUE
THE EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL HARVESTING PROGRAM
WHEREAS,the City Coun�il of the City or Orono, Minnesota which serves as an
advocate for the Orono residents alang the Lake Minnetonka lakeshore; and
WHEREAS, the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District(LMCD)is a governmental
agency funded primarily by local property taxes; and
WHEREAS, the LMCD operates three paddlewheel harvesters to remove Eurasian
watermilfoil milfoil and other aquatic vegetation in select areas in Lake Minnetonka; and
WHEREAS, the LCMD acl�nowledges their harvesters only remove about eighty-
percent of the plants they cut; and
WHEREAS,the City of Orono City Council has heard complaints from lakeshore
owners and businesses that after the LMCD harvesters have been in the area, large amounts of
weeds wash up on their properties amd in nearby lagoons,resulting in hundreds to thousands of
dollars of clean-up costs; and
WHEREAS,research published by the University of Minnesota found harvesting of
Eurasian watermilfoil increases its rate and amount of growth; and
WHEREAS, fragmentation due to harvesting contributes to the spread of Eurasian water
milfoil and other aquatic invasive sp�ecies(AIS) such as flowering rush and starry stonewort; and
WHEREAS,the LMCD lak�harvesting program is not operated in compliance with
Minnesota Rules which require the immediate and permanent remove the vegetation from the
water.
NOW,THEREFORE BE I�'RESOLVED,the City Council of the City of Orono,
Minnesota finds the LMCD's Eurasian milfoil harvesting program no longer serves the best
interests of lakeshore residents and businesses and requests the program be immediately
discontinued; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOL D,the LMCD evaluate other techniques to remove
vegetation which poses a nuisance t navigation in public areas of Lake Minnetonka for
implementation in 2019.
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CITY OF ORONO
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
No. 6903
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Orono, Minnesota, at a regular meeting held
September 24, 2018.
ATTEST: I
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Anna Carlson, City Clerk Dennis Walsh, Mayor
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