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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRe: illegal fill � \\ j/ � � \`� /o O ��' � CI'�Y of ORONO � , � ,j_ �,,�� � , � - � \ � �' �, ,j Municipal Offices \� < �� ;'��, �"•�' ' �y,�:' � ���� ,��, .` �`�' ��'� Street Address: Mailing Address: ���k��p4�' 2750 Kelley Parkway P.O. Box 66 �_�� Orono, MN 55356 Crystal Bay, MN 55323-0066 October 16, 1995 Todd and Donna Gause 480 Stubbs Bay Road North Long Lake, MN 55356 RE: Illegal Fill Y_ Dear Mr. and Mrs. Gause: On May 13, 1993, the City notified you of illegal fill you placed in a wetland on your property at 480 Stubbs Bay Road North. You agreed to remove the fill but requested to have until December 1, 1995 to accomplish the task. As of this date, there has been no indication of any fill removed. This letter is to remind you of your agreement to remove the fill and to notify you of the City's intent to issue citations, notify other governmental agencies and to take whatever legal steps that are necessary to require removal if the December 1, 1995 deadline is not met. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at my office. Sincerely, ����p �� U Lyle Oman Building Official LO/lsv cc: Jeanne A. Mabusth, Building & Zoning Administrator Bruce L. Vang, Field Inspector Telephone (612) 473-7357 • FAX 473-0510 R t May 31, 1993 City of Orono P.O. Box 66 Crystal Bay, MN 55323 Attention: Mr. Bruce Vang Re : Letter Agreement for Excavation of Fill Materials from Alleged Wetland Areas of Property Owned by Todd H. Gause and Donna M. Gause, Husband and Wife, as Joint Tenants, at 480 North Stubbs Bay Road, City of Orono, County of Hennepin, Legally � Described as: The South four hundred feet measured alon.g the west line thereof of that part of the Southwest % of the Northeast % of Section 32, Township 128 North, Range 23 West, of the Fifth Meridian, lying North of the South ten acres of said Southwest % of the � Northeast % and Southwesterly of the Right of Way of the First Division of the St. Pau1 & Pacific Railroad Company. Dear Mr. Vang: Introduction and Aareement On May 13 , 1993 , you notified Todd H. Gause that a portion of our property, described above, had been designated as Wetland in 1974 . You also notified Todd H. Gause that the City of Orono has concluded that a portion of the Wetland area of our property was filled in, after 1974 , without prior permission from the City of Orono or any other governmental authority. The City of Orono contends that the area in question has been filled in violation of Minnesota and Federal laws . We were not aware that a portion of our property had been declared Wetland and assumed that our property use was not in violation of any Wetland laws or regulations . We deny that we have violated any Wetland laws or regulations and we deny that we are liable in any way for our past and present use of our property. Under the circumstances, however, in the spirit of cooperation and to resolve the situation completely, the City and we have agreed to a plan of action. The City and we agree that this plan will protect the Wetland area on � City of Orono Mr. Bruce Vang May 31, 1993 Page 2 our property, consistent with law. The City has asked that we send this letter, memorializing our. agreement . Therefore, (1) this letter serves as the Agreement between the City of Orono and us, as owners of the property described above, (2) by which we will be afforded until December l, 1995 to excavate the area in question, (3) unless the excauation is not completed, the City of Orono will take no enforcement action against us or against the property, and (4) furthermore, the City of Orono will not cause or seek to cause the involvement of any other governmental agency to take enforcement action against us or the � property. Background Information We purchased the property on September 7, 1989 . The prior owners of the property never informed us - that a portion of the property had been designated wetland in 1974 . There was no survey of the site in connection with our purcr�ase. No gapers prepared or provided to. us in cannection with the purchase of our property disclosed that a portion of our property ha� been declared Wetland in 1974 . We did not understand that we could not use a portion of our property because it had been declared Wetland bef.ore our purchase . Therefore, w.e assumed.,� ir. geoc�:. fa�ith, � th.ere.. w�re..-no.. restrictions on using fill material to change the surface elevation of a very small portion of our property. Beginning in 1989, we began to spread fill materials into a low spot on our pr_operty, covering an area with dimensions of approximately 70 feet i�y 35 feet to a deptri of approximately six to eight feet . We then leveled and covered the area with clean crushed rock. It is this area trat is t.o be exca�ated according to this Letter Agreement . Oi her Provisions 1 . So that there is a reference to determine whether our excavation has complied vaith �ne terms of this Letter Agreement, we will stake arid ph.otograph the arPa as it appears now. We will work closely with you and City of Orono staff to ensure that our excavation will meet the condit�ons of this Letter Agreement . 2 . The City agrees that we are not obligated to reimburse the City for its c�sts incurred f�r the en{orcement and oversight of our excavation activities : 3 . Todd Gause wili be pe�forminq persona].�y almost all , if not all, of the excavat�on work. We have access to or own the City of Orono Mr. .Bruce Vang May 31, 1993 Page 3 equipment required for the excavation; the labor and material cost of this project will be significantly less if we do the work ourselves than if we contract with someone else to do the work. In the event that Todd Gause is injured or becomes physically unable to perform the excavation project, the City and we agree to negotiate a new timetable for the completion of this project . * * * * * We look forward to discussing the Letter Agreement with you on Wednesday, June 2 , 1993 . If the Letter Agreement is acceptable to the City, please ask the proper person to sign in the space provided and return a signed copy of the letter to us . If we do not receive a reply to this letter, we will assume that the provisions of this letter are acceptable to the City and that the Letter Agreement reflects the intentions of the City and us as the means of resolving this matter. Very truly yours, � � ' 1" �(�f.�-�, ���'�U` , "�`. Todd H. Gause Donna M. Ga se On behalf of the City of Orono, I acknowledge receipt of this letter and, by authority given to me by the City of Orono, bind the City of Orono to this Letter Agreement Dated: June , 1993 CITY of ORONO by Its