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1480 Violet Ln - Ltrs. from Patti O'NeillMike Maguire Mayor Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley Council Members Thomas Hedges City Administrator Municipal Center 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 55122 -1810 651.675.5000 phone 651.675.5012 fax 651.454.8535 TDD Maintenance Facility 3501 Coachman Point Eagan, MN 55122 651.675.5300 phone 651.675.5360 fax 651.454.8535 TDD www.cityofeagan.com The Lone Oak Tree The symbol of strength and growth in our community. City of Eagan October 8, 2,010 Ms. O'Neill and Mr. Redmond 1480 Violet Lane Eagan MN 55122 RE: Duckwood Overpass Dear Ms. O'Neill and Mr. Redmond: Thank you for taking the time to write the letter we received October 1, 2010. I appreciate your sharing your concerns about the overpass and future development on the adjacent property. I want to assure you that, like you, the City is also concerned about quality of life and maintaining property values throughout the community. As you may be aware, the Ring Road concept has been planned for many years and investment and implementation of the concept has occurred in a step -wise approach over time for the express purpose of creating a more efficient transportation system that will benefit the City. Relative to the future use of the land near the proposed Duckwood overpass, east of Federal Drive, the City has anticipated development of this area for many years. That property is and has been zoned for Limited Business use at least since the 1980's and development rights are not affected in any way by the proposed overpass improvement. I understand your concern with the possible impacts development may have on the area but I wanted you to also be aware of the zoning of the property. Below is an excerpt from the City Code that describes the purpose of the Limited Business Zoning District: Subd. 10. LB Limited Business District. A. Purpose. Limited Business Districts are areas that are particularly exposed to residential neighborhoods and are thus suitable to those businesses compatible with nearby residential use (offices, clinics and the like). In addition to the purpose and intent of the LB zoning category, it is important to note that the LB zone does not allow high traffic /activity uses (e.g. retail users, . . Mike Maguire Mayor Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley Council Members Thomas Hedges City Administrator Municipal Center 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 55122 -1810 651.675.5000 phone 651.675.5012 fax 651.454.8535 TDD Maintenance Facility 3501 Coachman Point Eagan, MN 55122 651.675.5300 phone 651.675.5360 fax 651.454.8535 TDD www.cityofeagan.com The Lone Oak Tree The symbol of strength and growth in our community. June 7, 2011 Ms. Patti O'Neill 1480 Violet Lane Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Ms. O'Neill: Thank you for taking the time to converse and share your concerns last week with me and Mayor Maguire regarding the approved ring road project, and specifically your concerns about the removal of vegetation as part of the project. First and foremost, please know that we both take your concerns very seriously and appreciate how proactive you have been in representing your concerns with the City. As Mayor Maguire stated in our phone conversation, the removal of scrub trees is part of the project that was approved by the City Council, without the planting of additional trees. While Mayor Maguire understands your concerns, as one of five members of the City'Council, he is supportive of the direction that the Council as a whole provided. That said, if you, your neighbors, and/or your association have an interest in planting additional vegetation or trees within the public right of way, at your cost, I encourage you to return the enclosed right of way permit to City Engineer Russ Matthys, who can assist you with the permitting process. As we discussed, it is very important that you work in coordination with the City should you desire additional trees in the area. Please know that the Council has been aware of your ongoing concerns regarding a green space buffer to the project, and took your concerns very seriously as they considered the project. If you have any further questions or concerns, I encourage you to continue working with City Engineer Matthys, who can be reached at (651) 675 -5646. It is our sincere hope that you and your neighbors will fmd this last segment of the ring road to be a beneficial improvement to the community and your neighborhood. Sincer VAN't-Wk2 Thomas L. Hedges City Administrator cc: Mike Maguire, Mayor Tom Colbert, Public Works Director April 10, 2011 Patty O'Neill 1480 Violet Lane Eagan, MN 55122 Thomas L. Hedges, City Administrator Municipal Center 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Mr. Hedges, RECEIVED JUN 14 2011 Thank you for responding to my concerns regarding the removal of trees along 35E in front of the Villas of Violet Lane, our townhouse development, as part of the construction of the 35E freeway bridge. As you know, I was opposed to the freeway bridge. With 5 bridges crossing 35E within less than a 2 mile stretch of freeway, Eagan can boast that it has more bridges per capita and mile than New York City with a population of 14 million people. Congratulations! However, to add insult to injury, the bridge has now resulted in the removal of the trees that provided noise abatement and a green space shielding us from the freeway. The tree removal was never discussed at a council meeting that I attended or at the open house regarding the overpass. As I expressed in my conversation with you and the mayor, my concern is that our townhouses will not maintain their value and will be more difficult to sell now that we have no buffer between us and the freeway. Certainly, as city representatives, you must also share this desire to maintaimproperty value from a property tax standpoint that benefits all of Eagan. I am truly amazed that the city has secured funding for 5 bridges and cannot find funding to replace a stand of trees. Replacing the trees is a reasonable alternative to expensive concrete barriers that line freeways along residential areas in some local communities. Concerned members of our townhouse association would like an opportunity to express our concerns about the city council and mayor's perspective on this matter. I understand that there is an opportunity for residents to present concerns to the city council following council meetings that are televised by cable to the residents of Eagan. I would like your office to send me information about how we can participate in one of these sessions to share with the mayor, city council and other residents of Eagan our point of view . Thank you. Sincerely, Patty O'Neill cc: Tamara Anderson, President, Villas of Violet Lane Townhouse Association Mike Maguire, Mayor Tom Colbert, Public Works Director C!ty of Eaaan Mike Maguire Mayor Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley Council Members Thomas Hedges City Administrator Municipal Center 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 551 22 -1 81 0 651.675.5000 phone 651.675.5012 fax 651.454.8535 TDD Maintenance Facility 3501 Coachman Point Eagan, MN 55122 651.675.5300 phone 651.675.5360 fax 651.454.8535 TDD www.cityofeagan.com The Lone Oak Tree The symbol of strength and growth in our community. June 21, 2011 ti Ms. Patty O'Neill 1480 Violet Lane Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Ms. O'Neill: I received your letter of response on June 15, 2011. Per your letter, I understand that you and members of your townhouse association would like an opportunity to address the City Council. There are two opportunities to be heard by the City Council. The first option is to attend a Council Listening Session, which take place from 6 -6:30 p.m. prior to each regularly City Council meeting. The Listening Sessions are intended as an informal opportunity for residents to discuss items of concern or,interest that are not on the agenda that evening. The next two Listening Sessions will take place on Tuesday, July 5 and Tuesday, July 19 in the Eagan Room (second floor conference room) at City Hall. Additionally, as you mentioned in your letter, there is an opportunity at the end of regular City Council meetings where residents can address the Council under Visitor's to be Heard. This part of the meeting is televised (with the exception of filing period in advance of elections). Given that each agenda is unique, there is no way to know what time Visitor's to be Heard will begin, so you may need to wait for some time until the Council gets through the agenda. You and your fellow association members are certainly welcome to address the City Council with your concerns. If you are looking for a predetermined time to attend, where you can speak informally with the City Council, I encourage you to come to a Listening Session; otherwise, you are welcome to speak under Visitors to be Heard. Thomas L. Hedges City Administrator cc: Tom Colbert, Public Works Director April 10, 2011 Patty O'Neill 1480 Violet Lane Eagan, MN 55122 Thomas L. Hedges, City Administrator Municipal Center 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Mr. Hedges, RECEIVE JUN 14 2011 Thank you for responding to my concerns regarding the removal of trees along 35E in front of the Villas of Violet Lane, our townhouse development, as part of the construction of the 35E freeway bridge. As you know, I was opposed to the freeway bridge. With 5 bridges crossing 35E within less than a 2 mile stretch of freeway, Eagan can boast that it has more bridges per capita and mile than New York City with a population of 14 million people. Congratulations! However, to add insult to injury, the bridge has now resulted in the removal of the trees that provided noise abatement and a green space shielding us from the freeway. The tree removal was never discussed at a council meeting that I attended or at the open house regarding the overpass. As 1 expressed in my conversation with you and the mayor, my concern is that our townhouses will not maintain their value and will be more difficult to sell now that we have no buffer between us and the freeway. Certainly, as city representatives, you must also share this desire to maintain-property value from a property tax standpoint that benefits all of Eagan. 1 am truly amazed that the city has secured funding for 5 bridges and cannot find funding to replace a stand of trees. Replacing the trees is a reasonable alternative to expensive concrete barriers that line freeways along residential areas in some local communities. Concerned members of our townhouse association would like an opportunity to express our concerns about the city council and mayor's perspective on this matter. I understand that there is an opportunity for residents to present concerns to the city council following council meetings that are televised by cable to the residents of Eagan. I would like your office to send me information about how we can participate in one of these sessions to share with the mayor, city council and other residents of Eagan our point of view . Thank you. Sincerely, cc: Tamara Anderson, President, Villas of Violet Lane Townhouse Association Mike Maguire, Mayor Tom Colbert, Public Works Director