7.3 SR 05-16-2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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May 9, 2022 Elk River City Council Members, I am writing to express my concern regarding Case No. Ev22-02; the request to vacate the right-of-way between 18890 Concord Street NW and 18920 Concord Street NW. I sincerely hope that you will take this letter into consideration in making your decision, and will reject the proposal to vacate this easement. I purchased my property at 18890 Albany Street NW in 1998 and over the last 24 years, have lived just two blocks directly east of the land in question. When purchasing my place, I was made aware of having lake access through this easement, and it was definitely a factor in choosing to buy my property. Over the last 24 years, I have used this easement regularly, though primarily in winter, to go hiking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing on the lake. I have actually met and gotten to know three of my neighbors by doing so, as they've also accessed the lake through this easement to enjoy activities on the water. I've seen people fish from this property, and in the past year, know of a new neighbor who was interested in a place to launch her kayak in the summer months. This is a valuable asset to me and the community that would be lost if vacated. While the land is undeveloped as stated in the Notice of Public Hearing, it does provide the only lake access to the residents on the North Side of Highway 10. While there is one other lake access further away off Meadowvale Ave., it is completely blocked off and inaccessible. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to not take this away from our neighborhood, and away from me. A main reason I am so concerned is that in the summer of 2000, 1 had my driving privileges revoked as a result of vision loss that does not allow me to drive a car safely. I am aware of the redevelopment project being completed at the Lake Orono beach, but as a person with a disability (I am Legally Blind), I would never be able to access the lake that far from home, especially in winter, like I am able to do now. It is my happy place in the dark days of winter, hiking or snowshoeing out to Boy Scout Island. The thought of losing that access and not being able to go out there again has me very heartbroken. This land is a valuable asset to our development and should not be vacated. Our neighborhood does not have a neighborhood park, we do not have sidewalks, nor do we have trails that connect our neighborhood to other areas of town. Traveling down Meadowvale Road by walking or by bike is literally a life threatening endeavor. Due to my visual impairment, and biking as a main form of transportation, I know this all too well. What we do have is a small access to a lake we can all enjoy. The access does not disrupt the enjoyment of the lake to the homeowners on either side of the property. Both homeowners act as if it is their personal property regardless, and that is fine. As long as it does not become exclusionary and restricted to those of us that also live in the neighborhood. Finally, on November 6, 2018, voters overwhelmingly decided to invest in city amenities that will benefit every generation, and passed the "Active Elk River Plan". If the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is intended to support "strong neighborhoods ... complemented by a landscape rich in natural resources" it would seem counterproductive to this mission to take this away, and to vacate the easement. Thank you for considering my concerns, and I hope that you will recognize the value of this property to the neighborhood, and will vote not to vacate this property. Sincerely, f� Mary Duitsrnan Homeowner (612) 810-3512