12-17-2024 PTRC - Laserfiche WebLink

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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – November 19, 2024 Page 9 Committee Member Seeman said that goes back to the adopt-a-spot program, in Minnetonka, that she brought up before. Residents take care of their own yard and work into the park. They manage the invasive species in their own section near their property. Committee Member Jacobson said that is the opposite of what we have been talking about. Council Liaison Rousseau said that wouldn’t necessarily be an encroachment but rather you are adopting a spot. It specifically limits you to planting. Committee Member Rogers said the resident would adopt an area. They would say what they are thinking of planting. Then PTRC could either say it was a great idea or say no because their choice is an invasive species. That concept is good. It feels impossible to say there are only certain plants you can use in the entire City. That is difficult. It will depend on the soil of the specific property. Chair Anderson asked if Council is looking for the PTRC to give set back or height requirements. It is such a vast topic it would get tricky Council Liaison Rousseau thought PTRC could focus on mitigating planting encroachments. We could try an adopt-a-spot program. Then put it back on Council to give direction on dealing with fences, fire pits, sheds and patios. She said there were 43 locations identified in 2020 that were encroaching, in some way. Chair Anderson asked if it is primarily a legal issue because they are encroaching on City property. Council Liaison Rousseau said there are a couple of spots along New Brighton Boulevard where someone had gotten a permit approval to extend their yard by 10 feet and put a fence there. Will we ever get those 10 feet back? Their neighbor used the approved fence line to place their fence. The City isn’t getting any money for this and losing space. People are putting fire pits. Does the public get to use that fire pit now? It’s on public property. This is about protecting that land. Either we make sure it’s clear that is still City land or making a conscious decision to sell the land to the home owner. Committee Member Dietz said there are infinite possibilities of what could be acceptable. He thinks it would be easier to say what is not acceptable. You can’t install a fence or a fire pit or buckthorn. Recreation Supervisor Johnson thinks the purpose of this is to get a handle on it before it keeps expanding. It is already too late for some of those places. Committee Member Dietz said that is human nature. You mow over the property line or you plant things to expand your lawn. There are some things that are acceptable but some things that aren’t. Chair Anderson said the City could create zones. There would be overlap space. It will be different on different properties. There is a some portion of overlap where the resident acknowledges it’s City property. They can plant there but are also responsible for maintaining it.