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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – November 19, 2024 Page 10 <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau said that could include a rain garden. She asked if there are any details <br />about the Adopt-A-Spot program. <br /> <br />Committee Member Seeman said in Minnetonka it is just an informal program. The Public <br />Works department works with residents. <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau asked if we could reach out to Minnetonka and ask about their <br />administrative process. <br /> <br />Committee Member Rogers said if that type of program were established, she thinks the PTRC <br />should review those requests and not require a Council action with every request. <br /> <br />Chair Anderson asked if she meant variances or if someone wants to do something it would come <br />to us? <br /> <br />Committee Member Rogers said that would be the change. In asking permission they are saying <br />they want to partner with the PTRC. There could be a short list of what is not acceptable. Then <br />PTRC could review the application and approve or deny. <br /> <br />Committee Member Jacobson think Adopt-A-Spot is a great for planting. What do we do about <br />fences and other hard structures. The City could come through and enforce that. It wouldn’t create <br />any good will. If the concern is that everyone is expanding their property because their neighbor <br />is, we can say this isn’t your land to fence in. Or sell that encroached land to the homeowner. <br /> <br />Chair Anderson said we don’t want to have a fence from a trail. If everyone did it, it would be <br />like walking through a hallway rather than a trail. <br /> <br />Committee Member Rogers wondered if we have a permit process for fences and sheds. <br /> <br />Recreation Supervisor Johnson said we do, but this started years ago. Something got approved <br />that maybe shouldn’t have. Or maybe that resident didn’t pull a permit, at all. <br /> <br />Committee Member Olson said she knows there are a few spots in the City where the set backs <br />are ridiculously restrictive. It can’t just be a blanket statement because there are other factors than <br />just property lines. Those residents could choose not to maintain the area and it would look awful. <br />Her opinion is if they are maintaining it, it looks good and it’s not invasive, why do we care? <br /> <br />Chair Anderson said the glaring issues are fences and other structures. <br /> <br />Committee Member Olson said the City should enforce the code and have the residents remove <br />the encroachment. <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau said the PTRC could do a recommendation to define the scope. <br />Committee Member Seeman could still gather information about how an Adopt-a-Spot program <br />could work. <br /> <br />Chair Anderson said we could request that Council narrow the scope or define what they are <br />asking for. The other option would be to keep it on the 2025 goals list. She thinks Council has <br />asked for this, a couple of times.