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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — DECEMBER 8, 2025 2 Renee Marino — 1120 Apple Drive, said she has been involved in studying the lake level and the pump needs. The fact that the City has allowed the development around the lake, to the extent that it has, means that the lake provides an essential aspect of water management and flood mitigation. The studies show that if there were no pump, this lake could be expected to periodically raise above street level and work it's way towards 96 and Lexington. There is no natural outlet to this lake and it is prone to flooding. The data shows there would be regular overflow situations if the pumping didn't occur. This isn't just a lake owner issue. This is an essential part of the City's obligation to manage the surface water within the City. The lake has served the function of being a holding pond. It's an infrastructure of the City and the City is obligated to manage surface water. A good stretch of the lake is publicly owned and publicly used. Many people who don't live on the lake enjoy fishing, walking, snowshoeing and hiking in this area. She believes it is erroneous to say this is just a lake owner problem. If she had been aware of this issue when she purchased her home, she may have made a different decision. The City can manage this with an automated pump and it needs to be done. 2. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC INQUIRIES None. 3. AGENDA ITEMS A. Park System Plan Update Anna Springer from Bolton and Menk presented an update on the Park System Master Plan. A Park System Master Plan is a policy document that will help guide decision making for the Arden Hills network of parks, trails and open spaces. It guides decisions in the Capital Plan for the next ten years. Having parks and green space increase physical activity and gives people a place to exercise. Contact with nature promotes physical and mental health. Parks can strengthen social connections by providing a place for people the gather. Parks provide environmental benefits such as providing cooling to surrounding neighborhoods, they act as stormwater sponges to reduce flooding and filter air pollutants with vegetation. Ms. Springer said this process began in May of 2025 with an existing conditions inventory analysis. Public engagement is a large component of this project and has been a clear priority since the beginning. There is a steering committee who has been advising this process. They take what was learned during the inventory analysis and combine it with what they are hearing from the public to help inform the implementation planning process. The last step will be to pull the final plan together to create a document that can be used by everybody. Ms. Springer said the project goals are to maximize opportunity to receive input from as many people as possible and develop a plan that is visionary yet obtainable. The plan will be driven by the community so it will reflect the desires of the residents. They will develop a plan that provides clear decision making for the future. The final document will be concise and will educate everyone that encounters the plan. Ms. Springer outlined the community engagement opportunities and described how they, along with Staff provided several different ways for residents to participate. These included QR codes along the trails, visibility at community pop-up events and an open house.