CCP 07-28-2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . . ARDEN HILLS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JULY 14,2003 7 my lower level damp to the touch and a much more significant odor. The problem intensified in the days that followed. I immediately contacted the City of Arden Hills and was advised that pumps had been put in place to pump Karth Lake and that approximately 15 million gallons of water would be drained through the storm system on Wyncrest Court. I was further advised that the only way to stop the pumping was by decision of the City Council. I waited several days to attend a Council meeting. As most of you will probably recall, I literally pleaded with the Councilmembers to cease the pumping. Unfortunately, the pumping was not discontinued, but rather the flow was decreased to one-half of its then current rate. Approximately three days after the pumping was decreased, the moisture in my lower level decreased significantly and the intense order dissipated. What remained was a strong odor of dampness, which was something I had never before encountered in 18+ years of residence, and a yard that was less saturated than days earlier. During the time that the water was being pumped, my lawn and yard were saturated. Approximately five to six days after the pumping was completely discontinued, my yard dried up. After days of requesting that the storm system line in front of my home be tested, this finally occurred; however, it was not done until the pumping had been decreased to one-half flow. I was then told that nothing "significant" was noted. I'm not certain what nothing significant means to someone else, but to a homeowner with water damage occurring right before one's eyes, the word "significant" takes on an entirely new meaning. As you may or may not be aware, my property is at the "T" in the road of Wyncrest Court and Wyncrest Lane. My property is also at the first visible drop in elevation from the location where the water entered the Wyncrest Court storm system. In speaking with other Wyncrest Court residents last fall when the pumping was occurring, a number of residents indicated that their yards were much wetter than usual, that their sump pumps were running constantly and/or that they were running more than one dehumidifier. One resident, Navin Jaipuriyar, residing at 1330 Wynridge Drive, indicated that he too was experiencing water and moisture issues since the commencement of the pumping. He came to speak before the Council at one of the Council meetings, but told me later that he was from India, and was not familiar or comfortable with speaking in public and, therefore, could not say much. It is interesting to note that Mr. Jaipuriyar's residence is located at the other "T" in the path of the water flow. This "T" is at the intersection ofWyncrest Court and Wynridge Drive.