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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, December 8, 2014 Page 37 time at Langton Lake than anyone. Councilmember McGehee further opined that the City had not been a good park steward to-date, and at the initiation of the Ramsey County Watershed District eight years ago, she had participated with wa- ter testing under their direction; and had observed considerable parking lot drain- age into the lake without any buffering. While recognizing that some buffering had now been installed, Councilmember McGehee noted that the parking lots still sloped directly to the lake. As an example, Councilmember McGehee referenced Como Lake, which is con- sidered dead; but Langton Lake wasn't, thanks in large part to the infiltration pond at the request of the Watershed District, with water quality actually having improved and now at level "c." Councilmember McGehee noted that Langton Lake was extremely shallow and therefore very sensitive in that regard; and opined that the City could not adequately manage roadway runoff and traffic without further damaging the lake and its ecosystem. When talking about natural areas, which have been requested by residents, Councilmember McGehee opined that there was a lovely pathway around Langton Lake that met that need, with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service also recognizing the area as a flyway for migrato- ry birds. Councilmember McGehee noted that this property belonged to every- one, including the residents surrounding the Lake; and opined that this proposed roadway design was an unnecessary threat to this beautiful addition to the com- munity. Councilmember McGehee stated that she had been a big opponent of WalMart be- ing allowed to develop, but with development of WalMart, the Metro Transit Park & Ride, and two proposed hotels, she was observing that traffic from that area seemed to effectively be going the other way. While recognizing the City Coun- cil's penchant for building things, Councilmember McGehee questioned why there was a need to do so, and "if it's not broken, don't try to fix it." Coun- cilmember McGehee opined that this would be exactly what would happen, that Langton Lake and Langton Lake Park and its natural environment would be bro- ken, which would not be good for the park or the neighborhood. Councilmember McGehee opined that the City Council had made a commitment to the community north of there that the City would engage them in the planning process, with this proposed road being a very important piece of that. Coun- cilmember McGehee noted that, when the originally planning for it had taken place in 1983, it was intended to hook up with Terrace Drive and go directly to Snelling Avenue. However, Councilmember McGehee noted that this could and would not take place, nor was access for development of the former PIK parcel, originally landlocked, needed any longer with the City's completion of Mount Ridge Road and access off roundabouts on Prior Avenue and Arthur Street. Therefore, Councilmember McGehee opined that the two major goals of the Parkway connection were gone. When discussing the development of the regulat- ing plan and map for this area several years ago with consultant Michael Lamb,