Jim Graham writes: > In my community hundreds of poor homeowners are being defrauded and > stolen from by the City, just as Jan Gustafson is. They, like Jan, are > being told to "PROVE IT before we will stop stealing from you." Elderly, > and the trusting, and in some cases less educated people are being asked > to develop and present a legal case (including a to-scale site plan of > their property) to stop the theft. This is a joke! How many people even > in more affluent and educated areas draw their own "to scale, detailed, > site plans"? I know what the cost to have an architect or surveyor do > the task is, does the Mayor? Perhaps each person being stolen from needs > to file a small-claims case against the City of Minneapolis? It would be > cheaper, and in court they would only need their waterbill, a witness, > and a "rough drawing" to win.
Jim incorrectly assumes that the only way to have your bill reduces is to hire an architect or surveyor. There are actually three ways and only 1 requires a landscape architect or engineer. First, there is the dispute process which requires a to-scale "site drawing" (i.e. a rough drawing). This just means get out your tape measure and graph paper. Anyone with basic math skills can do this. This was established to correct the inevitable errors with the city's estimating impervious surfaces on each parcel. Second, there is the water quality credit which is awarded for projects such as rain gardens and the like. This requires some gardening or other skills and a bit more math (geometry) to draw the "site map", but still DOES NOT require an architect or engineer. This is the credit designed for residencial properties. Only the third method for having your bill reduces, the stormwater quantity credit, requires the certification of a landscape architect or engineer for the "site plan". This credit is designed for businesses and large commerical sites. These property owners have huge fee increases ($10,000+). For them, it is affordable to install major stormwater control devices and hire the professional to design and build the systems. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the stormwater utility is perfect - far from it. There are clearly problems. Dean E. Carlson writes: > ... The information is appropriate for a > developer of a new subdivision or a large lot apartment building but > I'm sorry, an owner of a single family home, duplex or fourplex on a > 5,000 square foot lot with best "green" intentions is not going to be > constructing rain gardens, drainage swales, green roofs, or any of the > other suggestions listed. To think otherwise is just plain silliness. I am the owner of a duplex on a 5044 square foot lot. I am building a rain garden, installing rain barrels, and considering installing an infiltration pit (a.k.a. French drain) and pervious pavers with stormwater storage space below. My sister (mpls resident) is installing a rain garden and native plantings on her property. I have numerous neighbors on my block with rain barrels and at least one will be installing a rain garden this summer. A nearby neighbor already has an infiltration pit. There are dozens of examples of rain gardens in the greater longfellow community, and hundreds of residences with rain barrels. I know of minneapolis residential lots that already have pervious pavers with stormwater storage below, I know of one green-roof garage in the city and we will be installing another this summer in Seward. There are hundreds if not thousands of responsible property owners in Minneapolis that are or will be establishing stormwater controls on their residential property. To think otherwise is just plain out of touch. For the record, my bill has increased under the stormwater utility ($8-10 per month - not a huge amount I admit). I would be very interested to hear from people on the list constructive suggestions as to how the city could improve the fee that would still collects the necessary amount of money, that is manageable by the limited city staff, affordable to implement, and politically realistic. Any thoughts? Randall Cutting Seward REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
