HomeMy WebLinkAbout190815_suncurrent(SUN CURRENT STAFF PHOTO BY ANDREW We
Bob Tengdin walks the truncated path behind his house in Edina's Highlands Neighborhood Aug. 12. Most of the path and other areas of the parkland have been flooded in
recent years, and neighbors are asking the city to do something about it.
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current.mnsun.com Edina Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019 • Page 7
Neighbors of flooded parkland appeal to city for a fix f
0 r
it
City says the
high water
is natural,
neighbors
say city is
responsible
By ANDREW WIG
andrew.wig@ecm-inc.corn
A group of nearly 100
residents are petition-
ing the city of Edina to
do something about the
flood-prone and ironically
named Highlands Park.
Of particular concern
to the area's residents is
an area of the park that
has been left as a natural
recreation area only to be
inundated by water in re-
cent years.
"It looks like the Oke-
fenokee Swamp. Its condi-
tion is a total embarrass-
ment to the city of Edina,"
Bob Tengdin told the Edi-
na City Council Aug. 7.
Since the early 1960s,
Tengdin has lived on the
edge of the park's natural
area, having raised three
boys in the home. For
most of his time there,
the park, its woods and
pond served as a pocket
for rustic play, featuring a
path that was so travers-
able he could squeeze his
Volkswagen through the
corridor.
"Unfortunately, five
years ago that all began to
change. It became a dump-
ing area for stormwater
runoff. Ponds appeared
out of nowhere. Walking
paths became impossible.
The small pond became
a large collection of stag-
nant water," Tengdin said.
Portions of his and his
neighbors' property are
regularly underwater.
"Today, we have a ca-
tastrophe," said Tengdin,
whose remarks were ac-
companied by the testimo-
ny of three other residents
of the neighborhood.
Councilmember Kevin
Staunton, who lives near
the area of concern, and
Mayor Jim Hovland, both
voiced sympathy for the
residents' concerns and a
desire to come to their aid.
City staff, meanwhile, say
the waterlogged state of
Highland Park's natural
area is just that - natural.
In the original 1946 plat
of the property, the area
flooded today is identified
as a pond, Edina Engineer-
ing Director Chad Millner
noted in an interview.
"In my opinion, it's re-
alistic to expect that area
might flood," Millner said.
The majority of the prob-
lem relates to increased
precipitation in recent
years, he said.
Highlands Park isn't the
only area to become in-
creasingly prone to flood-
ing. The city has identified
several areas that have
water concerns and is for-
mulating an infrastructure
plan to address the rising
stormwater levels.
Changes related to that
plan will likely unfold as
opportunities related to
redevelopment and street
work arise, but Staunton
demonstrated a particular
sense of urgency for High-
lands.
"1 really would like us
to sooner rather than later
try and figure out a fix to
that," he said.
But Millner's preference
is to address areas where
structures are threatened
by rising waters. He ac-
knowledges that ultimate-
ly, it's up to the city council
to determine which areas
are addressed first.
"That's where staff
needs to present the coun-
cil with more informa-
tion," Millner said.
The overflowing pond is
the city's property, though,
so it's the city's responsi-
bility, argued Anita Silver,
who lives across the pond
- or as she puts it, "right
across the scum" - from
Tengdin.
"I do not blame the
city of Edina for rain, for
melting snow, or for global
warming, but I do feel they
should take responsibility
in maintaining their pond,
which they acknowledge is
on mine and my neighbor's
property," Silver said.
Another Highlands
Park neighbor, Susan
Punch-Hess, recalled five
years of back-and-forth
between residents and
neighbors regarding the
flooding.
"We've been told things
like, 'Well, we're listening
to the pipes.' We've been
told things like, 'Well, stay
in touch with us.' Well, it's
been five years, and I think
it's time the city steps up,
this council steps up,"
Punch-Hess said.
It's worthy of further
dialog, according to Hov-
land. "I have some con-
cerns about it, and I think
we need to start having a
conversation about this
particular area, along with
the other water issues that
we've been talking about,"
he said.
Staunton described
the area in question as a
community asset, one es-
pecially appreciated for
the quarter-mile path that
was popular among dog-
walkers before it flooded.
"It really has taken away
part of the community that
we all value in that neigh-
borhood. I share their
frustration, and I want to
see us figure out an answer
to it," Staunton said.
Residents of the area
don't know what other
recourse they have but to
appeal to the city, Punch-
Hess noted.
"We're at a loss right
now," she said.
- Follow Andrew Wig on Twitter
@EdinaSunCurrent