PWBc C)ND
May 24, 1994
Scott Erickson
City of Fridley, Engineering Department
6431 University Avenue N.E.
Fridley, Minnesota 55432
Dear Scott,
In regard to the street improvement on 6830 Monroe Street. The grades in the street were
raised during this improvement to the point that there is now water pooling in our driveway. This
is a major concem because it can cause major water problems and damage to our property
along with a devaluation of our home. I first contacted you while the public hearings regarding
this improvement were in progress. You informed me that the only changes being made were
the street being widened and curbs and gutters being installed. You stated that everything else
would remain the same. But while construction was in. progress, there was no doubt that the
elevation changed with the new curb and gutter. At that point I contacted you again and noted
that there was a problem. Your response at that time was that we would work it out later. Now
there are obvious water pools and the water does not drain.
The solution the City of Fridley came up with is to run a ditch from the garage to the backyard.
The elevation in the balk is lower than that of the front, thus helping the water to drain from the
front to the back. This is unacceptable because we do not wish to have a .ditch in our yard.
This ditch would only transfer the problem from one area to another area. I don't believe that if
we spoke with the neighbors whose property adjoins our property, that they would appreciate
the idea of the water being drained into their yards. This is not a solution.
I understand that S.A.P. have to meet certain specifications but after looking at the plans, I do
believe that the grade could have been changed and still met the S.A.P. specifications. In any
case, there is no S.A.P. specification that says you can block a driveway from draining. If the
grade was changed, the street would then be lower and our driveway would drain to the street.
believe that changing the grade on the street so our driveway will drain like it used to is the
only option available.
await your prompt response and anticipate a quick resolution of this error.
Sincerely,
Blaine Kopischke
6830 Monroe Street N.E.
Fridley, Minnesota 55432
Home: 571-6619
Work: 292-4495
Old � �✓
V�
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October 5, 1994
City of Fridley
Attn: Bill Champa
6431 University Avenue N.E.
Fridley, Minnesota 55432
Re: Assessment for Street Improvement
Project# Street 1993 - 1 & 2
Dear Mr. Champa,
I am responding to the notice I received regarding the hearing on assessment for the above
street improvement project.
Prior to the changes made to the curbs and gutters and street elevation in front of our property,
we did not have any drainage problems. Since the "improvements" have been made, water
does not drain out of our yard. In fact, street water now runs into our yard. When it rains, we
have a "pool" in our driveway. This has devalued our property and I believe that it will at some
point, cause a major water problem in our basement. I have written numerous letters and
spoken with the Public Works Director, the Assistant Public Works Director, and Councilmember
Billings, and there has not been an acceptable solution proposed to me.
At this time, I am refusing to pay any assessment to my property brought by the "Street
Improvement" listed above. There has not been an improvement to my street but a devaluation
to my property. I am requesting that either the curb be lowered or the yard elevation be raised
to restore my property to it's pre-existing condition.
We await your prompt response.
Sincerely,
0"i 40k� 6)azo
Blaine and Loni Kopischke
6830 Monroe St. N.E.
Fridley, MN 55432
May 8, 1997
Blaine and Lome Kopischke
6830 Monroe Street NE
Fridley, MN 55432
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Kopischke:
PW97-078
At your request, we have again reviewed the grade and elevation of your driveway and the curb in front of
your house. Observations since Monroe Street was improved show that drainage is primarily a problem in
the early spring when the snow is beginning to melt but the snow banks along your drive do not allow
drainage to the sides. The curb line had been raised slightly during construction and created a low area about
20 feet from the street which could hold water about an inch deep when trapped by snow on the sides.
Looking at the elevations on your property, we found that your yard on either side of the driveway is flat and
at the same elevation as the driveway and therefore does not easily drain to the north or south This is not
a new situation
In previous letters to the City, you have asked that the curb be lowered or the yard elevation be raised This
will not solve the problem. Raising your yard will cause more water to drain toward your driveway
compounding the problem. Lowering the curb in front of your driveway would create a low spot in the street
and at the end of your driveway rather than part way in and would not allow proper drainage along the length
of the street. To lower the curb along the entire length of the street would require reconstruction of more than
300 feet and is not a viable option.
We have proposed several solutions in the past, all of which were rejected by you. The best solution is still
considered to be to create a drainage swale along the south side of your driveway from the lowest point toward
your back yard This is not a ditch What is being offered is to carve off the top 4"-6" of dirt and lay new sod
to channel water away from the driveway. Any time water can be removed from an impervious surface such
as your driveway, to a pervious surface such as your yard, it will have the opportunity to soak into the ground
water table. In all likelihood, the water would be absorbed into the ground before it reached the back yard
Your concern of transferring the problem to a different area should never happen. The other solution would
be to create a type of "French Drain" by drilling holes approximately 12"-16" in diameter in the yard alongside
the driveways low points and filling these with large rock covered by a couple inches of dirt and sod This
gives the water a more direct route down to the water table.
Since it has been three and a half years since the project was completed, these are the only options we can
offer. Please contact me at 572-3551 to schedule this work as I too would like to finally resolve this situation.
Sincerely,
Jon H. Haukaas
Assistant Director of Public Works
AJ"5 10 -
June 11, 1997
Mr. Jon H. Havkaas
Assistant Director of Public Works
City of Fridley
6431 University Avenue NE
Fridley, MN 55432
Dear Mr. Havkaas,
I have received your letter of May 8, 1997 and have reviewed it. You still have not addressed the
issue of street water draining into our yard. Both John Flora and Steve Billings were notified of
this in 1993. Nancy Jorgenson, Mayor of Fridley was notified of this issue in the Spring of 1997.
Even during a normal rain event, street water drains into our yard. I do not believe that anyone
would be comfortable with your proposed solution of draining the City's street water into their
backyard.
The street water that runs into our yard has already caused a lot of problems for my family. One
family member has fallen on the ice and been hurt. We also have to clean the yard of the trash and
salt that comes from the City. Etc.
I intend on videotaping the street water running into our yard during the next rain and will bring
the tape to the City. In the meantime, your street water will continue to drain into our yard which
you are responsible for.
It seems that no one wants to work together at the City, ex. The survey crew stated "Mayor
Jorgenson didn't know anything about elevations and street water", when they were here. We
have tried to work with the City to bring this issue to positive resolution but the City seems to be
unwilling to acknowledge the severity of the problem. The problem does exist and continues to
exist and the City was put on notice of this issue three years ago during construction of the road.
Sincerely,
e
Blaine and Lorri Kopischke
cc: Nancy Jorgenson
MEMORANDUM
TO: William W. Bums, City Manager PW97-282
FROM: Jon H. Haukaas, Assistant Director Public Works
John G. Flora, Director Public Works
DATE: October 27, 1997
SUBJECT: Blaine & Lorne Kopischke - 6830 Monroe Street
On May 8, 1997 I sent a letter to the Kopischkes outlining previous correspondence on the problem of
stormwater runoff into their driveway, and asking them to contact me so that we could come to an
agreement on how to fix it.
On June 27 at 5:00 pm, I met with the Kopischkes at their home to discuss solutions to the above
problem. Nancy Jorgenson and Jim Johnson, a civil engineer from Bolton & Menk were also present.
A solution was arrived at in which the city would install a drain on each side of the driveway and pipe the
water across the yard and to the nearest catch basin in the street. In addition, the driveway would have a
raised area at the curb to keep water on the street and there would be some grading and sod on the south
side of the driveway to fill in a low spot. Mr. Johnson engineer agreed that this was a viable solution.
Mr. Kopischke wanted some time to think it over and on July 14 called to tell me to create a drawing of
our plan.
On September 11, I delivered a sketch of the underground drain to the Kopischke residence for their
review. I told them that the City was still willing to do this work this fall if the plan was acceptable. I
had not received any response from them until Friday October 24 when Mr. Kopischke called to state he
was unsatisfied and would be attending the October 27 City Council meeting.
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6830 Monroe
At the north side of the driveway the top of the asphalt surface at the curb line is only 0.12 ft above
the flow line of the curb and 0.06 ft below the garage floor.
At the south side of the driveway the top of the asphalt surface at the curb line is only 0.10 ft above
the flow line at the curb and 0.12 feet above the garage floor.
Accordingly, any street water flows along the gutter line in excess of 0.10 feet deep will have a
probability of accessing and entering your driveway. As the entire surface water drainage in this
area flov,%o the north by gravity, there is no real solution to your problem except to pave a bump in
the driveway to contain the water in the street.
If a bump of 2-3 inches was desired, this could be constructed but would prevent any water from
draining off of your property onto the street.
If a bump is desired, we can install a 2-3 high bump over the first 2 feet of your driveway.
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