Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Works Property Maintenance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents say former church lot is a local dumping site; cite dust, health, noise problems
Summary
Neighbors and letter-writers told the River Heights City Council the vacant lot where the old church once stood is being used to dump construction material, creating dust and noise that residents say aggravate lung conditions. Councilmembers said they will forward complaints for follow-up.
Residents told the River Heights City Council on Sept. 2 that a vacant lot where an old church once stood has become a construction dumping ground and is producing dust, noise and safety problems that are affecting neighbors’ health.
Mary Robinson, who lives next to the lot at 474 East 400 South, asked the council to act in a written statement read during public comment. Robinson said contractors have deposited concrete, dirt and gravel on the site, that heavy equipment has left oil and grease on the ground, and that wind lifts fine dust into nearby yards and homes. “I cough throughout the day from this dust,” she wrote, adding that she has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and that the dust jeopardizes residents’ health.
Other residents at the microphone and in the audience described similar problems, citing ongoing noise from dump trucks and machines, use of the site for motorized bikes and four-wheelers, and visible dust. One commenter said the lot has been an issue “for about a year and a half” since the church was removed. Neighbors asked the city to arrange hauling away the piles, establish a nearby legal dumping site if needed, and enforce prohibitions on motorized vehicles.
Mayor Blake Wright asked staff to collect Robinson’s photos and forward her email to city staff for follow-up. City recorder Sheila Lynn said the city would forward Robinson’s materials and add the letters to the minutes. Public works director Clayton Nilsen Eyre and council members said they would consider options and follow up with neighbors.
No council action or vote was taken during public comment on the lot. Councilmembers said they would treat the complaints as an operational matter to be handled by staff and follow up with residents.
The session also included multiple comments urging the council to keep the lot tidy and to restrict motorized vehicles; some speakers asked the city to identify an alternative local dumping site to prevent further use of the lot for construction debris.
Council staff did not provide a timetable during the meeting for removal of material or enforcement steps. Residents asked that photographs and the letter be included in the official record.
