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Council conditionally approves vacating and reestablishing drainage easements in Forest Hills Preserve
Summary
After a public hearing, the Forest Lake City Council conditionally approved a resolution to vacate previously platted drainage and utility easements in Forest Hills Preserve and accepted a first amendment to the development agreement with Jay Johnson Development LLC to reestablish revised easements covering five properties.
Abby, a city staff member, told the council the request would vacate the originally platted drainage and utility easement in Forest Hills Preserve and replace it with a new easement that better follows the existing drainage pattern across five properties; staff said the change formalizes grading the developer already performed and directs surface water toward the regional pond.
The presentation traced the history: the council approved the final plat and PUD in May 2021 and grading occurred outside the original easement. Abby said staff negotiated a new grading plan and drafted a single resolution (cited in staff remarks as resolution 729257) and a first amendment to the development agreement with Jay Johnson Development LLC to legalize the revised easement alignment.
During the council’s question period, an engineer explained the new easement extends into a western lot so the conveyance will work across all five lots rather than the prior four; council members asked whether the change would affect homeowners’ backyards.
Resident Mary Fowler Wackles of Lot 6 asked how the proposed easement would change drainage for her property and whether regrading would affect the hill behind her yard. Mary Fowler Wackles said: “So how would this be different? Right now, our lot drains to that back where it runs down.” Abby and the engineer responded that the proposal generally follows the existing drainage swale, shifts the swale toward the tree line and away from patios, and that no regrading of her property was planned; Abby offered follow-up and a one-on-one meeting to discuss a localized standing-water concern.
With no further public comment, the council closed the hearing and moved to action. Council member Erickson moved to conditionally approve the resolution vacating the existing easements and accepting revised drainage and utility easements; the motion carried, and the council also approved the first amendment to the development contract with Jay Johnson Development LLC. The resolution number cited during staff remarks was 729257; the motion to approve the resolution and the development agreement amendment was announced as carried by voice vote.
