Council approves drainage easement for Michael Foods facility

The Gaylord City Council approved a drainage easement that will allow Michael Foods to install a parallel storm sewer through its parking area and disconnect the facility’s drainage from a city-owned 48-inch storm sewer.

City Engineer Justin Black described the project, which places a private pipe roughly 12 feet from the existing city-owned pipe and outlets both lines into a county ditch and the city storm pond. "Their pipe will be about 12 feet off of the city-owned pipe so there'll be enough separation there," Black said, and staff had reviewed the construction and repair plans submitted by the company.

A Michael Foods project engineer, who introduced himself as Vinit, described a tile-and-pump arrangement that will collect water around the building and pump it into the new proposed pipe. "My name is Vinit. I'm a project engineer with Michael Foods," he said, describing the proposed tile piping wrapping around the building and a pump to convey water into the new line.

Justin Black told the council Michael Foods had previously damaged part of the city-owned pipe during earlier work, but had committed to repairing it and the city's review of those repair plans was satisfactory. Staff said the easement language, construction plans and repair commitments were included in the council packet.

Following the presentation and brief discussion, the council voted by voice to approve the drainage easement. Council action allows Michael Foods to proceed with the private drainage improvements while separating the company’s flows from the city-owned pipe.

Council and staff noted the easement accommodates both the existing public pipe and the new private pipe and that additional coordination and final documentation are expected before construction.