Hwy 371 Municipal Consent Written Comments

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Municipal Consent Public Hearing Written Comments November 16, 2010, Addendum to Council Minutes Page 3 of 33 ------------------------------------------------------------ - - - - -- Safety — First and foremost, an expanded highway through town would significantly compromise safety where drivers enter our property. This is due to: a) access to Grace Church off 371 being eliminated and; b) all future access to the Church would be via a newly constructed backage road to east of the Paul Bunyan Trail. In turn, this would require every car entering/leaving the Church and/or the Food Shelf to use a largely unmonitored crossing of the Paul Bunyan Trail. We estimate that this involves a minimum of 1,000 car crossings of the Trail per week and puts both Trail users and Grace Church members at a substantial safety risk. This safety issue involving the Paul Bunyan Trail does not occur assuming the Around Town route is built. Future Grace Church Sanctuary Expansion — If the highway were to be expanded through town, we believe that some of our land could be taken for access roads which would eliminate Grace Church's ability to expand its sanctuary in the future. Our Church purchased the land and designed and positioned our building on the property to allow for this expansion. If Grace Church were to have land taken on the east side of our property that would preclude sanctuary expansion and the adverse impact to the future of the Church would be substantial. General Access to Grace Church property — The through town route will create a �. situation that will make access to the Church property (including the Food Shelf) to be quite difficult and inconvenient. Nearby properties and businesses will experience the same issue. Perhaps most importantly here is the orientation of the buildings on these properties. In Grace Church's case, our entrance welcomes people coming in off of 371. With a through town expanded route, worshipers would be entering from the back of the property. Quite obviously, the Church is not able to re -orient the building to accommodate this. We have prayerfully considered our thoughts on this issue and strongly believe the Around Town route is in the best interests of our Church, our members and the greater community of Pequot Lakes. We thank you for your attention to this matter. 12. Bruce Benson — 27483 County Road 107, Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 I would ask the City Council to do what is necessary to have Highway 371 by- pass the City of Pequot Lakes. I believe safety for all is the main reason for doing this. 13. Curt Coean — 31368 County Road 112, Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 I will be out of town during the public hearing and wish to offer the following comments against the proposed bypass: