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If you live in the vicinity of 288th Street, Lakelawn and Lakeside on the south end of Lindstrom;  and own either city or township property, expect to be visited by a petitioner.  The township supervisors wrapped-up a special meeting last week expressing their desire for some direction from citizens.  The petition to be circulated,  will ask if widened shoulders and a trail, proposed as improvements in conjunction with the City of Lindstrom-- are pro-jects township people will pay extra (be assessed) to see happen.  

Lindstrom and Chisago Lake Township share ownership of 288th.

Lindstrom was awarded a $500,000 grant that is being applied towards the trail and shouldering and the city asked the township to contribute. The grant is only awarded to cities and there’s a deadline to utilize the funds.  

The response at some prior meetings, according to Lindstrom officials and township supervisors, was that people have concerns about safety and making the roads safer would be nice.

The township doesn’t ordinarily fund trails, however.  The normal maintenance like a reclaim and pave, also scheduled in this area are covered by the township.  

Township Supervisors last week advised the audience that the best way they have of gauging the level of support (assess for a trail or not) is for a petition to come in with at minimum a healthy majority of the 87 township parcels in the work zone agreeing to be assessed.  
And, judging from the reaction at last week’s meeting this is unlikely.

Citizen Pat Eichten told the supervisors the only safety issue on 288th “is our own driving.”  He suggested some new speed limit signs and issuing a few tickets and people using the road system (who are generally locals as it’s a no outlet neighborhood) will get the message and stop “flying past the golf course.”

Another resident said the city of Lindstrom should pay for the safety projects because it’ll be city property owners who will use the trail,  and it’s city residents who cause the problems driving to ball games at the LARA park field south of 288th.

Estimated costs presented by township engineer Dan Boyum had assessments anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 approximately.  

The supervisors asked Boyum for analysis of the work proposed and he provided the option of simply widening shoulders to four feet.  Still assessments only fell by 10 percent.

Everybody questioned the local speed limit and nobody knew how the 45 mph was arrived at, or when it was posted, so there were also suggestions to try new, slower signage.

Another option is to see if Lindstrom would accept more of a percentage of the costs. At this time it’s projected 52 percent of the linear feet on 288th are owned by township citizens.  The township residents asked supervisors at last week’s meeting to see if this can be reduced to soften the overall impact of the township costs being spread out.

Lindstrom City Council is resolved to provide the  trail improvement, and is moving ahead on right-of-way and other steps to utilize its grant and make the trail happen for Lindstrom residents on one side of 288th.  

Supervisor Sherry Stirling cautioned meeting attendees the worst case scenario is that Lindstrom could annex in the area and takeover the process entirely.  In response to this, a citizen in the audience yelled,  “I’ll take my chances.”

Watch for the petition effort where you can go on the record if you want to help pay for this or not.  And there is a joint township-Lindstrom session on this issue at the township maintenance hall, October 4.

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