The Lakeview neighborhood is 178 acres between Sunset Avenue and Sunrise Drive. The area sees street and yard flooding every spring when the snow melts, and sometimes after a heavy downpour. It’s an area without storm drainage, so the water has no-where to go.
“City crews usually make an effort to get out where ponding does start to get a little high. We take pumps out every year and usually have to pump water out of those back yards and in a direction in the street to get it flowing in a direction where we can handle it,” said Community Development Director Michael Grochala.
It’s the oldest part of Lino Lakes drawn up back in 1946, before Lino Lakes was even a city.
“At that point in time storm water wasn’t a big issue, there were large lots, likely sandy roads when it was originally constructed. Over time it just continued to become a problem for us.”
A 1989 drainage study has been implemented over time as development took place around the neighborhood. Now engineers are being hired to put together a drainage plan that can be put in place when streets here are re-constructed in 2027.
“We’ll survey the area, get an idea of the contours, identify the existing drainage patterns and define the existing conditions. What’s truly happening out there on an annual basis, or a day to day basis during storm events, how much water is coming off the existing roads,” said Grochala.
Grochala also says they’ll also look at how much water will need to be drained away from the new pavement which could make a difference in engineering the proper pipe sizes and might require a storm pond or rain garden to hold water temporarily on property the city already owns.
“I know residents have dealt with this for a number of years, so we’re hoping to be moving forward in a positive manner to give them some solutions for what happens out there every year.”
The Lino Lakes City Council approved the engineering study at a cost of $14,400.
