Melody Lake A & B, Birchcrest C and Grandview A Neighborhood Roadway Reconstruction

Defective concrete curb and driveway aprons have been marked for removal and replacement. The contractor plans to complete this work by the end of August. If you have a concrete driveway apron marking, please check your front door for notifications related to driveway access.

For the vast majority of properties, turf restoration is complete, and the contractor watering period has concluded at your property.

Watering will be the responsibility of the property owner. The City will no longer be watering at your property. Mature lawns require around a minimum of 1 inch of water per week to be healthy. When watering grass, please keep in mind that frequent, lighter waterings are not desirable, as they encourage shallow roots instead of deep roots. Lawns need deep roots to help them withstand periods of little or no rain. The roots require at least a year to reach their full length.

The City appreciates your commitment to help reestablish your lawn after this lengthy and frustrating process.

CP Railroad approved our permit to complete roadway and storm sewer work adjacent to the railroad tracks near W. 56th Street.

1. Work is anticipated to be bein July 5 and be complete by late July.
2. Hansen Rd will be closed to through traffic between Benton and Vernon Aves.
   • If you live on Hansen Road south of CP Railroad, please access Hansen Road to / from your home from either Grove St or Benton Ave.
   • If you live on Hansen Road north of CP Railroad, please access Hansen Road to / from your home from Vernon Ave.
3. W. 56th St will be closed between Dale Ave and Hansen Rd.
4. The signed detour will be Benton / Tracy / Vernon Avenues.

City staff identified properties that need additional work by the City’s contractor to achieve satisfactory turf establishment.

The contractor is anticipating starting work in the project area in early May for the properties that need additional work.

To achieve optimal turf, we ask that you help by

• Do not add any fertilizers or herbicides in the areas the City has previously worked. If these are present when the contractor begins work, no further restoration will occur at your property.
• Completing your typical spring lawn clean up in the areas the city disturbed, prior to work starting May 1, 2023. This work may include raking, dethatching, turning on your irrigation system, etc.
• Help supplement watering of the new seed if the soil appears to be dry. It is important that the soil stays damp, not dry or over saturated. Continue watering, along with the City Contractor until the seed has reached a height of approximately 2”. After reaching 2” in height, water these areas like you would water the rest of your lawn.
• Do not mow these areas until the grass has reached a height of 6”, only mow a maximum of 1/3” of the height of the grass.

One or two of the following three methods will occur at your property depending upon the current condition of the turf.

1. Brillion seeding. A small tractor pulls a machine behind it that drops seed onto the turf, the seed is then pushed into the ground by a metal disc.
2. Slit seeding. Like brillion seeding, but is a smaller machine, typically self-propelled.
3. Hand raking. Smaller areas will have the soil scarified by raking, seed will then be distributed of the area and the area will be raked again.

Following any of the methods listed above, hydromulch will be applied to the restored areas. The hydromulch will help keep the seed and soil moist and prevent erosion and seed loss.

The hydromulch mixture will include a starting fertilizer and herbicide that will help minimize cool weather broadleaf weeds and prevent germination of weeds while the new turf is growing.

We thank you for your patience through this process and understand any frustrations that you may feel. We understand how important a well-maintained lawn is to the aesthetic appeal of your property and the personal pride many of you take in your lawn, we regret that we fell short of your expectations.

The contractor is scheduled to resume turf restoration rework on Hansen Road and Windsor Avenue on Tues. 9/6. Following this work, additional topsoil will be added to low areas as necessary, including leveling and seeding.

The City has directed the contractor to water the seed daily, per the City’s specifications. This is scheduled to begin on Tues. 9/6.

We encourage residents to help keep the grass moist. See the following post for details.

The contractor began the turf restoration rework on 8/29. After the work occurs in front of your home, we encourage you to assist the contractor by helping keep the grass moist.

The University of Minnesota suggest watering 2-3 times per day, 10-15 minutes per time. for a total of 1” of water weekly, the first three weeks. Followed by every other day watering for a total of 1” of water weekly the following three weeks. Additional information for watering can be viewed here.

Staff will be requesting City Council consider on September 7 a water bill credit of $100 per residential property in the Melody Lake project area.

Thank you.

Since the project area has varying amounts of salvageable grass and varying amounts of weeds that were or weren’t killed by the herbicide, more than one action plan will be implemented. It’s possible two strategies may be needed for one property if varying conditions exist. The contractor plans to begin the fall phase of turf establishment on Monday, August 29. The work could take up to 2 weeks and will include:

1. Areas with weeds not killed by the herbicide
   • Till the soil
   • Seed and hydromulch
   • Watering
2. Areas with weeds killed by the herbicide and have patchy seed
   • Slit seed, to ensure direct seed to soil contact
   • Hydromulch, if necessary
   • Watering
3. Areas with weeds killed by the herbicide and have mostly germinating seed
   • Overseed
   • Hydromulch, if necessary
   • Watering

Additional notes:

• If necessary, topsoil will be added to fill in low spots.
• A liquid bio stimulant with nutrients will be added by the contractor to improve rooting and enhance the seed’s ability to fight stress.
• The City will monitor for germination in September and, if necessary, add more seed.
• Weeds not killed by the herbicide do not germinate after August, but they will drop seeds and remain dormant over the winter. Therefore, in spring 2023 a pre-emergent will be applied by the contractor to help prevent weed germination.
• Staff will be requesting City Council consider on September 7 a water bill credit of $100 per residential property in the Melody Lake project area.
• We encourage you to assist the contractor by helping keep the grass moist.

We’re sorry for the poor conditions and understand the turf restoration process has been lengthy and frustrating.

The weeds are scheduled to be mowed down on Friday, August 5. This mowing will make determining which areas may need a stronger herbicide application prior to reseeding and hydromulching after mid-August and before mid-September. A future mowing may be needed to further mulch the dead weeds.

A licensed contractor will begin applying herbicide to resolve issues with crab grass and other weeds in the City right of way in front of your home beginning in a portion of the project area as early as Wednesday, July 27 and concluding by mid-August for the remainder of the project area north of Grove Street. The contractor will place a notification flag or placard in your lawn soon after the herbicide application. Please remain off the treated area for 48 hours and do not water the treated area for 48 hours.

Following the herbicide application:

• Seeding cannot occur for two to four weeks because the herbicide will prevent germination.
• Seeding will occur after mid-August but before mid-September when the seed has a higher probability of germinating due to cooler temperatures.
• City staff will continue to review the project area after the herbicide application and implement a turf establishment plan, including additional seeding, hydromulching and watering.

If your property has areas where weeds aren’t as prevalent, the contractor will be watering to try to achieve good growth. We encourage you to assist the contractor by helping keep the grass moist. Please visit https://www.bettertogetheredina.org/melodybirchcrest for periodic updates on the subject.

We’re sorry for the poor conditions and understand the turf restoration process has been lengthy and frustrating. The City will continue working with the contractor to ensure the City’s specifications are met, including proper turf growth without significant weeds.

The City is aware that the weeds are still extensive in the north half the project area. The contractor’s spring delays and the hot and dry weather have also not helped the seed germinate. The City has not accepted the turf establishment as final. The City continues to work with the contractor to ensure they establish turf free of significant weeds this summer. The contractor may be chemically treating impacted areas to combat weed growth.

We're sorry for the delay and appreciate your patience.