Fridley City Council members Dolores Varichak and Ann Bolkcom agreed that the Wayne and Kellie Liepke's gardens and landscaping are beautiful.

They also agree that the Liepkes have taken their gardening too far.

The landscaping, mowing and gardening has extended 133 feet beyond the Liepke property line and into the Innsbruck Nature Center, a 2006 survey found. The Liepkes' lot on Gardena Avenue N.E. is almost doubled in size with the addition of the park space used for gardening.

The council decided at its Dec. 8 meeting that the Liepkes would have until mid-March of 2009, to work out a compromise acceptable to city staff and to the Liepkes.

Wayne Liepke's parents bought the property around 1965, Wayne Liepke said in a phone interview Dec. 12, and the area was "pretty barren." He said that his family has been gardening on the property for the past 43 years and "nobody really complained."

This encroachment was discovered with many other encroachments along the park property boundary when the nature center was surveyed in 2006 in preparation for potential bicycle trails.

Most property owners complied with the City's requests to withdraw work that began on their property from city park land.

This final conflict still exists at the Liepke property, though Wayne Liepke suggested a new compromise at the Dec. 8 City Council meeting.

Council members' main concern was that the park land being used looks like a continuation of the property owner's backyard, potentially causing the public to not use the full park area.

Though personal structures such as a shed and play equipment have been removed from the park land by the Liepkes, they have left behind the footprint of landscaping and planting beds.

Because some of the plants came from or were cared for by parents and grandparents, Wayne Liepke said that it would be hard to part with the plants because of the memories associated with them.

A previously suggested resolution by city staff was to require the Liepkes to abandon the lawns and gardens altogether. The Liepkes argued against that option.

It would result in the area being weed-infested, Wayne Liepke said, and the area would not blend in with the nature center. Those who use the park appreciate the gardens, he said at the meeting.

"So many people come up through the park and thank us (for the gardens)," Wayne Liepke said.

He also acknowledged that they have been gardening on park property. With that, he proposed to have his company, Gardens of Rice Creek, plant natural grasses in the areas of the maintained, mowed lawns. His proposal on Monday included leaving behind the plants in the gardens, though he said he would not work to maintain the gardens.

"Well, after thinking about that, I might propose that we take out some of the lines of hostas that look somewhat formal," Wayne Liepke said in a phone interview Dec. 12.

The council resolved at the meeting to ask the Liepkes to work with city staff to develop a plan describing which grasses would be planted and how the project would be carried out. Council members expect a resolution to be brought at the March 23, 2009, meeting to be reviewed and passed.

"It'll end as a positive note for the City of Fridley and myself," Wayne Liepke said after the vote.

"I have every confidence that I will be able to work with (city staff) to come up with a plan," he added in a phone interview.

Community Development Director Scott Hickok said at the meeting that the park land the Liepkes had used for gardening had been acquired as tax-forfeiture land from the county for park use at a special price, and thus it could not be resold, traded, divided or even given away.

It would result in the area being weed-infested, Wayne Liepke said, and the area would not blend in with the nature center. Those who use the park appreciate the gardens, he said at the meeting.

"So many people come up through the park and thank us (for the gardens)," Wayne Liepke said.

He also acknowledged that they have been gardening on park property. With that, he proposed to have his company, Gardens of Rice Creek, plant natural grasses in the areas of the maintained, mowed lawns. His proposal on Monday included leaving behind the plants in the gardens, though he said he would not work to maintain the gardens.

"Well, after thinking about that, I might propose that we take out some of the lines of hostas that look somewhat formal," Wayne Liepke said in a phone interview Dec. 12.

The council resolved at the meeting to ask the Liepkes to work with city staff to develop a plan describing which grasses would be planted and how the project would be carried out. Council members expect a resolution to be brought at the March 23, 2009, meeting to be reviewed and passed.

"It'll end as a positive note for the City of Fridley and myself," Wayne Liepke said after the vote.

"I have every confidence that I will be able to work with (city staff) to come up with a plan," he added in a phone interview.

Community Development Director Scott Hickok said at the meeting that the park land the Liepkes had used for gardening had been acquired as tax-forfeiture land from the county for park use at a special price, and thus it could not be resold, traded, divided or even given away.