97-03CITY OF OTSEGO
COUNTY OF WRIGHT
STATE OF MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO.97-3_
RESOLUTION ADOPTING AN INTERIM ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A MORATORIUM
ON RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF OTSEGO.
WHEREAS, the City of Otsego is in the process of studying the
feasibility of constructing a wastewater treatment plant, either
jointly or by itself, and is also pursuing other alternative means
of providing waste water treatment and water facilities to its
citizens; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has also directed the City Planner to
commence preliminary studies regarding needed amendments to the
City's Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, a decision regarding provision of wastewater treatment
facilities and/or agreements is inextricably connected with the
City's revision of its Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, virtually all residences and businesses within the City
are currently served by individual septic systems; and
WHEREAS, information has been provided to the City Council that
numerous such private systems have failed over the years; and
WHEREAS, the continuation of approval of residential subdivisions
which must rely upon individual septic systems in greater numbers
raises environmental concerns; and
WHEREAS, the decision as to whether or not to proceed with the
provision of wastewater treatment and water services will
fundamentally affect needed changes to the Comprehensive Plan and
official controls: and
WHEREAS, the present Comprehensive Plan is based upon the original
assumption that sewer service would be contracted for from the City
of Elk River, said assumption, while possibly valid at this time,
has been invalid for a period of years; and
WHEREAS, the City has initiated and has been provided with an
engineer's report regarding the possibility of establishment of a
joint waste water treatment facility with the City of Dayton; and
WHEREAS, the City has also been provided with limited information
regarding the possibility of establishing City water services in
conjunction with construction of wastewater treatment facilities;
and
WHEREAS, there have been recent indications that the City of Elk
River may once again consider offering waste water treatment
services to Otsego on a contractual basis; and
WHEREAS, the City has presently received numerous applications for
residential development within the City; and
WHEREAS, at this point in the decision making process City staff
find it difficult to give proper guidance and information to
Developers regarding said residential developments because of the
uncertainty regarding wastewater treatment and water services; and
WHEREAS, decisions regarding residential development which are
currently before the City, and could possibly be presented to the
City in the near future, may fundamentally affect the City's
ability to deliver wastewater treatment facilities and water
facilities to residents of the City; and
WHEREAS, construction of a wastewater treatment facility by the
City will mean the assumption of a great financial burden by the
City, and it is imperative that all available planning controls be
initiated to assure that development is properly controlled and
correctly staged; and
WHEREAS, the City needs to continue to consider and process
applications for Commercial and Industrial development because of
its crucial need to expand its tax base; and
WHEREAS, while the City has the authority to adopt a moratorium
which would affect those applicants already in process, it desires
to allow those applicants already in process to proceed with their
applications, while preventing further applications which could
potentially affect the City's service delivery capability; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has
regarding water and sewer service
made as soon as possible, and has
decision; and
determined that the decision
is a priority item which must be
set a date for the making of that
WHEREAS, additional residential subdivisions may be contrary to the
City's ultimate development objectives; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the present situation
requires a temporary halt to the receipt of applications
for and
processing of residential subdivisions, with those specific
exceptions set forth in the Interim Ordinance, a copy of which is
attached hereto as Exhibit A and herein incorporated by reference,
in order to protect the planning process and the health, safety,
and welfare of the citizens of Otsego.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Otsego that said Council does hereby adopt by this resolution the
attached Interim Ordinance Establishing A Moratorium On Residential
Subdivisions Within The City of Otsego, Exhibit A.
ADOPTED this 27TH day of January, 1997 by the Otsego City
Council.
IN FAVOR: Mayor Larry Fournier, Vern Heidner, Suzanne Ackerman, Virginia
OPPOSED: Wendel, and Mark Berning, Council Members
No One
CITY OF OTSEGO
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Larry rn er, Mayor
4Elailneefteatty, City Cler