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02-12-02 PHPUBLIC HEARING OTSEGO WEST SEWER STUDY AREA CITY OF OTSEGO COUNTY OF WRIGHT STATE OF MINNEOTA TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2002 7:30 PM OTSEGO CITY HALL 8899 NASHUA AVENUE NE OTSEGO 1. Mayor Fournier will call the Public Hearing to order. Mayor Fournier called the Public Hearing to order at 7:30 PM. Roll Call: Mayor Larry Fournier, Councilmembers: Virginia Wendel, Suzanne Ackerman, Vern Heidner and Jerry Struthers Staff: Judy Hudson, City Clerk/Zoning Administrator; Andrew MacArthur, City Attorney; Dan Licht, City Planner and Ron Wagner, City Engineer. Planning Commission Members: Ken Fry, Richard Nichols, and Carl Swenson Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Fournier led in the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Verify that the publication mailings and postings have been completed City Clerk, Judy Hudson, verified that the publications, mailings and postings were completed and that no letters have been received regarding this Hearing. 3. Staff: Andrew MacArthur City Attorney; Ron Wagner City Engineer; and Dan Licht, City Planner will explain Project and proposed plans Mayor Fournier opened the Public Hearing with the following statement, "As the Twin Cities Metropolitan area continues to experience enormous growth and development, Otsego has been discovered, and we are experiencing unprecedented pressure for residential, commercial and industrial development. We need to be able to provide the infrastructure and services to support and manage this growth. Having the ability to provide these services will protect and expand our tax base. The City of Otsego is planning construction of a second municipal waste water treatment plant, collection system and water facilities to serve the areas adjacent to Interstate 94 and bordering Albertville. The City has pursued this course of action following a determination by the City of Albertville not to continue discussion of shared services in the area. All sewer and water facilities into the West Otsego Sanitary Sewer District are proposed to be funded by connection charges, in a fashion essentially identical to the successful program conducted in Eastern Otsego. All Sewer and Water polices which are currently being used in our Eastern Sewer District will be implemented in the Western Sewer District. The corner stone of this policy is "Users Pay". If you are not a user, then you pay nothing." Dan Licht presented a Land Use Map and Sewer Study Area. Ron Wagner presented more specifics on the study, showing how a system of water and sewer lines Public Hearing of February 12, 2002, cont'd. Page 2. could serve the proposed area. 4. Mayor Fournier will open Hearing for public comment. Mr. MacArthur explained this is a public hearing to get questions and answers from the public. He also stated other notices will be sent in the future on Public Hearings for the Comprehensive Plan. Pete Carlson, City Engineer for the City of Albertville. Mr. Carlson stated he was here on behalf of the City Council of Albertville. He stated Albertville is dealing with significant transportation issues and with Otsego's developments there will be more traffic for Albertville. Mr. Carlson stated when Otsego requested to purchase sewer capacity from Albertville, their initial response was no but they wanted to look at the big picture and this is still Albertville's position. Mr. Carlson stated Albertville did not say they would not work with us and it boils down to transportation. Otsego's development will put tremendous pressure on transportation and Mr. Carlson asked who will help pay for this. Arlene DeCandia, Owner of Riverwood. Mrs. DeCandia stated it would be Riverwoods intentions to hook up to the City's Sewer and asked how far would the line go and are there any estimated costs. Ron Wagner replied that Riverwood is about two miles away and that Riverwood's Engineer would be able to estimate the cost. Dennis Beaudry, 12996 77th Street. Mr. Beaudry stated concern with discharge going into the Otsego Creek. The ditches haven't been cleaned for many years. The swamp behind his house involves 35 to 40 acres and who will maintain this? He asked that the City just dig a direct line to the Mississippi River. Tim Guimont, 7614 LaBeaux, asked what is the exact location of the treatment plant. Ron Wagner pointed out the 20 -acre site on the map. Floyd Goenner, 8013 Nashua Avenue, stated concern with the lack of cleaning of the Otsego Creek. He wants the City to work with the DNR and get the creek cleaned out. Brad Praught 12786 60`t' Street, stated that Otsego Creek affects his property and also the runoff from the I-94 into a ditch by the cemetery. which he hopes Otsego will help maintain. David Eide, Owner of the tree nursery located next to Albertville, asked when would sewer get to his property. Ron Wagner replied this property is in the southwest area and projected more than 5 years, unless he was willing to pay the costs of having it extended earlier. Gordon Gooden, Jason Avenue, stated he opposes the West Sewer Plant since he heard that Albertville is willing to work with Otsego. He feels Otsego is getting bigger and demanding more services. Public Hearing of February 12, 2002, cont'd. Page 3. Ron Pouliot, 8457 Mason Avenue, stated when Otsego previously worked with Albertville on the Otsego Creek they said would help pay for cleaning the creek and they should contribute. CM Wendel replied that Albertville has helped pay these costs. 5. City Council discussion. Note: It has been requested that the discussion between the City Council and Albertville's Engineer, Pete Carlson and Councilmember Keith Franklin, be written verbatim. CM Wendel: I have a question for Mr. Carlson, you're with Albertville? Mr. Carlson: Yes CM Wendel: You say they are looking for some help with the road, the freeway or the overpass. Have they reconsidered giving us some help with selling us sewer capacity over on the triangle side on the south side? Mr. Carlson: Can they, what the Albertville City Council position was, was before they would sell capacity they want to look at the big picture issues. What transportation improvements are going to be needed in the area. Maybe even how we address the Otsego Creek drainage. What they wanted to figure out what are the big picture issues. Once we got those issues identified and solutions to them then we can talk about selling sewer capacity. CM Wendel: Then if we don't help with them with the road they won't help us with the sewer. Is that it? Mr. Carlson: Well no, your almost taking a pretty big leap there. Excuse me; we wanted to identify what the big issues are. Again to serve the area that you have shown here for development is going to really tax the existing transportation system that is mainly in Albertville and how do we deal with that. We don't know, but that is what we wanted to collectively between Albertville and Otsego figure those issues out and then what is the fairest way to solve those problems and if we can, then we talk about whether its selling capacity at the existing plant or possibly expanding Albertville's Plant. Maybe that's a more cost effective way versus building your own treatment plant or at least at that location maybe if some capacity from Albertville's Treatment Plant could extend out east. If you look at the Tree Farm that's right there, right next door to the existing treatment plant it kind begs a question of why not serve it from Albertville. Again, I am a consultant to the Council. But those are some of the questions that are kind of jumbling around in their minds. CM Wendel: I guess I have to say that we have had quite a few meetings with Albertville and when I got on the Council I said, hey lets give them one more chance because Albertville had told them so often yes we will and then no we won't. I said lets give them another chance lets have some more meetings. We had some more meetings. Mr. Carlson: Right. CM Wendel: And I am sorry we did not get the same answer that you're saying. Mr. Carlson: Again, because basically previous comment taking the step will you sell us capacity. And before we talk about capacity we need to identify the issues of what development being in the area. And that's what Albertville City Council wants to address first is to identify the issues. Anyhow could we, if there are improvements that are Public Hearing of February 12, 2002, cont'd. Page 4. necessary to the transportation system, whether it's an upgrade to the interchange. How could we use development that were to incur to help pay that cost so that it doesn't get borne by the existing residents in Otsego and Albertville. Because that's what going to end up happening if we don't coordinate that effort. So they did not want to take that initial leap to say we would sell you 10,000 gallons or 20,000 gallons or whatever without knowing what the big picture issues were. Mayor Fournier: Ok, thank you Mr. Carlson. CM Heidner: Mr. Mayor. Mayor Fournier: Vern CM Heidner: If that's really the case when they sent us a letter saying they wouldn't no longer discuss it, they should have told us that. I have seen you once or twice before but like Virginia said we have probably 20 or 30 meetings with them over the years and that was not brought up. So, they have primed you with some good information to say tonight in front of all these people. But in the meetings that we have had with them that was not the issue. And the letter they sent did not indicate that was the reason they weren't selling us the capacity. Mr. Carlson: Again you're making the lead to selling capacity and that is what Albertville does not want to do. They don't want to sell capacity until the big pictures issues are identified. CM Heidner: But they never said that was the case when they told us they didn't want to sell us capacity. Mr. Carlson: We can disagree on that point. Mayor Fournier: Council, any other comments. Okay I will go back to everyone out there again. Would you like to be heard, would you like to comment before we end our meeting tonight? Keith Franklin: Good evening, Keith Franklin, City of Albertville. I am a Councilmember for the City of Albertville. The discussions we have had have been you want sewer capacity, will we sell you sewer capacity. No we won't sell you sewer capacity under the terms just how much do you want, here what it is. Again, I will reiterate that the growth is going to end up with a lot of traffic problems, going to be 18 wheelers, there going to be semis for this Industrial and Commercial Park which is where it belongs which is good planning which is good for the City but they will all come through the City of Albertville. So, we will have to build the ramps, we have to upgrade the roads, we have to widen them and what does the City of Albertville get back from it: No difference than your accountability to your citizens you are responsible for the budgets and make sure that the money is well spent not wasted. So for the City of Albertville what we are asking for we want some tax base or we want some help in putting in major roads, major ramps and taking care of them so that the people can get to Otsego. `'We're neighbors lets not become adversaries. But, your not going to spend it for Elk River to benefit it shouldn't ask Albertville to spend it for Otsego to benefit. Thank you very much. Mayor Fournier: Thank you. I think I need to clarify Otsego's position on some of issues that Albertville brought before us tonight. I have been involved a very long time I think Public Hearing of February 12, 2002, cont'd. Page 5. over a twelve-year period I have tried to negotiate with Albertville for shared services. During the annexation process where Albertville took a portion of Otsego we had offered to help with the freeway ramp. We had offered other things and each time we still heard no we rather annex Otsego rather than work together. So I am having a difficult time hearing that Albertville's willing to work now because in the past they have said that we meet and we are down to dotting all the I's and crossing the is and they change their mind. Okay does anyone else wish to be heard? End of verbatim. Ray Baird from Orrin Thompson asked about the East Plant Expansion. Mayor Fournier replied questions on the East Plant would be done in an orderly time frame. 7. Mayor Fournier will close the Public Hearing, Mayor Fournier closed the Public Hearing at 8:32 PM. Mayor Fournier stated there would be no decisions made this evening. Public Hearing was adjourned at 8:35 PM. lildyor LO Fournier RA �N Re o ed . Judy Hudson, Cfty Clerk