05-13-98 WSCITY OF OTSEGO
PLANNING COMMISSION/CITY COUNCIL
WORKSHOP TO REVIEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
MAY 13, 1998 - 8:00 PM
1- Chair Carl Swenson will call meeting to order:
Chair Swenson called the Planning Commission/City Council Workshop Meeting to order
at 8:00 PM.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Chair; Carl Swenson, Planning Commission Members; Bruce Rask, Eugene
Goenner, Arleen Nagel, and Richard Nichols. Jim Kolles, Ing Roskaft excused absence.
Council Representative; Vern Heidner
Mayor; Larry Fournier, CM Mark Berning, CM Virginia Wendel.
Staff: David Licht, City Planner; Dan Licht, Assistant City Planner; John Harwood, City
Engineer; Mike Robertson, City Administrator; Elaine Beatty, City Clerk/Zoning
Administrator; Carol Olson, Secretary.
Mayor Fournier noted that the Comprehensive Plan update is on schedule. The public
information meetings are planned for June, with the Public Hearing by mid July.
Chair Swenson turned meeting over to Dan Licht.
Dan Licht - Tonight we will review Planning Districts 6 and 7. A complete copy of the
Policy Plan, Development Framework Section, and Draft maps, which have been edited
and revised based on previous meetings comments, have been provided. The only changes
not made were in District 3, Urban Service Area Reserve. Sanitary sewer service, as the
plan is written now, will not be provided or allowed in this area. After going through the
Policy Plan Section and the Development Framework Section, numerous modifications
would be needed to accommodate the proposed changes. The Policy Plan states that
sanitary sewer service will be provided only in the Sanitary Sewer District. Allowing
connections in the Urban Service Area Reserve would be an expansion of the Sanitary
Service District. The Policy Statement has 15 conditions that must be satisfied in order to
expand the Sanitary Sewer Service District. If connections do not occur in the proposed
sewer service area, we can review the policy. Because of all these modifications, staff
requested further discussion.
Mayor Fournier asked that the specific area be referred to.
PLANNING COMMISSION/CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING of
May 13, 1998 cont'd Page 2
Dan Licht - District 3, the area east of Hwy 101. The discussion was that since the
sanitary sewer plant site was approximately in the center of the district with the pipe
extending down 65th Street, that the City should allow housing development to occur and
connect to the sanitary sewer system within that district. However, on page 45, Policy
number 11, conditions a thru h, are specific on how the sanitary sewer district is to
expand. The Community Facility Section has the same criteria for expansion. The
Sanitary Sewer Service District is defined as that area where sanitary sewer service is
immediately available. That district is then broken into two sub -districts, the Immediate
Service Area and the Intermediate Urban Service Area. If changes are made to District 3,
all of the districts would have to be redefined. The changes discussed at the last meeting
would make the lines less uniquely defined.
David Licht - The purpose of the plan is to provide direction. The plan is based on certain
objectives and two primary objectives are to get the sewer and water system to areas with
potential ground water pollution problems and to promote commercial and industrial
development. To achieve those objectives you will want to concentrate development
where it is most advantageous to the community. The community has made the
commitment that it will minimize the potential future hookup costs to the currently platted
areas by running the sewer close to the platted areas. There is a limit to how much
development can occur and what drives competition. Financial soundness is essential. If
land is short or there is a boom, expansion of the sewer district can be accommodated.
It is not unusual to have trunk lines running through rural areas, but they are restricted
from access due to other investments or other problems in different areas. There is a
limited market so until determined, in terms of feasibility or desirability, certain areas
should not be allowed to hook up.
Mike Robertson said that he had requested this issue be brought back for more discussion
because future expansion of the sewer plant will be more difficult once the area around it
is developed. In the future the MPCA may require land injection and that would require
the City to purchase more land. If development goes faster then projected, then the City
can open up part of the service area reserve.
CM Wendel - Is the Draft Comprehensive Plan going to be as written, or will there be
changes after the public hearings?
Mike Robertson - The informational meetings will be the input from the community.
There are issues in the Draft Comp. Plan where there has not been a definitive conclusion.
For instance, the information meetings will probably tell us the level of farming, how much
development, and the housing densities that are desired. After those meetings the
Planning Commission and City Council will meet and can make whatever changes they
wish.
PLANNING COMMISSION/CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING of
May 13, 1998 cont'd Page 3
David Licht - The two bodies (Planning Commission/City Council) have the responsibility
of representing the interest of everybody in the City. Property owners have the right to
come and say they don't like what we are doing because it effects them, but that is a self
interest and at what point is the community jeopardized by the interest of one individual.
What is in the best interest of the entire community? Everyone has to be considered as
well as the individual.
Mayor Fournier - We need the public input and will put together a document with public
opinion incorporated in the plan.
PC Nichols said he is willing to change the boundaries of the Sanitary Sewer District, but
not to increase its overall size. One issue is financial, so if people adjacent to the plant
want to develop that would be cash in hand to the City. Don't open up the whole
southeast corner, but keep the area to the east of the sewer plant as a buffer for future
expansion.
Mike Robertson - The concern is wide spread development, not those owning property in
the area that wish to hook up. The infrastructure costs increase the further spread out
development is.
PC Rask - If we allow this, we could possibly have 32 clustered homes in an area where
sewer expansion would occur. I agree that restricting the area to non-sewered
development is in the best interest of the City.
John Harwood - The engineering concern is service to existing residential areas having
ground water contamination by septic tank failures. A house or two hooking into the
sewer lines in the expansion area is not a problem. The problem would occur with large
developments through out the sewer expansion area.
David Licht - Financing is a concern, but the potential pollution problems and need for tax
base is why sewer and water is being pursued. If development were to occur more rapidly
you could make changes in the sewer district boundaries.
Dan Licht - Development will occur where the City determines, and in a contiguous
manner that will be beneficial to the City plan and in paying for the system.
David Licht - Developers will want the City to give them a sense of direction as to where
you want development. If in a year or two it isn't being absorbed fast enough, we can
look at the boundaries again.
PC Rask - We have to hold a strong line now that we know where the area is.
PLANNING COMMISSION/CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING of
May 13, 1998 cont'd Page 4
David Licht - In that 4 per 40 area, the 40 has to be on a public road. Because a back 40
has no access, it does not qualify for development. The intent is to minimize the
development in those areas so not to create an urban demand.
CM Heidner - The documents have all shown the area of the proposed plant. We want the
land along Hwy 101 and Co. Rd. 42 to develop first. One of the goals was to get the pipe
up to Co. Rd. 42 and Co. Rd. 39 area. There is one major road close to the plant and in
the spring it is under water. Development there would require a major upgrade of that
road.
CM Wendel asked after the Comp. Plan is approved, what will it take to change the
Comprehensive Plan to add the Urban Service Area Reserve into the sewer district.
David Licht - Adding to the sewer district would take an amendment to the
Comprehensive Plan. There is a Public Hearing, the Planning Commission considers it,
then the City Council considers it based on the Planning Commission's recommendation.
Elaine Beatty - In the Immediate Service Area, would you explain how opting out from
development works.
David Licht - There are guidelines that govern that. There should be a five year supply of
developable land. If it got to the place where there was less than that, that is when the
Urban Service Area would be expanded. Development rights can be traded with someone
not wanting to develop, then they could come to the City with a proposal. As land
develops certain criteria would have to be met. The Plan is to make it as financially
feasible as possible. If it ends up in six months there isn't anybody wanting to sub -divide,
then we'd change the process. You have to start with some ground rules. You have been
more than gracious to the overall community as to how you approached this project. The
main reason this project is being pursued is the potential future pollution problems in the
currently platted areas. You have taken an extremely conservative financial approach to
providing sewer and water service to that area.
Dan Licht - Recommended leaving the Plan as is until the hearings are held.
Consensus was to have the Draft Comprehensive Plan remain as written for the
informational meetings.
City Administrator Mike Robertson will write a letter to the public regarding the Public
Hearings. There will be four meetings, June 3, for the Sanitary Sewer Service District and
Urban Service Area Reserve, June 4, Long Range Urban Service Area,
June 9, Agriculture Preserve and June 10, 1998, Rural Residential Area, all meetings
starting at 8:00 P.M.
PLANNING COMMISSION/CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING of
May 13, 1998 cont'd Page 5
3. Any Other Business:
The next Joint workshop meeting date was set for June 24th, 1998 at 7:30 P.M., where
the input from the public meetings will be considered.
4. Adjourn by 10:00 PM:
VERN HEIDNER MOTIONED TO ADJOURN. BRUCE RASK SECONDED THE MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED.
The meeting adjourned at 10:20 PM.
J'olles, Secretary
Recorded by: Carol A. Olson
PGCC51398.WPS