HomeMy WebLinkAbout4C - Alternative Water StudySTAFF AGENDA REPORT
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AGENDA #:
PREPARED BY:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
4 (c) ~
FRANK BOYLES, CITY MANAGE
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION REQUESTING STATE
REIMBURSEMENT OF CITY COSTS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE
WATER STUDY REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE SAVAGE FEN
JANUARY 3, 1995
INTRODUCTION:
DISCUSSION:
ISSUES:
The Council has directed that the attached resolution be placed on
this agenda for approval and submission to the state and cities
involved in the Alternative Water Study.
At the December 19 meeting the Council approved participation in
the City of Savage Alternative Water Supply Study Cooperative
Agreement. The cost of the study for Prior Lake purposes is not to
exceed $14,000 to be paid out of the city's trunk reserve funds.
The study will determine whether or not Prior Lake will continue to
be able to develop its well field at the existing location or whether
we will be required to develop a second well field on the other side
of Prior Lake so that the fen is not affected. The impact of this
decision could be economically considerable to the city.
Accordingly the Council directed that the staff draw up a resolution
requesting state financial assistance in participation in this report
together with any recommendations it makes since the state is
requiring the study and its subsequent recommendations.
State mandates have had a considerable impact on cities in
general. The state's mandate to protect the Savage Fen has a long
history in this area. The cost to the affected cities has been
significant. The future cost may be even greater especially if the
Fen is to be pr. otected literally at any cost.
The Council desires to assure that the state is aware of the
financial impacts of its mandates on citys like Prior Lake. Savage
shares our concerns.
Steve King City Administrator at Savage has advised me that they
will be preparing a legislative package on this subject. I have
confirmed with him that we would be interested in further discussing
this subject. I also indicated that the Council would be adopting this
resolution and that he would receive a copy.
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16200 Eagle Creek Ave., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
ALTERNATIVES:
RECOMMENDATION:
ACTION REQUIRED:
FB:aw
FAGN4C.CC
The Council has the following alternatives:
1. Adopt the resolution as recommended.
2. Amend the resolution and adopt it as amended.
As the Council desires.
A motion and second to approve the resolution in its current or
amended state.
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RESOLUTION 95-
RESOLUTION REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
FOR COSTS INCURRED BY THE CITY OF PRIOR LAKE FOR
PARTICIPATION IN AND FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS
GENERATED BY THE ALTERNATIVE WATER STUDY REQUIRED
TO PROTECT THE SAVAGE FEN
MOTION BY:
SECONDED BY:
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
WHEREAS,
a Fen Wetland Complex is located within the boundaries of the City of
Savage, Minnesota; and
the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources under the authority of
Minnesota Rule Pt. 8420.1010, has mandated the preparation of Fen
Management Plans to insure the long term protection and management of
calcareous fens; and
the City of Savage has prepared a Savage Fen Management Plan as
mandated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; and
a multi layer analytic element model has been prepared and used to model
ground water flow for the Savage Fen Management Plan by Barr
Engineering Company; and
this model has indicated additional high capacity municipal wells located in
areas adjacent to the City of Savage may also result in adverse affects to
upwelling conditions at the Savage Fen Wetland Complex; and
the City of Prior Lake has entered into a cooperative agreement with the City
of Savage and Barr Engineering Company to assess the ground water
conditions in Prior Lake utilizing the ground water model as prepared by Barr
Engineering Company to assess the ground water conditions; and
the cost of this mandate to each of the communities is considerable in terms
of study cost; and
the cost of the study recommendations to Prior Lake could be hundreds of
thousands of dollars if a new well field is required; and
the city supports the concept that state mandates should be matched with
state financing; and
in the absence of state financial assistance, the cities will be left to finance
this project and its recommendations through ad valorem tax increases or
increases to city water customers; and
4629 Dakota St. S.E., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Page 2 RS9501
WHEREAS,
the City Council of the City of Prior Lake strongly supports the maintenance
of wetlands but questions whether preservation of the Savage Fen should be
accomplished at all costs or whether more prudent steps might be taken to
preserve the Fen and mitigate against extraordinary cost increases to the
affected communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA, that it strongly encourages the Minnesota
Department of Natural resources to:
.
Examine this mandate to determine to what extent the Savage
Fen is tO be preserved and at what cost.
.
That the City of Prior Lake requests reimbursement by the State
Department of Natural Resources for $14,000 the city has
incurred to participate in this study.
.
The City of Prior Lake will calculate the costs associated with the
study recommendations in terms of new infrastructure required,
and intends to request reimbursement therefore from the State.
Passed and adopted this 3rd day of January, 1995.
YES NO
Andren Andren
Greenfield Greenfield
Kedrowski Kedrowski
Scott Scott
Schenck Schenck
{Seal}
Frank Boyles
City Manager
City of Prior Lake
RS9501.CC