6.2. SR 09-17-2001Item
6.2.
TO:
MEMORANDUM
Mayor and City Council
FROM:
DATE:
Stephen Rohlf, Building and Zoning Administrator
September 17, 2001
SUBJECT:
Conditional Use Permit Amendment for Mineral Excavation by
Tiller Corporation CU 01-33/P.H.
Background
Tiller Corporation in cooperation with Sherburne County and the City of Elk River has been
working on a realignment of County Roads #33 and #77. The realignment and lowering of
these roads accommodates long term transportation needs of the city and county and the
development of surrounding properties. Both the city's and the county's transportation
plans as well as the city's Environmental Impact Statement on Mineral Excavation identifies
the need for new alignments of these roads. A map roughly showing the proposed
realignments is attached (Map 1), A leg of the new intersection of County Roads #33 and
#77 that headed southwest toward Woodland Trails Park was recently removed from the
city's transportation plan, but the rest of this realignment is still valid. The city and county
are trying to coordinate the timing of the realignment with the Minnesota Department of
Transportation's project to construct an interchange at the intersection of Highway 169 and
County Road #33.
In 1992, Tiller gained approval of a conditional use permit (CU 92-01) from the city to mine
the seventy-eight acre site also shown on Map 1. As part of their application, Tiller
submitted the attached reclamation plan labeled Map 2. Since that time, Aggregate
Industries has received a permit to mine the property directly to the west of Tiller's site and,
as previously mentioned, the city and the county have made plans for lowering County Road
#77.
Request
Tiller is requesting a modification to their reclamation plan for CU 92-01. Map 3 shows the
new contours proposed by Tiller. To accommodate the new road alignment, Tiller is
pr.op, osing to mine the common boundary between their pit and Aggregate Industries'
m~mng operation to the west. They also plan on removing the material under the existing
alignment of County Road//77. Because Aggregate Industries' mineral excavation permit
came after Tiller's, it anticipated the common boundary between the two pits being mined. A
modification to Aggregate ndustnes permit ~s not necessary. Tiller will also be relocating
their wash plant and make other minor adjustments to their operation to accommodate the
new road corridors.
Discussion
Some time in future, Tiller will be finished with all of their mining activities in this area and
the city will need to reconsider the final end use of their property. As a result, staff
anticipates further refinements to Tiller's reclamation plan. Tiller is making this current
request to accommodate the city's and county's timing for the proposed realignments of the
county roads in this area.
Tiller has agreed to provide Sherburne County with the necessary easements for the
realignments. In turn, the county will vacate the portions of the existing easements that are
no longer needed.
Recommendation
The Planning Commission is recommending approval of Tiller's request to modify their
reclamation plan, based on the f611owing findings:
The City of Elk River's long range planning anticipated mining as an interim use on
the property in question when it was zoned Mineral Excavation Overlay District and
Tiller has an valid Mineral Excavation Permit currently on the property in question.
Tiller's proposed reclamation plan is consistent with the City of Elk River's EIS on
Mineral Excavation, Comprehensive plan (including the Transportation Plan
component), Mineral Excavation Ordinance and Zoning Ordinance, as well as
Sherburne County's Transportation Plan.
The modification to Tiller's reclamation plan will not result in the loss of natural,
scenic or historic features of major importance and it does not appear to have the
potential for significant environmental effects.
Existing conditions placed on the operation adequately protect adjacent properties
and the city from detrimental affects from the operation due to excessive traffic,
noise, odor, smoke, fumes, glare, dust or vibration.
Existing conditions place.,d on the operation require that it comply with all
appropr, ate state and federal requirements.
Tiller's existing conditional use permit for this property states that reclamation shall be
pursuant to the plans submitted. Staff is not proposing any language changes to this permit.
MAP # 1
TILLER PROPERTY
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PARK
78 ACRE SITE
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