6.4. SR 06-21-1999
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Items # 6. 4 .
MEMORANDUM
FROM:
The Mayor and City Council
Stephen Wen.man, Planner701'
DATE:
June 21, 1999
SUBJECT:
Request by Heritage Landing
Development for a Land Use Map
Amendment, Public Hearing Case No.
LU 99-1
Request
Please consider a request by the applicant for a land use map amendment to
remove property from the urban service district.
Location
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General Location: (Highway 10 and Waco St. NW), SWl/4, NWl/4 of Section
31, Township 33, Range 26, Elk River, MN
Zonine/Land Use
C3 (Highway Commercial) / HB (Highway Business)
Attachments
. Location/zoning map
. Howard R. Green memorandum
Overview
The applicant requests the land use map amendment to remove his property
just west of Waco Street and Highway 10 from the urban service district in
order to develop the property. The applicant believes he has waited long
enough for municipal services.
The 1988 Comprehensive Plan prohibits development of vacant property
within the urban service district if sewer and water is unavailable.
. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, an ordinance was enacted to
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330. TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
Memo to the City Council/LU 99-1
June 21, 1999
Page 2
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manage growth, protect the long range perspective of the city, and protect the
best employment and tax base opportunities of such property.
On June 17, 1996, the City Council considered an ordinance amendment
which would allow commercial and industrial development within the city's
urban service district prior to the availability sewer and water. The
amendment was in response to a request from LeFebvre and Morrell trucking
operations to relocate onto 171st Avenue NW. At that time, the City Planner
suggested a PUD approach, rather than an ordinance, to allow this
development with the stipulation that the developers waive their rights to
future assessments and guarantee hook up to sewer and water when it is
available. The ordinance amendment was denied and the PUD approach was
used.
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In this case the issues are similar. The applicant believes that he has waited
long enough for sewer and water and would like to develop the property at
this time. Presently, the applicant is proposing to develop mini-storage on
one parcel and place a billboard on the other. Staff has maintained that the
applicant has always had the option to request the removal of his property
from the urban service district. Staff, however, would not necessarily support
a return to the urban service district at a later date. Development without
sewer and water generally results in a lower tax base and fewer employees,
contrary to two goals of the Economic Strategic Plan. Also, it is unlikely that
a mini-storage facility would be removed or demolished for redevelopment
once urban services are available. Removing this site from the urban service
district may result in a utility extension that will be designed accordingly
and lower expenses for the city.
This site is unique and might warrant removal from the sewer and water
district. The site has no access to Waco Street and will need access from
Highway 10 or through Big Lake Township. There is a large wetland to the
south of the site making both access and sewer extension difficult from the
south. Easements for sewer and water would need to be acquired south of
the site to provide sewer and water (See attached, Howard R. Green
memorandum).
The City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan
The Comprehensive Plan states:
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All future development within the boundaries of the planned urban
service district will require hookup to municipal water and sanitary
sewer systems except for the residential area between the Elk River,
County Road 35, Meadowvale Road and the western boundary of the City
which will require overlay plats for future development.
\\elkriver\sys\shrdoc\planning\stevewen \ccmmo \lu99-I.doc
Memo to the City Council/LU 99-1
June 21, 1999
Page 3
. Planning Commission
At the May 25, 1999, Public Hearing, no one from the public spoke for or
against this issue. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the
request and added the condition:
THAT IF WATER AND SEWER BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE, AND THE
PROPERTY OWNERS WISH TO HOOK UP, THE OWNERS SHALL BEAR ALL COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXTENSION OF SEWER AND WATER.
Recommendation
Staff and the Planning Commission recommend that the Council approve the
applicants request for a land use map amendment to remove property from
the urban service district with the following condition:
1. THAT IF IN THE FUTURE, THE APPLICANT WISHES TO RETURN TO THE
URBAN SERVICE DISTRICT, THE APPLICANT SHALL BARE THE COSTS OF
PROVIDING SEWER AND WATER TO THE PROPERTY.
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\ \elkriver\sys\shrdoc\planning\stevewen\ccmmo\lu99-1. doc
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LOCA liON
MAP
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13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490
Elk River. MN 55330
CASE: LJJ 99-1, OA 99-5
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Howard R. Green Company
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
lltu'Lga;um
Formerly MSA
Consulting Engineers
May 19, 1999
File: 230000M
Mr. Steve Wensman
. Planner
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
P.O. Box 490
RE: HERITAGE LANDING DEVELOPMENT
REQUEST FOR REMOVAL FROM THE URBAN SERVICE AREA
Dear Mr. Wensman:
City Administrator Pat Klaers has asked us to review the request by Heritage
Landing Development for the removal of their parcel of land from the Urban Service
District. We have done this from strictly an engineering perspective. As you are
aware, Heritage Landing Development owns a small parcel of land, adjacent to TH
10 just west of Waco Street. The parcel is triangular in shape and actually has no
frontage on a city street. It does, however, have access from the highway. It has
been documented by MnDot that this highway access can be continued as the
property develops beyond an agricultural use. The west line of this property abuts to
Big Lake Township. There is a wetland complex existing approximately in the center
of the property.
In the future, it is the City's intent to realign Waco Street farther to the east. This is
in an effort to provide more room on the north side of the highway to configure an
intersection which will ultimately be signalized. This realignment of Waco Street
may make access to a city street from this property even more difficult. Given this
property's somewhat small size, its location in an extreme end of the Urban Service
Area, and its unique road access, we see no problem with removing it from the Urban
Service District.
We would caution, however, that if the developers petition to be included in the
Urban Service District in the future, there may be extraordinary costs associated
with providing sewer and water service to this site. These would result from a couple
of different items. First of all, the site was always intended to be served by lateral
sanitary sewer and water since it is on the extreme west end of the Urban Service
District. Most likely this service would come from the property lying immediately
1326 Energy Park Drive · 81. Paul, MN 55108 · 612/644-4389 fax 612/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389
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south of the subject site. If the request to remove them from the Urban Service
District is granted, the design of the sewer and water to serve the site to the south
would generally not include a review of what it would take to provide service to this
site. Therefore, the sanitary sewer may not be provided with extra depth if that is
needed to ultimately serve this site, nor would there be provisions to extend
watermain for looping purposes or possibly even easements to extend sanitary sewer
to the site. In the future, if the owners would petition to be included in the Urban
Service District, the extraordinary costs may include a lift station for sanitary sewer
service, easement acquisition for extending the sewer and looping of the watermain
and the developers would be required to pay these extraor~ary costs and acquire
any necessary easements.
If you have any questions regarding these comments, please call.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
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Terry J. Maurer, P.E.
s: \planning\letters \230000m.doc
Howard R. Green Company
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
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CITY OF ELK RIVER
RESOLUTION NO. 99 -
A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
TO AMEND THE URBAN SERVICE DISTICT
CASE NO. LU 99-1
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 462.355, Subdivision 2, prescribes
the procedure for amending the Comprehensive Plan, and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing May 25, 1999,
and recommended approval regarding the Comprehensive Plan amendment request
for the property generally described as:
See Attached Exhibit A
and,
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the Comprehensive Plan
amendment request and finds the change to be in general conformance to the
adopted Comprehensive Plan.
. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Elk River that the Land Use Plan be amended to remove the property as described
above from the Urban Service District
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Elk River this _ day of
, 1999.
Stephanie Klinzing, Mayor
ATTEST:
Sandra A. Peine, City Clerk
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s: \document \resoluti\lu99-1.doc
EXHIBIT A
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1$-131-2200
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