04-01-1993 CC MIN
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MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL
ORONO LAKE 3RD ADDITION NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATIONAL MEETING
HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL
THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1993
Members Present:
Vice Mayor Dietz, Councilmembers Holmgren, Farber,
Scheel
Members Absent:
Mayor Duitsman
Staff Present:
Terry Maurer, City Engineer; Pat Klaers, City
Administrator
Vice Mayor Dietz opened the meeting and welcomed
attendance.
citizens
in
the
Vice Mayor Dietz indicated that the City Council had discussed municipal
sewer and water improvements in the area south of County Road 30 at its
March 3, 1993 meeting. At this meeting, it was decided that the most
appropriate alignment for the extension of utilities into this area was down
Fresno Street. At that March 3 meeting, the Council expressed a desire to
inform the neighborhood around Fresno Street (Orono Lake 3rd Addition) about
activities that would be happening down Fresno Street. Additionally, the
Council wanted to get some feedback from the neighborhood on whether or not
there was any desire to have municipal sewer and water installed in their
neighborhood. In this regard, the City Council directed the City Engineer
to set up a neighborhood meeting for April 1, 1993, to discuss the issues
reviewed on March 3.
City Engineer, Terry Maurer, reviewed the April 1, 1993, handout and made a
presentation on the issues discussed at the March 3, 1993, City Council
meeting. Terry reviewed the development activity south of County Road 30;
the possible alignment of sewer, water, street and storm sewer work in the
Orono 3rd Addition; the estimated cost for this project; examples of what
the project would cost each individual homeowner; and the process that the
City would go through if this project was to move forward. Terry stressed
that no project has been ordered and that the purpose of this meeting is to
obtain feedback from the citizens on their desires regarding municipal
improvements in their neighborhood.
Questions and discussion items raised from the neighbors included the
following:
- The assessment time frame and the cost for the interest on the project
- Whether or not the taxes on the homes will go up if the value of the
property increases due to the project
Whether or not a water tower project is being assessed to the
neighborhood with this project
- Whether or not street lights are included within this project and the
costs presented
- Does the assessment amount exceed the benefit to the homeowners
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City Council/Orono Lake 3rd Addition
April 1, 1993
Page 2
- Can the location of the service lines into the households be arranged
to the best benefit of the homeowner, especially on corner lots
- What is the life span of the old wells and old septic systems and the
cost to replace them
- Whether or not this proposal goes against past City Council commitments
to not do improvement projects in this neighborhood
- Whether or not the neighborhood is receiving a price benefit due to the
development activity south of County Road 30
- Whether or not the Fresno alignment for extension of sewer and water
south of County Road 30 could be changed
- If the project does not happen now, then how long before sewer and
water will be forced into the neighborhood
- Is this improvement project consistent with what happens in other
neighborhoods and is the costs for these improvements also consistent.
The City Engineer and City Council generally responded to each of the
questions raised. The overall responses by the City were: that this
neighborhood would be treated identically to other neighborhoods; that a
sewer and water project would take place some time in the near future when
major street restoration is required; that, at this point, the Fresno street
alignment has been accepted by the City Council; that there is some economy
of scale benefit to the neighborhood if this project takes place at this
time, but no benefit is received by the developers south of county Road 30
if the neighborhood is included in the project; that the service lines could
be located in an area that best benefits the homeowner; that street lights
are not part of the project as outlined; that this neighborhood is not being
charged, in the costs outlined, for a water tower; that the taxes most
likely will increase on the homes if the value of the property increases;
and that the assessment would be levied and the first payment due in 1994 if
this project happens today and that the cost of interest on the project is
very reasonable at this time.
The overwhelming majority of the citizens in attendance voiced their
opposition to this project for the extension of sewer and water into their
neighborhood. There are 38 homes in this area. There were 24 citizens
present at this meeting plus the developers for the projects south of county
Road 30. These 24 citizens represented 14 homeowners.
Vice Mayor Dietz indicated that, due to not all of the homeowners being
present, the City would send out the 4/1/93 informational packet along with
a survey requesting feedback from the citizens on their desire for the
project. It was noted that even if all of the citizens do not desire a
project, that it is likely that the alignment for the extension of sewer and
water will still go down Fresno Street and that the city would have to
discuss this part of the project again with the Fresno Street property
owners. The issues to discuss with the Fresno Street property owners
include the same elements discussed tonight; street, storm sewer, lateral
sewer, and lateral water assessments.
Vice Mayor Dietz thanked everyone in attendance for their participation and
encouraged them to contact City staff or City Councilmembers with any
feedback that they may have regarding the proposed proj.ect.
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City Council/Orono Lake 3rd Addition
April 1, 1993
Page 3
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
~fl~L J)-i1~{1S
Patrick D. Klaers ~,()
City Administrator