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5.2 r-/ A. ( ITEM # 5.2. • 1 MEMORANDUM City oft TO: PLANNING COMMISSION Elk River FROM:O : STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR St( DATE: FEBRUARY 27, 2001 SUBJECT: CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR MINERAL EXCAVATION BY AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES CU 01-06/P.H. REQUEST Aggregate Industries-North Central Region, Inc., is requesting a conditional use permit to mine, crush, screen, wash and sell sand and gravel products from the site in question. Aggregate Industries's application containing details of their proposal is attached to this memo. The property is currently zoned A-1/Agricultural with the Mineral Excavation Overlay Zoning District applied to it. If this request is approved, a yearly mineral excavation • license will also be required. Staff has approved a grading permit to allow the stripping of topsoil on this site, independent of this approval. LOCATION The affected property is legally described as: The Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter(SE 1/4, SE 1/4) of Section 9, and the north 320 feet of the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter(NE 'A,NE 'A) of Section 16, all in Township 33, Range 26, Sherburne County, Minnesota. A vicinity map is included with this memo. GENERAL SITE INFORMATION The site is mainly made up of farm ground, not considered prime or of statewide or local importance. Other than a scattering of trees in a few gullies on the property, the site is void of trees and wetlands. The Minnesota Biological Survey identifies an oak forest— dry subtype just to the west of the property, but does not identify any rare or threatened species on the property itself. The property in question was part of the area studied in the City of Elk River's Environmental Impact Statement(EIS) on Mineral Excavation. With the exception of the two residences that lie immediately to the south of the property, all other residences are approximately one half(1/2) mile away from the site. • 13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 •TDD & Phone (763) 441-7420 • Fax (763) 441-7425 OVERALL OPERATION The site being considered in this request will be used to process material mined from all • of Aggregate Industries's properties lying west of Highway 169. Some of the properties involved will be the subject of future conditional use permit requests. Aggregate Industries's application contains a map of their current and future mining operations (see "Overview Map" in the attached application). The exception to this is their current mine on the Nemeth property. Aggregate Industries is proposing to use conveyors to bring materials to this property, which will be considered in a future request. Their facility for maintenance that can't be done in the field, is on the east side of Highway 169 and is on the attached"Overview Map". This shop is covered under a previous conditional use permit TRAFFIC Aggregate Industries is proposing to temporarily use 213th Ave. to access US Trunk Highway 169. This intersection has protected turn lanes, but does not have acceleration lanes. Staff recommends that Aggregate Industries direct their traffic south via Co. Rd 77 to the altered Highway 169/Co. Rd. 33 interchange, when it is completed. It is anticipated that this new interchange will be complete in 2004. For the majority of the time from now until then, Aggregate Industries will still be mining the Nemeth property and using its access. If, for some unforeseen reason, the new interchange at Highway 169/Co. Rd. 33 does not materialize, staff recommends that Aggregate Industries be required to petition the Minnesota Department of Transportation to have acceleration lanes added to the 213th Ave./Highway 169 intersection. • GROUND WATER Aggregate Industries's wash operation will utilize a great deal of water. To minimize the effects of this operation on the water table, they use a two celled pond system. Water used to wash gravel is directed to the first cell where sediment is allowed to settle out. The overflow from this cell then proceeds to a second cell where the water is recycled back into the wash operation. This system greatly reduces the amount of water that needs to be pumped out of the ground for the wash operation. A pump test that was done as part of the city's EIS on Mineral Excavation and our experience from the drought of the late 1980's, revealed that residential wells in this area may be stressed by the appropriation of large amounts of water. The attached conditional use permit (CUP) contains language to avoid this problem, including a requirement to curtail wash operations if necessary. The attached CUP also contains additional testing requirements regarding groundwater. HOURS OF OPERATION Aggregate Industries are requesting to operate outside of the normal hours of operation, which are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. They are requesting that their hours of operation are from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., which are the hours they are currently allowed to operate at the Nemeth pit. In other locations within the city, Aggregate Industries has demonstrated their ability to mitigate negatives effects associated with their operations. The CUP includes remedies, if these hours prove to be an annoyance to surrounding properties. However, the proposed operation is extremely • close to the residences to the south of their property. Staff is unsure whether or not Aggregate Industries can adequately address issues like noise, vibration, and dust for these residences because they are so close to the operation. • SETBACKS Aggregate Industries are proposing to use topsoil from the site as a berm between their operation and the adjacent road and residences. The proposed berm will work well for protecting 213th Avenue from erosion and for traffic safety. A description of the berm is included in Aggregate Industries's application. The proposed berm is 95 feet wide. The cities minimum setback from mining activities to adjoining properties used for residential purposes is 50 feet. FENCING The city's Mineral Excavation Ordinance requires fencing around ponding areas that are one and one-half(1 '/2) feet deep or more. Fencing is also required adjacent to steep slopes (the cut face of the mining operation. Aggregate Industries is proposing to fence their entire site. OTHER ISSUES Numerous other issues that are of concern with a mining operation have been adequately addressed in Aggregate Industries's application. Staff chose to elaborate only of the most significant issues in this memo. RECOMMENDATION Staff is recommending approval of Aggregate Industries's request to conduct mining • activities on the property in question under the stipulations and conditions found in the attached CUP based on the following findings: )=. Aggregate Industries's proposal, including their proposed reclamation, is consistent with the City of Elk River's EIS on Mineral Excavation, Comprehensive Plan, Mineral Excavation Ordinance and Zoning Ordinance. ➢ 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 Zoning District. ➢ The operation 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. ➢ The 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. ➢ The conditions placed on the operation require it to comply with all appropriate City, State and Federal requirements. • I I I i / \ • I I i a iil --- 0-- --- —— — I — -- !lit fi 1ii' j!� '1 219M.W41E ..r, 1, • r� II'lle; I ,i 1�11. ] S i 1Alb I ,�1 �� — -- �,1 — -- '� l IIIII' 11' I- II-- P- t li MI ___ _ r , _ _ \‘, , , \. . . _ • 0,„„,,,,,, .,,, ., „,, _. . 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River 13065 Orono Parkway •P.O.Box 490 CASE: CU 01-06 Elk River,MN 55330 • CITY OF ELK RIVER AGREEMENT FOR ISSUANCE OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR MINERAL EXCAVATION THIS AGREEMENT,made and entered into this day of 2001, by and between the CITY OF ELK RIVER, a municipal corporation organized under the laws of the State of Minnesota (City), and Aggregate Industries-North Central Region, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, hereinafter referred to as(operator); WITNESSETH: WHEREAS, Operator has made application to City for approval of a conditional use permit to operate a gravel mining operation within the City on property legally described as follows: IDThe Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter (SE 1/4, SE 1/4) of Section 9, and the north 320 feet of the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter(NE 1/4,NE 1/4) of Sectionl6, all in Township 33, Range 26, Sherburne County, Minnesota. (the Property); and WHEREAS,the City of Elk River Planning Commission and City Council have held hearings on Operator's request for a conditional use permit, at which hearings all citizens of the City of Elk River and other interested parties have had the opportunity to be heard on the application; and WHEREAS, the City Council by motion adopted , approved a conditional use permit for the operation of a gravel mining operation (the Operation) on the Property, subject to certain conditions, including that Operator enter into a Conditional Use Permit Agreement_with City so as to fully comply with the City's Mineral Excavation, Zoning, and other applicable Ordinances; and WHEREAS, the City's Zoning Ordinance requires that a Conditional Use Permit be issued and that a Conditional Use Permit Agreement for mineral excavation be entered into. • Page 2 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual promises and conditions hereinafter contained, it is hereby agreed as follows: • 1.) Entire Agreement- Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement shall constitute the Conditional Use Permit for the Property and, to be executed by City and Operator, shall govern the parties rights, responsibilities, and obligations with respect to the Operation, subject to the compliance by all parties with applicable city ordinances and state and federal laws. 2.) Warranty of Operator- Operator hereby warrants and represents to the City, as inducement to the City's entering into this agreement, that the Operator has a valid lease for the operation and the fee owner of the subject property shall also enter into this agreement. 3.) Conditions- The following general conditions shall apply to the Operation: (01) This Conditional Use Permit authorizes Mineral Excavation (gravel) from the Property. (02) All mineral excavation and processing operations on the property shall comply with the City's mineral excavation, zoning and other applicable ordinances; with the terms of this Conditional Use Permit agreement and the license agreement to be executed by the City and operator; with the • City of Elk River's Environmental Impact Statement on mineral excavation; and with the application materials and plans submitted by the Operator, which plans and materials are the basis for the City's approval of the Conditional Use Permit. (03)I The Operator shall orally notify the City of any violations of this permit within 24 hours and follow this with notification in writing within four (4) working days of the violation. (04) The operation shall be subject to gravel tax collected by the County, a portion of which the City receives: (05) Violations of this Conditional Use Permit may result in suspension or revocation: 4, (06) The City Building and Zoning Administrator and/or his/her agents shall be permitted to inspect the operation for compliance with the conditions of this permit during normal hours of operation. (07) The City's approval of this Conditional Use Permit is subject to the approval of appropriate permits by other governmental agencies. 08 explosivesshall be allowed for this o • ( ) No operation. p s:\b&z\stever\gravct,.doc Page 3 (09) Reclamation a. Reclamation shall be implemented on an annual basis pursuant to the reclamation plans submitted by the operator. b. Each year a plan for that year's reclamation shall be approved by the Building and Zoning Administrator prior to issuance of the mineral excavation license. c. The reclamation shall include topsoil from the site being preserved and put back into place after mining. d. Revegetation of the property shall include seeding with a mixture approved by city staff accompanied by a nurse crop. The vegetation established for the reclamation must be maintained until it is self-sufficient. e. Contours, finished grades, details of erosion control methods, and settling ponds, shall comply with the plans submitted and the City ordinance at the time of reclamation. Additional measure as determined by city staff may be required. • (10) Traffic Except for localized jobs, traffic through Elk River associated with this operation shall be limited to U.S. Highway 10 and 169. The operator may temporarily use 213th Ave. to access Highway 169. No later than January 1, 2005, the city will determine if the operator shall redirect traffic from their facility to the County Road 33/Highway 169 interchange or petition the Minnesota Department of Transportation for acceleration lanes at the 213th Avenue/Highway 169 intersection. (11) Dust Control a. A permit from;MPCA regarding air emissions shall be obtained when required and particulate emission standards shall be met by the operation. b. All equipment shall be located as to reduce dust to adjacent properties. c. Water, but no chemical agents, shall be used to control dust when • necessary. s:\b&z\stever\gravcup.doc Page 4 d. The City reserves the right to require additional measures to be taken, if warranted by dust problems, including but not limited to reducing • stock pile heights. (1 ) Hours of Operation a. The operator will be allowed to mine, process, and sell product on the site from 6:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. and maintain equipment 24 hours a day, as long as the operation does not constitute a nuisance to surrounding properties as determined by city staff. If complaints can not be resolved, the Building and Zoning Administrator may, as a remedy, adjust the hours during which mineral excavation activities are conducted, ultimately reverting back to the normal hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Upon approval of the Building and Zoning Administrator, or his/her designee, sale (hauling product off-site) may occur outside of the permitted hours [on a temporary basis not to exceed seven (7) days] to address an unique situation. (13) Noise a. The noise from screening and crushing associated with this operation shall be controlled by equipment location on site, the . erection of sound barriers,the placement of stockpiles, and the type of equipment used. b. Noise levels associated with this operation shall at no time exceed State standards. c. The City reserves the right to require additional measures be taken, if warranted by noise. (14) Lighting Lighting from the operation shall be directed away from adjacent residential property. Glare, whether directed or reflected as different from general illumination, shall not be visible beyond the limits of the immediate site. All„sources of artificial light shall be so fixed, directed, designed, or sized that the minimum subtotal of their illumination shall not increase the level of the illumination on nearby residential property by more than .1 foot candles in or within twenty-five (25) feet of a dwelling, or more than .5 foot candles on any part of the adjacent property. (15) The piling, storing, or keeping of old machinery, junk, debris, or abandoned motor vehicles, shall be prohibited on this site, with the • exception that reusable parts may be stored on the mineral excavation site s:\b&z\stever\gravcup doc Page 5 provided that it is in a location that cannot be viewed from adjacent 1111 properties or is totally screened. (16) Mining activities shall not cause excessive vibration off site. If excessive vibration becomes an issue, the City reserves the right to take appropriate measures to alleviate the problem. (17) Groundwater protection measures shall include: a. The Operator shall file with the City an emergency spill response plan. The operator shall adhere to this plan in the event there is a spill. b. The Operator shall provide the Fire Department with a copy of their flammable or hazardous materials. c. Fuel tanks shall be above ground, properly diked (if required by law), and registered with MPCA. d. All incidences that have the potential to adversely affect groundwater, including but not limited to spills, shall be verbally • reported to the City within 24 hours. This verbal notification shall • be followed up in writing within four (4) working days. e. The appropriate storm water permits shall be obtained by the Operator from MPCA. f. The wells located at the Rotz residences and on the site shall be monitored once a year for diesel range organics (DRO). If mining is to occur below the water table, the above wells shall be monitored for DRO prior to excavation activities commencing and after their cessation each year. Further, in the event of a spill, appropriate water tests will be taken until the spill is deemed clean by the city. g. A two cell system to recycle water from the wash operation shall be utilized.: h. Groundwater levels shall be monitored in the wells located at the Rotz residences and on the site prior to the start of wash operations and an additional three (3) times during the first week of said operation to predict the long term effects of the pump operation. Thereafter, the aforementioned wells shall be tested a minimum of twice per month, said frequency to be increased during dry periods. • This routine testing shall also be done for the water recycling pond. s:\b&z\stever\gravcup.doc Page 6 i. Water usage by mining activities shall not adversely affect adjacent residential wells. Mitigative measures may include, but are not III limited to, curtailing of pumping activities until water levels return. (1$) Signage 1 Signage for the operation shall be that which is permitted for an industrial operation in a medium industrial zone. (1 9) Fencing The operator shall fence the perimeter of the site with a four (4) foot high fence with support post every ten (10) feet. (20) Berming Berms shall be constructed on the site as described in the operator's application. (19) Other Permits The Operator shall obtain all state and federal permits appropriate to their operation and file copies of said permits with the City. 4.) General Provisions- • (011 Permits- Operator agrees to comply with all of the provisions hereof and agr es to save and hold the City harmless from any and all claims or actions ari ng from the operations of the Operator on the Property. (02) Binding Effect- The terms and provisions hereof shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of the heirs, representatives, successors, and assigns of the parties hereto and shall be binding upon all future owners of all or any part of the Operation and shall be deemed covenants running with the land. This Agreement shall be placed of record so as to give notice hereof to subsequent purchasers and encumbrances of all or any part of the Property, and all recording fees, if any, shall be paid by the Operator. (03) Severable- In the event that any portion of this Agreement shall be held invalid for any reason, the .same shall not affect in any respect whatsoever the validity of the remainder of this Agreement. (04)! Waiver- Any waiver, whether express or implied, by any party of a breach of y provision of this Agreement will not operate as or be construed to be a wai er of any subsequent breach of this Agreement. I • s:\b&z\stever\graycup.doc Page 7 (05) Notices- All notices and demands specified herein shall be deemed • appropriately and timely given when delivered personally or deposited in the United States mail to the addresses hereinafter set forth by certified mail (return receipt requested). The addresses of the parties hereto are as follows until changed by written notice given as above: If to the City at: City of Elk River ATTN: Building and Zoning Administrator 13065 Orono Parkway, P.O. Box 490 Elk River, Minnesota 55330-0490 If to the Operator at: Aggregate Industries-North Central Region, Inc. ATTN: Bob Bieraugel 2915 Waters Road, Suite 105 Egan, Minnesota 55121 (06) Incorporation by Reference- All plans, special provisions, proposals and specifications, submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be and hereby are made a part of this Agreement by reference as fully as if set forth herein in full. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City and Operator have caused this Agreement to be duly executed on the day and year first above written. • CITY OF ELK RIVER OPERATOR/FEE OWNER: Aggregate Industries-North Central Region, Inc. By: By: Its: Mayor By: By: Its: City Administrator • s:\b&z\stever\gravcup.doc Page 8 STATE OF MINNESOTA ss. COUNTY OF SHERBURNE Th� foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this day of , 2001, by Stephanie A. Klinzing, the Mayor of THE CITY or ELK RIVER, a Minnesota municipal corporation, on behalf of the coJ poration. Notary Public STATE OP MINNESOTA ss. COUNTY OF SHERBURNE The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this day of • , 2001, by Patrick D. Klaers, the City Administrator of THE CITY OF ELK RIVER, a Minnesota municipal corporation, on behalf of the corporation. Notary Public s:\b&z\stever\gravcup.doc • Page 9 STATE OF MINNESOTA • ss. COUNTY OF The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this day of , 2001, by , the of Aggregate Industries-North Central Region, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, on behalf of the corporation and fee owner of the subject property. Notary Public STATE OF MINNESOTA ss. COUNTY OF SHERBURNE • The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this day of 2001, by , the of Aggregate Industries-North Central Region, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, on behalf of the corporation and fee owner of the subject property. Notary Public This instrument was drafted by: City of Elk River Building and Zoning Department 13065 Orono Parkway/PO Box 490 Elk River, MN 55330 • s:\b&z\stever\gravcup.doc