INFORMATION #2 09-09-1996'ity of
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
MEMORANDUM
SHERBURNE COUNTY BOARD
STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
SEPTEMBER 9, 1996
UPDATE ON LAKE ORONO STUDY
LAKE ORONO
The Lake Orono Sedimentation Task Force has been meeting for over a year
now. The mission of this body is to explore whether or not a dredging project
of Lake Orono is needed. If it is found that Lake Orono should be dredged
the task will then explore how to accomplish the project.
As to the first issue, whether or not the Lake should be dredged, the task
force has commenced a study to determine the sedimentation rate into the
Lake and analyze the make-up of the sediments. This study began in August
of this year and a significant portion of it is being conducted by volunteer
help.
The task force solicited requests for proposals from several consulting firms
to aid in this study. Wenck Associates, Inc. out of Maple Plain was selected
because of their price, previous experience in this field, willingness to work
with volunteers, and personal recommendations.
The study is proposed to be conducted over the course of one full year to
gather data from all seasons. The City of Elk River committed $5,500 to this
project and Sherburne County committed $4,000. Sherburne Soil and Water
Conservation District is also providing technical support and doing analysis
on the Elk River watershed outside of the Elk River City limits.
The money committed thus far will suffice for 1996, but is less than half of
what it will take to finish the study. The remainder of the funds to complete
this study were proposed originally to come from a DNR grant that
disappointingly did not materialize.
The task force will be exhaustively researching other sources of funding to
complete this important study of this vital resource. However, be forewarned
it will probably require additional support from the City and County.
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13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
COUNTY SERVICE CHARGE ON SOLID WASTE
At their September 4th meeting the Sherburne County Board approved a
county wide service charge on business and residential waste. The City's
position on this issue, outlining its concerns and requesting that at least its
residential waste be exempted, was provided to the County Board in writing.
A copy is attached to this memo.
The County Board reluctantly made their decision after much debate. They
felt the service charge was necessary, at least in the short term, to avoid a
default on their contractual agreement with the RDF plant.
The service charge, which is $24 dollars a year per household and based on
valuation for businesses, was only approved for a two years. The motion to
approve this tax had a very strong emphasis on finding other solutions to this
dilemma in the next two years.
ELK RIVER MACHINE
City staff responses to complaints regarding storage and debris as they arise.
In addition we plan to put an effort into getting other areas of the City
cleaned-upped one at a time even though no complaints have been lodged.
Because it is readily visible from Highway 10 and somewhat unsightly, the
area north of the railroad tracks from Jackson Ave. to Proctor Ave. was
selected as staffs first effort at a unilateral clean-up. Thus far we have been
successful at getting the debris from the Babinski apartments and several
junk vehicles removed from this area.
Because Elk River Machine's storage takes up such a large amount of the
area in question and is visible from both Highway 10 and Lion's Park, it was
to be our next effort. Elk River Machine's property includes three zoning
designations: PUD, I-1, and I-2.
Staff assumes Elk River Machine's unscreened storage started when it was
an allowable use in the I-2 zone and could be considered grandfathered-in.
Therefore, our effort here was to persuade Elk River Machine to cooperatively
screen their storage. We contacted several different representatives of this
company, but have thus far not had any success.
Elk River Machine is an important business to Elk River and their storage is
necessary to them. Staff looks to the Council for further direction.
'ity of
MEMORANDUM
TO:
iver
COUNTY BOARD
CITY OF ELK RIVER
DATE:
SEPTEMBER 4, 1996
SUBJECT: PROPOSED SERVICE CHARGE ON
SOLID WASTE
The Elk River City Council commends the Sherburne County Board for
looking ahead in an effort to avoid a default on its contractual agreement
with the NRG RDF plant. However, Elk River is concerned with the
proposed service charge on residential and business solid waste.
This concern is especially true for Elk River's residential waste, which is
already tied into going to the RDF plant through the City's organized
collection. For at least Elk River's residential waste it has the appearance of
a tax without a purpose. The City would like to be assured that all other
options have been thoroughly explored prior to embarking on an additional
fee its residents must bear.
Is the service charge needed at this time? It is the City's understanding
that only about 8% of Sherburne County's waste is currently not going to
the RDF Plant and the contractual agreements are being met.
Is a County franchise on waste disposal an impossibility? The City
understands that with Sherburne County's large and in many areas
sparsely inhabited land base, organized collection would be difficult.
However, perhaps the County could work through the Cities to accomplish
this in the incorporated areas and future growth would ensure the
tonnage requirements were being delivered to the RDF plant.
Has supplementing the proposed service charge with landfill abatement
funds been exhausted? Couldn't the approximately $500,000 of annual
landfill abatement funds the County receives be used to off-set the service
charge.
· Perhaps a combination of these measures is the right answer.
The City of Elk River does not presume to know how to deal with this issue
better than the County Board, but it is concerned with additional taxes. The
Elk River City Council would like to be assure the proposed service charge is
the right and necessary next step. Elk River is requesting that at least its
residential waste be exempted from the proposed service charge.
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13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425