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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/06/1993 Council Minutes1 1 1 175 COUNCIL WORK SESSION OCTOBER 6, 1993 CITY OF LINO LAKES COUNCIL MINUTES DATE : October 6, 1993 TIME STARTED 5:00 P M. TIME..ENDED 6:22 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Reinert, Neal, Kuether, ;Elliott, Bergeson MEMBERS ABSENT None Staff members present: City Engineer, Darrell Schneider; Consulting Engineer, Rocky Keehn; Assistant to the City Administrator, Dan Tesch and Clerk -Treasurer Marilyn Anderson. Teamsters Prposal for 1993/1995 Contract Mr. Tesch handed to each Council Member a copy of the final. proposal to the Teamsters Union (Police Officers) for a three (3) year contract. Mr. Tesch asked that all questions regarding the proposal be directed to him. Surface Water Management Update Mr. Keehn handed to each Council Member a copy of Table 1, Total Project Summary. He noted that he has been working on this project for about one and one half (1 1/2) years. Originally a master plan had been prepared and then each piece of the plan has been completed as funding became available. The scope of the plan was completed and indicated that the total cost of the plan would be approximately $85,000.00. A policy document was completed which give direction on how the plan should be completed. A DNR wetlands map of the City is in the process of being completed and adapted to the Geographical Information System (GIS). When this map is completed, the City will be able to maintain and update the map without consultant help The next part of the plan to be completed is the map itself. There are seven (7) major water bodies in the City and many ponds. Each subdivision will be analyzed and all water areas will be classified according to usage. PAGE 1 1766 COUNCIL WORK SESSION OCTOBER 6, 1993 Mr. Schneider explained that the City staff is getting questions from the public regarding the functional status of certain ponds. It is his plan to form a citizens committee to give input into classifying the use of ponds. The classification of ponds will become part of the Surface Water Management Plan. Mr. Keehn noted that $24,000.00 has been spent on the plan to date. Approximately $10,000.00 will be spent to complete the second phase which includes mapping and wetlands classification. An additional $44,300.00 is needed to complete the plan and get it ready to submit to the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) and Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO). The Watershed Districts can take up to 60 days to review and approve the plan. Mr. Keehn outlined a time schedule as follows: 1) City Council approve a request to complete the plan on Monday, October 11, 1993; 2) a preliminary draft of the plan would be ready to submit to the City Council on November 11, 1993 and 3) the City Council would review the draft at the November 17, 1993 work session. Ordinances will have to be drafted and current ordinances updated before RCWD will approve the entire plan. On December 20, 1993 Mr. Keehn expects to present a formal plan for the City to the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BOWSR). He noted that no further approval is needed from this organization because they have already approved the RCWD plan. Mr. Schneider noted that RCWD does want to remain the Local Government Unit (LGU) for the City of Lino Lakes and the new administrator of that organization would like to talk to the City Council about the options. Mr. Keehn explained that the permitting program is currently not included in the proposal. There would be an additional cost of approximately $6,000.00. He noted that there have been some changes in the original plan so that all information can be absorbed into the GIS. That will provide for better printing capabilities. Mayor Reinert asked when the plan is completed and in place, will it be possible to predetermine what the amount of runoff will be to a given water body over a given period of time. Mr. Keehn explained that the plan was drafted under ultimate development conditions. Mayor Reinert asked if under the present wetland laws, can we assume we have "frozen" our natural water holding capacity and anything different in the future will be attributed to future development. Mr. Keehn responded that the impact of future development will not be great. Mayor Reinert said he did not want to get into a situation where this City would experience PAGE 2 1 1 1 1 177 COUNCIL WORK SESSION OCTOBER 6, 1993 all kinds of water levels in the future. Mr. Keehn explained that the City can do all it wants but it will not make a difference because the impact to water bodies will come from outside of Lino Lakes. Mayor Reinert asked if the City should be considering the impact from the watershed district. Mr. Keehn said that is what RCWD is all about. Council Member Bergeson asked if the RCWD could prevent this City from becoming its own LGU? Mr. Keehn explained that a precedence has been set in Shoreview, Moundsview, etc. However, RCWD can "look over your shoulder". He also explained that if the plan is put into effect and then the City "forgets" the plan, RCWD can step in and then BOWSR becomes the ultimate authority. Mayor Reinert noted that if citizen involvement becomes a reality, the City will not be allowed to stray from the plan. Mr. Schneider explained that some areas have become wetlands because ditches were not maintained after they were turned over to the RCWD approximately 20 years ago. Mayor Reinert asked what is the obligation of the RCWD if they did not maintain the ditches. Mr. Schneider said he has not received any input regarding this question. Mr. Keehn suggested another question should be asked of RCWD; if the City takes control, should the Lino Lakes tax payer pay the full levy to RCWD when RCWD no longer has any duties in Lino Lakes. Can the RCWD still charge the same as before the City took over the permitting authority? Mr. Schneider explained that a Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) also must be drafted. After that plan is completed, the City can argue that RCWD is obligated and responsible for completion of some of the improvements. Council Member Kuether asked how this may fit in with the Public Works Directors need for a full-time person to clean ditches? Mr. Schneider explained that any ditch cleaning or maintenance must fit into the CIP. Council Member Bergeson asked if any other city has become its own LGU. Mr. Keehn explained that Shoreview and Moundsview have not adopted ordinances and do not do any permitting, however, they also do not have much development. Mayor Reinert asked if some improvement is done in this City that would benefit Fridley, should Lino Lakes be reimbursed. Mr. Keehn said yes, RCWD should share the cost. Mr. Keehn noted that the future concern will be water quality. He explained that solving water quality concerns down stream should save Lino Lakes PAGE 3 17 COUNCIL WORK SESSION OCTOBER 6, 1993 dollars in the future. Mr. Schneider also explained that the RCWD will be operating more closely to the law than previously. Reporter Theresa Berg asked if there was any urgency in completing the Surface Water Management Plan. Mr. Keehn said no, the plan has been in process for one and one half (1 1/2) years and has been completed as funding became available. He noted that some things have happened to cause a speed up in the completion of the plan. Mr. Schneider explained that the plan would have been completed sooner, however the funding was not available. Mayor Reinert asked Mr. Keehn to present the plan at the Council meeting in a very simple manner and explain why the plan is good for Lino Lakes. Mr. Keehn told the City Council that there are other positives to this plan. Backup information will be readily available and Lino Lakes can prepare its own water management plan much more efficiently that the RCWD can. Mr. Schneider explained that some procedures of the RCWD have changed and he explained the difficulties being experienced by developers as they present their new developments to that Board. He noted that there is a new administrator at that Board and she is very aggressive. Hopefully something can be worked out on the plats before that Board. Mr. Schneider explained that the problems being experience by the Reshanau Lake Estates plat have an impact on the development of Living Waters Church. A change order is being prepared and hopefully they can be satisfied. Mr. Schneider explained that the RCWD managers need to understand that the City has cooperated with them and now they should be cooperating with the City. Mayor Reinert asked Mr. Keehn to present a brief 10 minute summary of the Surface Water Management Plan at the City Council meeting on Monday. Council Member Kuether asked if many cities will be managing wetlands, does this City have to be concerned about how the neighboring cities are managing their wetlands. Mr. Schneider said yes, however, they must follow the laws. Mr. Schneider was asked of all cities must follow their plan exactly? Mr. Schneider did not answer this question. Council Agenda for October 11, 1993 All matters on the agenda were discussed. Mr. Schneider PAGE 4 1 1 1 COUNCIL WORK SESSION OCTOBER 6, 1993 explained how the public hearing process for the assessments will be handled. The public hearing will be opened and each assessment project will be outlined briefly. Questions from the City Council and audience will be taken at this time. The public hearing will be closed and then the City Council will act on each resolution adopting the assessments. It was noted that Monday, October, 11, 1993 has been designated Columbus Day. However, the City does not celebrate that day and the City Council meeting will be held as usual. Mayor Reinert reminded the Council Members that matters discussed during a closed City Council meeting are not to be discussed in public. He asked that all Council Members keep all information discussed during closed sessions to themselves. The work session was adjourned at 6:22 P.M. These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held on October 25, 1993. Marilyn;JG. Anderson, Clerk -Treasurer Vernon F. Reinert, Mayor PAGE 5