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April 4, 2022 <br />Honorable Mayor Charles Cadenhead <br />Honorable Council Member Katrina Beckstrom <br />Honorable Council Member Dale Dorschner <br />Honorable Council Member Jeff Holtz <br />Honorable Council Member Lisa McGinn <br />City of Lake Elmo <br />3800 Laverne Ave North <br />Lake Elmo, MN 55042 <br />RE: Public Comment- Moratorium- Water System Low Pressure Zone <br />Dear Mayor Cadenhead and Members of the City Council: <br />I am writing this letter on behalf of the Peltier family to formally object to the proposed Ordinance No. <br />2022-03, which would establish a moratorium on platted development with the water system low <br />pressure zone. The Peltier family owns an approximately 60 acre tract of land located on the northwest <br />corner of Hudson Blvd and Lake Elmo Ave (PID Numbers: 35.029.21.44.0006 & 35.029.21.43.0001). We <br />respectfully ask Mayor Cadenhead and members of City Council to either not adopt the moratorium or <br />amend the moratorium to allow our property to continue with the City Entitlement process based on the <br />below information. <br />Early in 2021, the Peltier family entered into a dialog with the City of Lake Elmo regarding a <br />development path for the above mentioned land. It was our understanding that the land was able to be <br />developed on the condition that a water tower location that wa§ acceptable to the city be met. So we <br />agreed to work with the city on an agreeable water tower location while also identifying Tamarack Land <br />Development as a good partner moving forward. A purchase agreement with Tamarack Land <br />Development was signed in May of 2021 and the process continued with the city. Tamarack has worked <br />with city staff for the past 10 months on developing plans that would satisfy the city but also lead to a <br />successful development that all can be proud of. The concept has changed a number of times based on <br />city feedback and we've continued to be a good partner throughout. Tamarack has spent a great deal of <br />time and a sizable amount of money on the project to date. <br />During the beginning stages of the development process with the city, the city identified a portion of the <br />Peltier family property as the ideal location for the future water tower. Although this location is not <br />ideal for us, we decided to be good partners and ultimately agreed to sell the site for $50,000, which is <br />well below what current values are for this property if sold to a developer. But in the interest of moving <br />forward with the city and in turn helping solve a significant issue, we agreed to the price and the <br />location. The water tower site was recently sold and we received the moratorium letter the very next <br />day. The potential for a moratorium was never mentioned during any of the water tower discussions <br />and the city continued to tell us that if the water tower solution was met, we could continue down the <br />development path. <br />