#06 - Moratorium Ordinance Termination

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MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMUNICATION DATE: 4/4/2023 CONSENT AGENDA ITEM: Ordinance No. 2023-09 - An Ordinance Terminating a Moratorium Declared by Ordinance No. 2022-03 that Imposed a Moratorium on Platted Development within the Water System Low Pressure Zone SUBMITTED BY: Jenni Faulkner, Planning Consultant REVIEWED BY: Kristina Handt, City Administrator BACKGROUND: In April of 2022, the City adopted an interim ordinance (attached) declaring a moratorium for a period of 12 months on new platted development for the area south of the Union Pacific Railroad and east of Keats Avenue, based on the following findings: • There is a certain area within the City that has been determined to be a “low pressure zone” with respect to the City’s ability to provide water services to that area. The Water System Low Pressure Zone is shown on the map attached as Exhibit A. This area has low water pressure and the City is concerned that if additional water users are added to this area that it may have issues supplying water to this area in the future. • That before additional water users are added to the Water System Low Pressure Zone, the City needs to study the current and future water usage in the Water System Low Pressure Zone in order to determine if additional infrastructure is needed. • That it is in the best interest of the city to impose a moratorium on platted development within the Water System Low Pressure Zone so that the City can study the current and future water usage within the Water System Low Pressure Zone. STUDY OF AREA: In the past year, the City has gone through a series of updates to the Municipal Code for the described area that the moratorium impacts. These effectively address the issues with the Water System Low Pressure Zone and make sure new plating can commence with no issue to capacity for the developed area. These updates that occurred were as follows: • Update to the Stormwater Reuse in the Planned Unit Development Code • Update to the Irrigation Reuse Standards for Engineering • Update to the Topsoil requirement Each of these updates was determined to be necessary in accommodating future development in the described area of the City of Lake Elmo that the moratorium applies to.