09-24-91 Special CCM - Laserfiche WebLink

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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 24, 1991 2 Councilman Mottaz: I made the original motion requesting the MUSA extension 1/2 mile. At one time Lake Elmo had Section 32 defined as the MUSA area. We lost Section 32 to Oakdale so we lost all the MUSA area along with 6,000 SAC units that were assigned to Lake Elmo. We had nothing else in Lake Elmo where we were authorized.to extend the municipal services. The extension 1/2 mile north of County Road 13 and down a 1/2 mile east of 19 would replace what the City lost in Section 32. In addition to that, Woodbury has just successfully petitioned to have the MUSA line extended to the East and a 1/2 mile beyond County Road 19. This would match up with any commercial development that would take place with our neighbors to the south. Richard McNamara: Happy to see the City go ahead with this to take advantage of the MUSA. It will give the city a tax base and help reduce taxes for people who want to live here. I would be in favor of the 1/2 mile because you will get the nice office complexes and good developments that have need for a large area. The surrounding communities will take advantage of the MUSA opportunity if Lake Elmo doesn't. Martin Colon, owns 50 acres NW corner of County Road 19 and I-94 and goes back 1/2 mile, and is in favor of 1/2 mile extension if you really want quality development. The MUSA line does not obligate the City to do anything in particular. All it does is reserve those particular SAC units for the use of the City as it see fits. If you look at Minnesota Mining, Honeywell, General Mills, you see the type of properties they develop a 1/2 mile back. Real estate taxes are going to get a lot worse and it would be a benefit to all to get out there and encourage these developments of this nature to help the tax payer. The City will have to take the lead and put the ordinance into effect. Councilman Hunt: Currently Woodbury has extended their MUSA and Oakdale is gobbling up the east end. We are going to be in competition with those two cities. It is not a foregone conclusion that the Met Council will approve our full request. The City is going to make a request to the Met Council, and the City can only hope they will approve it. It is the appropriate time to make that request. ' Mayor Johnson: We want to insure the property owners that we were not conveying any false hopes or impressions about what MUSA is or what it can do. A simple extension of the MUSA does not guarantee that sewer will be extended to any property within the that MUSA area. It has been the policy of the City that extension of services would be tied to a development request, something that could support extension of services.