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The primary justification for extension of the MUSA to the proposed area has from the beginning been <br />the possibility of having a large, valuable office building built on the site. The fact that the site would <br />be owned and controlled by one, financially stable landowner has been part of the attractiveness of the <br />whole proposal. It has been rumored in the press that this potential developer is a "large insurance <br />firm". However, so far this potential developer has remained a "phantom developer" to this Council as <br />a body. We as a Council, myself included, have been willing to go along with this "phantom" for quite <br />a while. <br />However, now it is time for this Council, acting as a body, not just one individual, to make decisions <br />which will have long lasting and very significant effects on this City. Now it is time for this Council to <br />contemplate paying up front at least part of the costs of providing the utilities to this land, in the <br />expectation that future taxes from the phantom development will more than pay the City back. I <br />contend that it is plain wrong for this Council to be making these decisions on the basis of a "phantom" <br />These decisions should be made only when we have a developer's agreement which assures us that the <br />City of Lake Elmo and its general taxpayers will not have to finance those utility costs indefinitely. <br />We all know that the costs to provide water and sewer to the proposed MUSA area will be very large. <br />Perhaps Oakdale will help pay for them because they could service their own property as well, but <br />perhaps not. Perhaps the phantom developer will pay all the costs up front without blinking, but <br />perhaps not. Perhaps the phantom developer will pay the costs with a program of deferred <br />reimbursement as other, intervening properties hook up, but perhaps not. Such details of providing <br />utilities to this area should be worked out before we proceed. It is good planning. It is good stewardship <br />of our taxpayers' money. <br />What might happen if we proceed with extending the MUSA and extending services to this area, but <br />we do not get this phantom development or it is not as valuable or big as we have heard? The <br />landowner will have had his land rezoned for commercial use and utilities will have been provided. <br />What uses might appear? Will we get another large, valuable proposal? Or will we get another strip <br />mall? The metro area does not need another mall or any more sewered, general office space, with <br />vacancy rates already running in the 20% range. No, either the "phantom development" becomes a <br />REAL development, or there should be no MUSA extension. <br />I am not one to simply sit back and "just say no". I try to make constructive suggestions as to how to <br />proceed. I am about to make one of those suggestions now. But before I do, I will state that my mind is <br />very firm as to what has to be done before I will vote favorably on this MUSA extension and <br />Comprehensive Plan amendment. My position has been stated up front, publicly, and I emphasize <br />concisely. If other Council members feel the need to launch into lengthy discourses on this subject, I <br />cannot stop them, but it will only serve to prolong our meeting unnecessarily. <br />I move that consideration of this Comprehensive Plan amendment be postponed until there exists a <br />develo ers'�° s'f � t, signed by the landowner, and acceptable to this City Council, which commits <br />P <br />the landowner to building a structure of a certain value within the proposed MUSA area by a certain <br />date to be determined, and which specifies how the utilities to the area, especially sewer and water, <br />will be financed. Furthermore, the City staff is directed to transmit this decision to the landowner with <br />the request for prompt action in arranging a meeting between the proposed developer and this City <br />Councilk .,h!' (�j- _ "" , . ' I <br />i� CIA 1. <br />I <br />L,) b � s,L- n� car <br />