HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2005-018CITY OF LAKE ELMO
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 2005 -018
A RESOLUTION RELATING TO LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS ON
T14E METROPOLITAN COUNCIL DRAFT WATER RESOURCES PLAN
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council is considering a draft update of their Water
Resource Policy Plan, which covers Regional Policy regarding Waste Water (sewers),
Storm/Surface Water and Water Supply, as is required every 10 years by State Statute.
WHEREAS, at its February 8, 2005 meeting, the Public Works Council
Committee reviewed the proposed City comments on the final draft plan that had been.
prepared by staff and directed that those comments be incorporated into a Resolution for
City Council consideration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Lake Elmo City Council
has reviewed the Metropolitan Council Draft Water Resources Plan and offers the
following comments:
1. The City requests the Met Council to be specific with respect to the draft Plan
concept of "promoting" water conservation efforts by cities. What does
"promoting" mean?
2. The draft Plan (Page 24) refers to the Council "...maintaining storm water runoff
rates and volumes at or below predevelopment conditions." Since most storm
water crosses political boundaries, and since municipalities have historically
addressed storm water with differing policy, does this mean that a downstream
municipality could be required to retain less than predevelopment rates and
volume of inter - community storm water to accommodate excess rates and
volumes from an upstream municipality?
The draft Plan appears to link municipal nonpoint source surface water
management with the Wastewater System Plan in an effort to establish a basis for
an "inconsistency" with Regional Systems finding should a community not
address such nonpoint surface water management in a manner demanded by the
Council. Is that linkage intended; and, if so, does such a linkage overreach the
Council's System Plan authority? There is no Storm/Surface Water System Plan
by legislative design.
4. The stated policy of 2030 Regional Blueprint is to encourage /mandate more
efficient utilization of in -place regional infrastructure in the Central Cities and
First/Second Ring suburbs by increases in land use intensity. The provision of the
draft Plan. that. places a 500,000 gallon per day minimum threshold for Council
funded wastewater improvements where redevelopment to support that stated
2030 Framework Policy is proposed by a municipality appears to suggest either
an "unfunded mandate" by the Council, or a contradiction between the framework
and the draft wastewater plan.
ADOPTED by the Lake Elmo City Council on the 15th day of Felxuary, 20
Dean Johnston, Mayor