HomeMy WebLinkAboutFINAL ORDINANCE NO. 97-013CITY OF LAKE ELMO
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO.9713
A ORDINANCE ADOPTING A DEVELOPMENT MORATORIUM
WITHIN THE BROWN'S CREEK WATERSHED IN THE CITY OF LAKE ELMO
WHEREAS, the Brown's Creek Watershed is a recognized watershed in Washington County; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Water and Soil Resources determined that the Brown's Creek Joint Powers
Agreement Water Management Organization was not implementing its water plan; and
WHEREAS, Washington County, by operation of law, was required to assume the responsibilities of a
watershed management organization within the Brown's Creek Watershed District; and
WHEREAS, certain distinct areas within the Brown's Creek Watershed have suffered from flooding and
some property owners have suffered property damage, both real and personal; and
WHEREAS, other distinct areas within the Brown's Creek Watershed have the potential to experience
flooding; and
WHEREAS, the cause of the flooding has not been specifically established; and
WHEREAS, distinct areas within the Brown's Creek Watershed are planned for urban density
development; and
WHEREAS, capital improvement project to relieve the high water impacts and additional urban density
development have the potential of adversely impacting Brown's Creek, a designated State Trout Stream,
and its associated ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, little data is currently available to adequately assess the impacts of any capital project or
additional development; and
WHEREAS, Washington County believes that additional development within the Brown's Creek
watershed is unwise until a study of the complete watershed is conducted, and until the necessary projects
are ordered that would alleviate the high water impacts; and
WHEREAS, the process to amend the management plan and to order capital projects to alleviate the
high water impacts, will not occur before the spring of 1998;
WHEREAS, Washington County has asked each community located within the Brown's Creek
Watershed to adopt a one year development moratorium within the watershed area to allow the
communities to work together to improve water management within the watershed; and
WHEREAS, the City of Lake Elmo is located partially within the Brown's Creek Watershed.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Lake Elmo adopts a one-year development
moratorium within that portion of the City of Lake Elmo that lies within the Brown's Creek Watershed; and
that this moratorium would be in effect from August 19, 1997 until August 19, 1998; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that during the moratorium the City of Lake Elmo agrees to work with
the County to gather information on development sites in flood prone areas; to assess the adequacy of
existing development controls to protect the water resources and to protect the health and safety of all
residents; and to adopt strategies to prevent future water problems and protect the natural resources in the
Brown's Creek Watershed.
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 19" day of Agust, 1997.
ATTEST:
Mary I ueffner, uy Administrator
PUBLISHED IN THE AUGUST 29, 1997 STILL14ATER GAZETTE
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