1978-03-08 PC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 8, 197H Page 4 proaect. Councilmember Baumgartner replled that even a scaled down model would ~ run into the mtilions of dollars and questtoned spending thnt much money on a test aystem when the actual system could be put in for not too much more. Councllmember Baumgartner pointed ouE that Councilmember ZieGarth had stated at the last Councll meeting that he did noC went to wait until 51 percent of the people in ~dounds View had water problems before doing anything about it. He also added that one of the ground rules when the system was designed was that it not be overdesigned, and that he did agree ChaC there might be sc~ne alternetives !o the pro~ect. Engineer Hubbard arrived and presented a brief background of the pro~ect and I~cw it came about. He stated that aFt•~r the C1ty Council received so many requests fr•om cttizens in 1975 that something be done about their water probtems, thp City decided to have the st~dy done and after intervlewing nine firms and r~ceiving their bids, selected the firm of Short, E111ott and Hendrickson. Three informa- tional meetings were held in 1976 to inform the publlc of what was hap~ening and to solicite their input. In December 1915 test wells were put in, which the City h~s been monitoring ever since to kPep track of water tevals. Engineer Hubbard stated that the City Cauncil had held several work sessions befora accepting the report in November 1976, and then submitted the plan ta the DNR, Historical Society a~d Rice Creek Wrtershed District, and then ordered the feasibility study in August 1977, mnd approved that in Navenber 1977 and set the February 1978 public hearing. Chairperson Haake questioned if some of the we11s in the City might go dry if Che ~'""1 profect was approved. Englneer Hubbard replfed that t}iey hepe to lower the water ,~; table samewhat with the pro~ect but st91S hope to hol~ it at an average level. Counciimember Baumga~•tner added that the welts in the City are sand potnt wetls for outside watering and gardering, nat drinking. Comrission Member Glazer questioned huw much the water 1eve7 ~as expected to drop. Engineer Hubbard replied that they expect it to drop one to two feet. Chairperson Haake asked how Che vegetation would be affected. Eagineer Hubbard replied that the tree roots wau7d dtg themselves deeper but that a certaln amoun~ nf vegetation would be lost. Councilmember Baumgartner painted aut that the City Council has six monChs to approve the pro~ect, fron the date of the February 2I pubtic hearing. Chairpersan Haake added that if the City were to wait to approve the pra~ect, the cost would continue to increase, Commission Member Foss questioned the ~2,000 assesament figures Mr. Lang mentioned in the statement he head for a single family home and stated thaC he fe7t it was hiyher than what could be expected. He a7so pointed out that most single family lotx have been developed, ~vhile it would be extreme7y hard to deveTop large comnerclal areas without the pro~ect. Ne added that if the pro~ect was not approved and development does not take place, taxes wiTl be higher for ali single famity residen*.s. Mr. Sargeant asked if the increased tax money generated by the businesses would - y offset the cost of the pro~ect to the residents. Comnission Member Foss replied ~er/ that the issue would have to be stud!ed but that he personally felt that the deveiopment vrould more than offseL the tax increasa.