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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes • February 20, 1996 Page 4 1 would not help much, as it is not the normal rainfall that causes problems but is the heavy 2 rains. He continued that the City could advise a property owner where to build to avoid 3 potential water problems. Chair Bergstrom stated this is what he meant by devising a code. 4 Mr. Hamer suggested mentioning the potential water flooding in the Comprehensive Plan and 5 paying attention to it, but that the City cannot tell a property owner what to do with his or 6 her property. Chair Bergstrom agreed that the City cannot dictate on specifics, but can on 7 items such as setbacks. , Commissioner Makowske stated it could be used as a policy, not as 8 a code. 9 Mr. Hamer suggested "flagging" the designated area as a water retention zone. Chair 10 Bergstrom stated it is better to have it in the code to ensure it will be followed. Mr. Hamer 11 stated it could be used as an overall policy, not to individuals. 12 Chair Bergstrom stated that designated area for potential flooding problems would not have 13 to be specific, just flagged to describe it. Mr. Hamer stated that it floods in the same places 14 each time. 15 Commissioner Gondorchin inquired if a map could be created outlining the problem areas. 16 Mr. Hamer replied that it could be done, but cautioned to be careful in identifying specific 7 areas. Commissioner Gondorchin agreed that the area could be outlined as District 6, for example, and not a specific street location. Mr. Hamer suggested adding the map to the code 19 book as well. 20 Chair Bergstrom inquired where the body of knowledge should be for specifics in public 21 works. Mr. Hamer replied that it should be in the codes and with the building inspectors. 22 Commissioner Gondorchin inquired if drain tile is effective in most homes. Mr. Hamer 23 replied that it is best used in areas with high water tables, but will not work for flooding 24 problems. He suggested that grading and landscaping work best to correct the infiltration of 25 water into basements. He continued that most of the City is built on clay which is more 26 impervious to water than sand. 27 Commissioner Franzese empathized with those that have had flooding problems. Discussion 28 was held on downspout connections. 29 30 Chair Bergstrom inquired of the status of the City's wells. Mr. Hamer stated that Wells 1 and 31 2 have been capped, leaving Wells 3, 4 and 5. He explained that Well 3 was the first to be 32 developed, and is 568 feet in the Jordan Sandstone/Prairie du Chein aquifer. He continued 33 that Well 3 is an open dolomite, connecting one aquifer to another, and will pump 1,250 34 gallons per minute. Wells 4 and 5 are in the Jordan Sandstone aquifer. 465 Commissioner Gondorchin inquired why the well is illegal. Mr. Hamer replied that aquifers 16 cannot connect with open dolomites. It has been determined that sandstone is not a sufficient 37 separation between aquifers.