2014.12.15 CC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Hugo City Council Meeting Minutes for December 15, 2014 Page 7 of 11 meeting, the Board considered and held a public hearing on the application request and voted to recommend denial of the variance request. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved RESOLUTION 2014-48 APPROVING FINDINGS OF FACT DENYING A VARIANCE TO FOR A SIDE YARD SETBACK FOR A BUILDING AT THE PROPERTY GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH OF 122ND STREET AND EAST OF INGERSOLL AVENUE. Approve Final Pay Request to North Valley Contracting for 165th Street/Ingersoll Avenue Proiect The City of Hugo has received Final Pay Request No. 3 from North Valley Contracting for the 165th Street and Ingersoll Avenue mill and overlay project. City Engineer Jay Kennedy and Senior Engineering Technician Steve Duff have reviewed the final pay request and found it to be satisfactory for work completed on this project. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved Final Pay Request No. 3 to North Valley Contracting in the amount of $79,345.41 for work completed to date on the 165th Street and Ingersoll Avenue mill and overlay project. Update on White Bear Lake Settlement Agreement A settlement agreement has been prepared for the lawsuit between the plaintiff White Bear Lake Restoration Association and the defendant the MN DNR. The White Bear Lake Homeowner' Association intervened on the side of the plaintiff, and the White Bear Township and City of White Bear intervened on the side of the defendant. The lawsuit alleges the DNR violated the MN Environmental Rights Act by allowing excessive pumping of ground water by municipalities, which has impacted the water levels of White Bear Lake. City Administrator Bryan Bear provided Council information on this settlement agreement stating that all parties have agreed to the terms, but the judge has not approved it yet. There are a number of terms but what could impact Hugo the most is the DNR's support of the Northeast Metro Project, which will supply river water to thirteen communities in two phases. Phase 1 will cost $155-230 million, and Phase 2 will cost $623 million. The City of Hugo is included in Phase 2. This project will require legislative approval. The City of White Bear Lake and White Bear Township have agreed to support it, but how it would be initiated is undetermined. If this project is not funded by the legislature, the lawsuit resumes. This settlement agreement has put the lawsuit on hold for three years. Bryan explained that operating the new water system will be expensive, and there will likely be the creation of something that would act as a new taxing district using Ground Water Management Area (GWMA) Districts. Costs will likely be allocated among communities in the north and east GWMA. He further explained that the DNR will set a protective elevation for WBL, which could impact wells and appropriation permits. Also in the agreement is a requirement to reduce water usage by 17%, and Bryan explained how Hugo has already implemented many conservation measures. Bryan spoke of other less significant terms of the agreement stating that nothing guarantees that higher lake water levels will return. He noted that the USGS's and Met Council's studies should be completed within 3 years. The Council discussed their disapproval of this plan for many reasons. It is not clear that ground water usage has effected the lake, but the Met Council's goal is to move from using ground water