permit record - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MEMORANDUM To: File 3435 Sixth Avenue North From: Mike Gaffron, Asst. City Admin./Long Term Strategy Date: August 21, 2008 Subject: Buildability of Lot 2, Block 1, Craddock Ledstrom Estates ("3435 Sixth Ave. N.) This lot was created via subdivision in 1978. At that time Lake Classen had been preliminarily designated by MnDNR as a Natural Environment (NE) Lake. It was noted during the subdivision review that the requirement for drainfield setback from an NE lake was 150' from the shoreline. However, at that time the OHWL of Lake Classen had not been established, and the then current lake elevation of 970.86' was used as the lake elevation for zoning purposes, that elevation coinciding with the boundary between the open water and the wetlands at the time. Based on these assumptions, and based on the City's requirements at that time that septic drainfields be located 75' from wetlands as well as 150' from the lakeshore, the two drainfield sites tested in 1978 by Mark Gronberg met the criteria in effect at that time for a standard drainfield system. In 1992 the City of Orono formally adopted a Shoreland Ordinance in conformity with MnDNR requirements. As part of that ordinance, the City had the DNR formally establish the OHWL of various lakes and basins in the City that had previously been undefined. The OHWL of Lake Classen was subsequently established by the DNR at elevation 974.5' which coincided generally with the boundary between the wetlands and the upland. The City concurrently formally established the required setbacks for structures and septic systems from all NE lakes at 150'. This determination made the property functionally unbuildable because based on the detailed topography survey work provided at the time of subdivision, there is no location on the property that is more than 150' from the OHWL. It is highly unlikely that the City would grant variances to allow the property to be built upon. The drainfield sites tested in 1978 are no longer suitable as to location, and the criteria for evaluating soils has changed significantly in the past 3 decades, therefore it is unknown whether the site has suitable soils for septic systems. The City has never granted variances for septic system setbacks for NE lakes to my knowledge. Municipal sewer is not expected to be provided to the west side of Lake Classen in the foreseeable future; i.e. not before 2030. Further, the property has remained in common ownership with the developed adjacent Lot 3 for nearly three decades, and is currently taxed at a land valuation of $61,000 as compared to the adjacent similarly sized and situated developed lakeshore lot at 3405 Sixth being taxed based on a land valuation of $219,000. The conclusion is that the property is not being valued by the assessors as if it was a buildable lakeshore lot. Page 1 of 2