Laserfiche WebLink
ORDINANCE NO. 17, 3RD SERIES <br />INTERIM ORDINANCE PURSUANT TO MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION <br />462.355, SUBDIVISION 4, ESTABLISHING A MORATORIUM PROHIBITING <br />WETLAND ALl’ERATIONS AND PROHIBITING THE GRANTING OF <br />BUILDING OR LAND ALTERATION PERMITS OR PERMIT APPROVAI.S, <br />PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION APPROVAL, ZONING (CUPA^ARIANCE) <br />APPROVAL, REZONING, OR PUD APPROVAL, INVOLVING ALTERATIONS <br />OF WETLANDS AND AREAS WITHIN 26 FEET OF WETLANDS <br />THE CITY OF ORONO ORDAINS: <br />The Municipal Code of the City of Orono is amended by adding Ordinance No. 17, 3rd <br />Series. <br />SECTION 1. Statement of Policy. The City Council in order to update its <br />floodplain ordinances no later than September 2, 2004 to remain in compliance with the <br />requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Minnesota <br />Department of Natural Resources, adopted Ordinance No. 16, Third Series on August 23, <br />2004. Said Ordinance deleted both the existing floodplain and wetland regulations which <br />were intertwined within the pre-existing ordinance, but only adopted new floodplain <br />regulations, leaving the City without wetland regulations in effect. <br />The City Council has reviewed a proposed new wetland ordinance to replace the prior <br />ordinance. However, the City Council has not yet had adequate opportunity to fully study <br />and consider tire potential impacts of the proposed new wetland ordinance, and the <br />Council desires to further study and evaluate the proposed ordinance before its adoption. <br />The Council finds that in order to prevent any activities that would negatively alter or <br />impact wetlands while the proposed ordinance is being studied, it is desirable that the <br />Council establish a moratorium on all wetland alteration activities until a study has been <br />completed and a new wetland ordinance adopted. <br />Since enactment of an amendment to the code would undoubtedly modify previous <br />wetland regulations, the granting of building pennits and land alteration pennits, <br />preliminary approval of subdivision applications, zoning (CUP/Variance) applications, <br />rezoning applications, or PUDs, which involve wetland alterations would be contrary to <br />the puqmse of the zoning enabling act, Minnesota Statutes Section 462.351, ct scq. The <br />Council further finds that it would be unwise, improper and unjust to allow wetland <br />alteration activity to occur during this study. <br />SECITON 2. Moratorium Declaration. The City Council hereby declares a <br />moratorium on all activity involving alteration of wetlands. During the effective period <br />of the moratorium, land alteration activity on all real property within the City of Orono <br />which can be defined as “wetlands” within the meaning of that term given it in Minnesota <br />Statutes Section 103G.005, Subd. 19, and on all property within 26 feet of the boundary <br />of such wetlands, is prohibited. <br />121082l42v1 rM74l>