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.Courts uphold Wetland Legislation <br />r y . ___A(»o^r/sCMC«rpf«d from o protooloWon by Curfli <br />A. Paorion of Wof»». Corro/f ond Poorion. <br />o( Mo IWt MPA OUlrlct Workiftop. <br />Surface water if that which is <br />diffused over the surface of the <br />grouruf as a result of falling rains or <br />meiting snows. It continues to be <br />such until it reaches a well defined <br />channel in which it is accustomed to <br />flow with other waters so as to <br />become the running water of a <br />stream, when it ceases to be surface <br />water. <br />Minnesota common law for surface <br />water says that an individual land- <br />owner can (iipoee of his own surface <br />water up to the point of unneceasariy <br />or unreesortably injuring Ns neighbor; <br />it is evaluated based on "reasonable- <br />ness." The state courts have been the <br />aibittr, deciding the "reasonableness" <br />of land ups/weier use decisions. Their <br />decisions have been the basis for local <br />land uss decisions. <br />The problem with this law is that <br />"reasoreblaneas" is a subiective deter­ <br />mination subject to ch^ng inter­ <br />pretation with time. What was reason­ <br />able 20 or 30 years ago may not be <br />today. In many instances we are <br />feeling the collective impact of what <br />is preceived as "reasortable" drairtage <br />of hundreds of private residential lots <br />into grossly overburdened watershed <br />districts wNch have not planned or <br />made provisions for these increased <br />surface waters. <br />w The enabing legWsdon giving com- <br />- munities the power to do compre­ <br />hensive surface water planning has <br />been on the books for years, but <br />\^it hasn't been untii recently that <br />^case law has upheld these powers. <br />^^^({f^^Sahl vs. MiSe WBe Cre* Water- <br />f shed District, the court upheld the <br />designation and enforcement of a <br />floodplain district and its floodplain <br />encroachment regulations, and it <br />fbuTKl that the exercise of such zoning <br />powers was not, constitutionsily, a <br />» 283 NW 538 (1979) <br />In County of Ramsey vs. Stevens, <br />the Supremo Court indicated that it <br />was "right and proper" to do a flood <br />martagement pkm and agreed with <br />the dseWon of e lower court ordering <br />the City Council to adopt regulations. <br />283 NW2d 918 (1979) <br />if <br />With this case law precedent <br />established, communitiM can do the <br />rteeded water management planning <br />with little risk of being sued by <br />aggrieved landowners provided that <br />the plans are wed thought out and <br />are adopted pursuant to statutory <br />authority. <br />When a community develops a <br />comprehensive water management <br />plan that will stand the test of the <br />courts, it must: 1) establish facts; <br />21 determine the problem which is to <br />be solved; 3) plan based on statutory/ <br />legal authority; 4) plan on a watershed <br />basis; 5) cooperate with other com- <br />munitim: 6) educate the people con­ <br />cerned and affected—they are part <br />of the problem and do iK>t realize <br />h; i.e. the person who lives on the <br />top of the hill; 7) take advantage <br />of existing porufs, marshes, flood- <br />plains, etc; 8) protect the process,, <br />document all the way through and <br />keep everyone involved, reach out <br />and bring in especiaily those who will <br />be impacted by the decision; 9) plan <br />on a total s^em vs. benefits to <br />irtdividual landowners; 10) use good <br />technical people; 11) plan and regulate <br />on facts, not on emotions. <br />Community officials have to stay <br />ahead of water problems. With a <br />plan as prescribed above, problerra <br />that could become extremely costly <br />in terms of property damage, <br />project costs and expertsive litigation <br />can be entirely avoicM. <br />Th* commants and concornt In Ihtt articl* <br />mof b* modUlnd by (ha 1982 l•gttlallon. <br />Chapter 509. <br />©©OQQSlBg tUlg) <br />*rCemmunity Dr Miopmwit Block GraM Smea CM m <br />AuguM 12: Sbentem bw Monhrwct. Brooklyn PaM. <br />Auguct 17: Hotel FarSMult. Faribault. <br />Auguai IS: Kandl Entartafcvnant Cantor. WBmar. <br />Auguot24: Hofiday bm. Grand Rapidk <br />August 26: HoSdoy ha», Bomldp. ______FKa onaday htWInBi on how the program prtxridao a furaSng raaouroa to mcM communWaar <br />neada. riaaimart by U.8. HUD bi uooparadon wWi the Mbmoaou Dap*, of Enargy. Plannbig <br />mtd Davalopmant. coordbiotad by the Gowamman* Training Sorvica. For bite: GTS (612) <br />222-7409 or toS frao (6001652-9716. <br />Saptambor 16-18: Uppar Mldwaat PtoMiins Contaronco. Conoourao Hotel, MaiSaan. Wl. <br />MnAPA is oo-aponaor with the Wnola, Wlaoonabi and tec* Chapter For !nte: Tyiy <br />FBpowItch (ScSi^HM714, or Paid Smith, (612) 291-6406. Soo alao onictea bi this nMMitetar. <br />Octobar6G7: Imptemontlng Local SurfOoc WWar Managamawt: A BanaMa Pfonalbto <br />■ Btrataav. Fraahw or Biological bialituia. Navarra, MN. 9 o.m. to 4:30 p.m. An cwploratien <br />of the aourcao of technical data and land managsmom isauoo with amphaoia on pracdcM <br />application. For bifo: Jbn Bokor, (612) 872-6741. <br />Octobar 7 8 8: Worhahop on Mlerocomputora. Chicago. Sponaorod by APA. For bite: John <br />Wawim (312) 947-2111. Atu Oteobar 21 8 23^ Now York, and Oaoambv 2 8 31 loo Angdbo. <br />Octobar 24 8 26: APA'a Saoor.J Aimual Zonbig btoUtuia. HoBday Inn Goidon Gateway, <br />of the coming yoora. For bite: John Wteonan, (312) 947-2111. <br />Octobar 26-30: Aaaoctetfon of PubBc PoBey Analyols <br />Hyift Raganey Hotel, MbmaapoSa For bite: Choriao E. Phalpo, <br />Rond Graduate biailtuto, 1700 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90406. <br />piogrTi dwinmn, Ihm