06-28-1993 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Memo June 21. 1993 Page 2 from the manhole in County Road 15. a distance of approximately 200 ’. While there is no existing stub dedicated for the Nettles' property, it is feasible for his contractor to add a stub. MUSA Amendment In order for this property to be connected to the municipal sewer, the City would have to apply for and be granted a MUSA boundary amendment, since this property was not served with sewer as part of the Crystal Bay project and was never included within the MUSA. Given the City’s recent experience with the Stubbs Bay MUSA amendment and the more recent Comprehensive Sewer Policy Plan amendment, we have learned that requested additions to the MUSA are not "automatic". A recent discussion with Steve Schwanke at Met Council left the impression that MUSA amendments to add a property here and there would go smoothly if existing areas within the MUSA are removed, resulting in no net increase in MUSA acreage (sounds a little bit like our hardcover ordinance, doesn ’t it?). The fee schedule indicates a $300.00 application fee for a request to amend the Comprehensive Plan, which we would expect Mr. Nettles to pay if no other properties were brought into the MUSA at the same time. I would anticipate spending approximately 20 to 40 hours of staff time on such an application, including staff reports, meetings at Met Council, etc. Perhaps the main question to ask in considering whether Council would want to amend the MUSA boundary is whether there are existing areas to use as a trade-off. City Philosophy While the Comprehensive Plan does not contain a specific intent to sewer all lakeshore properties, that would not be an uiueasonable goal for the long-term. The plan does indicate that our 2-acre zones, in which the Nettles’ property is located, generally will remain unsewered in order to eliminate the potential for high density development. With a policy of sewering 1/4- acre to 1-acre neighborhoods yet leaving them in the 2-acrc zone, the City has avoided new high density subdivisions in those areas. Clearly, the intent of the City if Mr. Nettles is allowed to connect, would be that his property is no more subdividable than it was without sewer. In line with that thinking. Mr. Nettles intent is to merely solve an existing problem, not to prepare for a subdivision. Staff Recommendation In order for Mr. Nettles to connect to the sewer, both the City Council and Met Council must approve an expansion of our sewer service atea and MUSA boundary. The City in the past has not done individual MUSA amendments in order to serve individual properties, but has allowed a number of properties to connect over time and then complete a comprehensive MUSA