07-26-1993 Council Minutes2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY Orono’s philosophy for community development can be summarized by die conclusion statement in the 1974 Orono Village Comprehensive Guide Plan: "It has been determined that Lake Minnetonka is a natural resource of important metropolitan significance, and its preservation for future generations is tlie paramount objective of this plan. To achieve tliis preservation tlie quality of storm water runoff must be maintained by the continuance of low density rural land use policy. Therefore the same degree of urbanization tliat might be appropriate for other suburban communities in the metro area cannot be projected for tlie Village of Orono." The 1980 City of Orono Community Management Plan, which superseded the 1974 plan, documents in great detail the City’s determination to protect and preserve the character and quality of Lake Minnetonka. The Plan provides a solid foundation of support for the philosophy tliat proper land use management can and will protect and preserve Lake Minnetonka for future generations. In summary: 1. 2. 3. Lake Minrictonka is a regional resource which by virtue of its location near the metropolitan area will experience ever increasing use of its waters and ever increasing pressure to develop its shorelands in the future. The extremely long 25 year flushout period for Lake Minnetonka and the fact that its major source of replenislunent is snow melt and storm water runoff, suggest that whatever nutrients discharge into the lake will affect its quality for many years. The "Ilarza Study", published in 1971, established that phosphorus is a limiting nutrient for Lake Minnetonka. Since municipal sewage plant discharges have been eliminated from the watershed, today’s primary source of phuspliorus reaching the lake is urban storm water runoff. Continued