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-t• <br />• Orono adopted a wetlands preservation ordinance in 1970 based in part on <br />the need to protect and preserve the wetlands as recommended by the <br />Harza .Study. The "Surface Water Management Plan" adopted in 1974, <br />.developed an over-all detailed plan and rationale for the protection and <br />preservation of the wetlands within Orono. A comprehensive guide plan <br />together with a new comprehensive zoning code was also adopted in 1974. <br />All of these plans and ordinances were developed with the protection and <br />preservation of Lake Minnetonka as one of the foremost guiding principles. <br />Based on the above studies and experience, Orono has determined that the <br />cost of Municipal Sewer Service Extention into the Rural Service Area <br />would create such an economic hardship on the land that massive rezoning <br />would be required in order to allow sufficient population to pay the <br />cost of sanitary sewers. Thus, it is Orono's contention that this <br />municipal sewer cost would create a spiral which would force present <br />land owners to subdivide and develop their land to a level of urbanization <br />that would create an even more intolerable nutrient load to the lake <br />than we have today. <br />In conclusion, Orono, when furnishing municipal services, must provide <br />them to be consistent with high environmental standards for the protection <br />and preservation of Lake Minnetonka; for future generations. Therefore, <br />guidance for future development policy for the unsewered areas of Orono Y <br />is to maintain present zoning ordinances, requiring lot sizes of not <br />less than two acres, which is recognized as the minimum capable of <br />sustaining on-site sewage disposal systems in the types of soils located <br />• in Orono. The lower level of urbanization resulting from this development <br />policy will minimize nutrient load to Lake Minnetonka, the surrounding <br />watersheds, and the groundwater supply through a more acceptable quality <br />storm water run-off. Experience indicates the following paradox: <br />The extension of expensive Municipal Sewer Services to reduce pollution <br />to Lake Minnetonka, the surrounding watersheds, and the groundwater <br />supply -generates higher levels of urbanization to pay for these services <br />and this urbanization in turn increases the pollution of Lake Minnetonka <br />to an even higher degree contributed by'storm water run-off. For these <br />reasons and other land use planning factors, Orono will not extend a <br />municipal sewer service to the Rural Service Area within the next 25 <br />years. <br />iii <br />