09-08-1986 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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CIMU'rii vie"UING S.F.' SIRS, TO: Mayor Butler Mark Bernhardson, City Administrator Orono Council Members Planning Commission Members FROM: Jeanne A. Mabusth, Zoning Administrator DATE: September 4, 1986 SUBJ: #1039 Wm. Ulrich, 1535 Bohns Point Road - Conditional Use Permit/variance Review of Application - Applicant seeks a conditional use permit and variance application to install an underground pipe within the lakeshore protected area for the purpose of transporting waters used in a geothermal heating/cooling system to the lake. The underground pipe will run from the house to the lagoon area. The well that will serve the system is 6 inches in diameter and 322 feet deep (Prairie du Chien - Jordon Aquifer). This has been a difficult review for both the Orono staff and Planning Commission because as lay persons on such matters, we must depend on the opinions and testimony of varied levels of experts. The majority of expects contacted so far in this review have all claimed a negligible impact on Lake Minnetonka with no impact on the aquifer. The experts consulted list as follows: PCA; DNR; Terra Therm Corporation (engineering staff); City Engineer; Cliff Reep, private consultant; and Frank Mixa, LMCD. The attached staff memo and exhibits highlight much of the factual information sought to assist in the review (specifically refer to Exhibits A & B). The Planning Commission drew a split vote on this one. A) Recommendation of approval based on the following findings: 1. Limits of ordinance deals with excavation within 75 feet of lakeshore and increases in hardcover. The application involves no increases in hardcover and land area will be restored to original state. 2. State agencies issue permits for ground water uses at specific levels - City appears to have no authority but only to assure that required state permits are applied for. 3. All other appropriate agencies find negligible impact on lake in use of geothermal heating/cooling system.