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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 1345 . _ � - .`.. f-'=�� � Clt� o� ORONO � y ,:, :. _ ;.. '���` RESOWTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL .. �`� . NO. 1345 � ';:�. . • ' • • A RESOLUTION OPPOSING METROPOLITAN COUNCIL' S ' MANDATORY SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLANNING WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council has proposed adoption of a , surface Water Management element as part of the Metropolitan Development Guide; and WHEREAS, the Orono City Council believes that adequate surface water managemer�t planning is a necessary �part of land use management and comprehensive planning, especially if complete nonpoint source " pollution control is addressed as well. as flood control measures; and WHEREAS, the Orono City Council believes that local muncipalities and watershed districts are the appropria�e agencies for initiating, j developing and implementing such• .surface water management .plans, tailoring each to the particular needs of the different areas; and WHEREAS, the Orono City Council believes that the proposed ; November, 1981 draft surface water management element goes beyond a •re�sonable level of inetropolitan involvement in surface water management, and in fact would be adverse to the achievement of better management goals. ... . NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Orono hereby declares its opposition to adoption of the November, 1981 draft of the Metropolitan Council' s Water Resources Management Development Guide, Part 2: Surface Water Management, for the following reasons: 1) Th.e Orono City Council opposes mandatory inclusion of surface water management plans as part of local comprehensive plans, because _such mandatory require- � ments would lead to creation of an additional unnecessary metropolitan planninq bureaucracv at a location far removed from local understanding of needs and issues. Requiring uniform comAliance with metropolitan plan format or abstractly deter- mined metropolitan criteria would result in 1 redirecting scarce local funds f_rom Ahysical ; surface water improvements to redundant and unnecessary planning. Needed improvements would be delayed by prolonged and unnecessary review by agencies unfamilar with local needs. � �- ..i/'J � � Cit� of ORONO � RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL � NO. 1345 • � • • 2) The Orono City Council opposes fragmenting respon- sibility for surface water management between cities, watersheds, soil and conservation services, counties, the State and the Metropolitan Council. In the metropolitan area, local municipalities and the watershed districts are the agencies most knowledgeable and most qualified for surfaGe water � management planning, review and implementation. The Orono City Council strongly opposes placement , of any surface water policy making or plan review ability in the remote and hiahly political County boards. To do so would disrupt the proqress being made by watershed districts and local municipalities. . 3) The Orono City Council opposes the imposition of ' � -additi'onal taxation to support another level of . unresponsive government staff as would be necessary to oversee the groposed County and metropolitan functions. Local residents see this as another drain of our resources without local benef_it � to balance the local expense. 4) The Orono City Council recommends inclusion of a surface water management element in the r2etropolitan , Development Guide, but as an information resource, not as another set of regulations to be imposed on local government. The role of the Metropolitan Council should be as an advocate of the advantages inherent in surface water planning. Positive incentives should be provided to encourage local surface water planning. As, proposed, this document is counter productive because it is serving to create opposition to enlightened surface water management techniques, not because of its goals, but because local of_ficials see this as another attempt to enlarqe big government by takinq control away from the more responsive local level. � , • t . _, . . -�he�� 3 . � d ���_. � C�ty o� ORONO � _ �,.>> �:~,'- � RESOWTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL . ��� � NO. 1 �45 � � ;�J;: . • - � � � . . 5) The City of Orono, in conjunction with the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District and the Minnehaha _ Creek Watershed District, developed a complete surface � water management plan in 1974 . The City of Orono has implemented the goals of that plan in development of our comprehensive Community Management Plan and in our local zoning and subdivision ordinances. The City of Orono is committed to improvement in water guality � through control of storm water runoff and nonpoint source pollution. The City of Orono sees no need and � no reason for Hennepin County nor the Metropolitan � Council to pass judgement on the details of our plan � , nor its goals nor its methods. Our commitment stands � and it is working to the satisfaction of all. To require anything more is unjustifiable. Adopted by the City Council of the City of Orono on this •14th day of December, 1981. `'�^`, William B. Van Nest, Mayor ATTEST: �� �A.���Gj�l°���� Alberta M. Strom, City Clerk • � .- . .