Posted: 8/14/02

Wyoming council considers sewer issues, other topics

Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter

At the Wyoming city council meeting, Aug. 5, Chuck Janski, Bonestroo Engineering, reviewed the Chisago Lakes Joint Sewer Treatment Commission (CLJSTC) regional wastewater study with the council.

Initially presented to the group in April, his written material touched on five options for interested local cities and townships to consider.

His numbers, identifying need for such a system were based on some continued residential growth within the city and/or some annexation for residential growth.

Wyoming Township may be interested in gaining sewer service, because on-site systems work fine, but are land intensive.

The city is not interested in bigger boundaries, but is seeking quality, controlled expansion and land use.

One option is to continue with the current wastewater treatment process with minor expansion. Limitations are a relatively short life span of the facility which the city may need to abandon when it is outgrown. A second is the most direct connection of the CLJSTC facility presented in April.

A third choice is a smaller joint facility with Stacy and Wyoming, abandoning the existing Stacy facility, but retaining the existing Wyoming plant for township use. This would handle waste generated by Stacy, Wyoming, and nearby homes in the township.

Mechanical treatment would be used to reduce phosphorus concentrations before discharge into a rapid infiltration basin. Projected overall cost of this option is about $21.8 million, with Wyoming picking up about $10 million.

A similar choice expands both existing facilities to maximize use and reduce size of the new Chisago Lake facility.

Overall cost is a little higher at $22.7 million; with Wyomingís share again, about $10 million. This is feasible but there would then be three facilities, each with separate operating permits and requirements. The option that Janski tends to support is connecting to CLJSTC but routing interceptor line along US-8 to provide opportunities for Wyoming Township to connect homes along Comfort Lake, along US-8, and Green Lake, where the line would enter Chisago City.

This would be a slightly higher cost for the entire project, primarily because of the additional pipe required in Wyoming Township, with the cityís share about $10 million. Plans to add 1,000,000 gallons to the Chisago Lakes facility have been approved by the PCA.

Janski stressed costs are estimates, but should make it possible to begin planning. Additional planning and refinements are required to establish cost shares and splits as the project develops.

The price of $10 million for Wyoming is if every city participates. Sources of funds for the cityís share in the project would come from trunk charges and area charges for platted commercial/industrial property and residential property remaining in the city. Preliminary income estimate is nearly $4.98 million. That, along with the asset value of the irrigation land used by the wastewater plant, is about $8.4 million.

City Administrator Dennis Coryell commented that the city has, in the past, paid for increased sewer costs by building subdivisions, but the cityís comprehensive plan shows no more residential development. Referring to the Wyoming Business Park and the hospital campus, roughly a total of 160 acres, will require water and sewer service just for their intended uses. The costs keep rising but the city canít generate money for the expansions because there are no more homes.

To keep money coming in to operate or expand system, taxes would have to be raised. A combined sewer system would provide service, cheaper, with room to expand our system. With a regional view, the county is not doing land use planning, so cities must do so. When the cooperating groups are done with the expansion, it will be an attraction for new businesses.

Coryell observed other cities are in the same situation and joining together to create a regional system makes sense. Senator Mark Dayton may introduce legislation for a demonstration project. Coryell said he believes the proposal is unique enough to be heard. He also said he believes Congressman James Oberstar could help secure funds for such a project.

A meeting date was tentatively set for August 23, so Stacy, Wyoming Township, and Wyoming can determine which option would be jointly supported.

Hospital sign

Although 20 feet lower than originally planned, the council authorized Fairview Lakes Hospital to place a pylon sign on its property so that the hospital logo is visible from the I-35 freeway.

Dan Anderson, one of the hospital representatives in attendance, was also seeking support for more standard blue hospital signs. Now, there is only one of these between Forest Lake and US-8 directing drivers north on US-61. At least one more is needed along the freeway between that intersection and the Wyoming exit.

Others should be located at important intersections to point the way to the hospital once driver, unfamiliar with the area, has exited the freeway.

Although MnDot regulates the number of street signs, council members voiced support for the additional hospital signs.

Planner

Council approved the hiring of Bill Thibault as land use planner for the city west of the freeway. One of three candidates interviewed, Thibault made an ìimmediate, positive impactî on the interviewers, according to Planning Commission Chair Chip Jaeger. He has had 30 years experience as a planner with about 80 percent of that in the public sector. He now works independently.

Jaeger and others participating were impressed that Thibault could sketch out the structure of the study even during the course of the interview. All candidates estimated about between 12 and 18 months would be required to complete the study a big part of which is to determine how much a residential subdivision costs the city.

Council approved the hire with costs not to exceed the $13,050 without council approval.

Moratorium

Because of the time necessary to complete the land use study, the council will need a resolution to extend the building moratorium west of the freeway which expires October 15. This is to be addressed at a future meeting. By unanimous vote, Council authorized the transfer of ownership of the ìlandlockedî piece of land south of Stars and Strikes to the EDA for subsequent sale to Stars and Strikes.

The land is not useful to the city and some already lies within a conservation zone. Although the business owners have no specific use for the relatively small area, by ordinance it cannot be landlocked.

Either the business buys the land or pays to put a road through to the piece of property.

The mechanism for the purchase is to be negotiated through the EDA. A special meeting of the EDA is to be scheduled before the next council meeting.

Specifics of the deal are to be included in the development agreement. Based on Attorney Tom Millerís recommendations, council unanimously passed a resolution approving the amendments to the East Viking Commons development agreement. The agreement for the first phase of the development is to apply to the second phase as well. Terms are to include completion by Dec. 31, 2002, established minimum value of property $612,000, and paved parking lot, with a lane for truck traffic.

Dog complaints

Council members unanimously voted to revoke a permit for Susan Jones to keep a third dog, giving her 30 days to find a new home for it. The permit was originally granted March 2002, on the condition there be no complaints.

Two children have been bitten by the dog for which Jones has been providing foster care. Jones told the council she had talked with children and their parents in the neighborhood about the fact that one of the dogs had been mistreated. One child was bitten when he, according to Jones, he shoved his hand at the dogís face while she was walking it. The second was bitten when she went into Jonesí yard and put her hand into the dog pen. Now she puts a muzzle on the dog when she walks it.

According to Jones, her other dogs have also been teased. In his letter to council, Police Chief Mike Temte said he understood the dog was provoked but recommended revocation of the permit.

While initially willing to grant a conditional permit, council members felt they now had to revoke it.

Other business

In other business, council

ï Learned that the ordinances will likely be in place before moratoriums on pawn shops and adult entertainment expire October 1.

ï Learned James Oberstar will attend the dedication of the addition to the fire station scheduled for 5 pm, Aug. 21. Before that he will attend a meeting of the joint powers group exploring regional sewer system.

Top of Page