Posted: 9/4/02

Columbus officials feel the heat

Berk Brown
Staff Writer

Just as it begins to cool down outside things are heating up in Columbus Township. A large crowd and public outcry over the townshipís consideration of allowing community collector septic systems was only the beginning during the regular meeting of the Columbus Town Board on Wednesday, Aug. 29.

During the open forum portion of the meeting, township resident Ellen Weed read a prepared statement informing the board she filed a police report against Town Board Chair Mel Mettler following a phone conversation between the two.

Weed said she received a phone call from Mettler on Friday, Aug. 23, wanting to discuss the content of her Letter to the Editor which appeared in the Forest Lake Times on Thursday, Aug. 22.

In her letter, Weed states, among other issues, that she is, ìagainst elected officials using their positions for financial gain.î

She said at the meeting she felt Mettler threatened her during the phone conversation and said the board has a history of, ìself-serving decisions.î

Mettler denied threatening Weed in their phone conversation and said Weed apologized to him multiple times during the conversation.

Mettler did not comment further after being advised by town attorney Bill Griffith, Jr.

The police report filed in Anoka County by Deputy Jim Dudgeon reads: ìThe conversation wasnít threatening towards Weed. I told Weed that her conversation with Mettler wasnít a police matter.î

The report also states that no further action is to be taken.

Weedís comments are tied to the townshipís consideration to allow community collector septic systems.

The developer requesting an ordinance change to allow such systems would like to use the system in a development on land owned by Supervisor John Gross.

Prior to the open forum portion of the meeting, Weed and town resident Mike Myers were on the agenda to voice their disapproval of the townshipís willingness to consider community collector septic systems.

In addressing the board, Weed said she, ìthinks Columbus has been a great place to live,î but she has health and safety concerns about the systems.

Since community collector septic systems can also lead to higher development density, Weed voiced concern over the township losing its identity.

ìYou would be opening the door for community collector systems and cluster housing wouldnít be far behind,î she said. ìThatí not what the rural character of Columbus Township is about.î

Myers adds to it

Myers followed by echoing Weedís sentiment and drew into question why the township would be willing to consider the community collector septic system when it goes, ìagainst the Columbus Township comprehensive plan?î

He also said despite communities like North Branch and Lake Elmo having such septic systems, there isnít enough long-term data as to their performance.

ìThe community as a whole could be jeopardized,î Myers said. ìThatís our drinking water youíre talking about.î

After Weed and Myers concluded, Mettler said the board would continue to weigh all the factors.

ìWeíve taken a lot of information in, including more tonight,î Mettler said.

ìAt some point weíre going to have to make a decision if weíre going to approve (the systems) or not. And if we do, with what provisions.î

Mettler also said the board canít guarantee the communityís rural status.

ìThings are going to look a lot different in 20 years,î he said.

In the end, the board decided to have a proposed ordinance drawn up to allow community collector septic systems. That ordinance is scheduled to be reviewed at the boardís Sept. 25 meeting.

Mettler cautioned although the board was having the ordinance put together, it in no way meant it would be approved.

ìWe have to have something to discuss that is more concrete than what we have,î he said.

Development?

Later in the meeting, Tom McCarver came forward to tell the board he may have a developer for the Trout Air land.

McCarver represents Clear Channel Communications, which purchased the land from supervisor Pat Preiner approximately three years ago.

Earlier this summer, however, Preiner bought the land back from Clear Channel, which owns a majority of the billboards in Columbus Township. McCarver is still working to develop the Trout Air land.

McCarver said he has, ìa major developer that has the major muscle and might to bring these utilities (sewer and water) in.î

McCarver called the proposed development similar to the Rosewood Estates senior-type housing in Roseville and wanted to see if the board would be willing to begin to move forward with development.

McCarverís coming forward with a development proposal wasnít surprising, but it oddly came just minutes after the board spent a considerable amount of time on another issue with the Trout Air Property.

Preiner had submitted an application for consideration of zoning text amendment to allow RV storage as an accessary use to her Freeway Mini-Storage.

The board spent time considering everything from different kinds of permits to rezoning to moving the A-B line of the Freeway District only to decide it couldnít make any decision that night to accommodate Preiner.

In other news Aug. 29, the board was notified by the Anoka County Community Health and Environmental Services Department that Columbus Elementary school staff will need to conduct daily logs of visual inspections of the ground surface because of concerns with the schoolís septic system.

In the event of a wet area or other visible problems North American Wetland Engineering is to be contacted and repair completed within 24 hours.

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