Joe Drennan

Staff Writer

As Columbus Township moves forward in being able to provide the freeway corridor sewer and water each town board meeting draws a bigger crowd as residents want to understand exactly what is going to happen. And so it was at the April 27 board meeting.

At the April 13 town board meeting a number of residents petitioned for Phase II of the municipal water system. The petition was signed by property owners through the entire freeway corridor showing support for the project.

Before the town board officially accepted the petition supervisors wanted to verify the signatures on the petition.

While verifying the signatures, township staff was informed that only 35 percent of the property owners had to approve the water project. After verifying the signatures it was discovered that 64.84 percent of property owners in the freeway district approve the water project.

Forest Lake resident Ann Gabriel was at the meeting last week and had questions for the board concerning the water project. Gabriel wanted to know what kind of long range planning was done when officials were considering a site for a well.

ìI wonder if there has been some thought that there is development going to the south and there may be a need for another bridge in that area to allow for growth and passage between Forest Lake and Columbus,î Gabriel said. ìPlanning seems to be in order and I donít know if it has been done.î

Board Chair Mel Mettler was quick to point out the township is always planning for the future.

Unhappy with the response, Gabriel asked if the township did any traffic studies in the area of the well to see if there might be a need for a bridge there in the future.

The answer was no.

ìI realize Forest Lake has talked about another overpass, but for our long range studies there has never been talk of an overpass,î Town Manager Elizabeth Mursko said. ìThere are two former weigh stations in that area along with some other things that would make that spot undesirable for an overpass.î

Mettler added the township does not base its long range studies on what Forest Lake may or may not do.

Another issue Gabriel had was the fact the township has not yet acquired the permits needed for wetland delineation that would be needed on the site. Town Engineer Larry Bohrer indicated that thatís completely normal and the township wouldnít apply for those permits until after they have applied for the permits to drill a well and have determined the site will work.

ìI think the concerns are well founded but I think she (Gabriel) needs to talk to Forest Lake about their development,î Mettler said.

Incorporation talks

The town board has decided to look into the possibility of incorporating, turning the township into a city. Town Attorney Bill Griffith noted that most townships incorporate to secure their borders.

Griffith outlined the incorporation process for the town board, saying one of the biggest costs the township would incur as a city would be prosecution of misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors. Griffith gave a ballpark cost of $42,000 a year, but said that figure is a guess and it could be considerably smaller or higher.

Columbus would gain regulation over shore land flood plain management ordinances which are handled by the county.

Columbus would control liquor and tobacco sales after incorporating. Liquor licenses could raise between $2500 and $5000 a year.

ìOne of the primary financial reasons to incorporate would be to gain gas tax revenue,î Griffith said. ìThe gas tax revenue has a threshold of 5000 residents so it would take some development for Columbus to hit that (the current population at 3957 according to the 2000 census, and the Metro Council estimates at 4033).î

Griffith said if incorporation was a desire, the township should start talking to cities similar in population to Columbus to consider going to the legislature and asking them to lower the threshold to 4000.

Gas tax revenue could bring in significant money to Columbus as Griffith said Oak Grove made $250,000 in its first year eligible for the gas tax. Gas tax money helps cities improve roads.

Griffith advised the town board to form a commission to look into incorporation. Griffith suggested the committee be made up of at least two board members, members of the planning commission economic development committee, road and bridge committee and residents.

The town board will start contacting people on the existing committees to see if theyíd like to be a part of an incorporation committee and hope to name the committee at the next town board meeting on May 11.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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