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a situation where it will be extremely difficult (maybe even impossible) to ever extend municipal ser- <br /> vices into that area due to economic factors.Also large lot development will give the planning commis- <br /> • sion and city council the flexibility to protect sensitive environmental areas. Even though the area would <br /> allow for lots of two and one-half acres, most lots would actual be in the three to five-acre range because <br /> of the vast amount of wetlands in the north end of the city. <br /> There were two citizen petitions submitted to the city during the comprehensive plan review pro- <br /> cess and I believe we should respond positively to both. One was from a large number of property <br /> owners in the north section of Elk River requesting that their properties be rezoned to allow for two and <br /> one-half-area minimum residential development. I have already stated my support of the request from <br /> those petitioners. The other was from Pat and Debbie Holzem indicating their desire for their property to <br /> be included in the urban service district. I am also in favor of doing what they ask. The Holzem property <br /> is located across County Rd. 40 from land currently in the urban service district and is bordered on the <br /> opposite side by Burns township. It just makes sense that we should extend the urban service district one <br /> more property to the city's eastern border. There is no need to consider that property as any kind of a <br /> buffer to the large-lot unsewered residential development zone maintained by Burns township along its <br /> border with Elk River. There is no such buffer on the city's western border adjacent to Big Lake town- <br /> ship. The urban service district is extended right to the border in that area. It is not the city's responsibil- <br /> ity to maintain buffer zones for neighboring communities nor should we base our decisions effecting <br /> property owners within the city limits on what might be the interest of property owners outside of the <br /> city. Also, it is most likely that municipal sewer and water will be extended up County Rd. 40 to serve <br /> the large tracts of land that will be developed on the west side of the road in that area. It would make <br /> sense then that the inclusion of the Holzem property, located on the east side of the road, would make <br /> the project more cost effective. <br /> • <br /> • <br />