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ver MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Steven B. Ach, City Planner DATE: December 11, 1995 SUBJECT: Comprehensive Plan I. Urban Service Boundary At the last meeting to discuss the Comprehensive Plan, a considerable amount of discussion centered on expanding the urban service area. Understandably, residents and business owners alike were all concerned about the cost of utilities and how individual property owners would be impacted by an expanded urban service area. Unfortunately, the exact costs associated with extending trunk utility has not been determined at this time... Preliminary analysis has indicated the costs associated with extending utilities could be supported by the affected properties; however, this will need to be further researched and confirmed prior to a project taking place. If it is determined at the time of a project that the utilities cannot be extended in a cost effective manner, the likelihood of the project taking place at that time will most likely be diminished. At the last Council meeting it appeared as though several residents were under the impression that if their property was included in the urban service area, they would be immediately affected and assessed for some future utility project. Until there is a project, property owners will not be affected by an expanded urban service area. Furthermore, generally those residents directly benefiting from a utility extension will be assessed, not the entire urban service area. At Monday night's meeting, I will present to the City Council some scenarios explaining how utilities could be extended throughout this eastern area over time. Once again, it should be emphasized that the urban service area is projected to accommodate growth for many years. Historically, the rate at which utilities have been extended is a direct result of requests from developers. Generally speaking, if the property owners are not petitioning to have utilities extended, the Council has had no reason to proceed with a project. (There has been and will continue to be exceptions to this scenario.) It is 13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425