5.6. SR 11-12-2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Howard R, Green Gompany Item 5.6. November 7, 2002 File: 230000M-0325 Honorable Mayor and City Council City of Elk River 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, MN 55330 RE: UTILITY SERVICE TO GRAVEL MINING AREA Dear Council Members: This correspondence is a follow-up to my letter dated October 24, 2002, regarding a large gravel mining area study to determine if it is practical to provide City sanitary sewer and water service in the future. As Council directed, we have looked at a much smaller area, essentially that land lying south of County Road 33 (CR 33) between Trunk Highway 169 (TH 169) and the abandoned railroad bed. As we discussed this issue further at a staff meeting, it was the conclusion of City staff that it is not necessary to undertake a feasibility study at this time for the purpose of determining whether or not portions of the gravel mining area of the City can be serviced by City sanitary sewer and water in the future. We make this recommendation to not proceed with a feasibility study at this time for the following reasons: Based on information contained in the Elk River Gravel Mining District Environmental Impact Statement dated May 1994, it is clear from the finished elevation of the mining area that it is possible to service with City sanitary sewer and water from an engineering perspective. Relative to a comprehensive plan update and possible inclusion of a portion of this land in a newly expanded urban service boundary, the financial feasibility of providing City sewer and water service to the area is not a paramount issue. We know that the Elk River wastewater treatment plant can ultimately be expanded to provide treatment for up to approximately 3 million gallons of sewage flow per day. Currently the plant is operating at approximately 1.1 to 1.2 million gallons of sewage flow per day. In general terms, over fairly large areas, sewage generation rates will be approximately 1,000 gallons of sewage flow per day per acre. The area south of CR 33 between TH 169 and the abandoned railroad bed will clearly not tax the ultimate capacity of the wastewater treatment plant. If this portion of gravel mining area is included in the urban service district with the comprehensive plan update, when gravel mining is coming to a close, it will be the property owners responsibility to petition for a feasibility study relative to sanitary sewer and water, and they will be expected to pay for the cost of the study. Ltr-110602-Council[1] 1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 ° 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389