1g. Approve Petition tot he Riley-Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District for Basic Water Management PlanCITY OF
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739
MEMORANDUM
TO: Don Ashworth, City Manager
FROM: Phillip Elkin, Water Resources Coordinator o '" ` k
DATE: April 25, 1997 C
SUBJ: Petition to the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District
Enclosed is a draft petition to the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District (RPBCWSD)
requesting funding for the Basic Water Management project in the Bluff Creek Watershed
district. Since the council has already agreed to petition the RPBCWSD for this project, staff
recommends that the city take the following action:
• Submit the enclosed request to the watershed district.
• Request the district to order a feasibility study.
• Staff review of the feasibility study and cost estimates.
Petitioning the Watershed District in this manner provides the following benefits for the city:
The city can reduce the size of the project if costs are deemed excessive.
Projects are funded by a district -wide (beyond Chanhassen city limits) levy created
specifically for water management.
In addition to funding water quality and management projects, the district can also partially
fund proposed parks and trails.
The petition requests the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District to fund specific
projects named in the Surface Water Management Plan and the Bluff Creek Watershed Natural
Resources Plan. The petition also enables the watershed managers to levy the entire district to
fund projects using the following guidelines:
100% funding of water resource projects
50% related trails and recreation/educational facilities
25% land acquisition
Mr. Don Ashworth
April 27, 1997
Page 2
The district is limited to allocating $400,000 per year towards all projects within the Watershed
District. Currently, the Watershed District is in the final stages of the Staring Lake
Outlet/Purgatory Creek Recreation Area water management project. The District's estimated tax
on a $200,000 home is $20 for 1996 -97. If no projects are funded, the tax would be $11. If the
District were to maximize their budget for 1997, the tax would be $22 per year. The financing
schedule and administrative processes are described in Attachment #1.
It should be pointed out that the watershed district will levy assessments for future projects
regardless of whether or not Chanhassen petitions for funding. In the past, the City of
Chanhassen has been paying for water management projects in the Cities of Minnetonka and
Eden Prairie.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the city council approve the attached petition to the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff
Creek Watershed District for the Bluff Creek Basic Water Management Project.
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RILEY- PURGATORY -BLUFF CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT
In The Matter Of The Petition Of The ) PETITION OF THE
City Of Chanhassen For The Bluff Creek )
Basic Water Management Project 1995 -1 ) CITY OF CHANHASSEN
WHEREAS, the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District water management plan provides for
the planning and implementation of Basic Water Management projects pursuant to the provisions of the
Minnesota Watershed Act, Sections 103D.605, 103D.705 and 103D.905; and
WHEREAS, the Chanhassen City Council has designated Bluff Creek Watershed as an environmental
and recreational resource, which area is exclusively within the City of Chanhassen; and
WHEREAS, the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District has acquired undeveloped lands
abutting Bluff Creek for water management, public access, open space and flood plain purposes; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chanhassen, prior to the Watershed District Manager's public Hearing on the
Basic Water Management Project, desires the City Council to review and approve a preliminary Basic Water
Management Plan for Bluff Creek and
WHEREAS, the Bluff Creek Basic Water Management and the City's Surface Water and Natural
Resource Plans have as their goal the demonstration that urban development can occur in harmony with the
protection and restoration of natural resource values in urbanizing watersheds.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the City of Chanhassen petition the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff
Creek Watershed District, pursuant to the following conditions and consistent with the provisions of Minnesota
Statutes Sections 103D.705 and 103D.605, to undertake the Bluff Creek Basic Water Management project,
which will be a benefit to all the residents of the District.
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AREA,
The Bluff Creek project is identified in the Watershed District's comprehensive water management plan
ind on the attached map, which is made a part of this Petition.
PRELIMINARY PLANNING
The City requests that the project planning and implementation occur in stages, with the first stage being
j preliminary Basic Water Management Plan for the Bluff Creek Watershed District prepared with the
±ssistance of the City's Water Resource Coordinator. The preliminary Basic Water Management plan will
itilize information contained in the City's Bluff Creek Natural Resource Management Plan and the City's
surface Water Management Plan to identify unique natural resource features and water management and
)rotection sites, including wetlands, wildlife areas, prairie lands, forest lands and sites for wetland and forest
restoration. The preliminary Basic Water Management Plan is to be submitted to and approved by the City of
Chanhassen and the Watershed District Managers prior to completion of the Watershed District Engineer's
report and preliminary plans and specifications for submittal to the Division of Waters of the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources and the Board of Water and Soil Resources for their review and
recommendations prior to the public hearing on the project.
BASIC WATER MANAGEMENT FEATURES
Petitioner's goal for the Bluff Creek Watershed, which lies entirely within the City, is to implement
projects recommended in the City's Surface Water Management Plan to protect water quality and provide water
storage management that will allow urban development to occur in harmony with the natural systems of the
watershed. This Basic Water Management Plan shall also utilize all information in the City's Bluff Creek
Watershed Natural Resources Management Plan which is applicable and relevant to be included in the basic
water management project.
PUBLIC HEALTH. WELFARE, NEED AND NECESSITY
The urbanization of the Bluff Creek Watershed is accelerating and the protection of the critical water
storage, flood plain, open space, recreation, wetland, prairie and forest areas requires prompt completion of the
preliminary Basic Water Management Plan and final Basic Water Management Project implementation as
priority objectives of the petitioner and Watershed District. Completion of the Bluff Creek Basic Water
Management Project will enhance the value of property adjacent to the area, provide protection against the
damage of uncontrolled flood waters and preserve and enhance important marsh, wetland, prairie, forestry,
water quality and wildlife habitat of the Watershed and the public areas. The public trails, recreational and other
public areas will be of common benefit to the entire District and will be open to and available for general public
use.
FINANCING
It is a condition of the Petition that the preliminary Basic Water Management Plan be completed and
approved by the City and District prior to the preparation of the Engineer's report required by Minnesota
Statutes Section 103D.605, and that 100% of the Basic Water Management features and costs of the project be
paid for and funded by the Watershed District, as authorized by Minnesota Statutes Sections 103D.905,
Subdivision 3. The petitioner states it will pay all related costs and expenses which may be incurred by the
District in the event the City does not approve the preliminary Basic Water Management Plan, the proceedings
are dismissed or if for any reason no contract for construction and completion of the Basic Water Management
Project is let.
Dated: , 1997
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
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