1k. Lake Mtka Conservation dist regarding proposed taxing authority CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MIN E A 1
S N SOT 553 7
E` (612) 937-1900 • FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
' TO: Mayor and City Council
' FROM: Don Ashworth, City Manager
DATE: July 9, 1990
' SUBJ: Proposed Taxing Authority, Lake Minnetonka Conservation
District (LMCD)
' The Carver County Board recently authorized it's Chairman, Earl
Gnan, to send a letter to LMCD stating "We, as a County Board,
cannot support a tax levy over the entire County as proposed by
your plan for a facility that has 95% of it's area in another
County and over 90% of the users are from that County" .
This office has not received a copy of the LMCD plan and
' accordingly is not aware of how quickly LMCD would like to
effectuate their plan. As can be seen from the attached letter, •
this office is recommending that the Mayor be authorized to request
' a copy of the plan and to note Chanhassen's initial concerns.
Approval of sending the attached letter is recommended.
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' July 10, 1990
' DRAFT
Lake Minnetonka Conservation District
402 East Lake Street
Wayzata, MN 55391
Gentlemen:
' It is my understanding that the LMCD has prepared a plan for the
future betterment of Lake Minnetonka. We commend you for those
efforts and request a copy of such. However, we have also been
informed that the plan calls for increasing the property tax
authority of LMCD to tax cities in Carver County, including the
City of Chanhassen. We find this difficult to understand and do
' not comprehend why our input has not been requested on this item.
Points which we believe you should consider include:
' - Regional Facilities: The City has two regional
facilities within its border (four regional facilities on
a county-wide basis) . The City and County pay police/
fire/planning/etc. costs associated with these
' facilities. The County pays all operational costs
associated with the regional parks. Costs also include
identifying infestations of eurasian water milfoil
' including the City's payment of all eradication costs.
These are all local costs for regional benefit. For our
City to additionally be called upon to pay the costs for
' another regional facility lying in other cities and
another county, cannot be supported; and
Local Lakes: The City of Chanhassen has eight lakes
' within its border. As noted above, Carver County
currently pays costs associated with the initial
identification of eurasian water milfoil on each of these
' lakes. The City of Chanhassen is solely responsible for
the costs of eradication. Similar to the point made
above, we cannot support a plan wherein costs of
' eradication in another city/county are asked to be shared
by our city/county when we do not have sufficient
resources to take care of our own needs; and
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Lake Minnetonka Conservation District 1
July 10, 1990
Page 2
Water Quality Management: The City of Chanhassen has
undertaken an extensive program to establish a water
management program for all of our lakes. This process
will involve extensive cooperation between our City, the
Watershed District, Carver County and state agencies. In
this regard, we look forward to receiving a copy of your
plan as we initiate efforts to prepare our own plans.
However, we do not anticipate that that process will
include asking Lake Minnetonka cities to share in our
costs, nor do we expect our citizens be asked to share in
the costs of the Lake Minnetonka plan.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Chmiel
Mayor
DJC:DA:k
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bO�P,u o c ny� P(/4: theme . .0 a ken�cbu
NM 111111
rcetl li t " ' sti
'� because of new legisla- Commissioner Harold Trende
a d t Jars sta a reimbursement as a tion passed t is spring.The new law expressed
.. hk E s ues in which the result a real estate and Mobile home bi
"'' '�` applications not chfthe abatement. requires that all requests for abate- ti concern with the legisla-
R �i "� ' properly_and timely. But Swanson said that though the ments o through the "I've
' Tuesday,the board assessors of- got very serious problems
�i .. " erect the policy.
faonsid• goal of the policy was to single out denied.If it is it approved,be approved es " with denial f based on one
# "1 hae had people who were abusing the system, to the auditor's of ice and then to the that onl eon's
P problems with what has happened is that those who' $ decision from an appointed office
c <� �• the abatement policy," board for Y can be a elect '
_ '• the esabate Tracy said Com- have legitimate reasons for not filing is denied in the assessor's office,it is oul in court,
r final approval.meal.If d he said. If that s democracy, b
cy Swanson, who in a timely
here." , then I shouldn't be sitting
t ' ' brought the matter up for discussion, abatements period are losing their a dead issue, and the county board here."
o ; * "I voted for it, but I've had a real "We're catching people in
�a. • € i, problem with it since." net that I don't think we wanted to," would have any recourse if the re-will have no say on the matter.
the Swanson asked if the taxpayer the Tuesday,ay,Jtax-abatement 3 poll y at
the Tuesday,July 3
� 1; � � v The board approved the policy in she said.
0"' r 1989 because the late filings cost the However, q
. . ,Assessor Orlin Schafer fire.Schafer irepl replied that i assessor's uld be t
tlit
\\"1 .s � , / p
irked cunt Minnetonka Y at Lake
. , ,, , . 4
,_ . 1 n . tax plan rive county Td LMCb plan,whioli tRttlines
the future of Lake Minnetonka and county borders'
S could be t erasion and and is in process two ref
taxed • the problems I faces,states that a ors as a County over Board,cannot ideal parks and is in the process of
'''.4'" t proximately percent of the sum- support a tax levy over the entire developing an acquisition master plan
r h While the Carver County Board
proximately imat ly 4 do not percent of the s m- county as that
commended the Lake Minnetonka tax district lake-users the LMCD. county that 5 your plan for for a thir park, the Lake Waconia
� ' �� =01s k X has 9
commended on its proponka the Because area in another county and over 90 Regional Park.
,� plans for the future of Lake 11�inne- LMCD is to protect the recreational "These facilities have a very high
. ! goal of most programs of the percent of the users are from that usage b
plans, board members expressed county,"said a letter from Chairman county,"t letter residing outside the
' disapproval with a xpressed out and maintain its availabil- The letter purge
" ' portion of the ity to all citizens of the state,more of Earl concerned hat a xis. We are
` plan that calls for taxing all property the responsibility for funding needs °AMY board urged the LW])
mp
Coe ' ' pl Carver County to 8 to be levied over the entirercoo proposed of the plan, the its revenue portion
Train last of the operations pay for the cost to be allocated to a larger county the plan,and remove the
aka on tts way[Mom Lake Elmo ohm ons°n the lake. area. $ geographic when the county had no part in your that calls for a property tax l portion
ins and The commissioners were.also T h e county planning process." when n the property is Carver
adopted.
County to
_� pledges to upset that they had not been involved Minnetonka is regional The letter also pointed out that when the final plan
with 6 PPa't the in the planning process that involve9 „but did not agree although Carver County has the P is adopted.
physical pcdl es to suppo t Last a proposal planning levy a a tax across the should n !Pa that the entire county The Legislature tax plan before
re
G th Sandy Wq•abilities.L s entire proposal county. taxed for its n tan area, through property opert taxes the it is adopted.o the
. only a tip. of the lake lies within tan area; through Party taxes the it is d tax plan before
county is currently funding the op-
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