Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/30/2010

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Topic Report: Update on Lower Rum River 3~d Generation Plan By: Steven Jankowski, Assistant City Engineer Background: The LRRWMO is in the process of updating its third generation plan to guide its activities for the next ten years. At a work session held on September 1, 2009 staffpresented a draft of this plan to the Council along with a comparison between the current plan and proposed third generation plan draft. That draft received a preliminary review by agencies which included the Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Metropolitan Council, and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in December of 2009. The preliminary comments received by these agencies held the common theme that the draft presented lacked specificity in goals and policies. These reviews were also critical of the organization of the report citing that standards and requirements for implementing standards were scattered throughout the plan and occasionally were in conflict. In view of these agency preliminary comments, the Board of the LRRWMO decided to reformat the plan to be consistent with a plan recently approved by BWSR. As a result the attached draft appears significantly different than that reviewed last September; however, its contents are intended to be the same as the previous draft. Staff is reviewing this new draft to assure that the policies which the Council had commented on last fall have been satisfactorily transitioned into this new format. Staff will perform a comprehensive review of this draft and report on its findings at a later date. Several watershed issues identified in the previous draft have been selected to receive a more comprehensive development toward final plan goals. It is anticipated that discussion of these issues will include input from a Technical Advisory Committee. This committee which remains to be established might consist of representatives from the Soil Conservation Districts, the County Highway Department, DNR, Metropolitan Council, and City Engineers. In addition elected officials, environmental and development interest groups could also be included to add perspective to this group. The issues to be addressed include: Developing infiltration requirements and guidelines Establishing water quality goals for Rogers Lake, Round Lake, the Rum River, and the Mississippi River Developing wetland protection standards (ie. buffers and alternative protection standards). The Board had voted forward this draft to the review agencies on a 3 to 1 vote for comment during a mandatory 60 day review period. (Ramsey voted against, preferring to allow a review by individual councils prior to soliciting agency comments.)