Agenda - Council - 06/10/2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Engineer O[son replied that it does not make sense to put curb and gutter into a street without utilities being installed as well. Ms. Ofihsen replied that she could understand that. She noted that she was against Helium Street going throug~'l. Councilmember Henddksen inquired if staff was proposing to pay 50 percent of the street costs out of one fund and 100 percent of the extension o£ City water and sewer for the I$0:h Avenue NW and Helium Street project. City Engineer Olson replied that the idea was that the City would pay 50 percent for the curb, gutter, and bituminous and pay 100 percent of the utilities and storm sewer. The hook-up, trunk and lateral fees would then be paid by the residents at the time of hook-up. Councilmember Henddksen inquired if the City would pay 10'0 percent of the trunk and lateral fees including SAC and WAC. City Engineer Olson replied that if residents choose not to hook-up to City sewer and water then they don't pay for anything. Councilmember Zimmerman inquired as to how the City would pay for the project. City Engineer Olson replied that the City has done similar things in the past and the. City_FoUld receive some benefit with waterrnain looping. In the other projects the majority of the people hooked-up in one to two years at their own option. He noted that this step of the process is only to put together a feasibility study. - Councilmember Henddksen stated that one of the questions that remains unanswered is that' when the Comprehensive Plan was sent down to the Met Council the City received an answer and the official response, as he understands it, seems to be setting the stage for the City being forced to require residents to hook-up to sewer and water if it is made available. He inquired if the City was going to include language in the Comprehensive Plan that states that the City will not force residents to hook-up to City sewer and water. Natalie Haas Steffen, Met Council, replied that there ~vas not carefully crafted language to trap Ramsey into forcing residents to hook-up to City sewer and water. She explained that in every comprehensive plan approval the Met Council makes recommendations and conditions. The suggestion was made because generally speaking in most communities that when a city fronts a project generally in two years people hook-up. The Met Council clearly understands that Ramsey is a Charter City and has provisions thai prevent that from happening. I ! I I I I I I Councilmember Zimmerman inquired if the Met Council would circumvent the City Charter. Ms. Haas Steffen replied that they cannot circumvent the City Charter. I I ~68- Public Works Committee/November 20,2001 Page 5 of13