Agenda - Council - 10/25/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 2O Water and sewer servi¢~ in most communities is: paid .for 'by special assess- ments or hookup fees. Landfills do not necessarily need municipal water supply or sewer services, but some resource recovery facilities would. If water or sewer services are extended to a waste facility, its owner should bear the full share of the costs. Counties are required, under state law, to pay special assessments for services or utilities extended to it. However, the property cannot be assessed for more than the bene- fit to the property of the improvement. Using a buffer zone is an important method for reducing or shielding sur- rounding properties from nuisance problems such as odor, dust, noise and litter. The buffer zone should be well designed and large enough to ensure a buffering effect. Buffer zone design and amenities needed by the local community should be paid for by the waste facility owner. In addition, the buffer zone in the appropriate areas should be completed and in place before the waste facility begins operation. There are several indirect costs that may fall upon the host community, includtng,~road upgrading and repair, litter control, monitoring and inspection costs, end-use planning, costs due to the disruption of planned and future water and sewer services, and special assessments for services or utilities. As stated earlier, the county or waste facility owner should assume responsibility for the immediate access roads to the waste facility. The same entity should bear the maintenance costs inci- dent to a waste facility use for any locally owned road used as a haul route, such as a municipal state-aid highway. .~ landfill or resource recovery facility may be located where planned or future public services, such as sewer and water, will be installed. However, the waste facility may not need the service, or its benefit to the property may be minimal. Consequently, state law would permit only a nominal assessment, if any. The community would have fewer property owners paying for the public improvements. Therefore, the waste facility owner should compensate the local unit of government .for the additional costs of the public improvements. Currently, monitoring and inspection costs during operation and after closure of the site fall upon the state, county or landfill owner. The MPCA and counties are responsible for inspecting the landfill or resource recovery facility for compliance with state and county regulations. Counties regulate monitoring of landfills after closure. The costs of monitoring the groundwater during operation and after closure fall upon the waste facility owner. Information from groundwater monitoring and related data should be shared by the MPCA, county, and municipality or township. Nevertheless, the waste facility owner should bear the costs of additional monitoring that may be needed by .the community. The waste facility owner also should be responsible for any costs result- ing from the facility's disruption of planned water and sewer services that are official components of an approved comprehensive plan. In fact, compensation for all the indirect costs of a waste facility that fall upon the municipality or township should be negotiated by the land- fill owner and local unit of government. If an agreement cannot be m