Minutes - Council - 06/23/1975 - Laserfiche WebLink

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.~.ll",ETING OF RAMSEY CITY COUNCIl, June 23, 1975 Cr:itical Rivers Designation Public Hearing Those present were Mrs. Oliph~nt, Mr. Reimann, Mayor Cox, M~. Hickelson, Hr. (;orJ~am, Mr. Steffen and Mr. Goodrich~ The mee'i:in~ was opened by Hayor Cox who indicated the City's position ~egarding the open space desired by the State of Hinnesota~ Hr. Steffen road the City's position statement on the critical rivers designation and a map ~howing the proposed area to be affected was passed, around to 'i~hose peo]~le present in the audience. Mrs. Hanson from the audience wondered about the 300 foot setback. She felt a~ the June 9~ 1975, EQC meeting{ that only a 200 foot setback was talked about. ~'.[r~ Steffen responded i'ndicating that it was to be a 200 foo~ setback in rural areas and a 100 foot setback in urban areas~ Mr~ Shenk from the audience said that he didn't understand 'i:he whole dea Mr o Steffen ~'esponded stating that there are people who fee]_ that the only way to control the area in question is to pass such regulations. .~,lr. Shenk said this was all flood pt&in area and Mr o Steffe~ said tha't 'the critical areas designation bill was not really concerned with whether th.is was a flood plain area or not. Mr o Shenk further wanted to know 'what made the area in question, specifically the Missi.~sippi River area~ a critical area. Hr. Ed Babcock read four categories x~hich have been de.';:ignated as criteria for determining a critical area~ Hr~ Babcoc t rtl~er explained these criteria to the audience Mro Shenk ~'tated that his father's land was natural° The land doesn't flood, and it isn't in a flood plain and, in his opinion~ was not a criti area° ii-i: was poJnted out. by Mr. Steffen that the line draw~ indicating the proposed critical area on the map doesn't mean a flood plain. It simply :~.s ~ line for an area whJ. ch ouRht to be protected. That is protected from development, etc., as described by the critical areas legis] ati on. · ]it was further explained that the bill is saying that the r'_ver is so impo-rtant that it should get statewide treatment. Mr o Shenk a.~ked where the money comes from for purchasing tl~is property and '~.:hai: wJll happen to the value of the property if it is d. esignated tc be J.~ '~he critical area. Mr. Steffen stated that it might :~.ower land values~ others say it could increase land values~ The it useful for less things, but probably not ~oo many things and not very quick].y~ The requirements %o develop the property will be magnified but the o'Lher v, ide of 'the coin is that this is a "great river" and it shoul~ be pro,coted f~om pollution and certain development~ Mr. Steffen ~ndicated that these are some of the reasons for the c~itic~l areas bill PIr~ Cox stated that he believes that the Council and Mr~ Shenk agree as '~o th.e i)]an of opposition to certain aspects of the critical[ areas de.~p]a'i:5on a'nd that their agreement is reflected in the Council's reh;olutJonw]~ichwas read at the beginning of the meeting~ ~'~r. Cox su~;ges'l:ed -ghat the people get together and prepare statemen'~hs as people have done in the Dayton area. He read the Dayton people's s'L~'i:emcnt or petition which was to be presented to the Hetropolitan Counc~ 1.