Minutes - Charter Commission - 04/21/2005

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Commissioner Deemer stated he feels Mr. Goodrich is wrong on the timing. He stated the citizens should have brought the petition to the Charter Commission first. Chairperson Vogt stated if this amendment were added into the City's Charter, what does that lnean to tLS. Mr. Goodrich responded that Chapter 8 deals with public improvements and special assessments. It focuses on how special assessments are handled. Mr. Goodrich talked about how in~provements may come about and the process for getting the project process started. He talked about not having to connect if you don't want to. No one can be forced to hook up. Now we have received this petition. He believed the authors are intending to prohibit leapfrog dcvclopment. This is an attempt to have developers or people petitioning for City sewer and water paying for the interim properties. He reiterated that people cannot be forced to hook up. Tcrry I Iendriksen, 15631 Ramsey Boulevard NW, stated that it talks about properties that will have sewer and water made available to them. If the extension of sewer and water doesn't make sewer available to any property much of this does not have an effect. Commissioner LaMere asked what does "make available" mean. Mr. I-Icndriksen responded that's a term that people have been "tap dancing" around. (2hairperson Vogt stated that we are trying to understand what this is doing for the City. Mr. Goodrich stated that probably everyone who reads this has an interpretation. Mr. ! tcndriksen stated that 8.7 is a summary of what it's intended to do. 8.8 - there was some lkcling that people were playing games in trying to define failure to force people to hook up. 8.9 leapfi'og development which is what Mr. Goodrich focused on- example - 150th to 170~- attempt to curb - "no fault capitalism". Commissioner Ebel asked if Mr. Hendriksen had a case scenario of someone this would affect. Mi'. Ncndriksen replied he did not but it has the potential of happening. Commissioner Bertzyk asked Councilmember Elvig what's the motivation for fear. I.;ric Zactsch stated there's an effort to run sewer to the north, leapfrogging. It's to do a comp plan right instead of doing it piecemeal. Mi'. Goodrich stated that 8.4 is right out of State Statutes. Mr. Zaetsch talked about the benefit having to be based on the assessment. In Traprock, there is no benefit. There are all kinds of problems in the existing Charter looking at what would be fair and they have not been done before. Charter Commission - April 21, 2005 Page 4 of 10