Doc9 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

March 19, 2015 Staff Report Page 7 City Council decision based on what may have changed. The previous Public Hearing indicated the recommended approach would be rapid infiltration basins (RIB’s), which would keep all operations on the east side of the new highway. The latest row irrigation plan would keep all operations on the east side of the new highway. The latest row irrigation plan would spread the wastewater out over a larger ‘footprint’ than the RIB’s – which could be considered as a less potential environmental impact than RIB’s. The latest row irrigation plan would be less costly than the RIB’s. The Council consensus was that citizens should not object to the row irrigation plan versus the RIB’s and thus, another Public Hearing should not be required. Tim explained that MnDOT has proposed a Joint Powers Agreement to address the land through the spray irrigation field and impacts to the City’s WWTF due to the accelerated highway schedule. The City would transfer the land through the spray irrigation field to MnDOT on June 1, 2015. MnDOT would give the City a permit to be on this new highway Right-of- Way (R/W) until August 1, 2016. MnDOT would give the City $0.5 million. MnDOT would give the City the parcel between Tree Farm Road and the north side of the stabilization ponds. Tim did indicate that none of us were completely in charge of the schedule – we all will be relying on other entities to make this schedule work. If the City / WSN can get design drawings and a new permit application to the MPCA by about June of this year, the MPCA thought that they should be able to review it in about 6 months – versus the default 1 year. This would give the first part of 2016 to get public bids, get a contractor on board, and get the row irrigation system constructed and operational so that there would be a cover crop started by August 1, 2016. For 2015, the City would be able to operate its 3 pivot irrigators just like in years past. For the first part of 2016, the City can operate its two westerly pivot irrigators while it constructs the new row irrigation on the east side. Tim got a verbal acceptance from the MPCA that the City could spray irrigate on the west side of the new highway R/W with only the two westerly pivot irrigators without a modification of their existing permit. Mike Loven stated that the contract with the farmer is up at the end of 2015, and he is aware of the potential changes for 2016. Tim and Mike also discussed the potential if the row irrigation system on the east side could not get funded, constructed, and operational by August 1, 2016, the City will need to put casing pipes under the new highway R/W, probably along Derksen Road, and run new pipe out to the two westerly pivot irrigators at an estimated cost of $300,000 to $350,000. Mike said a casing pipe at Derksen might not be a bad idea because when the parcel between the Paul Bunyan Trail and the new highway is not needed for spray irrigation, it could be developed; and when it is developed, it will need water and sanitary sewer; and the sanitary sewer will need a lift station down in this area; and it would be more efficient to pump from this lift station through the casing pipe and directly to the WWTF instead of pumping through 2 or 3 lift stations in the City’s present system.