02-17-2005 Planning Commission Minutes

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02/17/2045 10:15 FAX BSC CORPORATE / IP FAX 0002/004 February 16.2005 Pcquot Lakes Planning Commission Pequot Lakes City Hall 4638 County Road 11 Pequot Lakes,MN 56472 RFC; public Hearings for Wilderness Resort Villas LLC Dear Planning Commission Members: My name is Katie Utter. My husband,John, and I have been properly owners on Middle Cullen Lake since 1989. 1 respectfully request that you carefully consider the contents of this letter, and vote to table Wilderness Resort Villas' application so that: l)a lake suitability assessment can be conducted to determine appropriate placement of docking, 2) an on-site visit by the Planning Commission can take place so that members know first-hand what the conditions of the land and lake are; and 3) the applicant has time to submit the required documents and plans, and the Planning Commission has time to review them prior to the public hearing at which it considers the approval of the preliminary plat. I love the "brand" created by the Brainerd Takes Area Chamhers of Commerce in 2004 (please see attachW). As the website www:explorebrainerdlakes.eom exclaims, "Tt's Gotta Be The Water!" It is easy to believe that after extensive evaluation in to why people choose to visit, live, or conduct business in the Brainerd Lakes Area, it ultimately all came down to the same thing. "It's Gotta Be The Water!" My sentiments(not sediments!) exaetly! Allowing Wilderness Resort Villas, LLC to proceed with their plans as, proposed could have an irreversible negative impact on the quality., health, and natural scenic beauty of Middle Cullen Lake, and therefore,on the entire chain of lakes. According to a recent study conducted at Lauderdale Lakes in southeastern Wisconsin,one pound of phosphorus in our lakes.and rivers can produce up to 500 pounds of algae growth or aquatic plants—the net result of which is the depletion of oxygen in the water. The study concluded that for each acre of shoreland development within 200 feet of the lake up to 1.6 pounds of total phosphorus may be delivered to the lake. Mercury, nitrogen, and hydrocarbons from vehicles also have negative effects. These are serious considerations as they relate to the steep slope and, bluff areas of the Wildemess Remixt property, and the fact that there are already roads on the property leading directly down the slopes toward the lake. The request for a commercial development in which there will he a total of 55 privately owned properties has the potential for greatly increased run-off if the stormwater management plan is not carefully designed and executed! Another of my many concerns is the high density impact of this proposed 'resort" if the units and the land beneath them are sold to individuals, creating non-conforming lake logs. There are currently 111 family units on the lake_ Tr you allow Wilderness Resort Villas to proceed with this proposal as is, there will be an additional 55 privately owned properties •-that creates 1/3 of the total impact to the lake!! That is a tremendous amount of impact on the quality of the lake itself,