04 - Resolution Regarding Hwy 371

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RESOLUTION 07- RESOLUTION IDENTIFYING THE ALTERNATE ALIGNMENT AS THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR THE EXPANSION OF T.H. 371 IN THE CITY OF PEQUOT LAKES WHEREAS, the City of Pequot Lakes, as a municipality, has the power and authority to plan for future development, as enumerated in Minnesota Statute 462.351 and 462.353, and BY PLANNING for future development, the legislature has found, in Minnesota Statute 462.351, that municipalities may insure a safer, more pleasant and more economical environment for residential, commercial, industrial and public activities, preserve agricultural and other open land and promote the public health, safety and general welfare, and BY PROVIDING a public guide to future municipal action, the legislature has found, in Minnesota Statute 462.351, that public and private agencies are enabled to plan their activities in harmony with the municipality's plans, thereby bringing about a significant savings in both public and private expenditures,and WHEREAS, in the Spring of 2002, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) began a study on a four-lane expansion of Highway 371 from Nisswa to Pine River,including the portion through Pequot Lakes, WHEREAS, Mn/DOT considered two alignments that had a direct impact on Pequot Lakes, one which would be a widening of the existing alignment and a second that would be a realignment of TH 371 to the east of the Pequot Lakes Downtown, and WHEREAS, the City of Pequot Lakes was involved in the determination of the preferred alignment, including involvement in public hearings and open houses to solicit public input related to the proposed alignment alternatives listed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement; and WHEREAS, on February 3, 2004, the Pequot Lakes City Council adopted Resolution 04- 002 to support the through-town option as defined by the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.; and WHEREAS, following work on the Final Environmental Impact Statement, the City established a committee to work with Mn/DOT to further develop the details of the through-town alignment;and WHEREAS, the committee met several times in 2005 to discuss major issues involved with the through-town route involving access points, service roads, speed limits, safety, and other items; and WHEREAS, the City Council held special Council Meetings in 2005 to hear testimony from Mn/DOT representatives and from the Committee representatives regarding the through town issues identified by the Committee and Mn/DOT; and