HomeMy WebLinkAbout[0002] Engineering Comments
Judy Weyrens
Attachments:SAN SEWER STUDY_201208171403.pdf; WATER DISTR STUDY_201208171448_0001.pdf
From: Randy Sabart [mailto:rsabart@sehinc.com]
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 3:38 PM
To: Susan Kadlec; Judy Weyrens
Subject: Re: Ehlert (Notch Property) Development preliminary concept comments
Sanitary sewer service to a portion of the Notch property was considered in the 2009 Sanitary Sewer System Plan.
However, as illustrated in the attached exhibit, the necessary downstream sanitary sewer infrastructure needed to serve
the Notch property was contemplated to begin much further east, near the intersection of 19th Avenue and CR 133. In
addition to several long runs of pipe sewer, it is also envisioned that a minimum of two sanitary sewer pump stations
will be necessary to provide sanitary sewer service to the study area that includes the Notch property.
Since the property in the vicinity of CR 133 and 19th Avenue has not yet developed, it's uncertain how soon the
necessary sewer infrastructure would be available to service the Notch property and surrounding area.
Similar to the sanitary sewer study, the Water Distribution System Model Study from 2006 evaluated trunk-size water
main needs north of the City's present service boundary (Northland/Northland Heights area). While the focus of the
water study was on the "big pipe," it reinforces that there is presently limited trunk water main infrastructure in-place in
the vicinity of the Notch property to sufficiently loop the water system and deliver reliable water volume and pressures.
The study contemplated the next "tier" of trunk water main would generally follow the "North Corridor" alignment and
320th Street.
Presuming the subdivision develops as a rural subdivision, municipal utilities are constructed at a later date, and
financed through the Chapter 429 process, the large lot frontages and lot depths may present significant challenges to
levying special assessments. Utility improvements serving large rural lots typically require more (longer) infrastructure to
provide service, and project costs are typically higher than the traditional urban subdivision. The resulting higher special
assessments due to the higher project costs are frequently challenged by property owners on the basis of exceeding the
increase in market value to the property due to the improvement. Therefore, the City may have to bear a greater cost
burden for the infrastructure improvement for those costs that cannot be specially assessed. Depending on the
condition of the well and septic systems in the subdivision, it may also be difficult for the City to defend a special
assessment challenge on the basis of need if wells and septic systems are in operational order and code-compliant.
Sincerely,
Randy Sabart, PE | Principal, Project Manager SEH Inc. | 1200 25th Avenue South | St. Cloud, MN 56302-1717
320.229.4348 direct | 320.250.9187 cell | 888.908.8166 fax www.sehinc.com SEH—Building a Better World for All of Us
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