Administration - Dan Schluender, City Engineer
Title
Title
Approval of Letter of Concurrence for Watershed District Boundary Change/Adjustment
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Executive Summary
The Rice Creek Watershed District has developed a revised boundary with Coon Creek Watershed District through Blaine that better reflects the actual hydrologic boundary. The district is asking for concurrence from the City of Blaine per state statutes governing revision of Watershed Management Organization boundaries.
Background
The Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) shares a boundary with three Watershed Management Organizations (WMO), one of which is the Coon Creek Watershed District (CCWD). RCWD has identified discrepancies in the RCWD’s hydrologic boundary with the adjacent WMOs and the RCWD tasked Houston Engineering, Inc. with reviewing RCWD current hydrologic boundaries in Anoka County and resolving the discrepancies. The City of Blaine is located within both RCWD and CCWD and thus is affected by certain discrepancies in the boundary between the two WMOs.
A draft report on the hydrologic discrepancies was prepared, reviewed and commented on by all affected WMOs and municipalities. City of Blaine staff reviewed this report and concurred with the findings. Following finalization of the report, a proposed updated legal boundary was generated and again reviewed by all affected WMOs and municipalities. City of Blaine staff reviewed the proposed boundary changes within the city and concurred with the findings. The RCWD also reached concurrence with the neighboring WMOs regarding the hydrologic boundary that was identified in the report and Houston Engineering prepared a technical memorandum recommending modification of the RCWD legal boundary to more closely match the hydrologic boundary.
RCWD has initiated the boundary change process under Minnesota Statute 103B.215. Part of this process requires a written statement of concurrence from each underlying city.
Staff recommends that the Council adopt the Resolution granting concurrence with the proposed boundary changes developed by the RCWD.
Strategic Plan Relationship
Not applicable.
Board/Commission Review
Not applicable
Financial Impact
Not applicable.
Public Outreach/Input
Rice Creek Watershed has included all affected Watershed Management Organizations and municipalities that border or are in Rice Creek Watershed consistent with Minnesota Statute 103B.215.
Staff Recommendation
By motion, approve the Resolution.
Attachment List
Letter of Concurrence
Appendix A and B
Body
WHEREAS, Rice Watershed District (“RCWD”) has analyzed and identified certain discrepancies in the common boundary between the Coon Creek Watershed District and the RCWD. The discrepancies arise because of differences between the boundaries as established by State order and the hydrologic boundaries as determined by modern mapping information;
WHEREAS, RCWD has developed a revised boundary for inclusion in a petition to the Board of Water and Soil Resources for boundary change;
WHEREAS, RCWD has presented the revised boundary for consideration by City Council of the City of Blaine;
WHEREAS, the RCWD Engineer has prepared a revised watershed district boundary map and affected parcel listing (Appendix A and B) which have been considered by the City Council of the City of Blaine;
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statute 103B.215, requires a petition for boundary change to be accompanied by a written statement of concurrence in the petition from the governing body of each statutory or home rule charter city and town and each watershed management organization having jurisdiction over the territory proposed to be added or transferred;
WHEREAS, RCWD has requested concurrence from the City of Blaine in the proposed boundary change and in the filing of a petition for boundary change with the Board of Water and Soil Resources that reflects the boundary changes described in Appendix A and B.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that the City of Blaine, in accordance with Minnesota Statute 103B.215, concurs with the proposed boundary changes found in Appendix A and B, and authorizes the Mayor to execute the attached concurrence letter for inclusion with the RCWD petition to the Board of Water and Soil Resources for boundary change.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Blaine this 16th day of August, 2021.