CITY OF TAYLORS FALLS CHISAGO COUNTY, MINNESOTA

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Claude Phillips
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CITY OF TAYLORS FALLS CHISAGO COUNTY, MINNESOTA 637 First Street Taylors Falls, Minnesota 55084-1144 Phone (651) 465-5133 Fax (651) 465-4603 Web site www.ci.taylors-falls.mn.us June 10, 2009 Mr.

1 CITY OF TAYLORS FALLS CHISAGO COUNTY, MINNESOTA 637 First Street Taylors Falls, Minnesota Phone (651) Fax (651) Web site June 10, 2009 Mr. David Birkholz, Project Manager Office of Energy Security Minnesota Department of Commerce 85 7 th Place East, Suite 500 St. Paul, MN Re: Lawrence Creek Substation PUC DOCKET #E002/TL Dear Mr. Birkholz: The route permit for the Chisago Transmission Project requires that the location for the Lawrence Creek Substation be determined following consultation with the City of Taylors Falls with consideration as to the future expansion of the City s wastewater treatment ponds located north the proposed substation site. Section V. Special Conditions, 2, states: The Permittees must work with the City of Taylors Falls to coordinate placement of the Lawrence Creek Substation with the placement of the city s wastewater treatment ponds. Xcel Energy has proposed their preferred location of the substation to the City; this plan is illustrated on Attachment A. However in order to ensure adequate land area for future wastewater treatment ponds and to utilize existing infrastructure, the City is requesting the substation be placed 100 further south than what Xcel Energy has proposed. Therefore, the north end of the substation would be 350 south of the north property line. Attached please find correspondence from the City and Xcel Energy in chronological order providing detail from each entity. The City has given the company a recommendation for placement of the substation; however, Xcel Energy and the City have not come to a consensus on the final location. In recent correspondence, Xcel Energy has stated they must comply with the MPCA s sound requirements. The City was informed at previous meetings with Xcel Energy that sound mufflers could be incorporated to alleviate sound. Furthermore, Attachment A Page 1 of 2

2 shows 200 between the south end of the substation and south property line of the property. Within that 200 the plan shows a berm with an 80 wide base and a retention pond. There is sufficient room for the berm to remain if the substation is shifted 100 south. The retention pond would then need to shift further west. This plan illustrates the ultimate size of the fenced area of the substation, per the route permit, at just over 4 acres. Xcel Energy s proposed layout of the secondary pond adjacent to County Road 37 and adjacent to an existing residence is not acceptable. County Road 37 is a thoroughfare into Taylors Falls, constructing a sewer treatment pond adjacent to the road would give the City a poor image; a buffer area would be mandatory between County Road 37 and any future wastewater treatment pond. Furthermore, a buffer area would be required between future ponds and existing residences. On June 8, 2009 the Steering Committee met (the 2000 Settlement Agreement established this Committee.) The location of the Lawrence Creek Substation was discussed and the City emphasized ensuring adequate land area for future ponds and utilizing existing infrastructure as reason to shift the substation 100 south. Xcel Energy representatives insisted sound from the substation was a primary concern. A general discussion took place regarding sound abatement possibilities. The parties did not come to a consensus on the final location of the proposed substation. The City of Taylors Falls respectfully requests the Public Utilities Commission consider the route permit requirements and conditions, and mandate the Lawrence Creek Substation be placed 100 further south than what is shown on Attachment A. As a result, the north end of the substation would be 350 south of the north property line. Sincerely, /s/ Michael D. Buchite Michael D. Buchite Mayor C: Michael Dunham, Xcel Energy Enclosures

3 New Substation ,000 Feet

4 Page I of1 Larry Phillips, TF Zoning Administrator From: "Larry Phillips, TF Zoning Administrato/'<tfzoningadmin@frontiernet.net> To: "MikeDunham"<michael.p.dunham@xcelenergy.com>;"PhillipLysdahl" <phillip.a.lysdahl@xcelenergy.com>; "David Callahan" <david.g.callahan@xcelenergy.com>; "John Wertish" <joh com> Gc: "Ross Rivard" <wrelect@citlink.net>; "Mike Buchite" <bucky@scc.net>; "Patrick Kelly" <pkelly@kellyandlemmons.com> Sent: Thursday, June 05, :44 AM Attach: Taylor Falls-LC substation memo doc; Land Requirements for Pond Expansion pdf Subject: Land Requirements for Expansion of Waste Water Treatment Ponds To Whom it May Concern: Please find attache documentsubmitted by the City of Taylors Falls' Engineer regarding land requirements for future expansion of the City's waste water treatment ponds. lf you have questions regarding these documents do not hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Larry Phillips City of Taylors Falls Zon i ng Ad m i nistrator-coord i nator ext. 24 6tr0t2009

5 2^ seh MEMoRANDuM TO: FROM: City of Taylors Falls Steve Heth. PE DATE: June RE: Land requirements for wastewater pond expansion Expansion of the ponds at the existing site should be accomplished by constructing the new ponds adjacento the existing ponds. The new ponds would be south of the existing ponds and therefore the proposed Lawrence Creek Substation for Xcel Energy should be shifted to the south. The south boundary of the substation should be adjacento the north boundary of the existing homestead on the site. Locating the pond expansion adjacento the existing site will provide sufficient space to meet design requirementsuch as keeping the length to width ratio less than 4:1 and allowing two acres of primary pond for each acre of secondary pond. Adjacent ponds will also make the best use of existing infrastructure such as piping, dikes and roadways. Please see the attached aerial photo for a sketch of the land requirements for wastewater pond expansion. Attachment Short Elllott Henddckson Inc., 3535 Vadnais Center Drive, St. Paul, MN SEH is an equal opportunity employer I fax

7 CITY OF TAYLORS FALLS CHNSAGO COUNTY, N4NNNESOTA 677 Finsr Srnrrr T,rylons Fnlls, M ir.rreson 77OM,ll44. Phone (6rl) 46r.1111.Fqx(611) 46r.4601 owrb sire rnrr.r. us May 21,2009 Mr. Michael Dunham Senior Project Manager Xcel Energy 414 Nicollet Mall (MP 8) Minneapolis, MN Re: Lawrence Creek Substation Dear Mr. Dunham: The Route Permit for the Chisago Transmission Project requires Xcel Energy to coordinate placement of the Lawrence Creek Substation with the placement of the City's wastewater treatment ponds. The attached plan presented to the Cify by Xcel Energy, dated March 9,2009, will not accommodate land area requirements for future expansion of City wastewater treatment ponds. The north end of the substation is proposed to be placed approximately 250' south of the north property line. The City of Taylors Falls is requesting the Lawrence Creek Substation be placed 100' further south. Therefore, the north end of the substation should be 350' south of the north property line. This will ensure enough land area to accommodate future City wastewater treatment ponds. Placement of the substation as currently proposed may render this property useless for expansion of future wastewater treatment ponds. The attached letter from the City Engineer explains land use requirements for wastewater treatment ponds and illustrates the general layout of the substation and future wastewater treatment ponds. This information was presented to Xcel Energy in Your letter, dated March 26,2009, states Xcel Energy must comply with the MPCA's requirementhat sound received in a residential area cannot exceed 50 dba during the nighttime. The City was told at previous meetings with you and your team that sound mufflers could be incorporated to alleviate sound. Furthermore, we recognizethe plan shows 200' between the south end of the substation and south property line of the subject property. Within the 200'the plan shows a berm with an 80' wide base and a retention pond. There is sufficient room for the berm to remain if the substation is shifted 100' south; the retention pond will need to shift further west. The plan presented to the City illustrates the ultimate size of the fenced area of the substation, per the route permit, at just over 4 acres. It is the City's preference that Xcel Energy utilizes the City's existing access road to the wastewater treatment ponds for access to the substation in lieu of creating a new access off the County Highway west of the adjacent houses. We will requesthe Chisago County Public Works Page I of2

8 Department consider the access to the substation via the City access road instead of creating an additional access to the County Highway. Reducing accesses to the Counf, Highway will increase safety and decrease traffic congestion. Furthermore it will lessen the impact, from an aesthetic point, to the adjacent residences. For the same reason, it is the City's preference for the lines to enter the substation going north on the east side of the City's access road property and cross the access road to the substation. We sincerely hope Xcel Energy considers this request for coordination of placement of the substation with placement of City wastewater treatment ponds as well as the requesto share access, and routing of the lines to the substation. MichaelD. Buchite Mayor C: David Birkholz Enclosures Page 2 of 2

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10 MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: City of Taylors Falls Steve Heth, PE DATE: June 4, 2008 RE: Land requirements for wastewater pond expansion Expansion of the ponds at the existing site should be accomplished by constructing the new ponds adjacent to the existing ponds. The new ponds would be south of the existing ponds and therefore the proposed Lawrence Creek Substation for Xcel Energy should be shifted to the south. The south boundary of the substation should be adjacent to the north boundary of the existing homestead on the site. Locating the pond expansion adjacent to the existing site will provide sufficient space to meet design requirements such as keeping the length to width ratio less than 4:1 and allowing two acres of primary pond for each acre of secondary pond. Adjacent ponds will also make the best use of existing infrastructure such as piping, dikes and roadways. Please see the attached aerial photo for a sketch of the land requirements for wastewater pond expansion. Attachment Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., 3535 Vadnais Center Drive, St. Paul, MN SEH is an equal opportunity employer fax

15 2^ seh MEMoRANDUM TO: FROM: Citv of Tavlors Falls Steve Heth DATE: June RE: Land requirements for wastewater pond expansion We have reviewed the proposal by Xcel to site their substation directly south of the City's existing sanitary sewer treatment pond. This is not the preferred location considering future expansion of the City's ponds. It is recommended that the substation be moved 100' to the south. This would allow enough room for the City to construct a new primary pond directly adjacento the existing ponds and use the existing dike as a common dike for both ponds. It would also allow a secondary treatment pond to be constructed far enough back from County Road 37 to provide room for a buffer area between the road and the pond. Xcel's proposal to construct a secondary pond directly adjacent to the County Road is not acceptable. It allows no room for buffering or screening. It also would place the pond directly next to an existing residence. We do not believe that this would be acceptable to the resident. Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., 3535 Vadnais Center Drive, St. Paul, MN 55' SEH is an equal opportunity employer I fax

SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE DECEMBER 9, 2002 BLOCK 57/58 WEST BLOCK PLAN BLOCK PLAN FILE BL.57/58W.99 HUNTINGTON BUSINESS PARK LAND OWNERS

SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE DECEMBER 9, 2002 BLOCK 57/58 WEST BLOCK PLAN BLOCK PLAN FILE BL.57/58W.99 HUNTINGTON BUSINESS PARK LAND OWNERS Recommendation The Commissioner of Planning recommends: THAT