2004-10-26_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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Authority, Conclusions and Recommended Actions Authority The Metropolitan Council is directed by Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.145 to prepare a comprehensive development guide for the metropolitan area. The development guide, as currently implemented, consists of the 2030 Development Framework and four "system plans" dealing with transportation, aviation, wastewater, and regional recreation open space, Minnesota Statutes, Section 473.146 provides direction to the Council to adopt these comprehensive policy plans for transportation, airports, parks and open space, and wastewater treatment as chapters of the development guide, The development guide legislation also allows for the Council's adoption of related policy statements, goals, standards, programs and maps describing how it will achieve its charge. It is within this context that the Council is preparing the update to its existing Water Resources Management Policy Plan that was adopted in December 1996. The revised Plan will contain the wastewater "system plan," plus policies in overall water quality, non-point source pollution control, and water supply. Legislation related to metropolitan land-use planning (Minn. Stat. Sec 473.858) suggests that comprehensive plans of local governments cannot be in conflict with the metropolitan system plans for airports, transportation, wastewater, and regional recreation open space. The system plan for metropolitan wastewater service will occur within the updated Water Resources Management Policy Plan. In a similar manner, the Council's 2030 Development Framework establishes a growth management strategy that incorporates system plans into overall regional development. Both the update to the Water Resources Management Policy Plan and the 2030 Development Framework will be used to determine consistency of local government plans with those of the Metropolitan Council. Material contained in the plans can be used to detennine whether there is a substantial impact or a substantial departure from the metropolitan systems plans. The Council intends to adopt its peak hourly design standards as part ofthe Water Resources Management Policy Plan. These standards are the basis for the design of the Metropolitan Disposal System and will be used to establish III goals for each of the communities served by the Metropolitan Disposal System (MDS), Communities will be asked to develop an III reduction plan to reduce their peak hourly flows to meet these design standards. Those communities that discharge flows into the MDS at rates higher than the design standards put the system at risk of overflows and, therefore, have a substantial impact on the MDS. 10