HomeMy WebLinkAbout9.d. Authorization to submit a Comment Letter to Empire Township concerning the Regional Energies Blomass Gasification FacilityAGENDA ITEM: Authorization to submit a Comment
Letter to Empire Township concerning
the Rational energies Biomass
Gasification Facility.
AGENDA SECTION:
New Business
PREPARED BY: Kim Lindquist, Community Development
Director
AGENDA NO. A
ATTACHMENTS: Comment Letter to Empire Township
APPROVED BY:
Dill
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Motion to authorize the Mayor to sign and submit a comment
letter to Empire Township opposing the proposed Rational energies biomass gasification
facility.
4 ROSEMOUNT
CITY COUNCIL
City Council Special Meeting: March 18, 2008
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ISSUE
The City of Rosemount was notified through a public hearing notice that Empire Township would be
considering a Comprehensive Plan amendment and zoning ordinance amendment to permit siting of a
gasification facility within the Township boundaries near County Road 46 and State Highway 52.
SUMMARY
City Planning staff attending the public meeting and public hearing held by the Township relating to the
Rational energies facility and required Plan amendment and Text amendment. During the meeting, staff
raised issues of truck traffic, land use compatibility, environmental impacts, and facility operational concerns
specifically relating to a facility such as Rational energies.
A proposed letter was discussed at the work session meeting on March 11, 2009. The attached draft cites the
concerns mentioned above and suggests that a facility of this kind should be built outside of the seven
county metropolitan area. The letter concludes with a statement of opposition to the project.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends a motion to authorize the Mayor to sign and submit a comment letter opposing the
Rational energies biomass gasification project.
March 2009
Empire Township
Attn: Terry Holmes, Chairman
3385 W. 197 Street
Farmington, MN 55024
Re: Rational Energies
Dear Mr. Holmes:
This letter is to document comments raised by the City of Rosemount at the March 3, 2009
Empire Township public hearing relating to a Comprehensive Plan amendment and zoning text
amendment associated with a biomass gasification facility. A representative of the City, Jason
Lundahl, City Planner, attended the meeting and raised several issues of interest to the City of
Rosemount.
The City Council has reviewed the handouts provided at the Township meeting and also had a
meeting with Rational Energies when it was looking for sites in the area. The comments below
are based on this information.
First and foremost, the City is concerned about the truck traffic that will be generated by the
business. It is our understanding that the facility will process more waste than is generated by
Dakota County in one year. This will result in a significant amount of truck traffic to the site. It
is estimated that up to 300 truck trips will be generated by the site daily, with a total of 700
vehicle trips generated. Depending on the hours of operation, this could be the equivalent of
one truck every minute entering or exiting the site. While it is understood that County Road 46
is a designated minor arterial and designed for commercial traffic, the amount generated for this
one site is greater than what would have been anticipated. It is the City's understanding that a
formal environmental review will be conducted in conjunction with the project and that traffic
impacts would be a key component of that review.
Second, the City is concerned about compatibility of the proposed use with the planning efforts
occurring on the UMore property. At this point, Rosemount, Empire Township, and Dakota
County have been working with the University of Minnesota on a concept plan that will
potentially bring up to 30,000 new residents to the area. South of the development area is the
Vermillion Highlands and proposed Dakota County Regional Park. It is unclear that a use such
as this, with the potential on -site and off -site impacts, would be compatible with the future
development plans being undertaken. In the City's meeting with Rational Energies, company
representatives indicated that buildings could be up to 80 feet in height and would be primarily
constructed of metal. These design standards are inconsistent with what the City anticipates
within the UMore development.
Terry Holmes
March 2009
Page 2
Linked with the concern over land use compatibility is the idea of locating a facility such as this
within Dakota County, as part of the seven county metropolitan area. Development is proposed
to occur in the area adjoining the facility, which would place residential development adjacent to
an industrial use that has nuisance related impacts. Within the larger metropolitan area, there has
been significant investment in infrastructure to facilitate development that brings tax base, jobs,
and regional benefit to the area communities. This facility will use land, ultimately in the
municipal urban service area, with little use for sewer and little taxable value compared with the
financial investment in the entire facility. A facility such as this would be better located outside
of the seven county metropolitan area.
The City also has concerns about the environmental ramifications of the project, particularly on
air quality. There are several industries within Rosemount that are monitored for air emissions
and have strict permitting standards. The concern is how the addition of this business into the
area will affect permitted uses and future regulations affecting the established industries'
operational regulations and air emission permits.
Of final note is the need to disclose more details about operations for the Rational Energies
facility. Issues such as water demand, methods to dispose of by- products such as ash, and
quantification of outside storage, all need to be determined. The City would also like clarification
about the handling and storage of combustibles, and determination of the agency providing
public safety services to the site.
This letter is to document and provide further clarification to comments raised at the Township
public hearing and during the Rosemount City Council discussion of the Rational energies
facility. For the reasons stated above, the City of Rosemount opposes a Comprehensive Guide
Plan amendment and zoning ordinance amendment for the Rational energies facility. It is
understood that the Township Board will be discussing this item on March 24, 2009 Please
forward these comments to the Board members so this letter is available during their
deliberations.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 651 322 -2020.
Sincerely,
Mayor William Droste
City of Rosemount
cc. Rosemount City Council members
Dwight Johnson, City Administrator
Kim Lindquist, Community Development Director
Jason Lindahl, City Planner