Approval of the next step in a stormwater management plan in the Cedar Point area, signing off on a lot line adjustment and road vacation in Schendzielos Estates and a discussion of design specifications for a road repair project on 48th st. were among the items on the agenda at the regular meeting of the Palmer Town board Monday.

 

The board heard a presentation from Sherburne Soil and Water Conservation Dist. (SWCD) Water Resources Specialist Tiffany Determan regarding a proposed three-part stormwater management plan for the Cedar Point area in Palmer Township, which would include a trench drain installation, a pre-treatment device and a “turret” filter containing sand and iron filings that will remove 70- to 90-per cent of the phosphorous contained in run-off water.

 

The plan calls for a final design by a certified engineering firm, with the township serving as the contractor on the project, Determan said.  All of the estimated $12,000 cost will be covered by a Land and Legacy grant which the SWCD already has in hand, ands which must be used by December of 2016.

 

Supervisor Richard Larson stated that the township will have to maintain the project, and he questioned whether the approach taken in other areas involving rock-filled catch-basins would not be a better solution.  Chairman Mike Ganz said that that kind of installation would not fit in the proposed location of the SWCD project.

 

After the discussion, the board voted to go ahead with the next step in the SWCD project on a motion by Supervisor Steve Demeules, with Ganz voting in favor and Larson casting the lone vote against the proposal.

 

The SWCD will work with the township and the engineer in creating the final design for the project.

 

The board voted unanimously to grant a petition for a lot line adjustment in the Schendzielos Estates section from Clint Schendzielos.  A public hearing was held on the matter during the Monday session, and no objections to the proposal were raised at that time.

 

The adjustment request included signatures from six neighbors in the area affirming the request to vacate a section of 103rd ave. SE.

 

After the public hearing, the board resumed regular session and unanimously approved a resolution creating an order vacating the roadway, which included a waiver of damages on the part of the property owners.

 

The board heard a presentation from Terrance Vander Eyk of the Bogart Pederson engineering firm regarding a proposed construction project on 48th st. in the township.

 

The project will involve widening of some of the ditches along the roadway, according to the presentation.  Township Attorney David Meyers advised the board to get input from landowners on the route of the proposed project before taking any further steps, pointing out that a similar project in Haven Township, where he is also the township attorney, was unable to go forward when landowners could not agree to allow the construction zone to be temporarily expanded onto their property.

 

An open house with detailed maps of the project area will be held at the Palmer Town Hall at 4 p.m. on Wed., July 22, and representatives of the engineering firm and the town board will be present to answer any questions regarding the requirements of the project.

 

The current engineering estimate for the project is $61,000, Vander Eyk said.

 

Briggs Lake Chain Association President Dan Merchant reported that 12 acres of Rush Lake have been treated by spraying for Eurasian milfoil to date.

 

He also reported a lake survey will be conducted in September, which will be used to create a weed control plan for next year.  He also said plans are moving forward to establish a Lake Improvement District (LID) involving Briggs Lake, Lake Julia and Rush Lake.  An earlier effort stalled when fewer than 50 per cent of residents of Big Elk Lake were found to be in favor of the plan.

 

The sheriff’s report listed 90 calls for service in Palmer Township in June, down from 101 for the same period last year.  That list included 42 traffic stops with 10 citations issued, two citations for ATV operation and two boating citations.