HomeMy Public PortalAbout1991-23Member Mitchell
introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption:
CITY OF MEDINA
RESOLUTION NO. 9 1 - 2 3
RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO
EFFORTS TO ABANDON THE PROCESS TO
SITE A NEW LANDFILL IN HENNEPIN COUNTY
WHEREAS, in compliance with statutory requirements, Hennepin County has
conducted a process intended to identify a location for and construct a new landfill within
the county; and
WHEREAS, that process, which was initiated in 1981, has identified four sites in
western portions of the county as suitable locations for the new landfill; and
WHEREAS, environmental reviews of the four sites are being completed and will be
available in the near future; and
WHEREAS, an enormous amount of public resources in both time and money has
been devoted to the site selection process to date; and
WHEREAS, the county's landfill options have eroded with the 1989 decision to close
the Flying Cloud landfill in Eden Prairie and will continue to shrink with the close of the
Woodlake landfill in Medina on or before February 7, 1996; and
WHEREAS, despite efforts to reduce the need for landfills through recycling,
composting and the use of waste to energy facilities, some waste must be deposited in
landfills and landfill space will be needed into the foreseeable future; and
WHEREAS, the City of Medina (City) has been the site of what is now known as the
Woodlake landfill (Woodlake) for many years; and
WHEREAS, in 1984, the City granted a conditional use permit (CUP) to the
operator of the Woodlake landfill which required that the landfill close when it reached a
specified volume of waste or on or before February 7, 1996, which occurs sooner; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 89-5-420, the Hennepin County Board confirmed its
support of efforts to close Woodlake when full or on the date specified in the CUP and
stated the county's intent not to approve any future action for expansion, extension or
renewal of Woodlake or any other landfill in Medina; and
WHEREAS, by the First Amendment to Contract No. 30202 adopted on
September 5, 1989, the County Board committed itself to closure of Woodlake as required
by the CUP and agreed not to seek expansion, extension or renewal of the landfill or any
other landfill in Medina; and
WHEREAS, Medina views abandonment of the siting process for a new landfill as
inconsistent with Resolution No. 89-5-420 and the First Amendment to Contract No.
30202 and as increasing the likelihood that Hennepin County will have to rely on Woodlake
after its scheduled date of closure.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Medina,
Minnesota as follows:
1. The City is opposed to abandonment of the site selection process for a new landfill
in Hennepin County. The work performed to date has been extraordinarily
expensive and has brought the county to the brink of selecting another landfill site.
Failure to proceed would be to renege on a commitment of 10 years' standing on
the very eve of its fulfillment.
2. There exists today and will continue to exist the need for landfill space to
accommodate waste from Hennepin County. When Woodlake landfill closes on or
before February 7, 1996, there will be no available landfill space in Hennepin
County.
3. Substantial sentiment continues to exist for Hennepin County to accommodate its
own waste and not export all of it to other regions or states.
4. The City strongly views failure to proceed with the siting process as elimination of
yet another option available to Hennepin County and makes more likely the
prospect that pressure will be brought to bear on the City to expand Woodlake or
allow it to remain open longer than stated in the 1984 CUP.
2
5. The City views abandonment of the siting process at this time as irresponsible in
light of the effort which has been expended to date and the manifest need for
additional landfill space in the future.
DATED: April 2
, 1991.
Gary M. Acromite, Mayor
ATTEST:
oeL, »
Donna Roehl, Clerk -Treasurer
The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by
member Thies and upon vote being taken thereon, the following voted
in favor thereof:
Acromite, Thies, Mitchell, Zietlow, Scherer
and the following voted against same:
None
Whereupon said resolution was declared duly passed and adopted.
ME230:MedRes3
3