Progresive Decision of Cooperation

When we look to the future some of us think about family goals. Others think about job goals and how to be better at what we do. Still others think about accomplishing some task such as getting that degree. With the city and township a goal of working together was established. More specifically the City of Becker and Becker Township agreed to an Orderly Annexation Agreement.

So what's that? An agreement such as this can take a number of different forms but it generally provides for the terms and conditions under which the city can annex property from the township to become part of the city. In our instance the the agreement provides for all of Becker Township to someday become part of Becker. It also provides for the terms and conditions under which the city may annex. The agreement provides for a joint advisory planning board to review land use applications. When finally assembled this board will review applications and recommend actions to the township board for final action by them, rather than Sherburne County.

Accomplishing these tasks is not a minor matter. The township needed to develop a comprehensive land use plan. They will need to establish a zoning and subdivision ordinance. They will also need to take the final steps of removing county authority and establishing their own authority. They are effectively creating their own destiny while working with the city to plan for a better community of Becker.

The plan does not annex anything at this time. The plan doesn't change taxes. It does specify how annexations will occur and under what conditions. It clarifies the city can't annex by ordinance. Only through cooperation can the city annex. The Orderly Annexation Plan also effectively lets the communities of Monticello and Big Lake know in legal form that Becker Township is off limits for annexation. This too provides for addressing our own destiny.

We look forward to working with the township in a more proactive way. They have the best interests of the community at heart and want to move Becker in the right direction. We have an interest to not only do the same but also work towards the community of Becker moving in the same directions. This may be a historic decision but it really is a progressive decision of cooperation. I applaud and thank our political leaders for their foresight. They have made a responsible decision for the future of Becker.

Who will survive?

We’ve heard it a bunch of times. Why is the city letting all these exercise businesses into town?

When it comes to competition some business owners fell the city can and should restrict certain uses from occurring because there already are enough businesses providing that service. The city can’t and won’t regulate these activities. We have no authority to do that and it would really destroy the free market system that exists if we did. There are a lot of arguments to support a free market system. The majority of these arguments address the needs of the consumer but they also address the rights of a business person to establish a business.

In Becker we take pride in creating land uses that are functional and attractive but we have no control over the number of exercise facilities or restaurants that exist within a community. The market dictates what will be supported and what businesses will survive. The city only has authority over zoning matters. That being said if a “use” is permitted in a district the city has no authority over the establishment of it. If it is a conditional use we have review authority and the ability to control certain aspects of the development of the property. We can establish conditions on it but still have no say in whether the use should exist or not.

All this being said business people create the business climate and who operates what business. We hope they do their homework and understand the market place as we want to see their businesses survive and thrive. You as a consumer play a role in this by supporting the businesses you use. Perhaps there is room for all the exercise facilities and perhaps there isn’t. Your use or non use and some time will give us the answer to who will survive.

Zoning

I believe the majority of people understand we have zoning laws which address areas for specific land uses. The primary districts are commercial, residential and industrial zoning districts. Within these broader categories we may have subsets like single family or multiple family residential as examples.

What may not be as broadly known is that within each zoning district there are Permitted, Accessory and Conditional uses. Permitted uses seem obvious, a list of those activities that are permitted in that district. An accessory use is something that is used in conjunction with a permitted use. A detached garage or shed are examples found in a residential district. A Conditional Use is a use that is generally permitted with conditions attached. The conditions make the use acceptable within the district in which they are located.

In the area of commercial growth a good deal of land uses are conditional uses. They require a Conditional Use Permit. The zoning ordinance lists those types of businesses and business activities that require a permit. Application is made and the business activity is viewed from a zoning perspective to determine what conditions will make the business acceptable. Things like screened trash areas, lighting that doesn’t spill over to another property or even the need for fencing to separate uses are the types of concerns addressed. The permit then specifies what conditions are needed to make that use compatible.

The use (business) itself is not something we can regulate except to say that a use not authorized in a district, isn’t acceptable in that location. It can however be located in a district that allows that use. Use variances are not legal. This would be allowing a use otherwise prohibited in a district.

The use of zoning has long been seen as a means to protect property values but it also is a means to provide standards in development. It further defines the “common sense” in land use to help us all work together. It may have its detractors but zoning has been held by the courts as a reasonable use of police powers and brings order to our lives.

Orderly Annexation

Do you know where you live? I think if you ask anyone who lives in the Becker area where you are from they will tell you Becker. Although everyone is correct there are two Becker “entities”. There are those people who reside within the city limits are from the City of Becker. A good number of residents of our community reside in Becker Township, even more in terms of numbers, than within the city itself.

As the city grows and expands its boundaries we go through a process of annexation. This moves the political boundaries of the city out to include additional properties. Generally speaking as a matter of policy the city has only annexed property that has petitioned to be annexed. There may come a time when that policy isn’t practical but it is not the intention of the city to annex property for the sake of annexation. Property owners petition for annexation for a number of reasons but primarily it is for development with water and sewer utilities.

The Becker City and Township have recognized that the community should grow in an orderly fashion. We also recognize that development in an urban fashion is more efficient and reduces the need for services to be applied over an expanded area. They further recognize that the Community of Becker includes both the township area and the city. In realizing this, the relationship between the governing bodies has been good. We have an Annexation Committee that is jointly served by both groups. Annexations are reviewed by this body to determine if a need exists and the process of annexation is done in a joint fashion. Both the council and the township board adopt a joint resolution that is sent to the state for boundary adjustments.

In furthering our relationship an Orderly Annexation Agreement is being considered. This agreement provides for the eventual annexation of the entire township. In saying that, the plan for annexation will continue as it has been with annexation as petitions are received and the need for annexation is demonstrated. This places the properties in Becker Township in waiting to eventually be part of the City of Becker and the Community that we live in.

A public informational meeting with be held at 6:30 in the Becker City Hall on October 2^nd. This meeting will be a joint meeting between the Becker Township Board of Supervisors and the Becker City Council. The meeting will be held to consider any comments concerning the proposed Orderly Annexation Agreement. Those persons interested are invited to attend.

Sherco Electric Generating Plant

We sometimes take for granted the marvel of a power plant we have in our backyard here in Becker. The power plant in Becker, known as Sherco, was named after Sherburne County. It is the largest power plant in the state of Minnesota. This plant is the 15thth largest power plant in the entire county! With the plant sitting on 4500 acres of property it is difficult to get the proper perspective to see how large it really is.

Sherco contains three generation units. Units 1 and 2 generate each 750 megawatts. These were built in the 1970's. These units cost at the time of construction $370 million. Unit 3 was built in 1983 to 1987. Sherco 3 cost approximately $1 billion to construct. This unit generates 900 megawatts of power. The combined total of electricity generated at Sherco is 2,400 megawatts.

The plant burns coal at a rate of 30,000 tons everyday. That can be up to 3 train loads of coal. This works out to about 9 million tons of coal a year. The coal used is a low sulfur bituminous western coal to keep pollution levels down. The coal comes to Becker by train from Montana and Wyoming in 105 to 117 car train loads. A train car of coal holds up to 120 tons. There is a 88 acre coal storage pile at Sherco usually having a 40 to 55 day supply on hand for the plant.

The boilers that produce the steam are more than 200 feet tall. The boilers in units 1 and 2 weigh about 8 million pounds each. Unit 3's boiler weighs about 9.8 million pounds. All three boilers combined burn more than 1,300 tons of coal per hour. They also use about 3,335,000 gallons of water an hour to produce steam. The steam produced in units 1 and 2 is about 5 million pounds per hour at 1000 degrees of temp. Unit 3 produces 6.125 million pounds of steam per hour.

So when your driving down Highway 10 and you see the plant off to the south of the highway consider what an engineering marvel it actually is. An besides providing tax base to Becker it benefits us all with electricity to serve our daily needs.

New Law Enforcement Tool

Over the past several years the legislature, in balancing their budget, starting adding surcharges to traffic tickets as a way of generating revenues. What used to be a $80 traffic ticket quickly increased to perhaps $125. As the costs for tickets increased so too were the complaints to police officers, county attorneys and even judges. In addressing hardships the courts sometimes reduced the ticket fine amount. When a reduction was made the state share of the fine couldn't be reduced but the local share could and did.

Over time the inequity of who was doing the work of enforcement and who was collecting the fine revenue became too much for some jurisdictions to tolerate. They created an Administrative Citation structure where fine amounts for minor offenses were drastically reduced and the funds collected would be collected by the jurisdiction doing the work. This structure did more than just create a revenue source as it gives police officers another tool to use towards adjusting behavior of those making minor violations. Rather than a ticket with a large price tag or a warning there is something in between. A modest financial penalty becomes an option.

The program is however voluntary. A person who is subject to a ticket has the option of a regular ticket or an Administration Citation. In assuming the Administrative Citation the person admits to the offense and pays the penalty. In doing so the citation is exempt from Minnesota driving records and is only recorded with the local police. The penalty must be paid within 7 days or a state ticket will be mailed out to you. If you feel the ticket is unwarranted or wish to contest it, a state ticket will be issued and your due process rights will be addressed in the court system just as it has been done in the past.

The City of Becker has joined a number of law enforcement agencies throughout the state in establishing this system of citations. There are some individuals who contend cities do not have the authority to take this approach while there are others who feel in absence of a law restricting its use it is acceptable. Time may tell if and when the legislature weighs in on this issue but for now the city has another tool to use in curbing minor offenses within the city.

With the creation of the newest industrial park in Becker in 1994 the city has been actively providing land for industrial development. From the land purchased from Fred and Vivian Doering in 1993 the city acquired 121 acres. Of that amount all but 30 acres were developed into lots with roads and utilities. When we look at whats left we have only four platted sites. One site will not be sold as it is the future site for the North Star Corridor Station. One lot of 2.38 acres is adjacent to Advanced Extrusion. This lot is potentially available but there is some interest in it. There are two other 1 acre lots which are under an option until January 1, 2008. It is anticipated this option will be undertaken so these properties will soon be occupied.

This brings us back to the undeveloped 30 acres the city has for future industrial development. The city has been looking at options concerning development of this property for some time. The development of this property is somewhat expensive as it requires higher development costs in needing a lift station for sanitary sewer. Addressing these costs is one issue but another is defining the best approach in development.

The city has recently authorized a study to determine costs, layout and construction time lines for the potential development of this site. The study will determine a layout for proposed sanitary sewer, water main and storm drainage for two different alternatives. The study would also analyze storm water run off from each alternative along with a statement of probable costs. Finally it would identify and calculate the preliminary assessments that would be placed on the property.

Taking these steps moves us in the direction of providing additional land for industrial development and thereby generating tax base and employment. Once the time lines are know for the construction of the project the city will be able to better plan and discuss the development with the city council and potential developers.