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Home My WebLink About2004-06-28 Applicant Ltr to OPHXcelEnergy SM 1103 King Plant Road Bayport, Minnesota 55003 -1000 June 28, 2004 Mr. Eric Johnson City Administrator Oak Park Heights, MN 55330 RE: King Plant Rehabilitation Project Conditional Use Permit Application Dear Mr. Johnson: We are pleased to submit the additional information requested by Mr. Scott Richards in his letter on behalf of the city of oak Park Heights dated June 17, 2004. The responses to the list of seven items requested are included in or attached to this letter. This information supplements the information that Xcel Energy submitted on June 8 th and June 22 "d . We look forward to continuing o work with the City as this g Y important project continues progress towards improving the city by reducing the emissions from the King Plant while providing other significant long range benefits to the city. Our responses are as follows: 1. A site lan that clearly indicates existing conditions with the pro'120sed chap es to the power and coofincl tower. ❑ We have addressed your concern about the clarity f existing g conditions verses proposed changes by re- drawing the site plan drawings submitted on June 8th to clearly indicate those items which are new or that will be changed. The title of our drawing, Mechanical Arrangement Plan — Permitting (Dw'g No. 139280 -DG- 121903 -A) serves the same purpose as a "Site Plan" and reflects the most current information we have for the project. Each new or modified item is highlighted in red and numbered. The numbers correspond to the legend that gives the name of the item and its major dimensions, including the highest point on the structure. The drawing is also the same information that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is using to update the site environmental permits. 2. Power plant and cooling tower e %vations c %arty showing existincr conditions and proposed build out Page 2 June 28, 2004 ❑ We have included an elevation drawing of the existing cooling towers and also a conceptual drawing of the new cooling tower arrangement. We are in the process of specifying and procuring the cooling towers and do not yet have final detailed dimensions. We have included a photo that shows a view of the existing cooling towers. ❑ For the plant elevation representation, we have included two items. First, is the photo - realistic rendering of the plant showing the arrangement of the major components that was submitted on June 22nd Second is a colorized three - dimensional drawing with labels and top of structure elevations to give the city a conceptual view of the project. (See Equipment Layout drawing 1 39280 --S M -061 604 Rev 0.) We are currently specifying and procuring the major pieces of equipment for the project and at this time we do not have detailed elevation drawings as you may have received on other smaller projects. 3. Any landscaping additions as it relates to screening the cooling lower from the St. Croix River. ❑ There are no landscaping additions planned for the cooling tower area. The construction of the additional cooling tower cells will not disturb the existing tree line along Lake St. Croix that currently screens a significant portion of the cooling tower. 4. Clarify the setback distances from the cooling tower to the ordinary high water mark a nd the bluff line of the St. Croix River. • The setback from the ordinary high water mark exceeds the required setback of 100 feet. • The setback from the bluff line for the new cooling tower basin exceeds the required setback of 40 feet. • See drawing D0113316- 140SO09 Sheet 1 Rev A -- cooling Tower Bluff Line & Setback Plan 5. Submit the flood lain elevations as it relates to the base elevations of the cooling tower and power Qlant. ❑ The 100 y ear flood elevation as recorded by the US Geological Survey is at elevation 692 - 8 " . ❑ The cooling tower basin curb will be at elevation 686' -0" • The base elevation of the power plant is approximately 691'-0" • The power plant will be protected against floods up to an elevation of 694' -0" by a combination of permanent and temporary flood barriers. 6. provide an analvsis of the tax impact on oak Park Heights of the power plant and cooling tower im rovements relative to current State of Minnesota legislation. ❑ The response to this item is Included in a letter dated June 28, 2004 to the city from Mark Fritsch, Director of the A.S. King Plant. Page Z June 28, 2004 7. Submit a check for $1, 600 for conditional use permit, variance and escrow fees. Two checks for a total of $1,600 were submitted on June 25 Your timely consideration of our project is critical to the successful completion of the MN MERP as approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities commission and as supported by a variety of other key stakeholders this past December. We look forward to meeting with your staff at 10:30 on June 30 at your offices. Please contact me (612 - 330 -6712) or Russ Girtz (763 - 370 -1296) if additional information is needed. Again, we look forward to working with you on this project. Sincerely, Ron W. Elsner Project Director Attachments cc: File 32.0700