PLAN COMMISSION MEETING
Town of Cooks Valley
June 9, 2015

Chairman Doug Zwiefelhofer called the Plan Commission meeting to order at 8:01 pm on Tuesday June 9, 2015 at the Cooks Valley Town Hall [15751 40th Street].   Plan Commission members in attendance:  Doug Zwiefelhofer, Stanley Sarauer, Thomas Short, and Damian Prince.
Approval of the plan commission meeting minutes of December 3, 2014: Thomas Short made a motion to approve the plan commission minutes of December 3, 2014.  Damian Prince seconded the motion.  The motion carried 4-0.
Discussion and possible recommendation concerning the EOG addition [the former Scott Johnson property] to the DS mine for the control of storm water run-off:  Doug Zwiefelhofer had an issue with approving this addition prior to the Chippewa County Land Conservation’s approval of the storm water project.  Tom Maul informed the board the plan presented at the public hearing and the plan commission meeting had been discussed and collaborated with the Land Conservation office but due to a backlog of permits and other issues, Chippewa County has not scheduled a meeting to approve the water storage project.  Attorney Glenn Stoddard advised possible recommendation of the amendment contingent upon the County’s approval with no changes. If the county makes changes to the amendment that will necessitate another meeting of the Town of Cooks Valley plan commission to address those changes for their recommendation.  Damian Prince questioned how the water was transferred between the ponds.  Tom Maul explained the water is pumped from each pond as there is not a flow due to a ridge between the ponds.  There was discussion on the amount of water released to keep the ponds below full capacity.  There was a question and concern about the construction of the water storage ponds interfering with the reclamation process.  Permanent reclamation is beginning and the construction will not interfere with reclamation.  Q.  How deep will the ponds be?  A. the ponds will be 30 ft. deep at full capacity.  The top ponds are 10-12 ft. deep at full capacity.  Fences will be placed around the ponds.  There were concerns of flooding the neighbor’s buildings.  Mark Berge’s and Flodquist’s buildings are not in a position to be flooded.  Flodquist’ fishing ponds were flooded but not his buildings.  The affect of the 2014 flooding on the fish population of the ponds is unknown.  Mark Berge, Tom Maul and a county representative walked through the fields and gully affected by the run-off and came to an agreement on the release of water.  Mark Berge stated that though he is not in agreement with the mine operation, it is present and the plans for the water storage and release meet with his approval as he feels EOG has made strong efforts to prevent the water event from occurring again.  Stanley Sarauer made a motion to recommend approval to the Town of Cooks Valley town board of the amendment to the EOG non-metalic mine permit for the addition of the Scott Johnson property contingent on the county’s approval of the reclamation plan as presented at the public hearing and at the plan commission meeting.  Damian Prince seconded the motion.  The motion carried 4-0. 
Future Agenda Items & Business:  Informational meeting on PurFrac June 17, 2015 at 8:00 pm.
­­­­­­Adjourn:  Damian Prince made a motion to adjourn at 8:20 pm.  Stanley Sarauer seconded the motion.  The motion carried 4-0.
Typed:  June 13, 2015                                                           Respectively Submitted
Approved:  August 26, 2015                                                            Thomas Short-Secretary/plan commission