Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/10/2002

Home

along 143rd Lane and also south to the playground. The above "leg" can be considered for Park land credit. Park 1 includes a 15' foot dedication at the extreme southeast corner of the plat, south of the apartment building site connecting tO Dysprosium Street. This leg could also receive land credit because it abuts an existing 20' foot corridor, bringing the width to 35' feet. (the minimum trail corridor in the urban area is 35' feet). It should be noted that the staff review letter calls for location of the existing trees at this point so as to insure that the trail can be constructed on this alignment without removal of the oak trees. The developer will need to provide a calculation of Park 1 that is not wetland. The Commission should determine if all of the proposed park (that is not wetland area) should be counted for land dedication - as the connection between Dysprosium and Iodine is on the Park and Trail Plan map, and necessary. However, the land on the west and south side of the wetland is not, may not be developable, and unless a trail can be constructed in this area to connect to Fluorine Street may not be a direct benefit to the park system. Park 2 is primarily DNR protected wetland 114P. The developer will need to provide a calculation of Park 1 that is not wetland. The proposed dedication includes isolated wooded high ground north of Junkite Street and the existing park. The area also includes the existing bituminous trail adjacent to the wetland and easement that was purchased by the City almost ten years ago. The existing trail easement area, wetland and infiltration ponds should not be credit eligible. (staff is examining whether or not the infiltration ponds need to be this large) Public comment at the Planning Commission meeting included concerns for maintaining the wooded character of the trail along the wetland. Staff is recommending that additional trees could be located by tree spade adjacent to the existing trail as part of the road right of way clearing to compliment those trees that may remain. These trees may be trucked down the trail corridor on the west side of Iodine Street. This same corridor (at the east-center of 114P) was discussed in some detail by the Park Commission last year. It was determined that it not be Park Dedication eligible if it did not meet the minimum standard width of 35' feet. Staff is recommending that the width be increased to 35' feet. Landscape Plan/Tree Conservation The Ponds Preliminary Plat Landscape plan is insufficient in terms of identifying the existing tree cover. As the Commission will recall, tree conservation needs to be thoroughly addressed as the developer was initially proposing aggressive tree clearing in the ROW and front yards prior to identifying "save" trees. Tree conservation measures are best dealt with as part of the Development Agreement. -2-