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• CASE #4 <br />CONSIDER ESTABLISHING TOPSOIL <br />REQUIREMENTS IN NEW SUBDIVISIONS <br />By: Steven Jankowski,-City Engineer <br />Background: <br />Ramsey has been identified as one of the largest users of non-consumptive water in the <br />metro area. 117 an attempt to reduce the quantity of water used amlually, the City is <br />considering various conservation measures. Some, such as watering restrictions and <br />requiring rain sensors on irrigation systems in multi-family. and commercial <br />developments, have been in place and utilized for several years riow. However, snore <br />needs to be done to ensure adequate quantities of water are available now and in the <br />future. <br />Observations: <br />The sandy soils found throughout the City do not have much capacity for retaining <br />moisture. Thus, large quantities of water are used each year as irrigation, both for new <br />and existing lawns. One way to increase soil moisture holding capacity (not to mention <br />• nutrient retention, reduces soil compaction, and feeds microbial organisms that release <br />1lutrients in a form usable by plants) would be to require topsoil over all landscaped areas <br />in new developments. At a Public Works Committee meeting on 3anuary 17, 2006, this <br />topic was discussed. It was the recommendation of the Public Worlcs Committee, which <br />was subsequently ratified by City Council, that Chapter 9 of City Code be amended to <br />require six (6) inches of topsoil (topsoil would be defined as a sandy loam with at least <br />forty percent [40%] organic matter) in all landscaped areas of new developments. The <br />Council direction also specified that this proposed requirement be sent to the. <br />Environmental Policy Board (EPB) for review and comment. <br />The EPB addressed this issue at there July 23, 2007 meeting and the minutes of that <br />meeting relating to the discussion on this matter are attached to the case. One significant <br />comment to come from the EPB was to question whether the requirement for 40% <br />organic material in the specification for topsoil was reasonable. Subsequent <br />correspondence between staff and MN Pollution Control Agency suggest that 40% does <br />appear to be quite high. The MnDot specification for topsoil lists an organic content <br />range between 3% and 20%. One additional pouZt made by the EPB was that compacted <br />topsoil maybe less pervious than the native sand since organic particle are smaller and <br />snore easily compacted than sands. The incorporation of organc matter into the soil <br />should be further encouraged. <br />Recommendation: <br />• Staff is recorrunending that City Code be amended to require six (6) inches of topsoil. <br />having a minimum organic content of 10% in landscaped areas of all new developments. <br />-227- <br />