03/24/92 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

3) 4) Co~raent:~ The proposed alignment will affect a Type 4 Wetland. ResP. onse;i It is true that the roadway will impact a protected wetland. However, when necessarY, the City has constructed roadways through wetlands. Most notable is the recelafly ~ompleted segment of 153rd Avenue between County Road #5 and Ramsey Boui~ar~ which the staff feels was done in an environmentally acCeptable manner. We have~.mce.ived positive comments from citizens on the wetland mitigation elements of the proj~e~t: ~l;~he City acknowledges wetlands as a valuable resource and is committed to both mini~zitig and mitigating any impacts to them. Vehicle access along the wetland will also affo ..rd!theSpublic an opportunity to enjoy their beauty. Corr~eni:: At the December 10, 1991 meeting, a resident ,s, tated that the adjacent wetland was a ~habitat for the Blanding turtle, which is a 'threatened species. 5) Response,: Discussion with the Department of Natural Resources office dealing with threatcneg and endangered species indicated that numerous sightings of Blanding turtles have:,gee~recorded in the Ramsey area, including one sighting within the general proximity of t~pr0posed project. Blanding turtles are common within the Anoka sand plain area since. ~the!~' habitat consists of shallow wetland with emergent vegetation. They tend to remain in,the wetland except for nesting to lay eggs, which they prefer to do in sandy soils as close .~to the wetland as possible. Discussion with DNR personnel indicated the Depitr~ent policy on such projects is to address each project having a potential impact on a case :~y c~se basis. Some potential provisions to address the impact on the Blanding turtle may irlclude a) recreating similar wetland in another location, b) limiting construction actigigies rto a period when the turtles are not nesting, and c) installing fencing to keep the turtleg Sel:Jarate from the roadway. Comment: It was pointed out that a portion of the roadway will necessitate the taking of parkland. Response: A small portion of the project located south the Section 21 Half Section Line was dedicated as parkland as a portion of the Greenland Hills Plat. All of the dedicated parkland except perhaps a strip fronting along Armstrong Boulevard no greater than 100 feet wide is in actuality wetland. 6) Comment: It was pointed out that the land parcel between Armstrong Blvd. and the prop~ed~street (currently owned by Mr. Wayne Knutson) would have double frontage on two rriajol' roadways. Since the land is zoned residential, the value of the land would be decreased. Resp%se: It is reasonable to conclude that the referenced property would become less desi[e_~ble; residential property. The fact that the property would have direct access to both a north/sOuth and east/west arterial street would increase its potential value if it were to be rezoned for commercial use. Recommendation: Alternative 2 creates a functioning east/west arterial which terminates at Armstrong Boulevard. As developmerit pro/:eeds, traffic having origins or destinations west of Armstrong Boulevard wishing to travel ea~;t~wax~l to City Hall, the elementary school, clinics and future developments in this vicinity will ~ee~d to travel excessive distance, make additional tums and be subject to safety hazards of ~si~ng ~Armstrong Boulevard or travel over non-arterial residential streets to avoid the use of Armstrorig~Boulevard. I recommend against pursuing this alternative.