Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 10/06/2008

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CASE # 2 ESTABLISHING TOPSOIL REQUIREMENT IN CITY CODE By: Chris Anderson, Environmental Coordinator Background: Ramsey has been Iden~ified by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as one of the largest users of non-consumptive water in the metro area. In an attempt to reduce the quantity of water used annually, the City is considering various conservation measures. Some, such as watering restrictions and requiring rain sensors on irrigation systems in multi-family and ~ommercial developments, have been in place and utilized for several years now. However, more needs to be done to ensure adequate quantities of water are available now and in the future. Observations: The sandy soils found throughout the city do not have much capacity for retaining moisture. Thus, large quantities of water are used each year as irrigation, both for new and existing lawns. One way to increase soil moisture holding capacity (not to mention nutrient retention, reducing 'soil compaction, and feeding microbial organisms that release nutrients in a form usable by plants) would be to require topsoil over all landscaped areas in new developments. At a Public Works Committee meeting in 2006, this topic was discussed in some length. Staff was directed to research a topsoil requirement and subsequently, to draft language to amend City ,Code. The EPB provided some input on this topic as well in 2007, most notably that the percentage of organic matter initially being considered was extremely high. In July of this year, the Public Works Committee again discussed the concept of a topsoil requirement. At that meeting, the Public Works Committee recommended that City Council direct Staff to prepare an ordinance to amend City Code in such a way to require a minimum of four (4) inches of topsoil, meeting the MNDOT specification 3877C premium topsoil borrow, across landscaped areas of all new developments (the minutes of that meeting are included as Exhibit 2 and the MNDOT spec is included as Exhibit 3). After continued research and discussions with some neighboring communities that already have topsoil 'requirements, Staff is proposing a slightly modified composition of topsoil than the MNDOT specification. The proposed definition of topsoil will limit the percentage of sand content to a maximum of thirty-five percent (35%) and requires undecomposed organic matter. It is Staffs opinion that this will ultimately provide a better product for the consumer. While not in ordinance format yet, it is Staff s intent to prepare an ordinance' amendment for consideration at a public hearing at the November Planning ,Commission meeting. In essence, the ordinance will require the following: