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CASE # I REVIEW SCOPE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR WETLAND RESTORATION IN RAMSEY TOWN CENTER By: Steven Jankowski, Assistant City Engineer Background: The purpose of this case is to familiarize the HRA with the scope of work necessary for bringing the RTC site into compliance with Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) requirements. Ramsey Town Center LLC had an initial wetland mitigation plan approved in October of2005. This developer had implemented portions of the mitigation plan. Grading had occurred in various locations within the 320 acre development impacting portions of the existing wetlands. The City has now taken over control of the development and needs to bring the wetland mitigation plan into compliance with existing permit conditions or propose an alternate plan. To assist the City in achieving this goal a consultant is being sought and a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) has been attached to this case. Two wetlands have been created, one on the northwest comer and the other on the northeast comer ofRTC. Both of these wetlands have adequate hydrology to support a wetland, but need to have the vegetation managed to evolve to a stage where the created wetland can be certified for acceptance. The City will need to give early direction on several policy issues. Are these created wetlands to be retained in the new RTC vision? Is there a desire to eliminate some of the previously proposed wetland mitigation on the western portion ofRTC (not currently constructed) to facilitate some larger scale developments? These issues are proposed to be resolved early in the process through a meeting between the Council and the successful proposer. Once a basic vision for the RTC relative to wetlands is developed, the consultant would delineate and measure created wetland to be retained and identify the amount of the wetland replacement deficit. One option for meeting wetland deficit will be to purchase wetland credits which may be available for sale through the state wetland bank. The consultant will also be asked to present the cost of replacement through onsite wetland replacement alternatives within the R TC or other specified locations. A final plan for achieving compliance with WCA would be the end product of the consultant's work. This plan shall include; the amount of wetland credit to be purchased, if any; a plan for the creation of onsite wetland to be constructed, if any; a revised 5 year wetland vegetative establishment management plan for the created wetlands; and a summary of costs associated with the above, including monitoring cost during the wetland establishment period. Additional items contained in the draft RFP include the minimum requirements for submission and the weighted criteria for consultant selection. Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the RFP for distribution to four consultants following comment and review by HRA.