Agenda - Council - 08/24/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Page 13 P A R T I I. S I T E- S P E C I F I C I S S U E S • A significant portion of the Coon Rapids Dam Regional park in Anoka County is not fully included in the map as drawn (Map 13) — the Regional Park extends further eastward than drawn, a good distance past Coon Creek in most places. • In areas such as the Mississippi River Gorge in Minneapolis and St. Paul (map 31 for example), the first row of houses remains highly visible from the river's opposite side in places. It may make more sense to either extend Zone A to these areas, or perhaps have the first row of houses be part of Zone C instead. • The Mississippi River Gorge around Lock and Dam #1 is not well protected (Map 32). The Veteran's Home and Hospital is designated as District E, right to the edge of the bluff. It would be more appropriate to have a 300 foot wide ribbon of District C running along the bluff as occurs in other locations to protect this land, rather than allowing District C to extend to the bluff, even if that makes some buildings non -conforming. • At the Ford Dam in St. Paul (map 32) is unclear why the small industrial facility is labeled District G in this location, while other hydro -related uses in other locations are not given industrial classifications apart from their surroundings. • In St. Paul's West Seventh neighborhood (Map 52), from Otto Avenue northward to the Grain Elevator (district G) is a bluffside neighborhood which has long been established, consisting of mainly single family homes and a few duplexes. This area seems more appropriate to be part of the same district applied to the surrounding residential area (which we propose to be either A or C) rather than District F, given how the districts have been implemented elsewhere. • In St. Paul, a portion of the land around the proposed Interpretive Center area above the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary (Map 58) should most appropriately be in District A, as it is now owned by the City of St. Paul. • Some parcels of City and DNR parkland was missed in the northwestern corner of the Pig's Eye Area (Map 59). Some parcels of city and DNR parkland was missed in the Pig's Eye Area. The DNR buildings along Warner Road may (or may not) be appropriate for District A, but the lands directly to the southeast of it are owned by the City of St. Paul Parks Department. This includes several small parcels that form an "L" shape around a BNSF parcel to the east. Research should be done here to ensure the accuracy of the boundary. • We agree that the River frontage of Missisippi Dunes Golf Course (Map 83) should be protected at rural densities. However, how was the determination made about how to split the golf course? Could the line be set back a standard distance from the river? • Around the River Acres estates in Cottage Grove (Map 90), the division between District E and District B is far too low. The bluff is largely landward of where the division takes place, and as such is very readily visible from the river. Given the topography, that division would more appropriately take place between the developed area and farm fields to the north. • The Pine Bend Bluffs Area consists mostly of District G (for Flint Hills) and District B (map 103). Most of Flint Hills' river parcel is designated as District G for industry, despite the fact that industrial uses are confined to just a portion of the property. The parcel is directly adjacent to significant investments that have been made in the Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area, and this comparatively intact piece of land provides a key potential habitat corridor for river - related wildlife. Thus, we propose that portions of the parcel that are not planned for industrial use should more appropriately be protected as a District A. • There is a strong and relatively intact patch of trees that represents an important habitat corridor just southwest of Pine Bend Trail (Map 109). This area is adjacent to the lower portion of Spring Lake Regional Park area likely warrants some special protections, perhaps that requires lower -density development to help protect the habitat corridor from further fragmentation.