Agenda - Council - 10/22/2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I i in the state of Minnesota. One neighboring resident has: sighted and photo~aphed the turtles. Given the natural significance of the proposed site, the decision of how to develop the area must be an informed one. Environmental Assessment Worksheets (EAW) are an excellent tool to help determine any potential impacts, formulate mitigation-measures, and generally guide the decision-making processes. PONDS believes that an EAW or other equivalent analysis should be conducted prior to preIiminary plat approval. Once the preliminary plat is approved, the ability to address potential impacts is geatly reduced. 3) Impacts on.Surrounding Neighbors PONDS is aware that some of the neighbors surrounding the proposed Villas at Meadow Point have concerns about the impacts of the deVelopment on their properties and Community. The placement of'sewer lines is one of these concerns. We understand that an informal meeting to discuss this issue is scheduled for September 3, 2002, after, the Planning Commission is supposed to have made its decision. It is our position that neighbors must be given an opportunity to work with. AIIstate Development and the City of Ramsey to address those concerns before preliminary plat is approved. Again, once the preliminary plat is approved, the opportunity to mitigate impacts is reduced. In conclusion, PONDS believes that discussion of the preliminary plat for Villas at Meadow Point is premature at this point in time. We request that action be tabled until more information is available and concerns have been addressed. We also would like to remind the Planning Commission that this situation iS not unlike Royal Oak's The Ponds development. In that case, approvals were given prior to the resolution of neighborhood concerns, and in the end, very few of the concerns were satisfactorily addressed.' The result was disappointing to nearly ali peopleinvoIved. T. he best that we can hope for is to use The Ponds as a learning experience, we don't need to make the same mistakes again. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Jim Bittner 14_731 Neon St. NW Co-founder, PONDS -335-