Agenda - Council - 02/12/2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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August 3,200I Mr. lames E. Norman City. Administrator City of R. amsey 15 t53 Nov<hen Boulevard NW Ramsey, Minnesota 55303 Subject: R. esponse to the EAW Request on The Ponds Residential Development Project Nowthen Boulevard and St. Francis Boulevard NW (Highway 4.7) R. amsey, Mtn nesota ProSource Project No. 0 t-317 Dear Mr. Norman: ProSource TechnologieS, inc. (ProSource) is pleased to present to you our research on the citizen's request for an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (tAW) on The Ponds residential deveiopment project (Site) tocamd at Nowthen Boulevard and St. Francis Boulevard NW (Highway 47) in Ramsey, Minnesota. in addition to our letter response, ProSource has conducted a Limited tAW l:br the Site, which is included as an attachment to this letter. proiect Understanding R. oyal Oaks Rea[t-,/(Royal Oaks) is proposing to construct "The Ponds" subdivision, consisting of 73 single- Family immes, 152 townhouse units and 82 apartn'tent units, on the Site (Figure I). ,-<ks part of the deve{opment process, Royal Oaks has requested that the city: t) rezone the Site from a B-t Business District and R- [ Residential District to a Planned Unit Development District; 2) approve the preliminary plat; and 3) grant a variance to exceed building ['teight restrictions for the proposed apartment building. As a result of this request, a citizen petition requesting an EAW (dated J'une 2'1., 200l) was submitted to the Minnesota Planning Environmental Quality Board (EQB). The EAW request was then forwarded by the EQB to the City of Ramsey in a letter dated June 27, 2001 for a decision on whether to conduct an tAW for the proposed project. The citizen petit/on outlined several issues of concern regarding the impacts of this proposed project. The stated issues incktded: [) el'feets on wetlands, including a concern that increased lawn runoff fi'om the proposed development could jeopardize the health of the wetlands by altering their pN and nutrient balance and that increases in d'te volume anWor rate of runoff from the proposed project could cause area flooding; 2) the reduction o( wildlife hah.ilar and the subsequent effects on wildlife utilizing that habitat; and .3) ti're need for more in£ormation regarding how the proposed development wilt handle waste treatment and how that treatment will affect local water and wildlife. According to the EQB, an tAW provides intbrmation to determine whether an Environmental Impact Statement (ERS) is needed ['bt a project. The' EAW is defined by state statute as a "brief document which is designed [o set out rim basic facts necessary to determine whether an EIS is required for a proposed action." The purpose of the £AW process is "to disclose intbn'nation about potential environmental impacts of the project; it is ,'tot al'l approval process." An tAW is required for any project listed in the mandatory