Agenda - Council - 09/23/2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Final Plat: Ramsey Town Center Addition September 16, 2003, Revised September 19, 2003 Page 3 of 4 minimum lot sizes proposed in the Town Center Zoning District and also meet the minimum dimensional requirements. 7. Grading and Drainage. Comments regarding the drainage and grading plans are addressed is the City Engineering Department's review letter. o Easements. The drainage and utility easement the currently exists on Lot 1, Block 1, Peltzer Addition (Outlot G) will need to be shown as part of the plat. Connexus Energy currently has utilities easement in those easements. New easements will need to be created when Outlot G develops and any unnecessary easements will need to be vacated. Additional comments regarding required easements are addressed is the City Engineering Department's review letter. Utilities. The development will be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer. Comments regarding the utility plan are addressed is the City Engineering Department's review letter. 10. Density Transitioning. The majority of the Ramsey Town Center Addition plat is not subject to density transition requirements since the plat is surrounded by County roads and commercial and industrial uses. However, future development of Outlot A will be subject to density transition requirements since they will be abutting existing residential lots. Il. Tree Preservation. It should be noted that the City recently adopted a "Tree Preservation" ordinance that took effect on September 15, 2003. Staff would like to for the applicant to c6mply with the ordinance. The City has received further information as requested regarding the location and species of trees on the Subject Property. The information shows that a majority of the plantings are not significant and were mostly planted to form windrows. There are several areas, however, where, you have indicated that trees will initially be saved during the mass grading. After the mass grading is completed, RTC and the City will review the matter to see if any trees can be preserved and incorporated into the Town Center Development. While the Staff welcomes this information and would be willing to pursue review of certain areas, the City is concerned that ultimately, all of the trees will need to be removed due to the intensity of the development. By design, there are very little "green spaces" in the Town Center core and commercial areas. Staff would propose that the trees shown on the tree preservation plan be fenced off the initial mass grading and reviewed at a later date for permanent preservation. The only exception to the what is shown on the submitted tree preservation plan are the trees located on the future Charter School location. These trees, will need to be taken, down as part of the construction of the site. The City will be taking a very serious and hard look at permanently preserving the trees initially saved2 It should be noted that future developments in the areas where trees are initially preserved should do everything possible to design around the existing trees. Staff will have a discussion with the City Council about this matter to make sure that this solution is acceptable.