Agenda - Council - 06/28/2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session Meeting Date: 06/28/2011 By: Tim Himmer, Engineering/Public Works Title: Authorization to Purchase Wetland Banking Credits for City Improvement Project #11 -21; Armstrong and Bunker Lake Boulevard Intersection Signalization Background: The Armstrong and Bunker Lake Boulevard intersection signalization project was awarded by Council on May 31, 2011. Due to the widening of the roadways and the installation of trails, wetland impacts are occurring in the northwest and southeast quadrants of the intersection. As part of the Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO) permit review and approval certain impacts were deemed safety improvements and are being mitigated through the State wetland banking system. There are portions of the improvements, however, that are considered capacity improvements, and they do not qualify for the State wetland banking credits. Therefore the City is responsible for this mitigation. The attached information outlines the differentiation between safety and capacity improvements, which shows a total wetland impact for the project of 0.84 acres. Of this amount 0.54 is eligible for safety improvements, and the remaining 0.3 areas would be for capacity improvements. At a 2:1 replacement ratio, the State banking credits replaced 1.08 acres, and the City is responsible for 0.6 acres. We intend to purchase this 0.6 acres from a non -Corp certified bank in Kannabec County, consistent with Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) siting requirements, at a cost of $0.50 per square foot. The attached banking credit purchase agreement identifies these costs at approximately $13,025, and there is also a required fee that goes directly to the State for administering the bank ($361). Observations: We cannot fill these impact areas without first purchasing the required mitigation banking credits. The State process has recently been completed, but we still need to complete the City's portion by securing the private credits. The timing for this is extremely critical, as the contractor has begun grading operations and the paperwork could be delayed to approve the private withdrawal if the State government goes into shut down on July 1, 2011. Recommendation: Staff recommends authorization to purchase the required banking credits in the amount of $13,385.49. Wetland Impacts Banking Credit Purchase Agreement Attachments Form Review Inbox Reviewed By Date Brian Olson Brian Olson 06/23/2011 10:43 AM Kurt Ulrich Kurt Ulrich 06/23/2011 11:52 AM Form Started By: Tim Himmer Started On: 06/22/2011 09:18 AM Final Approval Date: 06/23/2011 5.5. Funding Source: Funding for the wetland banking credit purchase will come from State Aid funds, and be included in the MSA bonding request.