Agenda - Council - 07/22/1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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"Also, there is a pond in the area that may be considered a wetland which supports some rare species such as the sandhill crane, blandings turtle, western hognose snake, and several other rare species and rare plant species that are known to be disturbed or even eliminated by development." "only 6% of our native forested areas and 1% of our open prairie area is left in Anoka County due to development." That the City has caused the evidence presented in the Petition to be reviewed by the engineering firm of Hakanson Anderson Associates, Inc. and further the city requested that said firm give its opinion as to whether the Project has the potential for significant environmental effects. That said firm presented its report pursuant to a letter dated July 8, 1997, the contents of which letter are incorporated herein. That the following findings responding to the Petition are listed in the order made in the petition: That a density of 2.2 units/acres is considered a high density development particularly within the city's metropolitan urban service area. DJ That there is a confirmed outbreak of oak wilt within the Project, however, the oak wilt disease is not unique within Anoka County. The Project's developer's specific remedial actions with regard to the oak wilt disease are required to be addressed within the City's required development agreement. The agreement will mandate con- struction practices which will help prevent the spread of the oak wilt disease. While oak wilt and preventing the spread of the disease are serious matters, the City finds they are not considered to be a significant environmental impact caused or necessarily exacerbated by the Project. A Palustrine forested wetland (PFO1B), Type 7, is situated south of the Project and marginally extends into the Project (wetland 733). No wetland filling or draining is proposed as part of the Project. The Project's grading plan confirms that no significant changes in the wetland basin are proposed. While the upland area will obviously change as a result of the land use change, no direct impacts on the wetland basin itself are proposed. It is highly unlikely that sandhill cranes are using the area, and not very likely that the western hognose snake frequents the area. Blandings turtle may be found in tbs vicinity of the Project as with many ponds in Anoka County. I I I I I I I I