Agenda - Planning Commission - 06/25/2003 - Special Meeting

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Preliminary Plat Review: Town Center Gardens May 30, 2003, Revised June 23, 2003 Page 3 of 4 Trail Development and Trail Fees: The current trail development fee is $475.00 per unit and is due prior to recording the plat. The rate in effect when the subdivision receives final plat approval will be required. Initial staff review indicates that a trail will be required along the west side of Ramsey Blvd. The Ramsey Park and Trail Map shows the west side of Ramsey Blvd. to have a trail. Past practice has been to not allow for trail credit for trail construction in areas where trails are shown on the City of Ramsey Park and Trail Map. The trail should be constructed up to 149th Ave. If so requested, the Park and Recreation Commission will look at the possibility of giving credit for that portion of the trail along Ramsey Blvd. that is not on or adjacent to the property that is part of the plat. (Namely Lot 2, Block 1, Town Center North). Please contact Mark Boos, Parks/Utilities Supervisor at (763) 286-0833 with any questions you have with trails. Open Space: City Ordinances require that at least 40% of the development consist of open space. Qualifying areas include grassed lawns, landscaped areas, gardens, natural areas, landscape rock, mulch, wetlands, and ponding areas. At least 10% of the open space must be shown as an easily identifiable common area for the use .of the surrounding residents. The preliminary plat appears to show at least 70% of open space in the area to be developed. Based on staff review, it appears that about 1.05 acres of identifiable open space will be needed. The development shows an area that is approximately 1.1 acres in size (Lot 5, Block 5 which is located on the northern edge of the development site). In addition, the plat shows a ½ acre area to be reserved as open space (Lot 8, Block 1 in the southeast comer of the development site). Lot 5, Block 5 meets the open space requirement. Stormwater Management Fee: The City has enacted a stormwater management fee of $375.00 per unit that will be due prior to the City releasing the plat for recording. Tree Preservation Plan: A tree survey was submitted along with the landscaping plans. The survey indicates that there are roughly 120 existing trees on the site. However, after visiting the site, it was clear there was a large area of the land covered by young elms and other vegetation that was not noted on the plan. The survey also shows that all existing tr~es are being removed to facilitate this development. The tree survey shows that there are several Hackberry trees that could be considered significant. There is a clump of Hackberry trees, ranging from 8" to 19" in diameter, that appear to be in an area that may allow for them to be preserved (#'s 6793, 6794, 6795, 6796, and 6799 on the tree survey). Furthermore, at the northwestern corner of the proposed development there are several large Cottonwood trees, some Red Cedars, and possibly a couple, other species of trees that do not appear to interfere with the construction, yet they are noted as being removed..Every effort should be made to preserve any trees that feasibly can be saved. One other area that may present some options to preserve some existing trees would be in the southeastern corner of the proposed development, in and around the proposed green space. The City needs to receive a tree preservation plan that shows the species, size, and location of any and all trees to be saved. 15