Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 08/17/2015

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5.01: Consider Request for a Variance to Minimum Lot Size Requirement to Pursue a Minor Subdivision on the Property Located at 16520 Germanium St NW; Case of Paul and Mary Johnson City Planner Anderson stated that this request is not one the Board would normally review but there are a couple of natural resource aspects to this request. He stated that the lot is 4.4 acres in size and is located in an R-1 Residential (Rural Developing) district. The request is for a simple lot split to create an additional buildable lot. Most of the parcels are about 1 acre in size up to 1.5 acres. The proposed split would result in a lot size of approximately 1.9 acres. Other neighborhood lot sizes are under the 2.5 minimum threshold because of a different lot standard at the time of development. This proposed lot split would result in one parcel being twice the size of some of the neighboring lots. That lot would meet the 2.5 minimum threshold but the other lot would be slightly less. He stated that there would be enough road frontage. He stated the reason Staff is routing this request through the EPB is because portions of the property are part of the national wetland inventory and it has a 100-year and 500-year floodplain zone. He stated that there are no prohibitions for the 500-year flood zone. The applicant has worked with the Anoka Conservation District (ACD), but an official wetland delineation has not been conducted. A site visit was conducted by a wetland specialist who identified about 0.65 acres of contiguous upland within the area proposed to be subdivided into a separate, buildable lot. If the variance is approved to allow for a lesser lot size, Staff would recommend it being contingent upon completion of a wetland delineation and survey work to verify that there is sufficient buildable area to construct a new single family home. Board Member Hiatt asked City Planner Anderson to explain what was done versus a wetland delineation. City Planner Anderson stated that a wetland specialist has visited the site and walked the property and then used available contour information to make a general determination of a non - wetland area, which may be approximately 28,000 square feet. He stated that a wetland delineation would involve a more detailed report and it would be certified by the Lower Rum River Water Management Organization, which has authority over wetlands. If the on -site visit is on par with what the delineation would show, there would be sufficient area to accommodate a single family home on the lot. It does not look like it would have any direct impact on the wetland areas with the exception of a driveway. If there is no other way to access the upland area, the applicant would need to find ways to minimize the impact on the wetlands. He stated that City code does not have a minimum buildable area requirement just lot size requirements. Board Member Hiatt asked about the smaller neighborhood lot sizes. City Planner Anderson stated that the City's current lot size requirement was not in place when the subdivision was approved. He does not know why this lot was left as such as a large piece. He stated that the applicant is trying to determine if it is possible to deviate from the minimum lot size requirement on one lot before he incurs costs related to a minor plat. Board Member Hiatt asked if part of the applicant's argument is that other lots are the same size so his should be treated similarly. Environmental Policy Board / June 15, 2015 Page 2 of 9