Agenda - Council - 01/28/1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ANALYSIS The EAW correctly identifies most of the issues which need to be addressed in the EIS. However, it fails to identify the issue of rural area density. In addition, the actual scope of the proposed analysis is not always stated explicitly, which in several instances is critical from a regional perspective. Sewers The EAW states that potential ground water contamination due to septic tank- drainfield wastewater disposal methods is an issue. To adequately address regional concerns, the EIS should address Ramsey's on-site septic system ordinance and implementation program and how they relate to 1) the overall density proposed for the project and 2) the Council's Water Quality Management Policy Plan. Although it appears that th~ city has most of the requirements of an acceptable on-site program, Ramsey should be aware that the Metropolitan Waste Control Con~nission will not extend interceptor service or provide capacity to this area of ~amsey to correct either on-site system failures or drinking water problems in the foreseeable future. To help ensure that such problems do not occur in the rural area, Council guidelines as well as Ramsey's own comprehensive plan state that a density of one unit per 10 acres is appropriate for the rural area. Transportation The EAW states that primary access to Northfork will be directly from Hwy. 10. The EAW further states that proposed traffic intersections with the Burlington Northern Railroad and Hwy. 10 present concerns for traffic safety. To adequately address regional concerns, the EIS should reflect the fact that Hwy. 10 is a major arterial on the metropolitan highway system and Council functional classification criteria prohibit direct land access except from major traffic generators such as a regional shoppiDg center. The EIS should further identify alternative site access such as providing primary access from a minor arterial or tying access into a frontage road system. Metropolitan Development Framework The EAW indicates that although the overall density of the proposed project is about one unit per five acres, Ramsey has a policy for calculating residential density for developments that occur in phases over time. From the city's perspective., this policy allows the Northfork development to be found consistent with its lO-acre rural area density standard. The city's policy essentially involves a density transfer concept whereby undeveloped land in the rural area is used in calculating overall densities in the rural area. In this instance, since Ramsey had 7,659 undeveloped acres in its rural area ~s of March, 1985, it had more than enough "spare" rural l~nd to transfer density to this development. However, this policy is not in keeping with the spirit of either Council development framework policy or housin~ policy. Both support the idea that higher density development in the rural area be restricted to rural centers and that 2 1/2-acre lot sizes with less than a lO-acre overall density is considered "urban".