Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/02/2017

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• Historic properties. Historic properties and properties that contribute to historic districts may be located in areas where other structures would be restricted or prohibited. In most instances the presence of these properties predates the MRCCA and there is a significant public interest in maintain these properties particularly as they pertain to the development of the state and the history of development within the MRCCA. • Buildings and structures on the face of the St. Paul downtown bluff in the Urban Core district. There is currently extensive development on the face of the St. Paul downtown bluff, and the City is planning to add a major public amenity, a "river balcony" along the bluffline. The bluff itself has been structurally reinforced to support development. For this reason these facilities have been exempted from certain standards imposed by these rules. • Public recreational facilities. Some but not all improvements within public recreational facilities are exempted from certain standards imposed by these rules. In the case of public recreational facilities these exemptions were permitted either because their impact was negligible or the exemption was necessary to permit public access to the MRCCA. o Monuments and flagpoles. Accessory structures such as monuments, flagpoles and similar park features have a negligible impact on resources within the MRCCA. These accessory structures are permitted within the shore impact zone and bluff impact zone (restricted to slopes averaging less than 30% to minimize the threat of erosion). According to local and regional park managers, these accessories are typically placed in proximity to the river for interpretive or commemorative purposes. o Picnic shelters and related visitor structures. These structures are often sought after by public visitors to a park or recreational facility and are strategically placed to permit views of the river and other MRCCA protected resources. These structures are generally open -sided and do not present a barrier to floodwaters. o Parking areas and roads. Road access and parking are necessary amenities in public parks and at recreational facilities and water access sites. There are instances where it is necessary, because of site size or layout, that roads and parking areas be placed within the shore impact zone or close to the toe of the bluff. o Trails and viewing areas. Trails and viewing areas enhance the public enjoyment of the resources within the MRCCA. These typical park features that are often located close to the shoreline or on bluff faces to maximize public enjoyment and are exempted from a number of the provisions of the proposed MRCCA rules. Because of concerns about impacts of construction on vegetation and slope stability, hard surface trails are generally not permitted on the steepest slopes within the MRCCA. • River -dependent uses: Where a business or property is connected to the river or dependent on the river, those shoreline facilities necessary for the operation of the businesses or use are exempt from shore and bluff impact zone restrictions. This exemption does not extend to buildings, structures, and parking that do not require a shoreline location for their operations. Private roads and conveyance structures serving these facilities may also be placed in the bluff impact zone or shore impact zone if there is no alternative location. 67