Agenda - Planning Commission - 05/04/2017 - Special

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Pearson Farm Residential Development EAW Draft — March XX, 2017 The proposed project will not affect the floodplain of Lake Itasca or the floodplain of the Mississippi River. The project will avoid floodplain impacts and comply with Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO) Stormwater Standards that require lowest floor elevations to be at least 3 feet above the highest anticipated groundwater table and 2 feet above the 100-year flood elevation, or 1 foot above the emergency overflow, whichever is greater. b. Discuss the project's compatibility with nearby land uses, zoning, and plans listed in Item 9a above, concentrating on implications for environmental effects. The project is compatible with surrounding land uses, which include parkland, grassland, golf course, cropland, and residential. The City of Ramsey 2030 Comprehensive Plan guides the project area for Low Density Residential (LDR, average of 4lots/net acre), Medium Density Residential (MDR, average of 7 units/acre), High Density Residential (HDR, average of 15 units/acre), and Commercial. The project area is currently zoned R-1 (Low -Density Residential [MUSA]), R-2 (Medium -Density Residential), R-3 (High -Density Residential), and B-2 (Business District). Although the proposed residential development is only partially compatible with the existing Comprehensive Plan and zoning, the project is designed to be compatible with nearby land uses, as discussed under Item 9c below. c. Identi measures incorporated into the proposed project to mitigate any potential incompatibility as discussed in Item 9b above. The project will require a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to guide the site for LDR-Low Density Residential, which is intended for an average density of 4 units/acre. The proposed project has a gross density of 3.27 to 3.85 units/acre and a net density of 3.31 to 3.89 units/acre. The project area will be rezoned from a mix of uses to PUD-Planned Unit Development. The proposed project is compatible with the proposed land use, zoning, and surrounding land uses. Land use conflicts are not anticipated. 10. Geology, Soils and Topography / Land Forms a. Geology - Describe the geology underlying the project area and identib; and map any susceptible geologic features such as sinkholes, shallow limestone formations, unconfined/shallow aquifers, or karst conditions. Discuss any limitations of these features for the project and any effects the project could have on these features. Ident any project designs or mitigation measures to address effects to geologic features. The Geologic Atlas of Anoka County, Minnesota (University of Minnesota Geological Survey 2011 and Minnesota DNR 2016) indicates the surficial geology of the area is characterized by terrace sand and gravelly sand that is located above the floodplain. The bedrock geology of the site falls in the Tunnel City Group and is dominantly quartz sandstone. The estimated depth to bedrock in the project area, based on the Geologic Atlas, generally ranges between 100 and 250 feet. As indicated under Item 11.a.ii, the depth to bedrock in three nearby domestic wells ranged between 107 and 116 feet, and the depth to static groundwater in five nearby wells ranged between 28 to 41 feet. 8