Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/07/2019

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Staff has also obtained cost estimates from the builder/developer making the request and others regarding the cost of topsoil meeting the City's current specification and standard pulverized black dirt. The information helps illustrate the cost added to an individual lot (and therefore, passed on to the home buyer) to comply with this standard. As a reminder, the topsoil requirement is applicable to any lot (commercial/residential/industrial/institutional) being developed with a new, principal building, regardless of whether it is connected to the municipal water system or not. These costs are representative of the typical residential lot sizes being developed currently. Estimated Cost of Premium Topsoil Approximate Lot Size Borrow 6,000 sq. ft. (0.15 acres) 10,800 sq. ft. (0.25 acres) $3,690 $5,740 43,560 sq. ft. (1 acre) $10,660 108,900 sq. ft. (2.5 acres) $19,000 Alternatives to Premium Topsoil Specification Estimated Cost of Regular Black Dirt $2,250 $3,500 $6,500 Unknown Price Difference $1,440 $2,240 $4,160 Unknown As has been noted, the present request is not to entirely eliminate the topsoil requirement, but rather to modify it to something more consistent with surrounding communities. This would still provide improved soil characteristics (compared to the native/base soil), but at a more cost effective rate. This could also help eliminate some of the undesirable characteristics that many yards have exhibited, such as oversaturated, spongy/soggy ground (which is also a result of over watering, not just simply due to the topsoil). Advances in irrigation technology over the past decade have made it easier and more cost effective to conserve water through better sprinkling habits. Smart controllers can be connected via the internet to local weather information, weather stations, historical precipitation data, etc. to assist with reducing unnecessary waterings. Also, soil moisture sensors, often available for $150 or less, can be utilized in different parts of a yard (with different growing conditions) to ensure that the irrigation system doesn't turn on that zone unless there is insufficient moisture in the soil. The message coming out of the University of Minnesota's Extension team is that water efficient irrigation systems, not new turf varieties or soil amendments (topsoil), have become the most cost effective means to reducing non -consumptive water usage (e.g. irrigation). City Code now requires any new irrigation system to have a water efficient technology. However, there are many systems out there that could be retrofitted. This comes at a higher cost than 'upgrading' a new system. The City could consider developing a rebate program that may incentivize owners of older irrigation systems to retrofit them with newer irrigation technologies, as a future discussion. Additionally, a simple 'irrigation system tune-up' could also be incentivized to not only ensure that a system is running properly with no leaks or malfunctioning parts, but also, hopefully, educate homeowners about how their system works, and allow adjustments to systems that were never dialed back after the lawn was initially established (new systems are typically set to water new lawns heavily on a daily basis). The City of Elk River, through their municipal utilities division, has an established rebate program that could be used as a model. It may also be possible to find grant funds that could be utilized to establish and offer these rebate programs. Weather/Precipitation/Landscape The largest factor in water usage has always been and will likely always be the weather, and more specifically, precipitation. That's one of the greatest advantages of the new technologies now available for irrigation systems, weather can be and is factored into the programed run-times. The water usage data from the City does show a clear correlation between reduced precipitation and increased water usage. Additionally, canopy cover can also play a significant role in watering needs of a yard. Shady portions of a lawn