Agenda - Council - 03/12/2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Planner Anderson stated that he does not have definitive figures. He stated that the soil will have more structure to it because of the increase in sand which will provide additional opportunity for infiltration and reduction of that sogginess. Board Member Hiatt asked for information on the test sites in Brookfield. City Engineer Westby provided background information on the test sites in Brookfield as well as soils used by other communities such as Monticello and Big Lake. He stated that ground would be less saturated and soggy using the new proposed topsoil. Board Member Hiatt stated that if something is going to be changed, he would want to ensure that enough is being done to provide better infiltration to get the water back into the aquafer. He stated that perhaps there can be quantifiable data that would show the comparison of infiltration between the current topsoil requirement and the newly proposed topsoil. City Engineer Westby stated that the once the topsoil mix is completed, it can be tested to provide that infiltration rate information. Board Member Fetterley stated that her concern would be whether the City is currently doing a better job protecting the aquafer using the current topsoil requirement compared to other communities. City Planner Anderson stated that he does not have comparable data of water use over time for other communities. He stated that the City has already amended the zoning code to state that if an irrigation system is going to be installed it must include some form of water efficient technology. He was unsure if other communities have enacted similar regulations. He stated that he could request water usage data from the other communities to determine if their topsoil standard has had an impact. Chairperson Valentine commented that this was a great presentation that clarifies the parameters of the issue. He stated that at some level there needs to be an effort to quantify the value that is being received from the systems put in place to conserve groundwater. He stated that Ramsey has residents on municipal water and residents that have their own wells and therefore there is a need for different education materials for those residents as both impact the aquafer. He stated that he would support the staff recommendation to change the topsoil requirement and beyond that there is a broader framework that needs to continue to be looked at as there are many dimensions to this topic. City Engineer Westby stated that from a cost -benefit side, implementing a soil moisture sensor provides a savings of about $200 to a homeowner in water savings in the first growing season, which pays for itself within that first year. He stated that staff is attempting to provide infiltration to recharge the aquafer and the lower organic content will provide additional infiltration opportunities.