Agenda - Council - 05/11/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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We received notice concerning this in the mail and would like to address the planning commission. My family and I live have lived at 7372 168th Circle NW since the summer of 2019 and are frequent users of the trail system. Professionally, I have been in the construction industry for almost 15 years, and am a managing partner of an earthwork/civil contractor in the area. In regards the issue of the Seaman's Fill Material on their property and retaining wall. I have no concerns about the fill material and retaining wall that was put it in at 7349 168th Circle NW, and would like Planning Committee to consider granting this Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to the Seaman's. Here is my personal and professional opinion for consideration. - Erosion Concerns; I understand before the install of the fill and retaining wall, there was some erosion due to the steep slope left behind the house. The grading plan submitted by the developer was approved by the City. In my experience, whether vegetation is established or not, if you get a steep enough slope and enough water running off the roof and around the house, it doesn't matter how much vegetation is in place, if its running fast enough it can cause erosion. This was happening on the Seaman Property, and within the trail easement. The install of fill to lessen the rate that water sheds away from the home and hardscapes is a way you combat that issue. Furthermore was the install of a retaining wall was the correct thing to do to retain this amount of fill dirt, while maintaining aesthetics along the trail easement, as well as lessen the erosion as water runs freely from the yard, ove the wall, and hits the bituminous trail, and dissipating runoff towards the Brook. - In regards to the floodplain; If the data/modeling the current floodplain hasn't been fully updated since the 1970's, it seems a bit unfair to reference that as an issue in consideration of this CUP, a single family home with minimum shared acreage in the floodplain when you consider the floodplain in its entirety . There has been a lot of development to the surrounding area since the 1970s. Per the timeline given, it wasn't initiated for review until August 2020. Just in the immediate general area, there has been the construction of the entire Brookfield Development (including that Seaman's lot) and a bituminous trail, well after 1973. I would think that would have been enough nearby disturbance to update the all of the modeling of the floodplain. The approximately 100 Cubic Yards of topsoil fill on one single lot does seem like a drop in the bucket compared to all the land development permitted and completed. Can the City provide documentation of revising the floodplain for the bituminous trail from FEMA? - Consistency and Easement Encroachment; Simple as taking a walk down the trail and seeing several properties in this same floodplain that have been altered in one way or the other. The difficulty of tracking all alterations to the easement and floodplain I'm sure is not easy for the planning commission, but should be considered while reviewing this CUP request. - Developer Comments/ Notice of Floodplain; I understand no comments were made by the seller about the floodplain, which I feel should have been addressed given the location of it. I understand the permitting of this is all taken care of on the front end for the development, but if the floodplain is inside the taxable land purchased by the buyer, and property taxes are to be paid, notice should be given by the seller to the buyer in reference to not being able to fully utilize/alter the purchased property. While an in- depth explanation may not be a requirement of the seller, a copy of the site plan that, may or may not, have some gray text on it calling out a floodplain, is not sufficient for the typical homeowner to fully understand. do hope this can resolved with common sense and considered for approval, and movement to the next step. I do appreciate all the hard work by the planning commission, made up of fellow Ramsey Residents. I trust a complete and considerate review will be done. Regards, Blake Smith Ramsey Resident Copy of Previous Council Case