Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 07/19/2021

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Introduction On behalf of Bill Boyum, Landform is pleased to submit this application for approval of a wetland setback variance for "Williams Woods", a nine lot rural subdivision on 94.4 acres located at 7363 175th Avenue NW (PIN #04-32-25-13- 0001, 04-32-25-14-0005, 04-32-25-41-0002, 04-32-25-42-0002, 04-32-25-42-0003 and 04-32-25-44-0003). At the June 3rd meeting, the Planning Commission approved a variance from the maximum cul-de-sac length. The Commission also recommended approval of the preliminary plat request, which is scheduled for City Council action on June 22nd. Variance Wetland Setback We have completed our wetland delineation for the site and expect LRRWMO (Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization) to approve the delineation on July 15th. We are requesting City approval for a variance from Section 117-289, which requires a 16.5-foot setback from all wetlands and stormwater ponds. This site is uniquely restricted by the wetlands and trees on site. We have designed the subdivision to limit the impacts to trees and wetlands by limiting the subdivision to nine lots where the code would allow up to 37 lots. However, some flexibility is requested to allow driveways to cross the wetlands for three of the lots. The variance is needed to put the property to reasonable use. The location of the wetlands on the southern half of the property creates a hardship that makes it impossible for the developer to serve three of the lots and meet the wetland setback requirements. The physical characteristics of the site require the variance. The wetland complex on the west side of the site does not allow driveway access for Lots 3-5 without some wetland setback flexibility. The Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) allows up to 2,500 sq. ft. of de minimis wetland fill on this site. We have worked to minimize the wetland impacts and have only 270 sq. ft. for these three driveways. Unfortunately, this means that we cannot meet the wetland setback for these lots and are requesting a variance to allow a 1.9-foot setback on Lot 3 and zero setback on Lots 4-5. While the WCA rules could allow additional de minimis fill under to create the required setbacks, we do not believe that filling wetlands to create the setback is in the spirit of the WCA. If the driveways for Lots 4 and 5 were combined into a shared driveway, we could fill the wetland under the de minimis rule to create the driveway on Lot 3 and the new shared driveway on Lot 4 within the de minimum fill allowance and create the required wetland setbacks. The following table summarizes the proposed impacts for the three affected lots: Wetland Impact Wetland Setback Impact Lot 3 0 sq. ft. 873 sq. ft. Lot 4 178 sq. ft. 2,157 sq. ft. Lot 5 92 sq. ft. 1,816 sq. ft. Total 270 sq. ft. 3,973 sq. ft. William Woods 1st Addition, Ramsey, MN ZZZ20543 June 22, 2021 1