Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 08/16/2021

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Environmental Policy Board (EPB) 5. 4. Meeting Date: 08/16/2021 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: Consider Natural Resources Aspects of Lennar Preliminary Plat (Project No. 21-122) Purpose/Background: The City has received an application for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, and Preliminary Plat from Lennar (the "Applicant") for a proposed residential development on the property generally located west of Armstrong Boulevard, south of 151st Lane, and north of Bunker Lake Boulevard (the "Subject Property"). Observations/Alternatives: General Project Overview The Subject Property is approximately thirty-four (34) acres in size and has a split zoning of R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 80 (about 6 acres) and R-3 Residential (High Density). The Applicant is proposing fifteen (15) single family residential lots with a width of sixty-five (65) feet (would require a rezoning to R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 65) and 129 attached townhomes (based on density, requires a rezoning to R-2 Residential (Medium Density)). The Subject Property is guided for High Density (8-15 units per acre) in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. In addition to the Preliminary Plat, the Applicant is also seeking a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to re -guide the Subject Property to Medium Density Residential (4-8 units per acre) and a Zoning Amendment to rezone from R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 80 to R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 65 and from R-3 Residential (High Density) to R-2 Residential (Medium Density). As part of the Sketch Plan review, the Planning Commission directed the Applicant to incorporate a second access into the project. This project abuts County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 83, also known as Armstrong Boulevard, so the plans have been routed to Anoka County Highway Department, along with the request to allow a second access. Furthermore, since there is a Comprehensive Plan Amendment as part of this application, City Council has also preliminarily provided feedback on the project, including their desire to keep the single family lots at eighty (80) feet in width rather than the proposed sixty-five (65) foot wide lots. Thus, the Applicant is working on some plan revisions. Natural Resources Inventory The City's Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) identifies two semi -natural plant communities, one categorized as Native Species Present in an Altered/Non-Native Plant Community and one as Altered/Non-Native Plant Community. These designations are affiliated with a linear wetland that is part of the Lake Itasca Greenway. The Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS) identifies the wetland area as Wetland Shrubland and the remainder of the site as Planted or Cultivated Vegetation (currently used as agricultural land). All proposed development is situated north and east of the linear wetland. Wetlands and Floodplain As noted above, there is wetland that spans much of the southwestern 1/3 of the Subject Property. As laid out, there do not appear to be any proposed impacts to the wetland. Furthermore, it appears that the plans do include the required sixteen and a half foot (16.5') setback from the wetland boundary. More information is required to verify that the proposed stormwater ponds also include a sixteen and a half foot (16.5') setback that would be encumbered by drainage and utility easement. There are no floodplains identified on the Subject Property.