Agenda - Council - 08/23/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The development of the property with municipal water and sanitary sewer required a Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the land use from Rural Reserve to Low Density Residential. On March 22, 2005, the City Council approved the amendment to the C()mprehcnsivc Plan. The amendment was forwarded to the Metropolitan Council for approval. On June 29, 2005, the Metropolitan Council took final action and approved the amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. The property is now in the R-1 Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA). ri'he net density allowed under R-1 is 3 units per acre. The preliminary plat reflects a net density of' 2.1 units per acre. All of the proposed lots meet or exceed the minimum lot size. Most of the lots meet the 80 tbot width requirement; approximately 8 lots require minor adjustments to comply with the lot width requirement. The minimmn front yard structure setback is 30 feet. Because of wetlands and tree cover, .some {)t: the lots are designed with 25 foot front yard setbacks. A variance to the front yard setback requirement will be submitted to the October meeting of the Board of Adjusl~ment. The wetlands have been delineated and are proposed to be encumbered with drainage and utility casements. The preliminary plat also reflects that the proposed road design will require filling .74 acres ol~ wetlands, which requires a permit. The Lower Rum River Water Management Organization is responsible for the administration of the Wetland Conservation Act. The grading and drainage plan will also have to be reviewed and approved by the Lower Rum River Water Management Organization (LRRWMO). / Al though the City's pending wetland buffer ordinance has not yet been adopted, the plans include a voluntary wetland buffer ranging in width from 5 to 25 feet. Bbcause more than 80 acres of agricultural, native prairie, forest, or naturally vegetated land is being converted to residential use, an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) was recluircd. Thc draft EAW was completed and City Council released the draft for the 30 day public comment period. The public comment period ended on JulY 20, 2005. On August 9 the City Council reviewed the comments to the EAW and determined that an Environmental Impact Statement was not warranted. It is City Staff's opinion that the existing wetland along the north boundary of the plat serves as an. adequate transition between Sweetbay and the rural sized tots to the north. It is also City Stafl"s opinion that the proposed Conservation Easement and Outlot B along the south plat boundary line is an adequate transition between the urban lots and the rural sized lots to the south. The east/west leg of Outlot B may be a temporary buffer with the adjacent lot to the south. If Traprock Street is a through street at some point, and if the trail alignment is an cast/west diagonal through the plat, then this east/west leg of Outlot B is proposed to be converted to a building site. If the .east/west diagonal trail alignment through the plat is not i~casible, then the trail must run along the south property line of the plat and the east/west leg of Outlot B should be converted to a conservation' easement.