Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - No Meeting - 08/15/2022

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Environmental Policy Board (EPB) 5. 2. Meeting Date: 08/15/2022 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: Consider Natural Resources Elements of Site Plan for Lil Explorers Daycare at 14725 Ramsey Boulevard (Project No. 22-132) Purpose/Background: The City has received an application from Lil Explorers (the "Applicant")for Site Plan review and a Conditional Use Permit for a proposed new daycare center to be constructed at 14725 Ramsey Boulevard NW(the "Subject Property"). Notification: Notification is not required for review of the natural resources elements of the project. Staff will attempt to notify property owners within 350 feet of the Subject Property, as reflected in the Anoka County Property Records, of the request for Site Plan and Conditional Use Permit consideration and the Public Hearing to be held by the Planning Commission on August 25, 2022. A notice of the Public Hearing will also be published in the Anoka County UnionHerald,the City's official newspaper. Observations/Alternatives: Project Summary The Subject Property is located at the northeast corner of Bunker Lake Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard and is approximately 1.75 acres in size. It is zoned B-1 General Business District and is guided as commercial. Daycare centers are a Conditional Use in this zoning district. The Subject Property abuts residentially zoned properties to the east, employment zoned property to the north, and is across Bunker Lake Boulevard from employment zoned property, and across Ramsey Boulevard from residentially zoned property. The project proposes construction of a 16,000 square foot daycare center with portions up to thirty(30)feet in height(the majority of the building is approximately sixteen [16] feet in height). There would be a'right in, right out'access onto Bunker Lake Boulevard and an access to Ramsey Boulevard via a'shared access'with the adjacent Ramsey Storage Center property(this will require a Cross Access Agreement). Natural Resources Inventory and Minnesota Land Cover Classification System There are no native plant communities on the Subject Property according to the City's Natural Resources Inventory (NRI). The entirety of the Subject Property is categorized as 'Urban with Vegetative Cover'per the Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS). There are no wetlands or floodplains identified on the Subject Property. Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan The submittal includes a Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan for the Subject Property. The preponderance of trees on site are red pine,with scattered, less desirable trees including cottonwood, ash,box elder, and Siberian elm. Most of the trees are on the eastern 1/3 of the Subject Property and will be impacted as a result of construction. However, the plans indicate that a number of the existing evergreen trees, ranging in size from about six to eight inches (6-8") in diameter,will be relocated to the eastern boundary line to provide screening/buffering for the existing residential homes. Additional information on tree preservation,tree relocation, and proposed landscaping is needed to determine if the project complies with the tree preservation standards. Staff does support relocating existing trees on site; however,