Agenda - Planning Commission - 01/02/1990

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Case REVIEW INFORMATION REQUIRED ON CERTIFICATE OF SURVEY By: Mark S. Banwart, Community Development Director #3 Background/Observations: From time to time, the City has found itself in costly difficulties caused by the improper placement of buildings and structures. Currently, the City requires only a Certificate of Survey for the lot prior to issuance of a building permit. City Staff is proposing a much greater level of detail to be included on the Certificate of Survey. The City of Ramsey is one of the last communities to initiate such requirements. The outcome of the required information on the Certificate of Survey should do the following: The setback information should greatly lessen the need for variances because of improper placement of buildings and structures. The probability of misplacement of a building due to incorrect setting of elevation will be lessened there by difficulties with basement floodings and drainage is less probable. o Indication of all easements should eliminate the possibility of a building being placed on a City or private easement. Floodway and setbacks from the Rum River and Mississippi River are constantly a point of concern and are at times difficult to ascertain because of incomplete or insufficient amounts of information provided to the City. These problems would be eliminated. The City of Ramsey has a significant portion of lands that are designated as Floodway or Floodway Fringe to One Hundred Year Flood Boundary. These areas, for flood insurance purposes, require a response from the City as to the applicability of such insurances. Short of the City surveying the lot at no cost to the applicant, the City is in dubious position of either not designating a structure in a Floodway and being liable therefore, or designating it in a Floodway and then unduly costing the homeowner unnecessary insurance. This should be onerous on the contractor to establish the location of the structure and in turn, accurately providing this information to the City. All in all, the City's continued non-specification of additional information on the Certificate of Survey will cost the City an inordinate amount of time, money and resources in corrective actions while providing no stability and level of integrity of construction projects which could be a liability to prospective new owners. City Staff does appreciate that cost for the additional requirements on their Certificate of Survey. We feel this is the cost of doing business and is appropriate and in line with other communities in the North Metro Area. According to a staff memo, from then Building Official Elvin J. Erickson, the issue of information required on Certificates of Survey has been a concern of City Staff at least back to October 1986. More recently, staff has reviewed required information on Certificates of Survey in a number of local communties (e.g., Champlin, Blaine, Maple Grove, etc.). On August 1, September 19, and December 11, 1989, the Ramsey Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the various information items, who would be affected, and suggested various layouts in presenting the requested information. The information required on Certificates of Survey as presented reflects the input of the City Attorney, Building Official, Planning Assistant, Community Development Director, Planning and Zoning Commission and the surveyor with Hakanson Anderson.