Agenda - Council - 10/24/2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Observations: Recommendation: Authorization to Draft an RFP for a Natural Resources Inventory By: Chris Anderson, Zoning & Recycling Coordinator CASE # Background: Natural resources are an integral part of our community. In recognition of their importance, the City has adopted two ordinances over the past several years intended to protect natural resources on individual development sites. Yet, there still is a lack of detailed information regarding the City's natural resources overall. A comprehensive inventory and assessment of the City's natural resources would benefit the City in many ways, but especially with regard to future land use decisions and long -range planning. A natural resources inventory would provide a blueprint for the City to guide more sustainable development. Natural resources inventories offer an array of information including, but not necessarily limited to, identification of unique and/or pristine natural areas and open spaces with significant natural features, potential and/or desirable greenway corridors, and areas that have the potential for natural community restoration; all of which are outlined in the Environmental Protection/Resource Management section of the comprehensive plan. Additionally, this type of inventory would also identify unique (rare) species and/or habitats, as well as state listed threatened or endangered species found within the City. Finally, the results of a natural resources inventory could themselves be incorporated into the comprehensive plan when it is updated. There are existing data sources that could be integrated into a natural resources inventory including the MLCCS (Minnesota Land Cover Classification System), the Greenways Draft Study completed by the ACD, and the soon to be completed wetland functions and values study. A thorough review of existing data will determine what other pertinent information is still lacking and will help limit, or even reduce, the overall cost of a natural resources inventory. At this time, Staff does not have any definitive cost estimates for a natural resources inventory. However, a natural resources inventory would be an eligible expenditure of monies from the Landfill Tipping Fee Fund and Staff would recommend utilizing that fund to cover the expense of the inventory. If directed to proceed, Staff will cultivate the scope of the project and then draft an RFP for Council review. Once proposals have been submitted, Staff would provide Council with an anticipated cost to complete the inventory. The natural resources inventory concept has been discussed during the last two Environmental • Policy Board meetings. Both the EPB and Staff recommend pursuing a natural resources