Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 02/09/2026

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5. 1. Environmental Policy Board (EPB) Meeting Date:02/09/2026 Primary Strategic Plan Initiative: Information Title: Consider the Natural Resources Aspects of a Site Plan and Sketch Plan for Serenity at Rivers Edge (Project No. 26-101); Case of Rivers Edge Development LLC Purpose/Background: The City has received a Land Use Application from Rivers Edge Development LLC (the "Applicant") for review of both a Sketch Plan and Site Plan for a proposed residential subdivision located on the south side of Riverdale Drive, between Dolomite Street and Sunfish Lake Boulevard (the "Subject Property"). The Subject Property abuts the Mississippi River and is within the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) Overlay District. Time Frame/Observations/Alternatives: Project Overview The Applicant is proposing to create two (2) new, buildable lots on the east end of the plat, and platting the remainder of the Subject Property as an outlot for the time being, due to concerns about meeting the minimum density requirement. The Subject Property is approximately 9.24 acres in size and is heavily wooded, primarily with eastern red cedar. The Subject Property is zoned R-1A (Single Family Residential) and is guided as Low Density Residential in the Comprehensive Plan. The R-1A zoning district requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet and a minimum lot width of 80 feet. The land guidance requires a minimum density of 2.25 units per acre. However, meeting the minimum density would require at least 21 lots, which would result in significantly more loss of tree cover and would deviate from the existing development pattern to both the east and west (average lot size ranges from approximately 0.5 acres to 0.75 acres). Staff was amenable to considering the creation of a new River District in the 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update, which will likely start in earnest later this year. If Ramsey is successful in creating a new land guidance district, that likely wouldn't go into effect for a couple of years (until such time that the Comprehensive Plan Update was approved by both the City Council and the Metropolitan Council). At that time, the Applicant intends to subdivide the outlot into similarly sized lots. There are no proposed new roads associated with this subdivision. Driveways would be directly off of Riverdale Drive. Additionally, there is already sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and municipal water underneath Riverdale Drive. So, other than extending individual services to each new lot, there will be no new utility infrastructure required either. While this is only a Minor Plat (a subdivision of three [3] or fewer parcels that does not require the construction of public roads or utilities), which the Environmental Policy Board (EPB) does not normally review, because it is within the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA), it does require Site Plan review, which is something that the EPB does review. MRCCA The Subject Property is within the MRRCA, which includes additional regulations pertaining to vegetation management, grading, and setbacks from the Ordinary High Watermark (OHW). Since the Subject Property abuts the Mississippi River, the state categorizes it as being in the River Neighborhood (RN) District. In the RN District, structures need to be setback at least 100 feet from the OHW of the Mississippi River. Decks and at-grade patios can encroach into this setback a maximum of fifteen (15) feet, without the need for a variance. There is also a bluffline setback of forty (40) feet and there are limitations on what activities can occur within the Bluff Impact Zone (BIZ), which includes the land within twenty (20) feet of the bluffline. There are no additional