Laserfiche WebLink
Preliminary Plat Review: Alpine Acres <br />May 16, 2003 <br />Page 5 of 6 <br /> <br />Open Space: City Ordinances require that at least 40% of the development consist of open <br />space. Qualifying areas include grassed lawns, landscaped areas, gardens, natural areas, <br />landscape rock, mulch, wetlands, and ponding areas. At least 10% of the open space must be <br />shown as an easily identifiable common area for the use of the surrounding residents. The <br />preliminary plat is proposing 40% open space or 17.0 acres. The identifiable common area <br />requirement is 1.7 acres in size. The development is showing six (6) common open. space nodes <br />throughout the development to meet the 1.7 acre common open space requirement. It should be <br />noted that in or,der for the .5 acre open space area located at the southeastern corner of the <br />property to be counted towards the required identifiable common open space area, a connection <br />will need to be made across the wetland Or from the adjacent trails to the subject open space area. <br /> <br />Stormwater Management Fee: The City has enacted a. stormwater management fee of $375.00 <br />per unit. A payment in the amount of $75,750 will be required prior to the-City releasing the plat <br />for recording. The existing homestead is exempt from the stormwater management fee. <br /> <br />Tree Preservation Plan: A tree preservation plan was submitted to the City. However, all that <br />is indicated on the plan is areas where trees will be preserved. There is no information about the <br />number of trees to be preserved, the species being preserved, or their sizes. A more detailed plan <br />needs to be submitted for review and approval by the City. This will also help clarify whether <br />other planting requirements (such as density transitioning) will be met. <br /> <br />Density Transitioning:. City Ordinances require a transition between higher density <br />developments and lower density developments. The subject development is 'required to provide <br />density transitioning along the western edge of the development as it is located adjacent to four <br />existing single-family homes. The preliminary plat is proposing to satisfy density transitioning <br />through the landscape buffer option, iThe buffer area is required to be a twenty-five (25) foot <br />wide area located along the common boundary. <br /> <br />This common boundary is roughly 1,000 feet in length, which would require a minimum of <br />twenty (20) deciduous overstory trees, twenty (20) evergreens, and twenty (20) understory trees <br />in the twenty-five foot wide buffer area. The site plan shows seventeen (17) deciduous, overstory <br />trees, eighteen (18) evergreens, and eighteen (18) understory trees. The current landscaping plan <br />either needs to be' revised to meet the minimum requirements or a more detailed tree preservation <br />plan needs to be submitted to determine if existing trees, that are to remain after completion of <br />the development. <br /> <br />According to the current plan, all species .used for the density transitioning requirements are <br />considered either acceptable or preferred as outlined in the Ramsey Tree Book. However, there <br />needs to be a larger mLx of species to ensure diversity and longevity. Currently, only three <br />species are shown on the plan. A revised plan needs to be submitted that shows a more diverse <br />species palette. <br /> <br />21 <br /> <br /> <br />