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<br />Consulting, which has since merged with Westwood Professional Services (WPS), to conduct a <br />wetland functions and values study. The purpose of the study was to assess all wetlands within <br />the City (at least 0.25 acre In size) using the Minnesota Routine Assessment Method (MnRAM), <br />a classification system developed by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. Based <br />on those assessments, each wetland was placed into one of the four management categories. <br />WPS has compiled the results of tlns study and prepared a final report and draft municipal <br />wetland management classification map. <br /> <br />Environmental Coordinator Anderson stated 349 wetlands throughout the City were inventoried <br />and of these, 136 were field verified. Each wetland was reviewed and assigned a management <br />classification based on the aforementioned MnRAM process. Forty (40) wetlands were classified <br />as Preserve, forty-six (46) were classified as Manage 1, 127 were classified as Manage 2 and 130 <br />were classified as Manage 3 (through field assessments, six wetlands proved to be non-wetland <br />areas). Mr. Anderson stated the data collected as a result of this study can be utilized in many <br />ways. Obviously, this infonnation will be relied upon when the City receives a development <br />proposal for property containing wetlands. Additional benefits may include identifying wetlands <br />that are suitable ~andidates for restoration and/or desirable for future parkland and open space. <br />Private land owners of these areas could be contacted as to their interest in selling or donating <br />these high quality areas to the City. <br /> <br />Environmental Coordinator Anderson stated the Environmental Policy Board (EPB) reviewed the <br />draft municipal wetland management classification map at their March 5, 2007 meeting and <br />recommended that it be forwarded to City Council for adoption. Mr. Anderson advised that both <br />staff and the Enviromnental Policy Board recommend adopti11g the draft municipal wetland <br />management classification map. <br /> <br />Mr. Ron Peterson and Ms. Allison Kampbell of WPS presented information regarding the <br />methodology used in the preparation of the final report and draft municipal wetland management <br />classification map. <br /> <br />Chairperson Nixt pointed out there are 349 wetlands identified throughout the City. Of these <br />wetlands, 13Q wetlands were field verified and 6 were identified as not being wetlands. He <br />questioned how the classification was detemlined for the remaini11g wetlands that were not <br />inspected. <br /> <br />Ms. Kampbell replied that GIS data was used to come up with the preliminary classification of <br />the wetlands that were not field verified. The 349 wetlands were taken from the National <br />Wetland Inventory Mapping and the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District. Data was also used <br />from Anoka County Soils and the DNR Minnesota Land Cover Classification System. <br /> <br />Chairperson Nixt noted there was an empirical base to categorize the various wetlands without <br />inspecting them, and site inspections were done from a representative sample. He asked if the <br />inspections of those wetlands changed the classification from what would have been concluded <br />from the other data, and if so, how. <br /> <br />Planning Commission/April 5, 2007 <br />Page 8 of 22 <br /> <br />P8 <br />