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1997-02-28 Wetland Fill ..-- - -~.- .PIL01 LAND DEVELOPMENT COldPANY February 28, 1997 Mr. Mark MacNamara Wright Soil & Water Conservation District 306 Brighton Ave. South Buffwo,~ 55313 RE: Recommendation for issuance of Wetland fin for Parkside 4th Adc!iJion. Albertville. , consistent wi~C.oE issuance of nennit f!'Jt.s,!ffi! Dear Mr. MacNamara: This letter follows up on our meeting of this week in YOUl' offices to review our application for fIll of wetlands to acco~odate roads, public park development and single family homes. Consistent with MN. WCt\. rules, the project proposed fill with 2:1 mitigation on site. Consistent with sequencing guidelines, alternatives were presented which demonstrated that the project as approved by Albertville, was in the greater public interest and impacted the least wetland area. As defense of the fill, we showed that more lots, rather than public land abutting a road create the greater public benefit in the long term. The wetland fill is on the fringe of wetland types which act as a buffer to Ditch ;# 9:. As such, manipulation of the edge via replacement wetlands actually creates more definable wetlands in the eyes of the public who will live adjacent to the site. By introducing wetland mitigation, we are creating wetlands of higher future value by needing to hold water the required length of time in the spring. The areas we are filling do not hold water, . but are defined because of the clay soils holding water and flat grades. Choices to eliminate wetl~d fill would eliminate a single family lot, the City tot Jot parking area, and create over 350 lineal feet of street which in the future would create costs to the public for upkeep and repair, H the parking lot for the City is deemed a reasonable public purpose, then there is a small area of fill between the parking lot and a lot which is not in question to exist. The action to create a more consistent edge allows for the additional lot to be created, Since mitigation is available, and water quality ponds required by development create greater groundwater recharge, edge changes seem of benefit to the public, A decision to approve of the fill benefits the public at large by: · Creating more visuall)i apparent wetland than currently exists; · Creating an improved public park design for current and future residents; · Minimizing future s~t repair costs chargeable to the City; · Increasing tax rolls by one additional housing unit; (Developer Profit is a one time possibility, and ongoing ta.x;es are forever; 1 wsedpmlt 13736 Johnson Street NE · Ham Lake, MN 55304 . 757.9816 . Fax: 757-4094 L/Z'd S8S'ON OJN3~ W~8E:0t L66t'9 '~~w . . As part of the planning, we have lands filling wetland fOl'housing of 16,737 SF, lands filling wetlands for municipal streets for which no other alignment is feasible at 3,110 SF, and lands mling wetlands for a municipal parking lot off of the public street to serve the adjacent park at 6,981 SF. Lands for public ownership include the streets and park lands. Proposed compensatory wetland mitigation area of 35,624 SF (a 1.43 : Imtio) will be furnished within the lands of the plat for both the private development and the public improvements. Additional upland buffer easement zones totaling 19,375 SF are pan of the application which represent a ratio of .78: 1. A grand total ratio of 2.215: 1 is proposed. Upon approval, the excess .215 ratio or 5,343 SF would be available to Kenco and its assigns for future mitigation needs. A decision to deny the pennit is to review this plat without taking the context of the project as a whole into consideration. We believe, as did the City staff, City consultants, and Council that a greater public benefit in the long tenn Wa5 achieved by the design in front of the board and technical review panel. This same decision was upheld by the COB in the issuance of their wetland fill permit. Please confirm the previous decisions and recommend for issuance of the wetland fill permit by WSWCD. Sincerely, Land Development Director cc: Gary Hale -- Administtat01' Enclosures: Concept A, B Parkside 4th; Approved prelim plat plan Concept C for Parks ide 4th ~/E'd S8S'ON OJN3>1 W~6E:01 L661'9 '~~W . . MAR. 6.1997 10:39AM KENCO I ~ I t I \ I . , -------// # ~--i ---f f f I: " / --;-11 "i \,,_/_-__ lTt I i---' ~ -,---- " I : . ..:.:.~ 1 i 1': ~ ' Ii. /:1. -\ / !-) ~~,...~ i ( !/ f -j I' I . 1.1 ,/ Jj ~.:t .....::1-::-<'-:--- ~' ,-,--2;-. '-. I fTZ\"T' ~ I ) i I \1, ~I i) I I : I I I ",/ ~ .1 ~.L ':"'__, : . /, I I ,.... ..' Ii i I I/~:~I'''' f.. ", / . 5i I "- ~l- !i .. I ~.. ... If ! I' ';ft~~ MAR. NO. 585 P.5/7 --- ... Q :1:> , ~f Cl'a... ~- ~"ft ,.,: ~ .. . "'J \1' ....... ,.. ........ ~ "~ \... 'I'~ C' .' \t~' ..". r-------. .. MAR. 6.1997 10: 41AM KENCO. . ,,' , . ',' "-'" >1 =, 1>>' n~ 8, ml '= I .... I ' Or --_- I ~ --., ~ ~ , I, -.JJ a ;~ -, ---I .. ~ I ~ I I ---"-/"-"- , I ----I f -_, I - . I ---{ , '\ ...... ~ :c ;\ tJ) e 00 m .." 2 0 () c: rrJ :;tI ~ -t . ." , :E: - ,)> '> '0 z c ~ rn' V' 6 r z ra . ,..' , ' ,- M~R. 6.1997 10: 41AM KENCO ' ' " , NO.S8S I . .~, , I I '\ I \ '... '.... [ i ~~. " O~ '..... " '\........... \ .. -----.! I ~----{ J -__ I ., "/ ,._-'.- ----I ~,' r>> . r ~ a. .0 ~ ::D " ~ C m -n o c: =l ::t ,:p. '0 o ::j o z '11J,!if~ilinil: f fli!!ii 'f r I : .,' 8 l I: 'Iii 'I~! ~. 1". t, , fJ . Ii' ::2: i~r='i;1 ~i& ' i J la' ~ ~ J ' , ~ ,,~r~;i;~1rii IIJi' '~ i I" ~ Jii,i~~lr J;.. .f I ". :',: , ;s ~. t '1 r., ~ 'i~;IR:~ I ' " , ,il" ~~ .., " .. :f~r~: ; it.'l: , " '~al I" " .'[=1 ", i. .' :'::',;A , . i' ~.~, , .' ", ';. .