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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-09-20 ENR Packet AGENDA CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Monday, September 20, 2021 7:00 p.m. Maplewood City Council Chambers 1803 County Road B East 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes: a. August 16, 2021 5. New Business a. Wetland Buffer Variance for a New Single Family House - 1091 County Road C 6. Unfinished Business 7. Visitor Presentations 8. Commissioner Presentations 9. Staff Presentations (oral reports only) a. Fall Clean Up Campaign 1) Reduced Price Bulky Item Collection Throughout October 2) Free Mattress Collection Throughout October 3) Free Shredding Event October 9 b. Harvest Park Natural Seed Garden Open House October 7 c. Solar Power Hours October 8 and 26 d. ENR Commission Vacancies e. Update on the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area and Slopes and Bluffs Ordinances 10. Adjourn Agenda Item 4.a. MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2021 7:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission was called to order at 7:04 p.m. by Chairperson Palzer. 2. ROLL CALL Rebecca Bryan, Commissioner Present Keith Buttleman, Commissioner Absent Kayla Dosser, Vice Chairperson Present Mollie Miller, Commissioner Absent Ann Palzer, Chairperson Present Ted Redmond, Commissioner Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Redmond moved to approve the agenda. Seconded by Vice Chairperson Dosser. Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Redmond moved to approve the June 21, 2021, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission meeting minutes as submitted. Seconded by Commissioner Bryan. Ayes – Bryan, Palzer, Redmond Abstain – Dosser The motion passed. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area and Slopes and Bluffs Ordinances Commissioner Redmond made a motion to approve the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area and Slopes and Bluffs Ordinances. 1 Seconded by Vice Chairperson Dosser. Ayes – All The motion passed. 6.NEWBUSINESS None. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None. 8. COMMISSIONER PRESENTATIONS None. 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. State Fair Eco Experience Environmental Planner Finwall spoke to the commission about the city’s upcoming involvement in the State Fair Eco Experience. b. Update on the New Parks and Natural Resources Department Environmental Planner Finwall gave an update regarding the creation of the New Parks and Natural Resources Department with offices in the Nature Center. 10. ADJOURNMENT . Commissioner Redmond made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Vice Chairperson Dosser. Ayes – All The motion passed. The meeting was adjourned by Chairperson Palzer at 7:47 p.m. 2 Agenda Item 6.a. ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSIONSTAFF REPORT Meeting Date September 20, 2021 REPORT TO: Environmental and Natural Resources Commission REPORT FROM: Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner PRESENTER: Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner AGENDA ITEM: Wetland Buffer Variance for a New Single Family House – 1091 County Road C Action Requested: MotionDiscussion Public Hearing Form of Action: Resolution OrdinanceContract/Agreement Proclamation Policy Issue: Maplewood’s wetland ordinance requires wetland buffers that restrict building, mowing, cutting, grading, filling or dumping. The City Council shall apply the findings for variance approval as required in Minnesota Statutes, and may add conditions to mitigate the wetland buffer encroachment. Recommended Action: Motion to approve the wetland buffer variance with the following conditions: 1.Prior to issuance of a grading permit, the applicant must submit the following for staff approval: a.A wetland buffer mitigation plan as follows: 1)1,000 square feet of native plants (native shrubs or perennial plugs); 2)the plantings can be located in two planting beds within the mowed area of the lawn, adjacent the edge of the wetland; 3)the plantings must be mulched. b.A wetland buffer sign plan that shows the location of wetland buffer signs on the south side of the native plantings. Wetland buffer signs specify that no building, mowing, cutting, grading, filling or dumping is allowed within the buffer. .A cash escrow to cover 150 percent of the wetland buffer mitigation. Fiscal Impact: Is There a Fiscal Impact? No Yes, the true or estimated cost is $0 Financing source(s): Adopted Budget Budget Modification New Revenue Source Use of Reserves Other: n/a Strategic Plan Relevance: Financial Sustainability Integrated Communication Targeted Redevelopment Operational EffectivenessCommunity InclusivenessInfrastructure & Asset Mgmt. The City deemed the applicant’s application complete on August 31, 2021. The initial 60-day review deadline for a decision is October 30, 2021. As stated in Minnesota State Statute 15.99, the city is allowed to take an additional 60 days if necessary to complete the review. Background: The house on the lot was 83 years old and was demolished in 2020. Katie Schurrer and Justin Haynes own the vacant lot. The lot is located on Kohlman Lake. There is a Manage A wetland on the north side of the lot, adjacent the lake. Maplewood’s wetland ordinance requires a 75-foot wetland buffer for a Manage A wetland adjacent a lake. No building, mowing, cutting, grading, filling or dumping is permitted in the wetland buffer. Wetland Ordinance The applicants are proposing to build a new single-family house on the lot. Grading for the house will come to within 30 feet of the edge of the wetland, which requires a 45-foot wetland buffer variance. Before the City Council takes action on the wetland buffer variance, the Environmental and Natural Resources (ENR) and the Planning Commissions must make a recommendation on the variance. The ENR Commission should recommend a wetland buffer mitigation plan. The City may require one or more of the following actions in the plan: 1. Reducing or avoiding the impact by limiting the degree or amount of the action, such as by using appropriate technology. 2. Rectifying the impact by repairing, rehabilitating, or restoring the buffer. 3. Reducing or eliminating the impact over time by prevention and maintenance operations during the life of the actions. 4. Compensating for the impact by replacing, enhancing, or providing substitute buffer land at a two-to-one ratio. 5. Monitoring the impact and taking appropriate corrective measures. 6. Where the city requires restoration or replacement of a buffer, the owner or contractor shall replant the buffer with native vegetation. A restoration plan must be approved by the city before planting. 7. Any additional conditions required by the applicable watershed district and/or the soil and water conservation district shall apply. 2 8.A wetland or buffer mitigation surety, such as a cash deposit or letter of credit, of 150 percent of estimated cost for mitigation. The surety will be required based on the size of the project as deemed necessary by the administrator. Funds will be held by the city until successful completion of restoration as determined by the city after a final inspection. Wetland or buffer mitigation surety does not include other sureties required pursuant to any other provision of city ordinance or city directive. Wetland Buffer Mitigation The grade of the lot drops considerably from the back of the house to the edge of the wetland. The lot has mowed grass to the edge of the wetland, which also encroaches into the wetland by approximately 1,000 square feet. The remaining wetland buffer consists of reed canary grass to the water’s edge. The applicants are proposing two rain gardens along the wetland edge to address the wetland buffer mitigation. Because of the grade and the existing mowed lawn area, staff is recommending a 1,000 square foot wetland buffer restoration to be located along the edge of the reed canary grass rather than the rain gardens. Variance Schedule September 20, 2021: ENR Commission October 19, 2021: Planning Commission Public Hearing October 27, 2021: City Council Final Review Reference Information Site Description Site Size: 2.24 acres as platted into the lake Existing Land Use: Vacant Surrounding Land Uses North: Kohlman Lake East: Single-Family Home South: Single-Family Homes Across County Road C West: Single-Family Home Planning Existing Land Use: Low Density Residential Existing Zoning: R-1, Single Dwelling 3 Attachments: 1. Narrative 2. Location Map 3. Zoning Map 4. 2020 Survey 5. Original Elevations 6. Wetland Delineation 7. Pictures 8. New Site Plan 9. Elevations and Floor Plans 4 Attachment 1 August 31st, 2021 Community Development Department 1902 County Rd B East Maplewood, MN 55109 To Whom It May Concern, On behalf of the property owners Katie Schurrer & Justin Haynes, I am writing to request a Wetland Setback Variance for the property at 1091 County Road C East, Maplewood, Minnesota. Katie & Justin wish to create a new single family home that nestles into the character of the existing neighborhood and takes in the fantastic views of Kohlman Lake. The home will have a welcoming front porch, plenty of windows, and would be a fantastic addition to the neighborhood, replacing what was a home and garage of Katie’s Great Uncle Neal, and was no longer in sustainable condition. ‘Manage A’ designation of this lot creates practical difficulties that, without a variance, would make construction of a new residence nearly impossible. Because of the unique shape of the wetland as it sharply enters the property, the official control setback makes a more typical house shape not possible. However, as you can see from the attached Proposed Site Diagram, every effort has been made to maintain the bounds of the house behind the 75’ wetland setback, even farther from the wetland in the Northwest corner than the former home on the property. In addition, as seen from the wetland delineation report, this proposed house would also be set back farther off the wetland than the neighboring home to the East. The design of the home is in keeping with all other aspects of the comprehensive plan and zoning regulations – meeting all other setback requirements, as well as intentionally reducing the exterior massing where possible and using time tested materials in order to reduce its visual and environmental impact. Our request is that the variance be given to allow for an approximate setback of 30’ to allow for grading work required to build the home, as well as minimal post footings needed for a main level deck. We hope that you will find our argument and evidence compelling, as well as see the opportunity to increase the value to the neighborhood by adding a thoughtful, custom designed home to the area. In addition, we look forward to your feedback and recommendations for additional mitigation and preservation strategies that might allow for this project to be an example for future projects to come. Kindly, Will Spencer, Assoc AIA Will Spencer Studio, LLC th 6609 18 Ave S #203 Richfield, MN 55423 In addition, please find attached: 1.A wetland delineation report provided by Braun Intertec dated August 21, 2020 2.A property survey provided by Advance Surveying & Engineering, dated August 31, 2020 3.A site diagram for the proposed new home design provided by Will Spencer Studio, dated August 17, 2021 4.Floor plans and exterior elevations of the proposed new home provided by Will Spencer Studio, dated August 17, 2021 Attachment 3 2020 Survey2020 Survey Kohlman LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Lake 11 The West 76 feet of the East 356 feet of the West half of the SW of the SE of Section 4, Township 29, Range 22, Ramsey County, Minnesota. 44 SCOPE OF WORK & LIMITATIONS: 1.Showing the length and direction of boundary lines of the legal description listed above. The scope of our services does not include determining what you own, which is a legal matter. Please check the legal description with your records or consult with competent legal counsel, if necessary, to make sure that it is correct and that any matters of record, such as easements, that you wish to be included on the survey have been shown. 2.Showing the location of observed existing improvements we deem necessary for the survey. 3.Setting survey markers or verifying existing survey markers to establish the corners of the property. 4.This survey has been completed without the benefit of a current title commitment. There may be existing easements or other encumbrances that would be revealed by a current title commitment. Therefore, this survey does not purport to show any easements or encumbrances other than the ones shown hereon. 5.Showing elevations on the site at selected locations to give some indication of the topography of the site. We have also provided a benchmark for your use in determining elevations for construction on this site. The elevations shown relate only to the benchmark provided on this survey. Use that benchmark and check at least one other feature shown on the survey when determining other elevations for use on this site or before beginning construction. 6.Note that all building dimensions and building tie dimensions to the property lines, are taken from the siding and or stucco of the building. STANDARD SYMBOLS & CONVENTIONS: "" Denotes iron survey marker, set, unless otherwise noted. LEGEND County Road C East DRAWING ORIENTATION & SCALE SHEET SIZE CLIENT NAME / JOB ADDRESSSHEET TITLE SHEET NO. AUGUST 31, 2020 DATE SURVEYED: Thomas M. Bloom DRAWING NUMBER 17917 Highway 7 ## 42379AUGUST 31, 2020 DATE DRAFTED: SCALE - 1" = 20' Minnetonka, Minnesota 55345 S1 LICENSE NO. 02040 Phone (952) 474-7964 AUGUST 31, 2020 Web: www.advsur.com DATE SHEET 1 OF 1 Attachment 5 Original Elevations Attachment Wetland Delineation Attachment Pictures Attachment 8 New Site Plan Attachment 9 Elevations and Floor Plans