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Spring Hill Golf Club Wetland Replacement Plan Application Revised December 5, 2012 Page 7 of 8 be reached, two are not Corps-approved, one is selling for$2.50 per square foot (considered to be outrageously priced), and one has just upland credits (assumed to be a problem for the Corps). This leaves four banks in Hennepin County that are possibilities for the Spring Hill Golf Club (Banks#1310, 1346, 1410, and 1414). The only one t of these banks in the same Major Watershed as the project site is#1346 but it only has Type 5 wetland credits available. Although credits deposited in the state wetland bank have been converted to "Standard ' Wetland Credits" (SWC), the preference would be to replace the Type 3 wetland impacts with similar Type 3 or 4 wetlands credits if possible. This narrows the banks to#1310 and 1410 (Heritage Woods). The Heritage Woods Bank was selected because it is considered to have relatively high functions and values. The Heritage Woods mitigation bank site is located just 11 miles north-northwest of the proposed wetland impact site. A variance from the MCWD requirement for mitigation to occur in the same minor watershed and the wetland impact is necessary and unavoidable. The applicant has maximized on-site mitigation opportunities and cannot create more wetlands without creating the same playability issues that are being resolved by the proposed project. There ' are no wetland banks available in the same minor watershed. The applicant has secured a purchase agreement for wetland bank credits which are the closest match to the wetland mitigation citing criteria. WETLAND MONITORING ' Since there is no on-site wetland mitigation there would be no annual wetland monitoring requirements. The Wetland bank site has been monitored by the bank owner and reported to the LGU and BWSR in order to deposit credits in the bank. UPLAND BUFFER ESTABLISHMENT AND MONITORING The buffer area established under the 1997 permit is intact and 100% vegetated. The golf course maintenance and mowing limits currently demarcate the limits of the existing buffer area around the wetland. As a result of the proposed wetland impacts "new buffer" will be established at ' three locations at the edge of the fill areas. The new buffer areas will be planted with a mesic prairie native seed mix (BWSR Mix 35-641). The current MCWD rule requires a base buffer width of 30 feet around the wetland being impacted. Because the slopes in the buffer area are generally less than 10% in the buffer area the average buffer width can be reduced by four feet. The upland soils in the buffer area are generally ' classified as B and C soils so another two feet can be deducted from the