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Orchard Hill of Orono - Project Narrative 06/27/2017 trees such as flowering crabapples, hawthorns and other native varieties including flowering fruit trees, etc. Our goal is to imbue the neighborhood with an atmosphere which celebrates the best the Minnesota landscape has to offer year -around, (especially the spring -time). Plantings will also be carefully chosen to attract and support wildlife in the area. Conservation Design The developer is aware of the strong emphasis the City places on ecological considerations in all of its planning and land development efforts. The standards, values, and procedural requirements which are incorporated into the City's Conservation Design Ordinance will be carefully adhered to. We share these values and consider the natural features of the site including its wetlands, topography, and tree cover to be unique and valuable assets. The preparation of a Conservation Design Masterplan is a top priority in moving forward with the planning for this property. Much of this effort is already under way, and the City can be assured that the project is being carefully planned to preserve and protect these natural amenities to the fullest extent practical. Wetland Preservation. Wetland preservation is a core value in preserving the ecological integrity of the site. To date, we have completed a wetland inventory which has been approved by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD). The complex of wetlands which surrounds the upland portion of the site on three sides comprises nearly 50 percent of the total site area. Careful planning of the subdivision has resulted in no adverse impact or fill of these larger wetland structures. Two smaller wetlands on the north end of the site are proposed to be filled and mitigated through the acquisition of wetland credits through the Minnesota Board of Water Resource Management (BWSR) wetland bank program. These two isolated areas are considered perched and only seasonally flooded basins, which are of less significance than the site's larger wetland bodies. The total fill area of both small areas is 5,080 square feet. Typically a 2 to 1 ratio of replacement to filled area is required. The developer will comply with all requirements of the MCWD and the City in mitigating the filled areas. Wetland Buffers & Conservation Easements. In addition to preservation of the surrounding wetlands, the proposal includes the dedication of wetland buffer areas which will border most of the adjacent buildable areas of the site. The MCWD requires a 30 or 40 foot buffer strip (depending on wetland type) coterminous with the wetland edge. The MCWD buffer is required to be a No -Mow zone, and will be placed under protective easement and covenant. The City has an added requirement of an additional 10 foot building setback strip which restrains buildings from being placed directly adjacent to the wetland buffer area. The project further proposes to establish a conservation easement along the northerly edge of the site as it abuts Long Lake Creek. The easement will provide added protection of this important ecological feature by preserving native vegetation and establishing a permanent wildlife corridor. All totaled, the buffer and conservation dedications will exceed 4.5 acres, which when added to the wetland easement area, brings the total Conservation Master Plan dedications for the project to over 24 acres.