02-24-1997 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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The proposed project will impact a 43 acre remnant of Big Woods. The portion of the project north of County Road 6 in Orono and Medina includes 43 acres of Big Woods forest. This is a free standing remnant, in that it is not contiguous to any larger Big Woods areas. However, it is in proximity to two larger areas of Big Woods forest. The Wolsfeld Woods Scientific and Natural Area is located 3/8 mile west of the Big Woods remnant, and the Wood Rill Scientific and Natural Area is located 3/4 mile southwest of the Big Woods remnant (please see the map in Appendix Showing the relative locations of the three Big Woods areas). The project would eliminate 49.7% of the Big Woods remnant. Also, the remainder of this remnant will not be a contiguous Big Woods area but rather several small individual areas. By changing the 43.11 acre contiguous Big Woods area to several small areas of Big Woods totaling 21.C9 acres; the project changes the type of woods community, including related plants and wildlife habitat, from a Big Woods remnant community to a forest fringe type of community. The DNR County Biological Suivey of Hennepin County rated the quality of this remnant Big Woods as BC (medium quality) on a scale from A to D. Wolsfeld Woods SNA is rated (AB) High, and Wood- rill SNA is rated (B) Medium High. The big woods on the Site are located primarily in the Medina portion of the Site. The maple-oak-basswood big woods forest is rated as a medium quality remnant (BC on a scale of A-D see appendix B). Wherever feasible, impacts will be minimized. The golf course design avoids big woods impacts to the degree practical. Maps indicating the current and proposed locations of big woods are located in appendix B. Further general discussion of Big Woods is provided in a brochure published by the DNR located in appendix B. An area of big woods is being used as upland buffer for wetland mitigation purposes. This will afford a high degree of protection to that area. 12. Physical impacts on Water Resources Will the project involve the physical or hydrologic alteration (dredging filling, stream diversion, outfall structure, diking, impoundment) of any surface water (lake, pond, wetland, stream, drainage ditch)? JL. Yes _ No If yes, identify the water resource to be affected and describe: the alteration, including the construction process; volumes of dredged or fill material: area affected: length of stream diversion; water surface area affected; timing and extent of fluctuations in water surface elevations; spoils disposal sites; and proposed mitigation measures to minimize impacts. Wetlands occupy over 12 percent of the land area on the Site, totaling 23.60 acres of wetlands. A total of 1.41 acres of wetlands are proposed to be filled. In-kind wetland mitigation will take place on the Site at a 2:1 replacement ratio. Upon project completion approximately 24.6 acres of wetland, including mitigation areas, will be present on the Site. Locations of fill areas are indicated on the map in appendix A. Wetlands to be filled include 1.27 acres of type 2, PEMB, 0.1 acres of Type 3. PEMC and 0.04 acres of a intermittent riverine channel. The project will set aside upland buffer areas which will include native Big Woods. The Big Woods will be over 50% of the above the 1:1 wetland mitigation replacement. All wetland activities will be in compliance with Minnesota 1 996 Wetland Conservation Act and Corps of Engineers section 404 Clean Water Act requirements. A copy of the Wetland Delineation, Classification and Identification report is in appendix C. Lake information below acquired from DNR Lake SWIM Database PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR LONG LAKE: Dominant forest/soil type: NOT AVAILABLE