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I- <br />Zoning File #1604 <br />November 15, 1990 <br />Page 2 <br />6. <br />7. <br />8. <br />east and south ends of the property. Applicant had gone <br />ahead with a bulldozer to remove some of that debris, and <br />when this was brought to staff's attention, applicant was <br />stopped and was advised of the necessary procedures to gain <br />approval for continuing that work. Applicant had taken one <br />Qj- swipes at the very perimeter of the wetland, however, <br />it appears that very little if any wetland vegetation had <br />been destroyed. <br />This designated wetland receives drainage through a culvert <br />from the south side of Navarre Lane. The outlet of this <br />wetland is via a 16" clay tile tnat heads northward <br />underneath the railroad tracks, underneath a portion of the <br />house located at 3329 Crystal Bay Road, continues underneath <br />Crystal Bay Road to outlet at the shoreline of Crystal Bay. <br />This tile was likely installed a century ago when the <br />railroad was built. With the invert of this tile <br />approximately 1.5' below normal lake level, there would ,, <br />appear to be a direct connection of this wetland with Lake <br />Minnetonka . <br />While the Orono Comprehensive Plan mentions wildlife habitat <br />as a wetland benefit, the Zoning Code basis for review and <br />approval of wetland alterations, is primarily <br />controlling the quantity, rate, and quality of run-off <br />entering the lake. The City Engineer has reviewed the <br />applicant's proposal and has walked the site, and has <br />requested the same information as was requested by the <br />Watershed District, in order to determine whether the <br />proposal meets the required flood plain management <br />engineering characteristics. <br />As noted above, approximately 1/3 of the wetland will be <br />opened up to create a 12 ’ deep pond. This may have a number <br />of ramifications, both from a wilalife standpoint and frcm a <br />flood plain management standpoint: <br />a.Providing an area of open water surrounded by a cattail <br />marsh will likely increase the diversity of wildlife <br />attracted to the site. <br />b.Aeration of the pond as proposed will tend to reduce <br />the algae growth, as noted by the applicant. <br />c.Depending on fluctuations of the water table, <br />excavation of the pond could tend to dry up the fringes <br />of the wetland during low water years, hence changes in <br />the nature of wetland vegetation might occur.