01-20-2026 - Agenda Packet Planning Commission - PC agenda January

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LA25-000050 20 January 2026 Page 2 of 4 Relationship to Surrounding Development The proposed subdivision is located on the southern edge of the rural area within the city, where most residential property in the area is around two (2) acres in size. Many of the larger properties in the area primarily consist of wetlands and are limited in their development opportunities. The proposed development aligns with the rural density in the surrounding area. The Webber Hills neighborhood, to the southeast, is an exception with approximately one (1) unit per acre. Access (Private Driveway Outlot) Outlot A is proposed to contain a single shared driveway to connect both lots to Fox Street. An access easement should be dedicated over Outlot A, as well as dedicated utility and drainage easements. Staff recommends that the applicant prepare a maintenance agreement for the driveway within Outlot A serving both proposed lots. Rural Oasis, Conservation Design & Wetlands The applicant submitted a Conservation Design Report (hereinafter “Report”) prepared by Bogart, Pederson & Associates, Inc. that meets the minimum requirements of Section 6.12.8620 of the City Code (Exhibit E). The Report describes the project, outlines the ecological/aesthetic character of the area, and contains a natural resources inventory and a master plan for conservation design. The subject property is located along the portion of Fox Street (between Leaf Street and Orono Orchard Road) identified in the 2005 Rural Oasis Study as a tunneled enclosure. The Report acknowledges the corridor and the property’s uniqueness, especially as the corridor is primarily described as tunneled with an ample canopy seemingly enclosing the road. The Report notes the “sense of seclusion” the corridor provides, and how the proposed subdivision and subsequent residential development of the lots were designed to “maintain natural buffers, limiting impervious surfaces, and preserving views of open space.” Included in the Report is the Wetland Delineation (also Exhibit F) completed by Kjolhaug Environmental Services Company in 2024, identifying two wetlands on the property. The Report notes the development is confined to previously disturbed areas or other low-impact areas, with careful consideration given to the wetland and forest edges. The scope of the development is small, and existing ecological conditions are expected to be minimally altered. Landscaping + Tree Preservation The Report submitted by the applicant provides a tree survey and a tree removal/protection plan. The total number of trees on the site is not provided; however, 177 trees are planned to be removed only in areas for the driveway access and future homesites. The Report provides a list of recommended tree and plant species from the University of Minnesota Extension, and renderings of proposed trees and plantings around the future homes have been provided in lieu of a proposed landscaping plan. Additionally, the Report identifies invasive species on the site, which include buckthorn, cattail, and reed canary grass. These species were identified primarily in the wetland areas and will be undisturbed, with the Report noting that the existing conditions should remain substantially the same before and after development. If treatment is necessary, DNR recommendations will be followed. Per Section 6.20.940(b) of the City code, deciduous trees are required to be planted within five feet of the right-of-way within and abutting the subdivision. There is an existing tree canopy up to the right-of-way of Fox Street, where natural screening of the property is sufficient and additional tress may not be necessary. Staff recommends the Commission discuss if additional trees are warranted along Fox Street. 16