05-18-2015 Planning Commission Packet

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ABSTRACT Svoboda Ecological Resources (SER) visited the above referenced property on October 9 and October 1 S, 2014 to examine the site for dhe presence of areas meeting wetland criteria. T'he study parcel is located in Orono, M11; Hennepin County (Figure 1). Three wetland boundaries was flagged and one area was sampled at thrs site. Sample transects were estabdished along the boundary at vegetation trarrsition points in order to characterize the soil, vegetation, and existing hydrology within the wetland-to-upland transition zone. INTRODUCTION The subject parcels, 200 and 350 Stubbs Bay Road, are approximately 30.29 acres in size in total. and are dominated by various cover types including hardwood farest, lowland forest, emergent wetland, vacant grassland, and two separate residential stcuctures with accompanying outbuildings. The topography of the site slapes generally eastward towards a large wefland complex. The sturounding land use is mostly undeveloped semi-ntral land in the City of Orono with scattered single family homes. US Highway 12 and a majar rail corridor lie just ot the north of the site. The identified wetlands were classified a�ccording to the Cowardin et al., the Circular 39 and the Eggers and Reed classification systems and marked with pink "Wetland Delineation" pin flags. The Technical Documents section of this report cantains field data sheets, plant indicator status information,soil survey informatian, and wetland definitiou information. METxons The methods used to delineate the subject parcel are as descn`bed in the 1987 US Army Gozps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual and the 2010 Midwest Regional Supplement Manual. In the 1987 Manual, the methods used were described under the"routine" methods for sites greater than 5 acres. This methodology is followed in order to assess whether the three parameters of a wetland are met for areas on the subject parcel. The three parameters required under nornial circumstances in order to delineate a wetland are described in the Technical Documents section. The Midwest Regional Supplement Wetland Delineation Manual is also being utilized to increase �e accuracy of our wetland boundaries. This addendum to the original 87 Manual was created to address the many regional differences that affect wetl�ds and the de�aneation methods used throughout the country. The following explanations are passages from that document. "This Regional Supplomcnt is part of a nationwidt cffort to addrtss ie�ional wetland charactcristics and improve thc accuracy and efficiency of wetland- delineation procsdures. Regional differences in climate, geoiogy, soils, hydrology plsnt and animal communitics,and other factors src importan{to the identification and functioning of wetlands. These di�'erences cac�not be considered adequately in a single national m�u91. The development of this supplement follows Nation.al Acadezny of Sciences recommendations to inerease the regional sensitivity of wetland-delineation methods {National Research Svoboda Ecologieal Resources 300&350 Stubbs Bay Road Project Number:2014-037-03 � pronQ