08/17/2015 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,August 17,2015 6:30 dclock p.m. Gronberg stated a homeowners association will be established and that they are aware of the requirement for permits from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. Gronberg indicated the maintenance agreement for stormwater facilities will be taken care of through the homeowners association. Drainage and utility easements will be provided as well as flowage and conservation easements. Gronberg stated a lot of these are fairly standard. As it relates to the wetland buffer widths,the delineation shows it is a Preserve I wetland, which requires a 40-foot buffer with a 10-foot setback, but that they will confirm that with the Watershed District. Gronberg noted they actually added the 10 feet on the setbacks already but that they can clarify that so it is clear where the 40-foot setback is. Gronberg stated as it relates to the proposed a buffer along the existing driveway for Lot 4,the driveway was there a long time before buffers were required and that typically the MCWD will require buffer averaging. Gronberg indicated they will make that up somewhere along the south side. Gronberg indicated they agree that the street should be public and that they do not care whether the existing cul-de-sac is removed or not. Gronberg stated one way to do it is to perhaps could take out the blacktop out and keep the right-of-ways so the easements are intact. Gronberg stated they are in agreement with the recommendation on the road width. Gronberg noted they showed the vertical curve data on the road plan and there is just a small little curve. Gronberg stated the street is pretty much straight and the slight curve should not be an issue. The typical street sections will also be shown on the drawings. Frank Svoboda, Svoboda Ecological Resources, stated with respect to the status of the wetland delineation review, he received an e-mail from the Watershed District approximately one week ago which indicated that approval will be coming relatively soon. The City's Consulting Engineer raised some concern about invasive species and the fact that the Conservation Design plan only addressed invasive species within the buffers. Svoboda stated they can certainly modify it to include the three lots. Svoboda stated in their review of the site, there was some buckthorn along the lakeshore but it was mostly found in patches and pockets. The major invasive feature was canary reed grass. Svoboda noted most of the species of concern were addressed in the report when it spoke specifically about management of invasive species but that they can modify the plan to address anything else that might be discovered. Svoboda stated with respect to tree protection, Staff will prepare a covenant that will address the buffer to protect the maple-basswood forest. Svoboda stated the tees are fairly widely spaced, and with some creative examination of the site,the driveways can be put in with relatively little to no impact. Svoboda stated the treed areas that are remaining near the building pads can be dealt with in the covenant documents. Svoboda stated in his view those were the two key elements that the City's Consulting Engineer identified. Chair Leskinen opened the public hearing at 9:47 p.m. Stephen Byrnes, 1025 Heritage Lane, stated he is the president of the Foxhill Homeowners Association. Byrnes noted he submitted a letter to the City on behalf of the association. All 14 members of the Foxhill Homeowners Association have signed the letter in opposition of using Heritage Lane as the entrance point for construction traffic. In addition,the three neighbors of Fo�chill who are not members of the association have also submitted letters that are included in the Planning Commission packet. Page 31 of 43