02-19-2008 Planning Commission Packet

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0 #08-3344 Big Island Dock System February 13,2008 Page 2 Background Orono purchased the Big Island Veterans Camp property with the intent of preserving its availability for public use as passive parkland and open space. The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District partnered with the City in the purchase, and a conservation easement was placed over approximately 3/4 of the 56-acre parcel. The azea not encumbered by the easement includes a 200' segment of shoreline where docks serving the site have historically been located. The City proposes to, over time, provide a total of up to four floating docks at this locatiori. The first dock, to be installed this year, will be 80' in length and 8' in width, plus a 20'- 30' aluminum gangway extending from one of the four proposed concrete landing pads. . . . This dock will be sufficient to allow for docking of large boats such as the steamboat Minnehaha as well as provide for the various Park uses anticipated in 2008. The landing pads are a critical element of the dock system, to provide for a solid, stable and established location for pedestrians to exit the docks. The additional3 docks to be added later would be of similar length but at this time are planned to be 6' in width rather than 8'. � � Construction and installation during 2008 will include 2 pads witli connecting sidewalk and one dock. The remaining two pads and three additional docks will be installed in 2009 or later. The current request is approval for all 4 pads, the 3 connecting sidewalks, and all 4 docks, allowing the construction in future years without the need to renew the , variances. • Proposed Layout - _ Please review Exhibit C. The four landing pads will each be 10' x 20' in area, located within a few feet of the shoreline, spaced to allow for separation between docks of approximately 50'. The pads will be connected by a 4'-6' sidewalk. Total width along � the shore of the pads and sidewalks will be approximately 200', comprising approximately 1400 s.f. of hardcover in the 0-75' zone. The 75' zone is approximately - 562,500 s.f. in area for this property, hence the proposed hardcover is approxixnately one- quarter of one percent(0.25%). The pads are proposed to be level or slightly tilted to allow for drainage and provide dry footing. Each pad will be equipped with the necessary hinge hardware to securely connect its gangway; the gangway will then be free at its far end where it sits atop the floating dock,to rise or fa11 as the lake level fluctuates through the boating season. It is anticipated that the excavation and filling to prepare the area of the pads will be �� completely above the 929.4' OHW elevation. It is possible that a small portion of the pads will require filling within the defined"flood fringe", the area between the OHW and the 931.5' floodplain elevation; a slight terrace currently exists at the shoreline, and its . elevation is not defined on the surveys available. If filling is required below elevation 931.5' the City will be required to mitigate for any reductions in storage.