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16-3822 <br /> April 14,2016 <br /> Page 6 of 13 <br /> Northern Railroad corridor. To the west is wetland and the Hwy 12/CR6 interchange. To the <br /> northwest across Wayzata Boulevard is Lurton Park. Given the transportation uses that <br /> functionally surround the site on three sides, the proposed medium density (3-7 units per acre) <br /> residential use would appear as an appropriate fit for this site as a transition to the 2-acre zoning <br /> located south of the Hwy 12/Railroad corridor and north of Wayzata Boulevard on Lake Classen. <br /> General Site Characteristics <br /> The portion of the site proposed for development at this time is high ground overlooking a large <br /> wetland, and sitting 10-15' above Wayzata Boulevard. The site is a former homestead and as <br /> such there are many mature hardwood trees surrounded by areas of low vegetation formerly <br /> maintained as lawn. The southwesterly portion of the property was used as a landfill for many <br /> decades, and currently is quite open, bordered by mostly volunteer tree growth at the <br /> wetland/landfill boundary. These existing trees near the south side of the property do provide <br /> some measure of visual and sound buffering to the Highway 12 freeway. <br /> Conservation Design <br /> The applicants have submitted a Conservation Design report (Exhibit G) prepared by Jacobsen <br /> Environmental in reference to the City's Conservation Design ordinances. The report appears to <br /> be limited to an inventory of vegetation types with a relatively minimal level of analysis. A bare- <br /> bones Conservation Design Master Plan was included, which appears on pages 3-4 of the report. <br /> Per comments by City Consulting Engineer Bob Bean of Bolton & Menk, the Conservation <br /> Design Master Plan (CDMP) should be revised to include more complete recommendations and <br /> direction to address the following topics: <br /> a. Invasive Species — The CDMP should be revised to include a complete Vegetation <br /> Management Plan. The plan should include a list of all invasive plant species encountered <br /> (i.e. buckthorn, garlic mustard, reed canary grass, creeping charlie, canada thistle, etc.) <br /> and recommended procedures and schedule for eradication of listed species. <br /> b. Protection of Significant Tree Stands — The CDMP should be revised to include <br /> discussions on the location, quality, and value of existing significant tree stands, <br /> recommendations for areas to be preserved, and justification and mitigation of impacts of <br /> any such stands to be impacted by development activities. The Vegetation Management <br /> Plan should depict proposed Tree Preservation areas and trees designated for removal to <br /> allow for review of potential conservation easements. <br /> c. Protection of Wetlands — The Vegetation Management Plan should include procedures, <br /> schedule, and seed mixes for protecting and establishing buffers around wetlands. <br /> Wetlands on Site and/or Impacted <br /> The southerly 2/3 of the property contains a significant area of wetland, a portion of which was <br /> filled as a demolition and or/general landfill during the 1960s-1970s. While no existing wetlands <br /> are being impacted by the proposed development, the applicants are proposing substantial areas <br /> of wetland buffer to be preserved or established along the entire wetland boundaries of the <br /> property. Wetland buffers shown are 40' in width along the portion of the property being <br /> developed, 70' in width along all other wetland boundaries (subject to MCWD approval). Where <br /> the 40' buffers are proposed, building setbacks are shown as meeting the City required 10' <br /> setback from the edge of buffer. The City will require a Conservation and Flowage Easement <br /> over the wetlands being preserved. <br />