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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-20-1997 Council Packet Special MeetingThe EAW Process This chapter provides an overview of the complete EAW process. It is rxx intended as a for foe EQB rules tfiemselves, and should not be used as such. Tlie EAW is defined by state statute to be a “brief document which is designed to set out the base faas necessary to determine whether an EIS is required for a proposed actioa” The purpose of the EAW process is to disclose information about potential environmental impacts of the project The EAW process is no/ an approval process. The infonnation disclosed in the EAW process has two functions: (1) it is used to detennine whethCT an EIS is needed; and (2) it indicates how the ptojea can be modified to lessen its environmental impacts — such modifications may be imposed as pemut conditions by regulatOQr The infonnation disclosed comes from three sources: (1) the EAW itself; (2) comments received on the EAW; and 0) responses made to comments received on the EAW. However, the EAW itself is generally the most impotant source of infcKmation. The EAW process involves four tn^jor steps: Step 1 - The proposer of the project supplies data necessary for the completion of the EAW to tl» Responsible Governmental Unit (RGU). Step 2- The RGU prepares the EAW. Step 3- 30-day public comment perkxL Step 4 - The RGU leqxxxls to the comments received and makes a decision on the need for an EIS based on the EAW, comments received, and the reqxxises to the comments. The RGU and othCT units of government mry require modifications to the projea to mitigate environmental impacts as disclosed through the EAW process. Public A ttendance Meeting D ate 2,' 20-V] ^ C ouncil Planning C ommission □ Park C ommission Other Please fill out the infor >ution REQUESTED BELOW FOR OUR CITY RECORDS. NAME (please print)ADDRESS PRESENT FOR (from agenda) NAME OR NUMBER o« 1. '/ ( ^iV\ovOc. , Hb 53^) 2. 3.. 4. 5.. 6, 7. 8. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. mimA 0 C/ry CITY OF ORONO NOTICE OF SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING NOTICE, is hereby given that the Orono City Council will meet in a special council meeting on Thursday, February 20, 1997, at 8:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers, 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, Minnesota. The purpose of this meeting is to review the draft Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the Spring Hill Golf Club project. This meeting is open to the public. By Order of City Council /s/ Dorothy M. Hallin City Clerk Posted at: City Hall Long Lake Post Office Navarre Post Office Crystal Bay Post Office I 1. TO;Mayor and City Council ‘=0t«vi FROM;Ron Moorse, City Administrator ^0 DATE;February 18,1997 07V J997 QF q SUBJECT: Spring Hill Golf Club EAW - Special Council Meeting Purpose of Special Council Meeting The purpose of the special Council meeting is to identify any information that needs to be added to the EAW and/or any changes to the language in the EAW necessary to make it complete and accurate for publication. Based on comments from Councilmembers and review by the consulting engineer, staff has developed a set of issues to be reviewed for potential additions or changes to the EAW. The consulting engineer has provided a review of traffic issues in a separate memo (attached). Also attached is a memo from Councilmember Flint with his comments regarding the EAW. The EAW is defined by state statute to be a "brief document which is designed to set out the basic facts necessar>' to detemiine whether an EIS is required for a proposed action." The purpose of the EAW process is to disclose infomiation about potential environmental impacts of the project. The EAW process is not an approval process. 1.Big Woods The proposed golf course will have an impact on a significant remnant of the big woods. The portion of the golf course north of County Road 6 in Orono and Medina includes 42 acres of big woods forest. This remnant is somewhat fragmented by wetlands and a new growth area. This is a free stranding remnant, in that it is not contiguous to any larger big woods areas. However, it is in close proximity to two larger areas of big woods forest. These are the Wolsfeld woods and the Wood Rill scenic and natural area. (Please see the attached map.) The impact of the golf course on this area of big woods is that it eliminates 53% of the big woods. Also, the remainder of this remnant will not be a contiguous big woods area but rather several small individual areas. The following chart indicates before and after acreages of big woods. Existing big woods Proposed big woods Orono Medina iQtal 15.04 acres 28.07 acres 43.11 6.02 acres 15.67 acres 21.59 By changing the 43 contiguous big woods area to several small areas of big woods totaling 18 acres; the project changes the type of woods community, including related plants and wildlife habitat, from a big woods remnant community to a forest fringe type of community. Other types of currently permissible development (i.c. residential) could have somewhat similar impacts. Under current regulations a residential development could have a greater impact on the big woods unless the cities of Orono and Medina placed substantial restrictions 2 1 on both the density and layout of development. Resources on or in Proximity to the Sitc A. Historical Resources Two potential historical resources have been identified on the site. The process of evaluating these sites in terms of any required preservation has not been completed. Unless the developer is planning to avoid these sites as part of the golf course development, this issue has not yet been completely addressed. B. Designated Parks, Recreation Areas or Trails The EAW should indicate that the Wolsfeld Woods and Wood Rill SNA's are located in close proximity to the proposed golf course. The EAW should also include the trail plans of Orono, Medina and Hennepin County as they relate to the vicinity of the golf course. E. Other Unique Resources The EAW should restate the existence Oi the 42 acre big woods remnant on the site even though it was addressed in item 11B. Sold Waste. Hazardous Waste. Storage Tanks The golf course maintenance facility will include a refueling area for the golf course equipment. The Council may want the proposer to include additional detail regarding the type of storage tanks for petroleum products and the procedures to be used to prevent leaks and spills. Impact on Infrastructure and Public Services The EAW currently indicates no improvements or additional infrastructure will be required off-site as a result of the project. Although it is true no new or expanded roads would be required, it may t be necessar)' to perform repair or major structural rehabilitation to Spring Hill Road, and potentially to East Long Lake Boulevard, in the near term to serve the additional traffic generated by the golf course. The EAW should include this information. Traffic The EAW indicates the proposed Spring Hill Golf Club development is not expected to have significant trallic impacts to the surrounding loadway system. Although it is true that the increased trallic will not require any capacity upgrades in terms of adding lanes of traffic, it may require the reconstruction of one or more local roadways to enable them to handle the additional traffic generated by the golf course development Also, any current minor deficiencies in local roads or intersections could become more pronounced with the increase in traffic. The city’s consultant engineer is reviewing tratlle impacts and will provide a report prior to the special Council meeting. The EAW is accurate in that the traffic impacts in terms of tlie general capacity of the roadways is minor i.e. there is no need for additional traffic lanes. However, the local roads tliat would carry the increased traffic art currently constructed and maintained to handle a minor amount of local traffic only. These roads include Spring Hill Road and East Long Lal.e Road. The incremental increase in tiuffie caused by the golf course may, particularly f--r Spring Hill Road, require structural rehabilitation of the road. East Long Lake Road also was constructed through very poor soils. The roadway was constructed to handle a small level of residential traffic. The golf course could add sufficient traffic to make this roadway, as currently constructed, unworkable and would require a repair or structural rehabilitation that would otherwise be unnecessary. L Water Quality A. Wetlands I'hc stormwater drainage plan includes the impounding of stormwater in wetland areas (using the wetland areas as detention ponds). This is anticipated to increase tlto water depth in the wetland areas by one foot. This will change the character of the wetlands. The developer indicates the wetlands have been drained and the impoundment will partially restore them to their pre-drained condition. Questions to address: 1. Will the raising of the water level in the wetlands create "higher quality" wetlands? 2. Will the use of the wetlands as detention ponds, which have the purpose of allowing pollutants to settle out, cause a degrading of the wetlands over time? B. Use of pesticides The EAW indicates Integrated Pest Management practices will be used for turf management. This relates to the application of pesticides to the turf. Because this is important to protecting water quality, the city may want the developer to include the planned Integrated Pest Management practices as an appendix to the EAW so that they can be commented on by the reviewing agencies. 4 Summary of Issues The EAW indicates no significant issues requiring furtlier analysis have been identified during the EAW preparation. If, after the review of issues at the special Council meeting, the Council believes there are issues which do require further analysis before the project is commenced, the issues should be listed here. GRAY PLANT MOOTY 2-13-1997 15:52 PAGE 1/2 RightFAX MEMORAJNDlliM TO:City Administrator. Ron Moorse FROM: Richard Flint RE:S princ Hill Golf Club Environmental Assessment Work Sheet DATE: February 13. 1997 As we discussed, it would be desirable for the City of Orono as the Responsible Governmental Unit to provide its preliminary comments, to the extent possible, to the Spring Hill Golf Course promoters and their advisors prior to the Councirs work session next Tluirsday, February 20. My initial comments which 1 request be forwarded to the Orono Mayor, City Council members and to the proposer and his advisors are as follows. I will continue to review the EA W in greater detail and will keep you advised if 1 have additional comments. I. Item 22 - Traffic- Impact on Adjacent Roads and Infrastnicture. The^lata presented to date fails to convince me that the conclusions e.xpressed in the draft are correct in concluding that the project traffic warrants no capacity improvements to County Road 6. Spring Hill Road or East Long Lake Road. Both East Long Lake Road and Spring Hill Road may be significantly impacted by the relocation of the Spring Hill entrance to Spring Hill Road. 2. Item 26c . 1 believe that this question should be answered “Yes" rather than “No” as is currently indicated. Tliere are three governmental units which have plans for pedestrian and bike trails in this area: a. Tlie Bikc'Hikc Trail Plan adopted by the Orono Park Commi.s.sion (in 1990, as I recall) and approved by the City Council plans a bike trail along County Road 6. Spring Hill Road, East Long Lake Road and Old Long Lake Road. Other portions of this Plan have already been implemented as development along the trail corridor occurred. b. TIk recently adopted Hennepin County Bicycle Transportation Plan contemplates a bike trail along County Road 6. County Road 24. Spring Hill Road, Old Long Lake Road, East Long Lake Road and Hunter Drive. c. Mie City of Medina h.as requested a bike trail along the east side of Tamarack Drive. In addition, the proposed golf course is in close pro.vimity to the DNR’s Wolsfeld Woods and the DNR's Woodrill Scientific and Natural Area. GRAY PLANT MOOTY 2-13-1997 15:52 PAGE 2/2 RightFAX 3. Item 2 lb - Solid Waste: Hnrnrdoiis Waste: Storage Tanks. Additional int'oniiation needs to be provided with respect to the refueling area to be prov ided for golf course equipment. 4. Item 1 2 - Physical Impact on Water Resources. The data regarding Long Lake water quality needs to be updated to include the new data provided by Miiuiehaha Creek Watershed District following the Long Lake Water Quality Improvement Projects undertaken in 1996. Tlie information regarding public accesses to Long Lake provided at the bottom of page 6 are in error. Tliere arc currently two public accesses to Long Lake. I think this was also the case in 1988 when the data was prepared. 5. Item 1 a - Water Ouahtv Surface Water Runoff. It would appear that the data set forth on page 10 should take into account the water that flows into the wetland on the east of Long Lake and from that wetland through the culvert on East Long Lake Road. 6. Rig Woods Remnants Additional data should be supplied with respect to the reduction of Big Woods remnants on the property and efforts which will be made to limit the damage to the Big Woods remnants. 7. Proposed Conclusions. 1 agree with the comment of the City Attorney at last Monday's Council meeting where he indicated that the City was not in a position at this time to make some of the conclusions e.\presscd by the proposer: e.g., the conclusion in Item 29 that "no improvements for additional infrastructure will be required oft site as a result of the prc'ject” and the conclusions in Item 31 that there are no other potential environmental impacts. GI'JSSJII vl .0. BONESTROO AND ASSOCIATES 1/1 Bonestroo Rosene Anderlik & Associates Engineers & Architects ©612 6361311 02/18/97 14:55 0 :01/02 N0:887 Won^ittoo. Ifosent. And^rUk *^nd Asiecistti. Inc $t sn A/hrmjiVyt Action 'f Qu»l Opportunity {mptcyer Principals Otto C Borettroo. Pf • Joseph C Anderhk PE • Marvin L Sofvat^ PE • RiCh^rtfE Turner, F£ • Glenn R Cook P£ • Tnomei E Noyes Pi • Pobrrt G • pF • Jf^y A Bourdon. FI • Woeerr W Rosene. PC end Susan M €oe'i<n C PA. Scn*oi Cuniu'tenfi Associate Princip»^is Howard A Sanford. Pi • Kfftn A Gordon. P£ • Robert R Pfefferle. PI • RiC».#rd W Poster. PE • Oavd O loskora Pi • noberf C Ruisek. AI A. • Mark A Manson. Pi t Michaef T Rautmann. RE • Ted K P.eid. PC • Kennetn P Anderson. PE • Mark R Rolfs PE • Sidney P. WiiuaTSSon. PC.. IS* RoOea F Kotimith Offices St Paul. Rochester. >v*iiniar ar»d St Cloud MN • MeQuon. wi February 19, 1997 Mr. Ronald Moorse, Administrator City of Orono Post Office Box 66 Crystal Bay, Minnesota 55323 Re; Spring Hill Golf Club File No. 139-2209 Dear Ron, We have reviev^ed the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) submitted for the proposed Spring Hill Golf Club Located north of Spring Hill Road and east of Tamarack Drive in the cities of Orono and Medina. We offer the following comments in regards to engineering issues. Water Quality: A turf management program should be established to reduce the amount of excess nutrients leaving the site. The program should be aimed at minimizing the amount of fertilizer applied. This can be accomplished by taking soil tests and applying only the spccfic nutrients that are indicated as inadequate The referenced study done by John M. Barton includes data from only four golf courses. The results of the study indicate that golf cour.ses have less nutrient loading than undeveloped conditions based mainly on the premise that runoff volumes are decreased. The runoff volumes on this project are expected to increase from 120% to 175% over existing conditions. The applicant should provide additional information or studies to support/validaie the water quality assumptions used in their report. Also, the type of grasses proposed on the golf course should be identified as they will have an impact on the nutrient budget. Traffic: The trip generation rates in the EAW show' a daily volume of 250 and a PM peak hour volume of 50. Trip Generation Report published by ITE reports that daily trips would be 675 and PM peak hour trips would be 60. Although the EAW numbers are low. the higher number would not have a negative effect on roadway capacity. Existing volume data for CSAH No. 6 should be available from Hennepin County. We recommend that it be obtained and included in the EAW. An investigation of the need (driven by safety considerations) for an exclusive left turn lane for westbound traffic on CS.AH No. 6 at the east intersection with Spnng Hill Road should be made. This turn lane will likely be required in the future, now may be the time to have it constructed. The intersection of Tamarack Drive and CSAH No. 6 is of particular concern due to the poor sight lines a .d the high speed of oncoming traffic. Safety improvements nny be needed in the area of the i: tersection which may include turn and by-pass lanes and a lowering of the nearby crest vertical curve. The proposed tunnel should be looked at carefully to consider any future design changes to CSAH No. 6. 2335 West Highway 36 • St. Paul, MN 55113-3898 ■ 612-636-4600 BONESTROO AND ASSOCIATES ©612 6361311 02/18/97 14:55 0 :02/02 N0:887 I Mr. Ronald Moorse, City of Orono Page -2- February 19, 1997 The study docs not indicate the level of heavy commercial vehicles that will be associated with the golf course. The structural integrity of Spring Hill Road and East Long Lake Road are suspect and any increase in traffic will have an adverse effect on the roadway. The increased intensity of use associated with the golf course will likely require complete structural improvements to Spring Hill Road in the near term. The current condition of East Long Lake Road should be included in the study. Big Woods: A significant portion of the site contains good quality Maple-Basswood Forest (Big Woods Subtype). Much of the ecological value of this forest community is derived from the high diversity of plant and animal species associated with it. Many of these species require large, unbroken tracts of forest to n --<1 their specialized habitat needs. Any impact which increases fragmentation (e.g., construction of fairwt yO has the potential to reduce the quality of this forest community by reducing species diversity and er. .uraging introduction of exotic plant species. In addition to Maple-Basswood Forest, this site also contains a number of wetland communitie.s. Transition areas between wetland and forest communities are particularly valuable from an ecological standpoint. This is due to the high diversity of plants and animals which tend to occur along the gradient between wetland and upland areas. For this reason, Maple-Basswood Forest areas adjacent to wetlands are panicularly imponant and should be avoided if possible. Maintaining a buffer around these wetlands has the added benefit of protecting the quality of the wetlands communities. With these concepts in mind we offer the following specific comments: 1. Reduce fragmentation of the Maple-Basswood forest to the extent possible. It would be more desirable to preserve 307c or 40^ of the site in one contiguous block and concentrate impacts on the balance of the site rather than routing fairways through the entire site and trying to pre.serve thin .strips of Maple-Basswood Forest in between. 2. Avoid routing fairways along the wetland edges. These areas should be protected as wetland buffer areas. 3. Do not "weed out" native shrubs and understory trees within remaining Maple-Basswood areas. Doing so will encourage mortality to remaining trees through such factors as wind and increased susceptibility to insects and disease. Please contact me at this office if you have any questions regarding this matter. Yours very truly. 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