07-12-2018 Planning Commission Packet

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13 Floodplains and Wetlands Certain areas of the City are located within a floodplain due to the City’s glaciated topography. Floodplains are areas typically next to streams, rivers, wetlands and landlocked basins that are subject to seasonal flooding. All lots in a designated floodplain are subject to FEMA regulations as well as regulations provided by Little Canada’s Code. The attached Floodplain map shows FEMA flood zones and areas in the City that lie within 100 and 500-year floodplains. The City’s Floodplain Ordinance established the Floodway District and Flood Fringe District. Both Districts include the areas designated as Zone AE and Zone A as designated by FEMA. The Ordinance protects water channels required to carry and discharge regional floods, promote the public health and welfare, and to minimize potential loss of life and property from flooding. The Minnesota DNR has identified nine wetlands in Little Canada as Protected Waters under their regulation. Additional wetlands have been identified through the National Wetland Inventory (NWI). Wetlands provide many important benefits and ecosystem services including: filtering of pollutants, recharging groundwater supplies, floodwater and stormwater retention, commercial benefits, and important habitat. Although the City has mapped the NWI in this Comprehensive Plan, the NWI has not always proven reliable and thus, more accurate wetland inventories compiled by the watershed district and site inspections are important tools to augment the NWI. Little Canada has a Wetland Systems District to regulate the alteration and development of low lands, marshes, wetlands, drainage ways, water bodies, and water courses through the issuance of permits. This District is imposed on any area which includes these low lands, water, and wetlands. To develop in this District the developer must submit a conditional use permit, which includes a wetland systems impact plan. This plan must include sediment control, water management, maintenance and landscaping guidelines, and any change to the environment being proposed. The goal of this District is to limit as much as possible the potential pollution, erosion, and siltation of these water resources. This District works in concurrence with the Wetland Conservation Act and the State Legislature’s goal of no-net-loss of wetlands.