07-23-08 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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INVENTORY Physical Profile The City of Little Canada is a fully developed, urbanized community. There are, however, nine lakes and ponds within the city limits encompassing 340 acres in area. Soils The soils in a particular area often determine the type and extent of urban development that can occur in the community. Factors such as soil strength, drainage and frost characteristics may serve to limit the development of buildings and structures. The soils within Little Canada belong to one of 29 soil associations or types. Urban land - Hayden- Kinsley complex is the most widely found soil in Little Canada with about 387 acres, or 13 percent of the total City. Other prominent soil types in the City include Urban land - Zimmerman complex (358 acres, 12 percent), Barronett silt loam (291 acres, 10 percent) and Zimmerman loamy fine sand (240 acres, 8 percent). In the late 1970's, the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, in conjunction with the University of Minnesota, completed a detailed survey of all soils within Ramsey County. While it should be noted that any large scale mapping of soils results in an extremely generalized graphic statement, the information does serve to illustrate the relationship between soil types and the areas most suitable for development. Soil limitations were determined from analysis conducted by the USDA Soil Conservation Service. A rating system, defined as follows, and shown on the Soil Limitations Map, indicates the development potential of certain sites for dwellings with basements. The limitations are considered to be slight if soil properties or site features are generally favorable for the indicated use and limitations are minor and easily overcome. Moderate limitations result if the soil properties of a site are not favorable for the proposed use and special planning, design or maintenance is needed to overcome the limitations. Severe limitations are defined by unfavorable soil properties or site features that are so difficult to overcome that special planning, design and maintenance are required which results in increased construction costs and on -going maintenance. Oftentimes special feasibility studies are necessary to determine if development is possible of soils classified as "severe ". Flydric soils... City of Little Canada — 2030 Comprehensive Plan 10