03-24-1999 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Review comments of pages 1 -56 All inventories are building- oriented rather than land- oriented. A natural resource manager would add a great deal to the value of the inventory. For example, in the East Portion Inventory, Gervais Lake is mentioned only three times: once as a paragraph heading, and twice as a location for homes. As important as the lake is to that part of the City, there is minimal acknowledgement of its existence and importance. Similarly, the significance of existing lakes and wetlands as community amenities is minimally acknowledged if at all. Progressive environmental action appears to be limited to civic beautification and tree planting. Protection of natural resources through state laws such as Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act and Shoreland Management regulations is also a minimal approach to environmental management. The natural resources remaining in the metro area are so scarce that they should be placed at a higher preservation value. The Round Lake area is discussed from street viewing, and is a part of three different inventory descriptions (Rice Street, Northwest and Southwest Corridors). Because there are several options available to the City for the Round Lake area, the lake area should be planned from a lake point -of -view. One parcel along the railroad has not been identified ore referenced either by ownership, current or future land use. Twin Lake and the unnamed wetland on north Rice Street receive a less disjointed evaluation, as does Savage Lake and Gervais Lake because their surrounding land uses are within a single planning unit. Lake and wetland areas are recommended by the plan only because there are impervious area restrictions to development. They could be viewed as amenities that can add value to the community. Open space is generally treated the same way in the plan. A different perspective about existing vacant lots and the intrinsic values of natural areas can be provided by the Watershed District Natural Resources Board. The major natural resource - related goal "to enhance and ensure the proper protection of natural environmental features" appears in the context of site development factors rather than in the context of a rare and valuable metropolitan amenity for the City. For example, in the Northwest Quadrant discussion, this goal is recommended for site planning except "where environment is not a factor on site and the development should be evaluated towards creating positive on -site environments, or at least enhancing off -site environments." This is a vague and cumbersome statement that needs a better explanation. Another natural resource - related goal was seen on page 43: "Prevent over - intensification of land use development..." Through this goal it is possible to revise the parking lot and street width requirements for new and re- development. Unnecessary impervious areas cost taxpayers interms of stormwater management efforts. Facie 135