05-10-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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10 Traffic Study A formal traffic study is not required. The updated 2020 I-35E Corridor AUAR analyzed traffic impacts for commercial development along this entire corridor. The proposed retail building is consistent with AUAR Land Use Scenarios #1 and #2 for commercial development. Otter Lake Road and CSAH 14 (Main Street) are A Minor Reliever and A Minor Collector roads, respectively and have structural capacity to handle the commercial traffic. Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) The site is within the 2005 I-35E Corridor AUAR environmental review boundary. The AUAR was updated in May 2020. The AUAR identifies this site as commercial in the land use scenarios. The Otter Crossing project is consistent with commercial development. No further environmental assessment is required. Wetlands A wetland delineation report was completed by Midwest Natural Resources on September 4, 2019. A WCA Notice of Decision was issued by RCWD on December 9, 2019. Two wetlands were delineated. Wetland A is 2.59 acres and Wetland B is 1.19 acres. Per RCWD CAPROC dated January 27, 2021, a complete replacement plan application was submitted to the District for proposed wetland impacts on 08-27-20 and was subsequently noticed to the TEP on 09-04-2020. The application initially included 5,270 ft2 of wetland impact associated with the installation of a private drive off Otter Lake Road. The TEP expressed concern with the proposed subdivision of the site and what that might mean for future development and additional wetland impacts. In addition, the proposed drainage map showed that the drainage to the eastern portion of Wetland A would be reduced by 46%. The applicant updated the application to show the anticipated future development of the parcel including the extension of the private drive to the northern part of the property. The applicant demonstrated that even if direct impacts to the eastern portion of Wetland A were avoided, the development of the parcel will not be able to provide sufficient hydrology to the wetland. The wetland impact amount was therefore increased to 68,685 ft2 to represent the secondary impact from effectively draining portions of Wetland A. The applicant’s MnRAM analysis determined that Wetland A is moderately or severely degraded. The replacement ratio is 1:1. The application also includes the excavation of 1,670 ft2 in the western part of Wetland A. The excavation is to allow the storm sewer to work across the site. A channel will be excavated to the elevation of the outlet pipe that is located off-site in the southwest corner of Wetland A. This impact does not require replacement as WCA does not regulate excavation in type 1 or 2 wetlands if the work does not convert to non-wetland. The excavation is proposed to be less than 2 feet and will not result in converting the wetland to deep water habitat. The applicant has provided an alternative analysis, including discussion of impact avoidance, minimization and mitigation. The applicant has reasonably avoided and minimized wetland impacts to the extent possible. The applicant has addressed all comments and the TEP concurs that WCA impact sequencing is met.