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• • The park contains a blue heron rookery with reported flights in vicinity of the project site. Per conversation with John Von Delinde, Anoka County Parks and Recreation Department, it is believed that the blue heron rookery relocated to an unknown area due to construction noise related to the reconstruction of I -35W in the spring and summer of 1999 and 2000. Potential water quality impacts on wetland habitat in the park reserve is an important issue. Runoff from the site ultimately runs under the freeway into the park reserve and George Watch Lake. Plant Communities The wildlife habitat value of the project site is primarily a function of the type, distribution and quality of the plant communities it encompasses. The project site encompasses three plant community types: (1) an upland forest stand with old field openings in the southwest corner of the site, (2) a large central upland old field area that covers most of the project site and (3) two partially drained wetlands that lie in the northeast corner of the site adjacent to I -35W. These plant communities were described in detail in the Lino Lakes Town Center Natural Resources Inventory Report. The characteristics of these areas and anticipated project impacts are summarized below. These summaries combine information from the Inventory and a site visit by a member of the project proposer's team. Upland Forest Stand with Old Field Openings The ground layer in this stand is dominated by smooth brome (Bromus inermis), with quack grass (Agropyron repens) and blue grass (Poa pratensis) also present. The mature portion of the overstory consists of large, 24 -30 inch bur oaks (Quercus macrocarpa) and two large, 12 -20 inch American elms ( Ulmus americana). The balance of the deciduous trees include boxelder (Acer negundo), Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila), and one 15 inch cottonwood (Populus deltoides). Coniferous tree species adjacent to this area include 7 -8 inch red cedars (Juniperus virginiana). Upland Old Field Quack grass, smooth brome, blue grass, giant mullein (Verbascum thapsus), and a variety of other native and non - native plant species adapted to disturbance dominate the old field portion of the site. In the east central portion of the old field there is an area that has been previously scraped and includes piles of dumped materials that appear to include dredged peat substrates, glacial till with gravels and sands, some demolition debris, and some cinders. Around the scrape, large areas of weedy disturbance vegetation have developed, including horseweed (Erigeron canadensis), giant mullein, sweet clover (Melilotus spp.), and Russian thistle (Salsola kali), with scattered bush clover (Lespedeza spp.) also present. Throughout the large field are patches of depauperate dry prairie containing New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), bush clover, showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa), and patches of little and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii and Schizachryrium scoparium), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), love grass (Agrostis spp.), pearly everlasting (Anaphilis margaritacea), vervains (Verbena spp.), evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), and prairie panic grass (Panicum linearifolium). The City Ordinance defines a significant tree as any hardwood deciduous tree 6" caliper or greater, any softwood deciduous tree of 8" caliper or greater, and any coniferous tree of 12' height or greater. See Exhibit J, Significant Tree Survey. The tree survey logged 752 trees, including 566 "significant trees" as defined by ordinance. The proposed grading activities will require the removal of 474 significant trees. In addition, the City has requested that all aspen and cottonwood be removed from the site. An additional twenty-one (21) "significant" aspen and cottonwood will be removed that would have been preserved during the grading process. The total tree removal count is then at 495 significant trees. Refer to Exhibit J — Tree Removal for more specifics on the common name of trees on site and those removed. Page 10 of 28 Draft EAW Lino Lakes Marketplace May 11, 2001