07/23/2001 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • July 11, 2001 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Mr. Jeff Smyser, City Planner City of Lino Lakes 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 -1182 500 Lafayette Road S. Paul. Minnesota 55155 -4{) [BY FACSIMILE] (Hard copy to follow' RE: Lino Lakes Marketplace Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) Dear Mr. Smyser: The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has reviewed the EAW for the proposed Lino Lakes Market-place retail center, located in the City of Lino Lakes, Anoka County. This project involves a commercial retail center of approximately 327,000 square feet along with parking lots and a storm water pond, to be constructed on 40 acres of undeveloped land. We offer the following comments for your consideration. Li Item 12 of the EAW there is a discussion of the wetlands on the project site and proposed impacts to wetlands. We note that the wetlands referred to as Wetland Basin A and Wetland Basin B are not DNR protected waters or wetland basins. The DNR is concerned by the proposed elimination of wetlands and the significant loss of the forested wetland habitats of these two wetland basins. These wooded areas are excellent examples of sites that can easily be avoided by changing the building placement. For Wetland Basin A, the EAW states that the proposed fill is necessary due in part to the large footprint of the development being proposed. The proposed impact to this wetland by fill for a parking lot raises questions about the appropriateness of the site for the project as defined. Wetlands, such as Wetland Basin A, Located at the very edge of a proposed project, are logical candidate for avoidance. The project proposer appears to be trying to maximize the development of the site at the expense of both the wetland and upland communities on the eastern edge of the site. The wooded habitat wetland will be eliminated by the filling of one part of the wetland and the use of the remainder for storm water storage. There must be an alternative development scenario that would be both economically and environmentally sound. It does not appear that the project proposer has considered a full slate of reasonable design options. The DNR recommends that the City of Lino Lakes and the project proposer work together to redesign this project to avoid the impacts to the eastern portion of the site. DNR Information: 651- 296 -6157 • 1- 888 -646 -6367 • TTY: 651- 296 -5484 • 1- 800 -657 -3929 An Equal Opportunity Employer Who Values Diversity 'r0 Printed on Recycle Paper Containing a •M Minimum of to% Poet- Consumer Waste /I 1