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WS— Item `2i WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item 7 Date: July 6, 2010 To: City Council From: Jeff Smyser Re: Draft Amendments to Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Chapter of City Code Regarding Development in Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Tree Preservation, Landscaping, Platting, and Planned Unit Developments Background Since the late 1990s Lino Lakes has been pursuing a more environmentally sound means of handling new development. This has included: - Handbook for Environmental Planning and Conservation Development, 1999. - Parks, Natural Open Space /Greenways and Trail Plan, 2004 -I -35E Corridor Alternative Urban Areawide Review, 2005 -2030 Vision Plan, 2007 The draft new Comprehensive Plan further promotes the conservation design principles laid out in all these documents. Chapter 2 creates the Resource Management System Plan, establishing an open space system that corresponds with Environmentally Sensitive Areas created by plans and rules of the Rice Creek Watershed District. Now the City is creating and amending official controls to implement the ideas and plans. In February 2009 the City Council approved an agreement for a $25,000 Community Conservation Assistance Grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural resources' (DNR) Metro Greenways Program (Resolution No. 09 -10). The purpose of the matching grant program is to assist local governments with the integration of natural resources information and data into local development and conservation plans and policy decisions. The City received the grant to assist with the development and updating of ordinances to address environmentally sensitive areas, storm water management, integrated tree preservation and landscaping requirements, planned unit development (PUD), low impact development (LID) and conservation subdivision design. City staff worked with Bonestroo to prepare new or revised sections of the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations, which are the primary controls for regulating new development. A new stormwater management ordinance also is in the works. These new standards will apply to all new development in the city.