09/02/2008 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • Parks, Open Space, Greenways & Trails System Plan Update This plan was updated as part of the comprehensive planning process to reflect the additional demand for parks and recreation facilities that will occur from the growth that the city is anticipating and to incorporate the wealth of natural resource information gathered through the development suitability analysis and RCWD's RMP. This additional information was used to modify the location of future parks, trails, and open space to maximize the ability of the city to create multifunctional greenway corridors for wildlife, trails, natural resource conservation and surface water management features. The revised Parks, Open Space, Greenways, and Trail System Plan map is shown on Figure 2 -9. The following are excerpts from the 2004 plan that have been updated to describe the updated plan and map. It is noted that the 2004 plan is incorporated into this Comprehensive Plan (see Appendix B) and only the definitions presented below and the map have been updated. Greenway System Considering this mosaic of natural systems in a collective way created the basic conceptual structure of the greenway system. The following considers each of these areas in greater detail. As the Park, Greenway, and Trail System Map illustrates, three specific areas are defined within the greenway system. The following considers each of these (see Figure 2 -9). Natural Resource Protected Area Generally consists of water bodies and land areas that have some level of protection under current regulatory ordinances and controls. Specific areas included in this zone: • Lakes, streams, and county ditches. • Parkland (regional and local parks). • Wetland Preservation Corridor (WPC) identified in the Lino Lakes RMP and protected through an associated RCWD Rule. • Wetland systems that are not included within the WPC, but are protected through the Federal Clean Water Act and /or Minnesota's Wetland Conservation Act. Under protected status, development is largely controlled and, where feasible, prohibited. Under established regulatory rules, any encroachment into these areas typically requires special permitting and mitigation. Natural Resource Conservation Area Consists largely of upland areas defined under various natural vegetative cover or soil types. Specific areas included in this zone: • Unique banded soils areas that support rare species, many of which have been identified on the vegetative mapping. • Oak forest, aspen, maple- basswood, tamarack swamp, lowland forest, and other areas that are significant natural resource areas, especially those that are adjacent to other protected resource areas. • Blanding turtle breeding site and corridor. • Floodplain areas. • Previously restored natural areas. • Marginally suitable development areas identified through the natural resource based development suitability analysis.