11/10/2008 Council Packet (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

Schwartz Page 4 7. Paragraph F of Subdivision 11 Drainage of Section 3 General Provisions of the Zoning Ordinance states that as part of a building permit application in which a building footprint expansion of an existing structure is proposed, a site survey showing proposed grading, drainage and building pad elevation(s) must be submitted to the City, After the improvement is completed, the owner must submit a plan certified by a registered land surveyor or engineer which states that the improvements are consistent with the grading and drainage plan approved with the final plat or site plan. 8. Jeff Smyser, the City Planner, stated that the City's standard of practice is to obtain a buffer of 10 feet minimum and more if possible between the improvement and any wetland for this type of site improvement. This standard of practice is consistent with the subdivision code which requires a minimum 10 foot buffer. The proposed temporary gravel access road is completely within this buffer area, and thus does not comply with the standard of practice. The proposed road is in an unacceptable location. 9. Document #1 shows that in one location the proposed elevation of the temporary gravel access road to be 914 feet directly adjacent to the wetland which has an existing elevation of 912 feet. This is a fill of 2 feet and to install the road, a maximum slope of 3 foot horizontal to 1 foot vertical is needed from the road to the wetland. Therefore, the slope will extend 6 feet into the wetland and thus 6 feet of the wetland will be filled in, which is prohibited without a permit. This situation is repeated at several locations along the road. The proposed road is clearly in an unacceptable location. 10. The Documents do not define what is meant by a "temporary" gravel access road. Thus it is not known how long the road will exist, when it might be removed and what will replace it. In summary, it is TEI's opinion that the City should not approve the improvements as currently submitted because they do not meet City code requirements. Please note that Smith must obtain a permit from the MPCA for erosion control because he is disturbing more than one acre of land. He may also be required to obtain a permit from Rice Creek Watershed District because the wetland and lake may be an environmentally sensitive area. (The District typically does not review residential site improvements on less than five acres. However, TEI recommends that you alert the District to these proposed improvements and ask them to determine whether they will require Smith to submit his Documents and obtain a permit in this situation.) Very truly yours, Steven W. Thatcher, P.E. Thatcher Engineering Inc. sthatcher@thatcher-eng.com T:\Projects \Schwartz \letter to Schwartz 11- 10- 08a.doc Lngiticcnng and Lnvirunrnent'.1I Solutions