04/14/2004 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Fox Den Acres page 4 trail corridor from the neighborhood on the west, across the northern part of the site, and leading to Birch Park to the east. This trail was envisioned to be within what we currently refer to as a "greenway ". A greenway is a corridor of protected open space managed for conservation and recreational purposes. The comprehensive plan includes a greenway map (see attached detail). The City has no automatic ownership rights within areas envisioned as greenways. Greenway corridors on the map are conceptual and are to be refined through the development review process. The greenway map includes the entire site within a conceptual greenway. The City has begun the process to update the parks and trails plan. The new planning effort will address open space that is not part of active use parks. The planning process will include discussion on the different types of open space— active recreation parkland and passive space with natural resource preservation goals —and how they do or don't fit into the community's future. The goal is to complete that plan in 2004. The 1992 trail plan has not been implemented as envisioned, largely due to the lack of consensus on how to accomplish its goals. The lack of consensus on how to achieve the greenway vision laid out in the comprehensive plan is further manifestation of the need to address these concepts. The intent of the new parks and open space planning effort is to resolve these issues. The subdivision ordinance includes park dedication requirements. Park dedication is $1665 per residential unit, less any land dedication. If a significant amount of land is dedicated, no additional cash dedication would be required. Utilities: Sanitary sewer and water service will connect to existing facilities in Fox Road. The City Engineer is still analyzing the water system to determine if pressure and circulation are adequate for this development. Grading and Stormwater Management: Stormwater ponds will be created in several locations on the site. There are unresolved questions regarding if the ponds will function as proposed due to high water elevations relative to surrounding wetlands. Other stormwater facilities design elements will need revision, too. Drainage and utility easements will need to cover the ponds and stormwater facilities. Easements also will be platted along all the external property lines. The project requires the approval of the Rice Creek Watershed District. Existing City Easement: The project also proposes the partial vacation of an existing ponding and flowage easement held by the City. This easement covers most of the land to the east and south of the site, which comprises a large wetland area. A 100' strip (approx. one acre) of the easement would need to be vacated on the eastern side of the plat. A triangle on the south (about 0.8) acre also would need vacating.