07/14/2010 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Project Summary Because it has been four years since the development stage plan/preliminary plat was approved, a short review may be useful. Low impact or conservation development design considers conservation goals more important than mathematical standards found in a zoning ordinance. The project was approved as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) because standard zoning requirements do not accommodate the natural features and the restoration plan. Mother Nature does not design based on mathematical dimensions, so the project design focused on the question "what is the best design ?" rather than "does this meet arithmetic zoning requirements ?" A planned development provides the flexibility needed in order to implement this approach. The total site is about 54 acres with about 37 acres of wetland. Very little wetland fill will occur (5900 sf). Most of the wetlands and some upland will be permanent open space, an important step in the implementation of the community's greenway vision. An overall conservation plan approved with the PUD lays out what actions must occur to conserve and restore specified natural features of the site. The arrangement, used for a previous project and originally envisioned for this project, is that a homeowners association will be created that will own the open space, but the City will hold a conservation easement over it. The association will prepare an annual implementation plan. The City will review each annual implementation plan to make sure it is consistent with the overall conservation plan. The City then will release funds for the activities described in the annual plan. This requires the homeowners to work with an ecological specialist to mange the site. In addition to the specific activities described in the restoration and management plan, this site is a piece of a wetland greenway system. This wetland complex continues south and west for over a mile, and east for a similar distance. These wetlands are part of a large watershed along County Ditch 25, which drains a significant portion of south central Lino Lakes. It is the same wetland complex that covers parts of the Foxborough project, which incorporated many conservation development elements to restore and conserve the wetlands. This ditch and wetland system has been identified as a high value ecological area. The Foxborough project was the first low impact conservation design project because it was designed to accommodate and enhance this ecological system. The Preserve At Lino Lakes development will be the next piece in this larger picture. The public values being pursued with this project include the following. a. Preserving more natural open space than required under current ordinances and development policies: The site includes over 37 acres of wetland, about 71% of the total property. Implementing the restoration and management plan approved with the project will restore and enhance large areas of wetlands and other open space. • • •