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Eagle Brook Church <br />April 14, 2003 <br />page 4 <br />Watershed and the City. Thus, the public regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over <br />stormwater management, including the ditch, will address possible impact questions. <br />Wetlands: The several existing wetlands on the site would experience no permanent <br />impacts. The Rice Creek Watershed District, the regulatory agency with jurisdiction over <br />wetlands, states that is has no significant concerns about wetland impacts. The grading <br />plan and stormwater management design will indicate possible wetland impacts. These <br />are subject to review by the Watershed and the City. Thus, the public regulatory agency <br />with jurisdiction over the wetlands will address possible impact questions. <br />Visual: Several comment letters included concerns about the visual impact of <br />lighting and of a tall church spire. The City restricts lighting with provisions in the new <br />zoning ordinance. Lighting must use 90 degree cutoff fixtures (e.g., shoebox type). All <br />applications must include a photometric plan showing the lighting brightness across the <br />property. Lighting can be no greater than 0.4 foot candles at a property line shared with a <br />residential property. The limit is 1.0 foot candles at a road centerline. <br />The other visual issue raised is the proposed 80 ft. spire. As can be -seen in the building <br />elevation attached to the response document, the "spire" is a decorative element rising 20 <br />ft. above the pier, which is the tallest part of the actual building (60 ft.). The spire is not a <br />belfry or tower like many churches have. Though the final design is unfinished, the spire <br />may be a cross or simply a lighted element. <br />As with any site and building plan, the specific architectural elements would be examined <br />as part of the review. It is typical for applicants to work out these details in cooperation <br />with the City prior to final approval. Because a church requires a conditional use permit, <br />there would be a public hearing with final approval by the city council. <br />The new zoning ordinance revisions include a change relative to the issue. Previously, <br />the ordinance granted a blanket exemption from height requirements for church spires. <br />The new ordinance exempts church spires up to 60 feet. The possibility of exceeding this <br />remains in the ordinance, through the granting of a conditional use permit. <br />Therefore, the regulatory authority of the City will be used to address the visual impact <br />questions. <br />SUMMARY <br />The EAW analyses and the public comments do not raise the potential for significant <br />environmental effects. Possible impacts are not extensive or irreversible, and they can be <br />addressed through ongoing public regulatory authority of various jurisdictions including <br />the City of Lino Lakes, the Rice Creek Watershed District, Anoka County, the Minnesota <br />Dept. of Transportation, and others. Therefore, an EIS is not warranted. <br />