#16 - Highpointe Crossing Preliminary Plat and OP PUD

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Highpointe Crossing - 2298 Inwood Ave N – Lake Elmo – Preliminary Plat Narrative June 7, 2024 Page 14 14 I - Property Characteristics/Background • Wetlands o Wetland Delineation - Within the past year a wetland delineation was processed and approved by a previous developer. We purchased the rights to this report. This delineation report identified 6 wetlands; these are shown within our Preliminary Plat plans. o MNRAM & Buffers– We have completed a Minnesota Routine Assessment Method for Wetlands (MnRAM) to determine the quality of the wetlands. This report was approved by the Valley Branch Watershed District (VBWD) and all wetlands on the property were identified as Management 2. Management 2 wetlands in the VBWD require a 50’ buffer. Buffer averaging is allowed and is shown on the Sketch Plan. Buffer averaging allows for a minimum buffer of 25’ so long as the total area of buffer is the same as if it were all 50’. As a part of our restoration plan, we will be planting the wetland buffers with native seed. o Wetland Impacts – Our plan assumes filling Wetland 6. Wetland 6 is 872 sf in size. This impact qualifies as a de-minimus impact. We have submitted a de-minimis application with the Valley Branch Watershed. Filling this wetland is being driven in part by the County requesting an access location in the middle of the property to CR 13 and by the need for ponding in this location. The de-minimis application and report was included with our preliminary plat submittal. • Soils o Soil Borings/Test Pits – Included in our submittal is a soil boring report done by Haugo Geotechnical Services, a geotechnical letter done by Braun Intertec, and a draft test pit log also from Braun Intertec. The Haugo soil report was initially done for a previous developer but we have, similar to the wetland report, purchased the rights to this report. Braun Intertec was hired to conduct additional borings and evaluate test pits. In general, the reports show that the soils on the Eberhard property are suitable to support housing. There was one boring that found, what Braun has characterized as glacial slopewash or native organic soil, found approximately 20’ deep. This is currently not a concern since it is not near any of the homesites planned within the neighborhood. • Karst o The Valley Branch Watershed District has pointed out that there is an indication that there could be some Karst features on or near this property. Braun Intertec studied this issue. To date the nearest Karst formation in or near Lake Elmo is a couple miles from