HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report-LIDSSTAFF REPORT
DATE: December 20, 2016
REGULAR
ITEM #: 28
AGENDA ITEM: Low Impact Development Standards (LIDS)
SUBMITTED BY: Kristina Handt, City Administrator
BACKGROUND: At the July 5th meeting, Council referred the 1% stormwater rule to the Environmental Committee for review and recommendation. The Environmental Committee was provided with the presentation City Engineer Griffin gave to the Council on July 5th and heard from John Hanson (Valley Branch Watershed
District Engineer) on September 9th and Brett Emmons (committee member and water resource engineer) on September and December 9th.
Currently, development in Lake Elmo must abide by the stormwater regulations established by the watershed districts. Valley Branch Watershed District has adopted Minimal Impact Design Standards (MIDS). MIDS were developed as part of a statewide effort to address stormwater management. The
Minnesota Legislature allocated funds to “develop performance standards, design standards or other tools to enable and promote the implementation of low impact development and other stormwater management techniques.” (Minnesota Statutes 2009, section 115.03, subdivision 5c). More information about MIDS is available on the MPCA’s website at https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/enhancing-stormwater-management-minnesota The Environmental Committee is recommending the City Council have the Planning Commission look at adopting Low Impact Development Standards (LIDS). No specific ordinances or requirements were provided at the committee meetings; rather examples from Amery, WI and Inver Grove Heights, MN were shared by Emmons.
ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Should the City refer the review of LIDS to the Planning Commission?
PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: The Environmental Committee would like to have the Planning Commission consider adopting LIDS and have Emmons give his presentation to the commission and/or Council.
Further comparison/analysis would be done once specific ordinance language is recommended. At this point, staff has nothing to compare to the current regulations. How will the low impact development standards proposed by the Environmental Committee differ from the low impact development techniques included in MIDS is a key question. FISCAL IMPACT: TBD OPTIONS: 1) Refer review of LIDS to the Planning Commission
2) Refer review of LIDS to another committee (for example narrower streets could be a component
of LIDS and they may impact public safety and public works operations or the standards may have financial impacts to the city so finance committee may need to review) 3) Make no referral and continue with the current MIDS policies and techniques
RECOMMENDATION: Per the Environmental Committee:
Motion to refer LIDs to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation