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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#16 - Sally Manzara Nature Center Patio RequestDATE: August 7, 2019 REGULAR MOTION AGENDA ITEM: Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center Patio Addition SUBMITTED BY: Ben Prchal, City Planner REVIEWED BY: Ken Roberts, Planning Director _________________________________________________________________________________________ BACKGROUND: The Friends of Lake Elmo approached the City with the request to install a patio addition to the back of the Sunfish Nature Center building. The MN Land Trust has had a chance to review their request and the Trust has provided approval. The Parks Commission discussed the proposed patio at the May 20th and June 17th, 2019 meetings. Each meeting brought up new topics for discussion, and Staff has been bringing the information forward as requested. The information was intended to help aide towards a recommendation for the City Council. ISSUE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL: Would the City Council like provide approval for the Construction of the proposed Patio? PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: Land Trust Review: Being that the Land Trust has some jurisdiction over the park, the Nature Center needed to run the proposal past them and receive approval. With this being the case, the Nature Center submitted their patio proposal to the Land Trust and did receive approval. The approving letter has been included as an attachment. The Land Trust believes that the improvement to the property is in line with their values and does not conflict with the conservation easement over Area 2. City Review: The City Code doesn’t necessarily provide specific language to indicate one way or another if a patio should or should not be allowed in the Public Facility district. But Accessory Uses and Structures are allowed so long as they are subordinate to the principal use. The portion of the park the patio would go on is part of the Nature centers leased site of one acre. It is also part of 151 acres and the percentage of impervious surface that is being applied to the property is a very small number. The proposal consists of a 15 ft. by 35 ft. patio area which measures out to 525 sqft. At the June Parks Commission meeting it was stated that the patio might be smaller than initially requested. Staff has not seen a revised size to review but would do so when the permit is comes in for review. Regarding the setbacks, the graphic that has been provided below is accurate within a couple of feet but Staff can reasonably deduce that there is a sufficient setback for the patio. The code for the Public Facility setback is listed as 50 ft. for accessory buildings. Staff was able to reasonably figure out that the patio would be +/-160 ft. from the property line. The next item that Staff would review is the distance to the septic tanks and drain field. Washington County requires a 5 ft. setback from sewage tanks and a 10 ft. setback from drainfields. The patio would be setback a sufficient amount from both features. The blue represents the proposed patio (not to scale). LEASE AGREEMENT: The City has a lease agreement established for the operation of the Nature Center and the agreement requires alterations or improvements to the site to receive written approval from the City before commencement. Staff believes this proposal does require a written approval of the City Council. The Lease agreement is attached for further review. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Staff had asked Tony to provide a written master plan as well as a site plan with the intent of depicting the vision for the site that the Nature Center leases. The write up does provide a list of what is on site but does not provide much beyond that. Staff would like to note that there were two main additions, which was the desire to bring fiber to the building for internet and add “informal” seating on the east side of the building. Tony had stated many times that the future addition, also known as the “amphitheater” is less of an amphitheater and would serve more like informal seating that would be built into the hill on the east side. For the sake of review Staff has included the documents that were provided which are a site plan, a current/proposed conditions, and a write up. Furthermore, Staff would like to point out that the site plan shows a few items that are placed on top of the drain field. The items noted on the plan are a messy play area, bird house(s), and a monarch waystation. It would be difficult for Staff to determine the impact that the noted items would have on the drain field but Washington County as well as the City enforces setbacks with the intent of preserving the integrity of the drain field. Allowing items to encroach or be placed on top of a drain field will have the ability to compact the soil, which is a concern of Staff. FISCAL IMPACT: Staff does not foresee a fiscal impact for the City by approving the patio. However, there is a possible impact if the Nature Center and Patio did need to be removed. Article 6 of the Lease agreement for the Nature Center outlines the escrow funds that are reserved for removal of the structure. Currently $20,000 is being held to remove the building, if necessary. It is reasonable to conclude that additional improvements could raise the needed escrow amount. Staff estimates that the removal cost of a concrete patio would be around $3.00 to $4.00 per square foot. The Parks Commission did not believe an increased escrow amount would be necessary. COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATION Staff as well as the Parks Commission view the patio as an improvement to the Nature Center building and an improvement to the park. The Parks Commission also recommends that the City does not increase the escrow amount for the patio. This motion passed by a vote of 3-1. “Motion to approve the installation of a patio at the Sally Manzara Nature Center as presented with no increase in escrow” ATTACHMENTS: •Vision as provided by Tony Manzara •Land Trust Letter •Lease Agreement Patio (Not to scale) VISION FOR NATURE CENTER SITE There is not a "master plan" for the nature center site, nor was such a document required, but I have written a current "vision for the site that the Nature Center leases" that will try to address the issues that may concern you: (this text is also provided as a separate WORD document, attached, as you requested) The Minnesota Land Trust approval of the land use, and the City approval of the SALLY MANZARA INTERPRETIVE NATURE CENTER DEVELOPMENT, LEASE, LICENSE AND OPERATING AGREEMENT "Lease Agreement", were based on drawings that were submitted. These show the locations of items like the building, shed, septic tanks, septic field, utility line locations, and possible future building addition area. Any future alterations on the nature center building site (one leased acre) will take place only if they are in compliance with the Land Trust Conservation Easement, the Lease Agreement drafted by Lake Elmo City Attorney Sarah Sonsalla and approved by the Parks Commission and the City Council and signed April 21st 2017, all applicable laws and ordinances, and the policies established by the Board of Directors of the Friends of Lake Elmo's Sunfish Lake Park ("Friends"). In order to appropriately handle the issue of City of Lake Elmo input into nature center alterations, we refer to the applicable clause defining "alterations" found in Section 8 Article IV of the Lease Agreement, copied below. We interpret this clause in such a way as to make sure the City has opportunity for input into significant changes, without wasting the time of City staff, Commissions, or Council on trivial matters. On the issue of the patio request, we consulted with Council Member Justin Bloyer, who was appointed by Council to be the City's representative on the Friends Board. He suggested that we go ahead and submit the formal request, and we did. The only item that we are considering constructing in the future which falls strictly into the category of "major alteration" is the addition shown on the site plan as a dotted rectangle to the east of the building as a future addition. Of course, no construction would take place without full City approval, building plan approval, etc. At this point there is no need or funding for such an undertaking, but building features were designed to accommodate such an addition with minimal changes to the existing building. Since we are having difficulties with Verizon internet connectivity via wireless, we may explore other options, and it may be that we can get a donation of a run of Century Link fiber underground from the nearest existing network point. This activity would clearly require City approval in subsection (c) It is possible that we could get a donation to plant a few shade trees southeast of the building and install some informal seating for a couple of dozen people on the slope just east of the building, to provide a comfortable space for lectures or demonstrations. This project would not fall into the definition of "major alteration" but we would submit the design to the Parks Commission for suggestions and comments. There are a number of developments on the site that have been done, or are underway, that clearly do not or did not fit the definition of "major alteration", i.e.: Plywood bird images placed near the shed, which resembles a birdhouse, and changed seasonally. The Rain Garden development, being installed with help from a reimbursement grant from Valley Branch Watershed District The upside-down-gardening hanging baskets, with different plants each year The bird feeders hung in front of each of the windows to reduce bird injury due to window collisions The Three Sisters garden designed and planted by Donna Clark, Elder of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation, and Carmen Johnson, Minnesota Master Gardener Prairie Plant specimen planters, built as an Eagle Scout project by Ben Jasinski and his crew, to showcase the 29 plants that Lake Elmo used to restore the prairie Low-slope walkway from the building's main door to the prairie, which passes the specimen planters, and will have a bench at the half-way point for the infirm. Foundation plantings along the South side of the building, using wood mulch for moisture control, under the eave. Gravel/fabric ground cover under the North eave where donated benches will be placed to allow visitors to enjoy the completed Rain Garden Planting of low-mow grass on the east slope, the back-slope along the south edge of the developed area, and the pathway to the shed from the parking lot Installation of "messy play area" near the septic field, with log step-stones, a canoe-full of sand for digging, a crawling channel, etc. Gradual replacement of the four doomed mature ash trees with a diversity of other trees to provide shade and wildlife habitat (two planted already) Construction and installation of a dozen birdhouses by Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts Placement of small weather instruments on the roof, using the mast that was installed during construction, to determine wind direction and velocity for the energy exhibit Planting of hostas around the shed for erosion control Installation of a "bug hotel" near the propane tank Control of the invasive sumac west of the building by cutting/mowing Maintaining the developed area of our acre, bounded by the parking lot boulders on the North, the sumac area and septic field on the West, the prairie plant specimen planters on the East, and the City prairie access roadway on the South in neat, weed-controlled condition as much as practicable. Constructing handicapped-access picnic tables and seating (or getting a donation of such furniture), making available on request the closed fire pit we used for roasting hotdogs at the Buckthorn Festival, and providing other patio amenities once the patio project is approved. Because future activity on the nature center site depends on the interests of the volunteers who would like to teach about nature, and the availability of donations, this cannot be a complete list of everything that might be done. If we are considering doing something that even seems like it MIGHT fit the definition of major alteration we will submit it for comment or approval. Please let me know if this response is what you were looking for, or if other information is required for your packet document. Have a great day, Tony Manzara, 651-769-7001 See Next Slide For marking ID Info (all Locations And sizes re Approx.) Explanation of markings on previous slide: Brown rectangle –approximate final location of septic tanks Grey rectangle –approximate final location of shed Blue stars-first newly planted trees to replace doomed ash trees Green rectangle –Three Sisters Garden Blue curve –low-slope path, with 29 prairie plant specimen planters Blue squares –birdhouses made by Girl Scouts –approximate locations Red square outline –messy play area Orange circle –Monarch Waystation Light green ovals –Rain Garden Tan weave-textured rectangle –buckthorn croquet court Gold arcs –future informal seating Black rectangle with brown shingle pattern –proposed patio — M April 15, 2019 MINNESOTA LAND TRUST Kristina Handt, City Administrator City of Lake Elmo 3800 Laverne Avenue North Lake Elmo, MN 55042 Re: Sunfish Lake Park (City of Lake Elmo) Washington County Our Project File ID #: 2009-387 Patio plan for Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center Dear Ms. Handt: The Minnesota Land Trust has reviewed the plan submitted by Tony Manzara to construct a new stamped concrete patio measuring 15 feet by 35 feet, to be located on the south side of the existing Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center building at Sunfish Lake Park. The plan for the patio is described in an exchange of emails between the City, the Land Trust, and Mr. Manzara. Both the nature center and the proposed patio are in "Area 2," as described in Section 3.5 of the conservation easement protecting Sunfish Lake Park held by the Land Trust. The proposed patio is consistent with the conservation easement and by this letter, the land trust hereby approves the plan to construct the patio. Thanks very much. Sincerely, ,ns Lars( Executive Director cc: Ben Prchal, City Planner Tony Manzara 2356 University Avenue West I Suite 240 I St. Paul. Minnesota 55114 www.mnland.org I 651-647-9590 I Toll Free: 1-877-MLT-LAND