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Item No: 8A Meeting Date: Feb 2, 2004 Type of Business: Consent Administrator Review : _______ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Resolution 6181, Authorization to Prepare and Distribute a Request for Proposals (RFP) to Confirm Wetland Zoning District Boundaries in the Spring Creek Basin Introduction: Staff has long been aware of some discrepancies on the City’s adopted wetland zoning maps in that the actual wetland and corresponding buffer designations are inaccurate. The Spring Creek Basin is one such area that needs to be clarified. Discussion: Spring Creek flows from Woodcrest Park west under Silver Lake Road between Woodale and Woodcrest Drives, continuing west under Knollwood Drive. The lots fronting Woodale and Pleasant View Drives in this area are deep and the wetland and buffer extend all the way to the street in places. Many homes are included in the buffer, including front yards which drain to the street. The wetland designation (which is not a true delineation but an estimate based on elevations performed in the 1980s) has been challenged by some of the residents on this block and Rice Creek Watershed District inspectors agree that the designation may be excessive. The requirement to apply for a buffer permit can cause unnecessary delays for residents who wish to make improvements to their home or property. City Code: The City Code in Section 1010.06 identifies the process by which a Wetland Zoning District can be amended Subd. 2. Modification of District: A wetland zoning district may be modified or eliminated by four-fifths (4/5) affirmative vote of the Council after public hearing and notice as set forth in Title 1100 of this Code. Wetland zoning districts may not be eliminated unless it can be shown that the original designation is in error or that conditions have changed. When modifying or removing a wetland zoning district, the Council shall use the criteria and methods established in the Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands dated January, 1989, as amended from time to time. Staff feels the City should re-evaluate the boundaries of the wetland and wetland buffer to ensure that the residents are not being unreasonably burdened by provisions of the wetland zoning ordinance (Chapter 1010.)