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Mounds View Planning Commission October 17, 2001 <br />Regular Meeting Page 6 <br />________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Community Development Director Ericson indicated that the soil borings would need to be done <br />and submitted to the City before the City would issue a building permit and those soil borings <br />need to demonstrate that the soils can support a house. He then indicated that the developer <br />would need to dig out the peat and bring in fill that is suitable to support a house. <br /> <br />Mr. Feldner indicated that the developer could level all the trees before finding out that houses <br />cannot be built there. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Ericson indicated that the City has made a request to preserve <br />trees up to the setback line and has asked for a tree inventory. He then indicated that trees would <br />not come down before the soil borings were completed. He further indicated that the <br />neighborhood would not be left with an open patch of land that would not support houses. <br /> <br />Pete Severson of 5172 Longview Drive indicated that there is a solid batch of trees that runs the <br />entire length of Longview Drive and shades all the houses on the east of Longview Drive. He <br />indicated that in order to put houses in the developer would have to take out the trees and put <br />fake ponds behind the houses. He then indicated he is not impressed with what happened at <br />Woodcrest and said he feels this development will destroy the wetland. He further indicated that <br />there is a lot of wildlife in the area and said he has enjoyed the natural area for the 15 years he <br />has lived there. He then asked the Commission not to allow the developer to wreck the wetland. <br /> <br />Barbara Kosiak of 5173 Red Oak Drive indicated she has lived in the City for 30 years and said <br />she is not sure she likes the deer that are in the wetland area as they eat her garden. She then <br />indicated that her main concern is with the removal of the peat that holds water and replacing it <br />with fill suitable for building houses on. She further indicated that doing so changes the water <br />management in the area and she is concerned that neighborhood residents would have wet <br />basements. <br /> <br />Dave Tillman of 5166 Longview Drive asked if the buffer zone was enacted prior to the Harstads <br />purchasing the land. He then stated that, “if you buy a swamp, you buy a swamp, if you buy bad <br />stock you lose money.” He further stated that he feels the development would impact the light <br />and air of the surrounding properties because the solid line of mature trees shades the houses <br />across the street and means that those residents only have to run their air conditioners on the very <br />hot days of summer. <br /> <br />Mr. Tillman indicated that the wetland buffer zone extends to his front yard and said he had to <br />adhere to the building Codes when he built his addition and he feels the developer should be held <br />to the same requirements. <br /> <br />Commissioner Scotch asked if the City had a requirement for the amount of wetlands it required. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Ericson indicated there was no requirement for minimum <br />amount of wetland acreage. He then indicated that some cities have no wetlands but said the <br />City of Mounds View has a great water management system. He then commented that a lot of <br />residents feel strongly about wetlands as they do offer an amenity to residents and they bring in