2021.07.19 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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July 6, 2021 City of Hugo Community Development Board of Zoning and Planning Commission Members Mayor and City Council Members We have reviewed the PRELIMANARY PLAT map of DRENGSON/MAY ENTERPRISES LLC for the proposed development, ACRES OF BALD EAGLE at 4990 121st STREET. We live at 12116 FALCON AVE N. (corner of 121st Street and Falcon Ave. N.) Our property runs along a good portion of the eastern border of the proposed development. Narrative prepared by developers on May 28, 2021, at the conclusion wrote “We hope this project will be a welcomed contribution to the City of Hugo and surrounding neighborhoods by adding quality housing and preserving the natural character of the site.” Review of the site grading of the property shows EXTREME RESHAPING of the property. Current design is for a moat that requires removal of soils to a depth of up to eleven feet below current soil elevations. This counter intuitive design from a water flow perspective diverts all the runoff from the new development entirely to the east towards three residential properties discharging into the new perimeter moat. This water must then continue to flow north and then west before allowing it to spill over the weir. This water must flow the entire perimeter of the property. The elevation for the bottom of the moat is set for 934 feet which is the same elevation as the wetlands to the west. However, the weir on the west end controls the moat water level at the 935.24 feet elevation, thereby creating a holding pond approximately 1.24 feet deep. Additionally, as the soil boring from the east side has indicated there are water bearing samples at approximately the bottom of the moat level (933 to 934 feet). With the added 1.24 feet of water in the moat and continually being refreshed with the entire runoff, the resulting added head/water pressure will potentially lead to significant risk of raising the water level near or above the basement floor levels of these properties to the east and a significant risk of contaminating the water table. Containment of runoff can bring additional issues that have negative effects on properties and our wellbeing! i.e., stagnant water increasing mosquito breeding, unmaintained ditches, basins, and swales with saturated soils bringing blight to the area, child safety issues (drowning). This extreme reshaping of the land surface will not resemble any of the existing characteristics of the property or the neighboring properties. It will in fact destroy most if not all the existing trees on the property. TREE INVENTORY LIST counts 9,071 trees. CAREFUL GRADING on the eastern border MUST BE MET as not to disturb the root system of FIVE mature oaks on our property. The preliminary plat map raises the soil levels at the proposed unit locations as much as four feet above current soil levels. The plat map shows these elevations to create walk out lots. With soil height and most likely the construction of two-story homes we will be looking at intrusive thirty-five-to-forty- foot roof tops which will tower over the existing neighborhood of modest homes.