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11-04-1995 Meeting• • TO: ADVISORY PARKS, RECREATION, AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION FROM: RICH BRASCH, WATER RESOURCES COORDINATOR DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION RE: NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING SUMMARY ON EASTER LUTHERAN CHURCH SITE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES DATE: NOVEMBER 4, 1994 Introduction Following is a summary of the Natural Resources Subcommittee's discussion of the Easter Lutheran Church development proposal on Thomas Lake at a meeting of the Subcommittee on November 2, 1994. A summary of the development proposal is presented in staff's October 31, 1994 meeting to the Subcommittee which was sent to all Commission members. Also, a list of those persons attending the Subcommittee is attached. Meeting Summary 1. Easter Lutheran Church representatives presented membership projections and other information that form the basis for the applicant's desire to develop the site at the proposed intensity. The applicant is unwilling to reduce the intensity of the development because of the need for additional space to accomodate projected future increases in membership and the desire of the Church to serve its membership from one location. 2. The Natural Resources Subcommittee expressed concern about the intensity at which the Church proposes to develop the site, noting that in addition to the high impervious coverage (greater than 60% of the site's developable area) about 80% of the site would be graded. Subcommittee members felt that this left few options for shifting development features to minimize impacts on natural resources, especially vegetation. 3. A tree inventory for the site showed 169 significant trees. The current development proposal calls for removing about 60% of these trees if no detention basin is constructed on the site, and up to 75% if a detention basin is constructed. The Tree Preservation Policy guidelines call for a maximum removal of 30% for a development of this type before mitigation is required. 411 4. The applicant has delineated the only wetland on the site, a fringe wetland adjacent to Thomas Lake which extends along the • western boundary of the site. The delineation was not presented on an accurate grading plan for the site, so it is difficult to tell with certainty whether any filling of the fringe wetland would occur. However, the location of the wetland boundary is well inside a 50 foot wide zone adjacent to Thomas Lake designated "constrained use" by the applicant. Disturbance within this zone is expected to be minimal, so the prospects for wetland fill appears small, provided adequate erosion control is provided. 5. The applicant has no plans to provide a trail link internal to the development. It should be noted that there is an existing trail along the east and south boundaries of the development adjacent to Pilot Knob Road and Cliff Road, respectively. 6. Background on stormwater management issues for this site is presented in staff's October 31, 1994 memo to the Subcommittee and Commission. Staff has raised several areas of concern regarding total reliance on recharge basin techniques proposed by the applicant to address stormwater quality management requirements for the site. Those concerns are outlined in the October 31 memo and have to do with both site suitability and system design. In short, staff have reservations about relying solely on a means of treating stormwater from this site which is largely untested in this climate. • 7. Staff and the applicant have discussed another option for addressing stobmwater quality management for the site. This option involves constructing a conventional detention basin in the northern portion of the site to partially meet stormwater treatment requirements. The applicant would then be required to finance off -site improvements to reduce current loadings from another sub - watershed in order to meet the non - degradation standard for Thomas Lake. • 8. The Natural Resources Subcommittee expressed concern about off -site improvements to help mitigate the projected impacts of this development on Thomas Lake. The Subcommittee was concerned that the use of off -site watershed improvements to mitigate the impacts of a particular development would reduce the number of cost - effective options the City can pursue in the future to decrease loadings to the lake from the existing watershed. 9. The Natural Resources Subcommittee requested that staff identify potentially feasibile options for off -site projects that would reduce loadings to Thomas Lake. Staff will be prepared to identify these options at the November 14 Commission meeting. Concluding Comments The Natural Resources Subcommittee was unable to reach any firm • • recommendations regarding protection of natural resources issues for the Easter Lutheran Church project proposal. The intent of the Subcommittee is to bring the issue to the full Commission with the benefit of the additional understanding of the applicant's proposal gained during the Sucommittee's meeting. - Rich Brasch Water Resources Coordinator cc. Ken Vraa Peggy Reichert Shannon Tyree • • • NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1994 EASTER LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELC) AGENDA ITEM ATTENDEES: Pastor Jim Borgschatz ELC Lee Anderson ELC Michael Schroeder ELC Consultant Jon Widem George Kubik *Steve Thompson John Rudolf Gregg Hove Shannon Tyree Rich Brasch Nat. Res. Subcom. II II 11 II Adv. Parks, Rec., and Nat. Res. Comm. City Staff (Forestry) City Staff (Comm. Dev.) City Staff (Water Resources) *Steve Thompson withdrew from the discussion because of a potential conflict of interest associated with his membership in the Easter Lutheran Church.