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<br /> <br />City of Elk River Item Number <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION 5.4 <br />Agenda Section I Meeting Date Prepared by <br />\"X/orksession i\fay 8, 2006 Rebecca Haug, EITvirolUTIelltal J.\dl1"W <br />Item Description Reviewed by <br />Recol1unendation to J.~ppro"\Te \"Y/etland Buffer Ordinance <br /> <br />Introduction <br />J.~s part of tlle City's Natural Resource Inventory, tlle reCOllli'1lendatiol1 to adopt a \vetlal1"d buffer <br />ordlllal1ce \vas initiated. Staff, along \vitll tlle City's \Y/etland Tecllnical E'Taluation Panel, \vhich is lnade <br />of uldiv"iduals frotTI the Departlnent of Natural Resources (DNR), I\rlny Corps of Engineers (L~COE), <br />Board of\\!ater al1d Soil Resources (B\"Y/SR), Sllerburne County Soil & \\1ater COl1sel\lation District <br />(S\vCD), Terl~Y t:fallrer, City Engineer and John Norgrel1, Sllerburne County Ditcll Inspector and tlle <br />City's Natural Resource In'lentory Task Force drafted a \vetland buffer ordinance. <br /> <br />Discussion <br />Inforlnation \vas collected frolTI otller conununities alld tllere \vas cOllsiderable discussion bet\veell tIle <br />groups on tlle language in tile ordinal1ce. TIle proposed ordinance is lnuch less restrictiv.e tllan se\7eral of <br />tlle cOlmnunities tllat \vere researclled. fvIost of tlle C01111TIunities deterlnine setbacks frotTI \vedands <br />based upon tile quality of tlle \vetland. The purpose of tlns ordinance is to protect tlle ren.lairling <br />\Vetlallds in tlle City of Elk River. \Y/ etlands serve sev'eral functions and are .v"ery llnportallt to \vater <br />quality. TIle ordinance \vould require a 25 foot buffer strip frotll tlle delineated \vedand boundary or tlle <br />ordinary' lugll \vater le\rel of a storln\Vater pond. In tllls area, no lTIO\.ving, clearulg or renlo\Tal of <br />\regetation \vould be allo\ved. .L~ lninitnuln of 20 feet froln tlle \vetland buffer setback \vould also be <br />required. No structures \'lould be allo\ved in tllls setback area. Fences and nature trails, at tlle City's <br />appro\ial, \1l0uld be allo\ved. This ordinance is intended for ne\v consttuctioll of plats so any existing lots <br />tllat abut a \vetland \vould not be affected. <br /> <br />TIle City I1as ll"lade it a policy to require a 20' setback frolTI \Vetlal1ds and steep slopes. HO\'le\Ter, tIle City <br />Ilas been inforlning de\relopers of this proposed ordinance and reqtlesting tlley adllere to tllese lules. <br />T\vo of tlle plats tllat are lllcolporating tlus proposed ordinance are Heritage j\faples and Ri'ter Park. <br /> <br />Financial Impact <br />N/~~ <br /> <br />Attachments <br /> <br />Proposed \Vetlalld buffer orclirlance <br /> <br />Action Requested <br />Staff is reCOl'1U1.1.ending appro\ral of tlle attacI1ed \vedand buffer ordlllance. I \vill be present at tlle <br />ll1.eeting to address any questions or concerns. <br /> <br />c: \ D Qcumen ts and Settings \ tallard \Local Settings \ Temporary Internet Files \ 0 LKF\REQ U ES"I' CO UN C IL :\ CTr 0 N - bu tIer (2). doc <br />