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6.10 Item# 6.10. Ilk of MEMORANDUM Elk ,. River TO: Planning Commission FROM: Scott Harlicker, Planning Assista DATE: December 23, 1997 SUBJECT: City of Elk River Request for Ordinance Amendment Relating to Boulevard and Yard Trees Request Consider a City initiated request to amend the subdivision regulations to require one boulevard tree and one yard tree per lot in subdivisions Overview • At the November Planning Commission workshop, the Commission discussed the current requirement of one yard tree every 60 feet. It was pointed out that this requirement sometimes creates a situation where one lot would get one tree and another lot might get two trees. Staff felt that a more equitable method of allocating trees throughout a subdivision would be to require one boulevard tree for every lot and corner lots would get two, one along each street. Because of the placement of underground utilities within the right-of-way, the boulevard trees should be setback at least 6 feet but less than 12 feet from the edge of the road. This would allow room for utilities and still provide the aesthetic effect of a tree lined street. In order to help reestablish trees after grading, it is suggested that each lot also get one yard tree. This tree would be planted in the front yard and corner lots would get 2 yard trees, one along each street. Planting the trees would be the responsibility of the developer and maintenance would be the responsibility of the homeowner. • 13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 •TDD &Phone: (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425 Memo to the Planning Commission/OA 97-17 December 23, 1997 Page 2 • Recommendation It is recommended that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the attached resolution to amend the subdivision regulations to require one boulevard tree and one yard tree per lot in subdivisions • • f:\shrdoc\planning\scott\oa97-17.doc ORDINANCE 97 - CITY OF ELK RIVER AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER AMENDING SECTION1008.14 OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES CASE NO. OA 97-17 The City Council of the City of Elk River does hereby ordain as follows: Section 1. Section 1008.14(7)(c) of the City of Elk River Code of Ordinances shall be amended to read as follows: Following construction, vegetation suitable to the site shall be planted. The type of species of tree planted shall be approved by the city. Trees with root structures that are less likely to interfere with utility lines or sidewalks, or cause other nuisance damage are preferable. Trees shall have a trunk diameter (measured twelve (12) inches above ground level) of not less than two (2) inches, and shall be planted in not less than one (1) cubic yard of good growing soil with a suitable amount of fertilizer. Approved multiple varieties shall be used alternately. Boulevard trees shall be planted at intervals of at least one (1) per lot with corner lots having two (2) trees, one (1) per road frontage. Boulevard trees shall be planted at least six (6) feet but less than twelve (12) feet behind the curb. Yard trees shall also be planted at intervals of at least one (1) per lot to be planted in the front yard, with corner lots having two (2) trees, one (1) per road frontage. Planting of the trees shall be the responsibility of the developer and maintenance shall be the responsibility of the homeowner. Section 2. That this ordinance shall take effect upon publication as provided by law. Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Elk River this day of , 1997. Henry A. Duitsman Mayor Sandra A. Thackeray City Clerk s:\document\ordinanc\oa97-17.doc • • 0 THURSDAY,DECEMBER 4, 1997 SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS C5D Woodbury and developers cut deal to save oak trees JIM BROEDE STAFF WRITER bonus on the remaining 100 acres dard" in size, some as small as 50 produce." between the city and the develop- in the Puk Family Farm subdivi- feet wide. Single-family lots in the subdivi- ers. sion at Pioneer Drive and Lake But from the start, the city's sion will have an average width of "There was lots of give and 'n fast-growing Woodbury, devel- Road. That clears the way for 221 planning staff and parks commis- 58 feet. take," he added, "and we came up opers could have decided to de- single-family homes and 234 town- sion rallied behind the proposal, "Bigger lots, of course, would with something that's a little bit stroy an oak stand to make way homes. andpraised the developers for offer moreprivate open space," ordinary." for 300-plus single-family homes. p "But p out Urban the clusters g Y "You might call it our first true willingness to provide almost four Jurgensen said. there's a clusters are few and far It's perfectly legal under city zon- urban cluster," city associate times the amount of parkland cus- trade-off. Owners of those smaller between in the Twin Cities area. ing. planner Marty Jurgensen said, tomarily required by the city. lots are getting easy access to Instead, a deal was worked out. "This isn't a new concept for "and it might be used as a model "The planning commission's vi- public open space." Orrin Thompson Homes andOrrin Thompson," Pritchard said. P for others to follow. We're putting sion of a preferable community," The developers also will set "We have built urban-density clus- tplaces, Centex Homes will give to the city limits on urban sprawl and pre- Jurgensen said, "includes larger aside a private, 3-acre corridor ers in other particularly 57 acres — 37 percent of their serving an oak savanna all at the lot sizes to produce a more open running north-south through Puk " 157 acre tract — for a publicin Denver and Florida. same time." appearance around the structures. Family Farm, including trails con- park. Hundreds of oak trees, some The development met with op- The staff's vision encourages set- necting to the city's oak-tree park. Puk Family Farm prices are 1 up to 150 years old, will be in the position last summer from the ting aside large amounts of public Bill Pritchard, a spokesman for expected to range from $80,000 to park. city's planning commission, pri- park and open space and allowing Orrin Thompson Homes, said he $105,000 for townhouses and The city, meanwhile, will grant marily out of concern that 96 per- buyer preferences to determine thinks everybody is coming out a $130,000 to $200,000 for single- ,about a 50 percent housing density cent of the lots were "substan- what size lots the market should winner as a result of negotiations family homes.