5.4. SR 05-08-2006
City of Elk River Item Number
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION 5.4
Agenda Section I Meeting Date Prepared by
\"X/orksession i\fay 8, 2006 Rebecca Haug, EITvirolUTIelltal J.\dl1"W
Item Description Reviewed by
Recol1unendation to J.~ppro"\Te \"Y/etland Buffer Ordinance
Introduction
J.~s part of tlle City's Natural Resource Inventory, tlle reCOllli'1lendatiol1 to adopt a \vetlal1"d buffer
ordlllal1ce \vas initiated. Staff, along \vitll tlle City's \Y/etland Tecllnical E'Taluation Panel, \vhich is lnade
of uldiv"iduals frotTI the Departlnent of Natural Resources (DNR), I\rlny Corps of Engineers (L~COE),
Board of\\!ater al1d Soil Resources (B\"Y/SR), Sllerburne County Soil & \\1ater COl1sel\lation District
(S\vCD), Terl~Y t:fallrer, City Engineer and John Norgrel1, Sllerburne County Ditcll Inspector and tlle
City's Natural Resource In'lentory Task Force drafted a \vetland buffer ordinance.
Discussion
Inforlnation \vas collected frolTI otller conununities alld tllere \vas cOllsiderable discussion bet\veell tIle
groups on tlle language in tile ordinal1ce. TIle proposed ordinance is lnuch less restrictiv.e tllan se\7eral of
tlle cOlmnunities tllat \vere researclled. fvIost of tlle C01111TIunities deterlnine setbacks frotTI \vedands
based upon tile quality of tlle \vetland. The purpose of tlns ordinance is to protect tlle ren.lairling
\Vetlallds in tlle City of Elk River. \Y/ etlands serve sev'eral functions and are .v"ery llnportallt to \vater
quality. TIle ordinance \vould require a 25 foot buffer strip frotll tlle delineated \vedand boundary or tlle
ordinary' lugll \vater le\rel of a storln\Vater pond. In tllls area, no lTIO\.ving, clearulg or renlo\Tal of
\regetation \vould be allo\ved. .L~ lninitnuln of 20 feet froln tlle \vetland buffer setback \vould also be
required. No structures \'lould be allo\ved in tllls setback area. Fences and nature trails, at tlle City's
appro\ial, \1l0uld be allo\ved. This ordinance is intended for ne\v consttuctioll of plats so any existing lots
tllat abut a \vetland \vould not be affected.
TIle City I1as ll"lade it a policy to require a 20' setback frolTI \Vetlal1ds and steep slopes. HO\'le\Ter, tIle City
Ilas been inforlning de\relopers of this proposed ordinance and reqtlesting tlley adllere to tllese lules.
T\vo of tlle plats tllat are lllcolporating tlus proposed ordinance are Heritage j\faples and Ri'ter Park.
Financial Impact
N/~~
Attachments
Proposed \Vetlalld buffer orclirlance
Action Requested
Staff is reCOl'1U1.1.ending appro\ral of tlle attacI1ed \vedand buffer ordlllance. I \vill be present at tlle
ll1.eeting to address any questions or concerns.
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
Council Action
Follow Up
1fOtlOll by _
Second by _
\iote
C:\Documents and Settings\rallard\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Filcs\OLKF\RJ~QUEST COUNCIL ACTION-buffer (2).doc
Wetland Buffer Ordinance
Definitions (anlendtnent to CIlapter 30, Section 30-1)
TIle follo\ving \vords, terlTIS and pIllases sllallllave tlle meanings ascribed to tlleln in tllls
section, except \vllere tlle COlltext clearly llldicates a different nleanlllg:
ll?eedJ are (i) 110xious \veeds as defuled alld desigIlated pursuant to tlle "j\1innesota noxious
\veed la\v", ~i1innesota Statutes, Section 18.76-18.88, as alnended fr01TI tUne to tUne, or (ii)
any \Tolunteer plants. For tlle purposes of tIus definition, "\veeds do not include dandeliolls
or clo.ver.
If?Petlalld .-;4lteratioll is a cl1al1ge to tlle \Vetlalld or \Vetlal1d bllffer strip in regards to size, depth
or COl1tour; dredglllg; tilling; ditcl1ing; or challges in \legetatiol1. _r\lterations \vould not
lllclude \vetland plantings or selecti\7e clearing or pruning of prohibited or restricted noxious
\veeds as defined in 11inllesota Rules 1050.0730 to 1050.0750.
It:?'etlalld Blfjjer Strip is all area of vegetated ground cO\Ter aroulld tlle perUll.eter of a \vetland
tllat, eitller in its natural condition or tlltOUgll intervention, llas tlle cllaracteristics of a Buffer
as pre.viously defined.
Purpose
TIle Cit)i sllall pr01TIote tlle gel1eralllealtll, safety, alld \velfare of its residellts by cOllservlllg
alld protecting \Vetlallds, a\7oiding tlle alteration or destrllction of \vetlands, alld requiring
sound nlanagelIlent practices as pro.vided for in tlle \\letlalld Conservation I\ct (\VC1\) \Vllen
dev.elopn.lel1t occurs III tlle \7icinity of \Vetlal1ds. TIle City seeks to accolnplisll tlle follo\ving
pUlposes:
1. Balal1ce dle l1eed to presel\le and protect naulral reSOllrces and systell1s \\litll tlle
rights of priv.ate property o\vners and tlle need to support tlle efficient use of
developable land \vitl1in tlle City;
2. Promote \vater quality by
a. lnaintaining tile ability of \vetlands to recIlarge and recei,re tlle discIlarge of
grollnd \vater,
b. pre\Tentil.1g soil erosion,
c. retaining seditnent, nutrients al1d toxicants in \Vetlalld buffer strip areas
before it cliscllarges into cormnuruty \vetlands, lakes al1d strealns,
d. a'voiding contamination and eutroplucation of \vater features;
3. Redllce 11unlan disturbances to \Vetlal1ds by providilJg a v.isual and,tpllysical
tral1sition frOln surrounding yards; and
4. Provide \vildlife llabitat and tllereby support tlle lnaultenal1ce of cli\rersity of bodl
plant and anllllal species \vitl1in tlle City.
TIle J\Jinnesota \\1 etlalld Conservation ~~ct and j\,finnesota Rules 8420 as all1el1ded fronl tUne
to tUlle are llereb}, incorporated by reference.
C:\Documents and Settings\tallard\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLKF\Wetland Buffer Ordinance,doc
1
General Provisions
LTll1ess deterlT1l11ed otllel\vise by tlle City or tile Tecllnical E'Taluation Panel (TEP), a
property o\vner, applicallt for buildlllg perln1t, or subdiv-ider, proposlllg \'lork in or aroul1d
\vetlands, sllall pro\Tide tlle follo\ving infOtlnation:
1. \Y/ etland delineation plan and \vritten report,
2. \,\1 etland itnpact plall,
3. \Xletland llutigation plan, and
4. .L~ny otller lllforn.latioll deelned necessary ullder tlle \1VCJ.~ as deterlnined by tlle City
or TEP.
..A. deterlninatioll regarding \vedand impacts Inust be Inade by tile City or TEP prior to
issuance of a building penmt or re\,ie\v of tlle subdiv-ision by tlle Planl1ing Conunission. ..Any
conditions required by tlle City or tlle TEP \vill becolne conditions of building perlmt
issual1ce or of tlle subdivision approval.
Performance Standards
.L~. \vetland Buffer Strip
.L~ l11inimuln 25 (t\vel1ty-tlv.e) foot buffer strip frO!Tl tlle delineated boulldary of a
\vetland or ordinary lugIl\vater le'vel of a stOtln\Vater pond is 11ereby establislled. \Y/etland
buffer strips sllalllneet tile follO\1ling standards:
1. No stl11ctlue sllail be pertn1tted \vithirl tlle buffer strip.
11. .L~lterations, including but not litnited to bllilding, pa\Tlllg, lnO\Vlllg,
introdUCtiOl1 of non-nati\Te vegetation, cutting, filling, dUlnping, yard \vaste
disposal or fertilizer application, are prohibited \vitl1in tile \vetland and
\vetland buffer strip, unless a \.7 egetation :NIanagelnent Plan or otller approv.al
is granted by tlle City.
111. TIle i-\.pplicant shall establisll and lnaintain \vetland al1d \vetland buffer strip
vegetation in accordance \Vitll tlle requirelnellts found in Section _'
l\T. TIle .t\.pplicant s11alltnaintain tlle required buffer strip 111.0nUlnentation at
eacIl Lot line \vllere it crosses a \vetland buffer strip and at 200 foot intervals
along tile edge of tlle \vetland buffer strip. Eaclllnonulnent sllall state
"\V'etland Buffer: CTnder tlle City Code, no lnO\ving, clearing or"rel1l0\Tal of
\7egetation in tlle buffer area is allo\ved. Call tlle City of Elk Riv.er for lnore
inforlnation." The City resel,\res tlle rigllt to elllninate tllls requirelnent if it
deelTIS it unpractical.
'\T. TIle City, at its sole discretion, 1nar ailo\v nature trails cOl11prised of l1atural
1'11aterials, to be located \vitl1in tlle buffer strip.
C:\Documents and Settings\tallard\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLKF\Wetland Buffer Ordinance.doc
2
\71. Leisure activities sucll as hiking, nature studies, canoeing, boating and
Ilorseback riding, including facilities such as trails and docks \vhich allo\v for
sucll activities.
B. \X1edand Buffer Strip Setback
.L~ lninimlun 20 (t\venty) foot setback from tlle \vetland bllffer is llereby establisIled by
tlle City. No structure, principle or accessory, sllall be located \vitbin tllls setback.
Nature trails, at tlle City's appro\7al, lnay be located \vitl1in tlle setback area.
Fel1ces lnay encroacll into tlle buffer strip setback, but at no tUne sllall tlley be allo\ved
v\litl1in tlle \vetland buffer.
Vegetation Standards
J.~. \)111ere acceptable l1atural vegetation exists in \vetland and \vetland buffer strip areas,
tlle retention of SUCll ,\Tegetatiol1 in an undisturbed state is reqlmed unless an ..A..pplical1t
receiv.es approv'al to replace sucll .vegetation. ..L~ \vetland and/ or \vetland buffer strip
Ilas acceptable natural \Tegetation if it:
1. has a COlltlllUOUS, dense layer of perennial grasses tllat ha\Te been ul1culti'7ated or
ullbroken for at least 5 consecutive years, or
2. has an ov'erstory of trees and/ or slltubs \vitI1 at least 80 percellt callopy closure
dlat 11R\Te been uncultivated or unbrok~en for at least 5 consecuti\Te years, or
3. contains a lni~ture of dle plant C01TI1nunities described in (1) and (2) abo\Te tl1at
ha\Te been uncultiv.ated or unbroken for at least 5 consecutiv'e years.
B. Not\'vitllstanding tile perforlnance standards set fortll abo\Te in Subdivisioll 9 (J.~), tlle
City En\Tirorunel1tal J.~dministrator and/ or his/Iler designee may determine existing
\vetland alld/ or \vetland buffer strip '\Tegetation to be unacceptable if:
1. it is cOlnposed of \Y/ eeds (including, but 110t linuted to cormnon buckrllarn, pllrple
loosestrife, leafy spurge and/ or noxious \veeds as defined by I\:finnesota Statutes,
Sections 18.76-18.88), or
2. Ilas topograpI1Y tllat tends to cllannelize tlle fIo\v of sllrface runoff, or
3. for some otller reason it is unlikely to retain nutriel1ts and sediment.
C. \Vllere \vetlands and/ or \vetland buffer strips, or a portion tllereof, are not vegetated
or 11a\Te been culti\Tated or ocllel\vise disturbed \vitl1in 5 years of tlle perlnit applicatiol1,
sllch areas shall be re-planted and lnaintauled. TIle \vetland and \vetland buffer strip
lal1dscaping sllall be planted according to tlle City's plantlllg guidelines at tlle applical1t
sllall sublmt a planting plan for appro\Tal by tlle City.
Variances
Refer to ,\Tauance section.
C:\Documents and Settings\tallard\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLKF\Wetland Buffer Ordinance.doc
"'t
J