Loading...
ITEM 4.1ITEM 4.1 TO: Parks & Recreation Commission FROM: Ross Demant, Parks and Recreation Director DATE: December 15, 2016 RE: Norin Landing; Final Concept Plan BACKGROUND: Park and Recreation Commissioners received neighborhood input for the Norin Landing Concept Plan at their November 15, 2016 meeting. Commissioners directed staff to bring a revised concept plan the December, 2016 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting for final review and recommendation to the City Council for approval. ANAYLSIS Wersal Letter. A letter dated December 6, 2016 from Attorney Gregory Wersal, who indicates that he represents property owners within Norin Landing, is attached to this memo. The discussion at the December 20, 2016 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting is only to address the concept plan for development of the park and provide a recommendation on the development of the park. The issues raised by Mr. Wersal are outside of the purview of the Parks and Recreation Commission and would be decided by the City Council, based upon the recommendation of the City Attorney. A memo from Otsego City Attorney Andrew MacArthur responding Mr. Wersal's letter is attached for information purposes only. Floodplain. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Rate Study Map identifies the 100 -year floodplain of the Mississippi River along the subject site at an elevation of 882 feet. The concept plan drawing for Norin Landing has been revised to indicate the 882 foot contour obtained from GIS Data. Land within the 100 -year floodplain is regulated by Section 94 of the Zoning Ordinance. Parks are a permitted use within the 100 -year floodplain provide that improvements have low potential for flood damage, will not obstruct flood waters or increase flood elevations. The proposed improvements within the 100 -year floodplain portion of the subject site are limited to a precast concrete fishing platform, limestone blocks, and Class II aggregate trails. The planned gazebo is outside of the 100 -year floodplain. The improvements located within the 100 -year flood plan have low potential for damage from flooding, will not obstruct flood waters, or increase the flood elevation. The proposed concept plan complies with the floodplain regulations of the Zoning Ordinance. Wild and Scenic District. The subject site is within Subdistrict A of the Mississippi Wild, Scenic and Recreational River District (WS District) established as Section 95 of the Zoning Ordinance. Public open space uses, including public accesses with boat launch facilities and temporary docks, are a permitted use within Subdistrict A of the WS District. The proposed gazebo is required to be setback a minimum of 100 feet from the Ordinary High Water Level (OHWL) of the Mississippi River, which the location shown on the concept plan complies with. In developing the City park, the City is limited in terms of vegetative cutting within 100 feet of the OHWL to trees, shrubs and brush less than four inches in diameter measured four feet above grade except when removing rotten, damaged, or disease or insect infested trees that present safety hazards. The City will undertake cutting within 100 feet of the OHWL on a selective basis. Tree removal on a balance of the site may occur without restriction to create the open space shown on the concept plan. The concept plan complies with the provisions of the WS District. Final Concept Plan. Attached to this memo are several concepts plans for Norin Landing Park dating from 2007 to present. Items such as the parking lot and shelter have been redesigned throughout the various concept plans to preserve a more natural setting in the park, improve compatibility with surrounding homes, and maintain achieve the goal of providing a park with boat and shoreline access to the Mississippi River as a community amenity. The changes incorporated as part of the final concept plan attached to this memo include: ■ The shelter is moved further west due to the elevation of the site and the orientation of the house located directly south of the park. The orientation of the house located directly south of the proposed park is positioned northeast to southwest, which if the shelter were to be moved east, would be moved in direct view of the residence. Moving the shelter west and providing a row of coniferous trees provides a much greater masking of the shelter from the property to the south. ■ The parking lot has been revised from the previous concept plan to provide fewer parking stalls, a better turning radius for boat trailers, and area to expand parking stalls in the future. 2 • A total of three lights have been incorporated into the concept plan, locationed by the parking lot, the trail going to the shelter, and the within the shelter itself. The light locations were chosen to provide the best visibility for park monitoring and have the least impact on the surrounding residence. • Staff met on December 12, 2016 with a representative from Rainbow Tree Care to access the viability of the significant Cottonwood trees within the park. The tree located to the west of the parking lot has significant decay and is basically hollowed out approximately 15 to 20 feet into the tree itself. This is not the Cottonwood tree that is located in the retention pond area of the parking lot, which Rainbow Tree Care found to be in satisfactory condition DNR Review. As noted above, the City is responsible for administration of floodplain and WS District regulations governing use of the property. On December 9, 2016, City Staff and representatives from the Minnesota DNR Waters Division met to discuss the Norin Landing Concept plan. The DNR provided input regarding the boat landing, monitoring of boat traffic that may be available, and concrete piers for the landing itself that they may be also able to provide. DNR staff supported the proposed concept plan to improve boat and shoreline access to the Mississippi River. REQUESTED ACTION The final concept plan for development of Norin Landing is consistent with the goals of the Future Parks and Trails Plan within the Comprehensive Plan for a community park facility to provide for recreational access to the Mississippi River. The final plan has been designed in consideration of requirements established within the Zoning Ordinance related to floodplain development and uses within the WS District. City staff requests action by the Parks and Recreation Commission to recommend City Council approval of the Norin Landing Concept Plan and order preparation of Plans and Specifications by SRF and the City Engineer, as applicable. C. Adam Flaherty, Interim City Administrator Daniel Licht, City Planner Ron Wagner, City Engineer Andy MacArthur, City Attorney Tim Wold, SRF 3