Wetland Buffer Review Memo
\\gvfiles01\projects\013332-000\Admin\Docs\MEMO - ehendrickson - Wetland Buffer Review - 022719.docx 701 XENIA AVENUE S | SUITE 300 | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | 55416 | 763.541.4800 | WSBENG.COM Memorandum
To: Erik Henricksen, City of Chanhassen
From: Andi Moffatt, WSB
Matt Unmacht, WSB
Date: February 28, 2019
Re: Moments Memory Care – City of Chanhassen Wetland Review Memo
City Project No. 2018-11
WSB Project No. R-013332-000
On behalf of the City of Chanhassen, this memorandum pertains to the wetlands and buffer
review for the proposed Moments Memory Care development project. On October 17, 2018,
Jacobson Environmental submitted a Wetland Delineation Report for the project site. On
November 1, 2018, Vanessa Strong, then Local Government Unit (LGU) for the City of
Chanhassen, responded via email with comments stating that the application was incomplete. A
revised Wetland Delineation Report was submitted to the LGU on December 12, 2018. A review
of this report showed not all the incomplete items were addressed. One of the items that needs to
be addressed is additional upland/wetland transects performed in the field. As such, this item
cannot be addressed until the growing season begins in Spring 2019. Therefore, the application
is currently considered incomplete. Jacobson Environmental is aware of the incomplete
application and plans to address these items in the spring. As such, as it currently the stands, a
Notice of Decision regarding the Wetland Boundary and Type for this project cannot be issued at
this time and the project does not currently have an approved wetland boundary or wetland types.
The City has received site plans from the developer showing various building and impact designs.
Two different site plan options were submitted, one dated February 21, 2019, and one dated
January 21, 2019. The January plans are the developer’s preferred plans and show construction
and impacts within the setback and wetland buffer limits, while the February plans show what
complete avoidance of wetland buffers and setbacks would look like. Please note that the wetland
boundary shown on these plans appears to match that which was submitted with the revised
Wetland Delineation Report from December 12, 2018. However, until this boundary is field
verified this spring, and a Notice of Decision is issued, this boundary should not be considered
official and should only be used for planning purposes.
Article VI – Wetland Protection from the City’s Ordinances provides requirements for wetland
buffers and setbacks. These setbacks are determined by MnRAM wetland classification (see
Table 1 below).
Table 1. City of Chanhassen Wetland Buffers and Setbacks
Wetland
Classification
Principal
Structure
Setback from
Buffer Edge (ft)
Accessory
Structure
Setback from
Buffer Edge (ft)
Permanent Buffer
Strip Minimum
Width (ft)
Percent of Buffer
Strip in Native
Vegetation
Outstanding 50 50 50 100%
Preserve 40 20 40 100%
Manage 1 30 15 25 100%
Manage 2 30 15 20 Over 50%
Manage 3 30 15 16.5 Over 50%
Erik Henricksen
February 28, 2019
Page 2
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Assuming the wetland delineation is accurate, the development concept plans show the wetland
buffer to be either 16.5-feet or 25-feet, and the setback between the buffer and the building edge
to be 30-feet. It is unclear where or why the developer determined that the wetlands associated
on this property were considered Manage 1 and Manage 3. If it was determined that these
MnRAM determinations are accurate, then the most recent proposal, dated February 21, 2019,
would sufficiently meet the City’s Wetland Protection rule for wetland buffers and setbacks.
Regarding the January 2019 plans, the buffer needs to be shown on the plans as it is not fully
apparent where this is. The plans show possible stormwater pond encroachment in the buffer and
show structures in the setback. This plan does not conform to the City’s ordinance. If the
developer would like to continue with the plans from January that show impacts to the setback
and buffer, approval of a variance or other means from the City is anticipated to be necessary.
Further, clarification on how the wetland classification of Manage 1 and Manage 3 was
determined is needed from the developer. If there was a change to these wetland classifications,
then the plans would need to be updated to show these changes to the wetland buffer and
building setbacks.
Based on this review, the current design should not be considered official until the project can be
completed in Spring 2019.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at amoffatt@wsbeng.com
(763.287.7196) or Matt Unmacht at MUnmacht@wsbeng.com (763.762.2853).