Preliminary and Final Plat Narrative - Amended 11-9-20 PRELIMARY SUBDIVISION AND FINAL PLAT SUBMITTAL NARATIVE
Deer Haven
Chanhassen, Minnesota
October 16, 2020 (Amended November 9, 2020)
SITE INFORMATION
Legal Description P/O SE1/4 NE1/4 DESC AS: BEG AT NE CORN SE1/4 NE1/4 TH SLY ON E LINE SE1/4
NE1/4 TO A PT 660' N OF SE CORN SE1/4 NE1/4 TH WLY PARALLEL WITH S LINE
SE1/4 NE1/4 281.07'TH NELY TO APT ON N LINE OF SE1/4 NE1/4 198'WLY FROM
PT OF BEG TH ELY ALONG N LINE 198
Address 6480 Yosemite, Excelsior, MN 55331
PID 250033500
EXISTING SITE DESCRIPTION
The development site is 2.81 acres in size and currently contains one single family residence. The
property has frontage along Wood Duck Lane, as platted within Pheasant Hill 4th Addition and gains
access via a 33 foot right of way platted as part of Pheasant Hill 4,h Addition and Stoddart Addition.
Existing access is over a private drive maintained by the applicant. There are no wetlands within the
proposed plat and there is a scattering of mature specimen trees with turf maintained in a manicured
state.
PROPOSED PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLAN
The proposed development plan consists of a low density single-family residential development that
splits the existing parcel into four single family residential lots, inclusive of the lot for the existing
residence. The existing home would remain on the property within one of the four lots while the other
three lots are made available for home building. Buildable lots would be a minimum of 15,000 square
feet and be able to accommodate a 60' X 60-foot building pad while maintaining setbacks prescribed
within the ordinance. The plat would include one outlot for the purposes of the private drive and
stormwater collection/treatment systems. The plat would also have drainage and utility easements to
accommodate cross drainage and utilities consisting of City water and sanitary sewer. The
Comprehensive Plan designation for the area is Residential Low Density with a range of 1.2—4.0 units
per acre. The proposed development would have a density of 4 units/2.81 acres, or 1.40 units/acre. To
the south of the existing house are steep slopes of approximately 0.45 acres. If this area was considered
not buildable, the net density is then approximately 1.67 units per acre. The area of steep slope is to
remain unimpacted.
SITE ACCESS
The site is currently accessed by a private drive over the platted 33 foot right of way. The drive
continues to the residence across parcel 250033500(6480 Yosemite). Access within the site would be
accommodated by a private drive constructed to a 7-ton design and 20 feet wide as required by
ordinance. The proposal of a private drive requires a variance of which is an element of this
application. Maintenance of the private drive would be defined by Covenants and filed upon
the property.
The access to the private drive within the site would be accommodated by a public street over
and across a 33-foot dedicated right of way which was the subject of dedication by Registered
Land Survey No. 38 and the Stoddart Addition. Houses along Yosemite, both north and south of
the existing right of way has developed, and redeveloped, such that additional right of way is
unrealistic. Consequently, this application also requests a variance to the standard right of way
width and street width. This is certainly not a Municipal State Aid Route, however using State
Aid design standards as a guide, a street with the expect traffic from four homes, the street
width can be two eleven-foot lanes with a one-foot shoulder. Approval is request to pave two
12-foot lanes such that the shoulder would be paved. There are no other properties that take
direct access to this road, therefore it is also requested that the City adopt a Resolution
prohibiting parking along this street.
GRADING AND TOPOGRAPHY
The existing home is adjacent to the beginning of steep slopes with a gradient to the south. The portion
of the parcel that would accommodate the three new building sites slope gradually to the north. The
grading plan provides for walkout sites but is proposing that each site is custom graded affording the
highest probability of retaining the existing mature trees that are healthy. It is intended that each
custom design would consider for removal those trees that are currently stressed, either due to age or
Emerald Ash Borer disease.
UTILITIES
The existing home is currently served by sanitary sewer and water from the westerly Pintail Circle
location. The other three sites would be served by a watermain extension from an existing main within
the existing platted right of way and a sanitary sewer extension from an existing system within Wood
Duck Lane cul de sac. With the extension of the watermain to serve the three new parcels, it is
proposed that the existing residence would be connected to the new main as opposed to the existing
long service line to the watermain within Pintail Circle.
STORWATER MANAGEMENT AND WETLAND IMPACTS
The development site is located within the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. The City's stormwater
management plan requires stormwater treatment and retention ponds designed to City standards.
There are no proposed wetland impacts as demonstrated by the grading plan and wetland delineation
report.
TREE PRESERVATION AND LANDSCAPING
There are a number of trees on the site that have been planted as specimen trees. Some are quite old
and are showing stress due to age (three pines and one Box Elder) or scalping over the years from lawn
mowing (one stunted Maple). There are also a number of trees that are dead or showing stress from
Emerald Ash Borer disease. However, there are a number of beautiful trees that it is the intent to
preserve by custom site design and grading. Upon completion of grading, it is intended that individual
home builders will screen the adjacent properties with evergreen tree plantings.