City Council - 04/05/2016 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY,APRIL 5, 2016 CITY CENTER
5:00—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Council Members Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher
Wickstrom, Kathy Nelson, and Ron Case
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Rob Reynolds, Fire Chief George
Esbensen, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah,
Parks and Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City
Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
I. LRT ART
Recreation Coordinator Lindsey Danhauser provided an update on the LRT bridge pier designs
for Prairie Center Drive. She said two artists submitted proposals for the project, and Steven
Weitzman has been chosen for the work. She said Weitzman has experience doing large-scale
concrete work at sites across the country. She displayed several examples of stamped concrete
designs Weitzman created for bridges. She said Weitzman tailors his work to each community.
His proposed designs will be reviewed by staff and the City Council later in the year. Mayor
Tyra-Lukens noted that there will be a number of bridge piers on Prairie Center Drive, and
asked if the same design will be used for all of the piers. Danhauser said staff is hoping to
incorporate different designs, since not all of the piers will be the same size.
II. TREE REPLACEMENT POLICIES
Parks and Natural Resources Manager Matt Bourne and City Planner Julie Klima reviewed the
City's tree-related ordinances and policies. Staff is looking for Council input on ways in which
future development and redevelopment can be accommodated.
Bourne said Ordinance 11.55 subd. 4 outlines tree replacement requirements. He noted this is a
replacement rather than a preservation policy. The ordinance requires an inventory of
significant trees, list of trees removed, and a replacement plan that includes location of
replacement trees as well as sizes and types. Trees exempt from replacement include dead or
diseased trees, trees down due to natural causes, as well as elm, willow, box elder and aspen
trees. Exemptions from Ordinance 11.55 Subd. 4 include:
• Non-residential Lots —Cutting,removal or killing of less than 10% of significant trees
within a 5-year period.
• Residential Lots - Cutting,removal or killing of 10%, or one significant tree, whichever is
greater, within a 5-year period.
• Home lawn or landscape installation, repair and/or maintenance.
• Public works projects undertaken by the City.
Council Member Butcher Wickstrom asked why Cottonwood trees are on the list of trees that
have to be replaced. She said the "cotton" they shed every year is problematic and unsightly.
City Council Workshop Minutes
April 5, 2016
Page 2
Council Member Aho and Nelson agreed that Cottonwood trees are undesirable and should be
removed from the list.
Nelson asked if there is a provision for preservation of"heritage" trees. Bourne said there is
currently no definition of heritage trees in the City's ordinance,but staff can look at what other
communities are doing.
Klima said a homeowner on Croixwood Lane recently removed numerous trees in their front
yard last year, which drew complaints from some neighbors; however, staff found the removal
was acceptable under current City code. Getschow noted that Chanhassen is the only nearby
community that regulates removal of trees on residential lots post-development. He asked the
City Council for input on that. Aho said he is not enthusiastic about regulating private
residences. Nelson said perhaps a permit should be required if a residential property owner
plans to take down more than 10 trees. Tyra-Lukens said this is a tricky to balance to strike.
Bourne said when staff receives inquiries regarding tree preservation or removal they
determine whether the trees are within a conservation easement or inside a shore or bluff
impact zone. Staff also conducts a site visit and determines whether the tree(s) must be
replaced.
If the property is subject to a Development Agreement, the amount of caliper inches that must
to be planted to meet the tree replacement is memorialized in the agreement. Any tree not
included in the tree replacement plan must be replaced on an inch-for-inch basis.
Post-development tree-related questions staff has encountered in recent years include:
• How long are trees included in a tree replacement plan protected?
• Do general exemptions apply to trees that were preserved in a previous tree replacement
plan?
• Do homeowners need a land alteration permit to do tree work on private property?
• How are tear downs of homes that will be replaced with buildings with a larger footprint
handled?
Klima noted that most of the remaining developable parcels in the City are infill projects on
heavily wooded sites, which makes tree preservation difficult. In addition, new stormwater
management rules have in many cases increased the number of trees that have to be removed
and/or limited the area for replacement trees to be planted. Klima noted that it is sometimes
difficult to find a balance between landscape requirements and tree replacement requirements.
For instance, the developer of a recently proposed senior living project has found it cannot
meet both tree replacement(1,048 caliper inches) and landscape requirements (293 caliper
inches).
Tyra-Lukens said she would like to address the Cub and Wells Fargo situations. Klima said if
the removed trees part of an approved landscape plan they will have to be replaced.
Butcher Wickstrom said she would like to explore implementing a heritage tree program.
City Council Workshop Minutes
April 5, 2016
Page 3
The replacement ratio for single-family residential development is 133%. Nelson asked about
size requirements for replacement trees. Bourne said the rule is 3 caliper inches for deciduous
trees and 7' tall for coniferous trees. Nelson asked why the City does not require large trees to
be replaced with trees of similar sizes. Bourse said large transplanted trees often do not thrive
as well as smaller transplanted trees.
Tyra-Lukens asked if the City is encouraging a diversity of trees. Bourne said the list of trees
was recently revised to help increase diversity.
Staff research shows that most metro area cities shows have tree preservation ordinances for
development projects,but very few have regulations outside of development.
Aho asked about the City's stance on downed trees in wooded public areas. He said some
fallen trees are unsightly. Bourne said it is the City's policy to leave to "leave them as they lay"
unless they are dangerous or blocking trails. He said fallen trees promote healthy ecosystems.
III. OPEN PODIUM
IV. ADJOURNMENT