§ 155.343 GENERAL STANDARDS.

   The following standards apply to all lands that contain and/or abut a wetland or a wetland buffer strip:

   (A)   Structures intended to provide access to or across a wetland shall be prohibited unless a permit is obtained in conformance with Minnesota Statutes and applicable state rules and regulations.

   (B)   The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Urban Best Management Practices shall be followed to avoid erosion and sedimentation during the construction process. In addition, the applicant shall follow the regulations set forth in § 155.344.

   (C)   The manner in which storm water is routed through a natural wetland will be designed in accordance with the following hydro-period standards to avoid water level fluctuations to the wetland during storm and snow-melt runoff events. The standards have been adapted from the State of Minnesota’s Storm-Water Advisory Group’s “Storm-Water and Wetlands: Planning and Evaluation Guidelines for Addressing Potential Impact of Urban Storm-Water and Snow-Melt Runoff on Wetlands.” Scientific or natural areas and bogs shall be governed by the Exceptional Quality Wetland Standards stated below.

Wetland Standards
Hydro-Period Standard	Exceptional Quality Wetlands	High Quality Wetlands	Moderate Quality Wetlands	Low Quality Wetlands
Storm Bounce	Existing	Existing plus 0.5 feet	Existing plus 1.0 feet	No limit
Discharge Rate	Existing	Existing	Existing or less	Existing or less
Inundation Period for 1 & 2 year precipitation event	Existing	Existing plus 1 day	Existing plus 2 days	Existing plus 7 days
Inundation Period for 10 year precipitation event & greater	Existing	Existing plus 7 days	Existing plus 14 days	Existing plus 21 days
Run-out control elevation (free flowing)	No change	No change	0 to 1.0 feet above existing run-out	0 to 4.0 feet above existing run-out
Run-out control elevation (land locked)	Above delineated wetland	Above delineated wetland	Above delineated wetland	Above delineated wetland

 

   (D)   Where a wetland buffer strip is required, the applicant shall:

      (1)   Before the city releases the final plat or, if there is no plat approval involved, the first building permit for the entire subject property, submit to the Zoning Administrator and receive the Zoning Administrator’s approval of a conservation easement for protection of the wetland and approved wetland buffer strip. The easement must describe the boundaries of the wetland and wetland buffer strips, monuments and monument locations and prohibit any structures, paving, mowing, and introduction of non-native vegetation, cutting, filling, dumping, yard waste disposal, fertilizer application or removal of the wetland buffer strip monuments within the wetland buffer strip or the wetland.

      (2)   Before the city releases the first building permit for the entire subject property:

         (a)   Submit evidence to the Zoning Administrator that the approved easement document has been recorded in the Wright County Recorder’s/Registrar of Titles’ Office;

         (b)   Submit a duplicate original of the easement document executed and acknowledged and otherwise in form and substance acceptable for filing with the Wright County Recorder/Registrar of Titles Office; and

         (c)   Install the wetland monumentation required by § 155.345 of this subchapter.

   (E)   All yards shall be sodded or seeded and mulched. All open areas within the wetland and/or wetland buffer strip shall be seeded and/or planted in accordance with § 155.346(C). All sodding, seeding or planting must be completed prior to removal of any erosion control. If construction is completed after the end of the growing season, erosion control shall be left in place and all disturbed areas shall be mulched to protect these areas over the winter season. Variances for sod outside of the wetland buffer strip areas, in accordance with § 155.442 (Appeals and Variances), shall be considered on a case by case basis.

(Ord. 0408, passed 12-14-04)