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7550 MERIDIAN CIR N, SUITE 120 | MAPLE GROVE, MN 55369 PAGE 2 OF 6 DETERMINING THE WMD BOUNDARY Figure 1 displays the RCD 4 WMD area, as defined in the 2020 RCWD Watershed Management Plan. It contains parcels that are both within the hydrologic boundary of the project and RCWD boundary. The hydrologic boundary was determined using LiDAR elevation data and storm sewer infrastructure to identify drainage patterns. SUMMARY OF THE LAND USE CLASSIFICATION Each parcel was initially classified into a land use category using the most recent Ramsey County Parcel GIS data according to the ‘USECLASS1’ field within the layer. These land use values were then modified to be consistent with previous RCWD WMDs.Figure 2 displays the parcel classifications. Primarily, the RCD 4 WMD consists of industrial/commercial and residential land uses. In cases where the parcel had no USECLASS value or had a value that could not clearly be translated to a standard land use, recent aerial imagery was reviewed to make a determination. One example of such a determination was to further describe parcels that were simply labeled as residential to being “Residential – Multifamily” for twin homes. EXCLUDED PARCELS Several types of parcels either partially or wholly within WMD have been excluded from the charge. These types of parcels generally include: 1) fractional or fringe parcels at the outer edge of the WMD having a small amount of area within the WMD; 2) common element parcels; 3) park parcels; and 4) public stormwater management features. District legal counsel rendered an opinion in an April 1, 2013 email that a certain type of tax-exempt parcel under common ownership (referred to as “common element parcels”) cannot be charged through a WMD, per MS 273.124 subd. 2a. These parcels have been excluded from the charge. However, by imposing a minimum charge of $25, the charge which otherwise would have been assigned to a common element parcel will be effectively reallocated to the adjacent parcels receiving benefit. The minimum charge reflects a reasonable cost of administering the charge both by the RCWD and Ramsey County and allocating the runoff from common element parcels to those jointly owning the parcels. Based on guidance from the Board of Managers and per the RCWD’s Watershed Management Plan, parcels identified as “Public – Park and Recreational” are not charged. This is similar to the convention followed for previous WMD charges, where parcels zoned as “Park” were excluded from the charge. The WMD charge for these parcels has been reassigned to Ad Valorem. Likewise, the publicly-owned parcels containing regional stormwater management features (e.g. stormwater ponds and sedimentation basins) provide a core benefit that increase conveyance and/or decrease maintenance efforts in RCD 4. For that reasons, these parcels are not charged.