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Regular Planning Commission Meeting <br />Minutes – Wednesday, May 1, 2013 <br />Page 12 <br />the specifics of their design, including 12” of bio-retention soil, porous dirt for 30” and 1’ of <br />555 <br />“bounce,” resulting in the deepest standing water of no more than 1’ and landscaped with <br />556 <br />plants intended for wet soils. Ms. Bloom cautioned that final design for the storm water <br />557 <br />management was not yet finalized, but it would be sized to address runoff from the site, <br />558 <br />through some type of under-drain system connecting to the City’s storm water system. <br />559 <br />At the request of Chair Gisselquist, Ms. Bloom clarified that the storm water management <br />560 <br />system would be designed for this development was typical for water runoff from a <br />561 <br />structure and eventually flows into the street. Ms. Bloom noted that backyard runoff <br />562 <br />worked similarly; and that this was how a subdivision was designed, to address rain <br />563 <br />events of 6” or more, based on costs and average rain events, the water was routed to <br />564 <br />the street. Ms. Bloom recognized those homes in the neighborhood that had backyards <br />565 <br />and wetlands with standing water, which served as an under-drain in that area, an <br />566 <br />extension of the park, and it did induce mosquitoes and boggy-type plants, and the <br />567 <br />drainage swales were basically an engineer-designed ditch. Ms. Bloom provided several <br />568 <br />examples of similar storm water management systems that as the backyard swales in <br />569 <br />this neighborhood, that had also failed several years ago due to excessive rain events. <br />570 <br />Ms. Bloom noted that the under-drain design for this development had become standard <br />571 <br />design to mitigate and avoid standing water and allowing for sufficient drainage. <br />572 <br />MOTION <br />573 <br />Member Boguszewski moved, seconded by Member Murphy to recommend to the <br />574 <br />City Council approval of the proposed JOSEPHINE HEIGHTS PRELIMINARY PLAT, <br />575 <br />based on the comments and findings of Sections 4-6 and the recommendation of <br />576 <br />Section of the staff report dated May 1, 2013. <br />577 <br />Member Position Statements <br />578 <br />Chair Gisselquist <br /> expressed his admiration for the community efforts displayed and <br />579 <br />points made by the neighbors. While Chair Gisselquist recognized that the development <br />580 <br />of this current wooded area into six (6) single-family homes was a huge change for the <br />581 <br />neighborhood, with people expecting that open space to continue, the neighborhood also <br />582 <br />needed to be realistic. As this chunk of undeveloped land available in a first-ring suburb, <br />583 <br />Chair Gisselquist opined that this provided a unique and seldom seen opportunity for <br />584 <br />development in Roseville; and therefore he would support the motion. Chair Gisselquist <br />585 <br />stated that the City Engineer and developer had proven to him that the drainage <br />586 <br />problems will be dealt with; and further stated that the concern with aesthetics were of <br />587 <br />minimal interest to him in his decision making. Chair Gisselquist noted that the City and <br />588 <br />its staff had good working relationship with developers, and he was confident that the <br />589 <br />mitigation efforts for storm water management would be sufficient to address those <br />590 <br />concerns of the neighborhood. <br />591 <br />Member Boguszewski <br /> concurred with Chair Gisselquist’s comments. In his review of the <br />592 <br />public comments expressed tonight, and those written comments provided, Member <br />593 <br />Boguszewski stated that those objections and concerns appeared to be in two (2) <br />594 <br />categories. The first category was technical related to water runoff and trees. Member <br />595 <br />Boguszewski stated that he was confident that the engineering needs as described were <br />596 <br />designed to prevent those specific things feared by the neighbors in water runoff and <br />597 <br />development of this land. Member Boguszewski opined that the question of constructing <br />598 <br />four (4) houses perpendicular to the street versus six (6) houses around a cul-de-sac had <br />599 <br />little to do with water runoff; and therefore, comparing this development to the existing <br />600 <br />conditions is not appropriate. Member Boguszewski opined that the technical concerns <br />601 <br />had been addressed to his satisfaction. <br />602 <br />Regarding the aesthetics of this development, Member Boguszewski opined that there <br />603 <br />was no City Code against greed, nor did the City have any authority to mandate how <br />604 <br />someone developed their lots as long as they met applicable requirements. While not <br />605 <br />necessarily in agreement with what his neighbor chose to do on their property, Member <br />606 <br />Boguszewski noted that he as a neighboring property owner, nor as a Commissioner, nor <br />607 <br />the City itself, could prohibit a private property owner developing their property, as long <br />608 <br /> <br />