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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Council Action Form dated September 10, 2019 ITEM # Addfl Item DATE: 09-10-19 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: MAJOR FINAL PLAT FOR QUARRY ESTATES SUBDIVISION, FOURTH ADDITION BACKGROUND: The City's subdivision regulations are included in Chapter 23 of the Ames Municipal Code. Once the applicant has completed the necessary requirements, including provision of required public improvements or provision of financial security for their completion, an application for a "Final Plat" may then be made for City Council approval. After City Council approval of the Final Plat, it must then be recorded with the County Recorder to become an officially recognized subdivision plat. The Final Plat must be found to conform to the ordinances of the City and any conditions placed upon the Preliminary Plat approval. Quarry Estates LLC, represented by Kurt Friedrich, has submitted a final major subdivision plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fourth Addition. The Quarry Estates development lies north of Ada Hayden Heritage Park as shown on the location map in Attachment 1. The most recent final plat, Third Addition, was approved in June of 2018. The Fourth Addition includes 22 single-family detached lots and two outlots for open space (Attachment 2). A 15.97-acre outlot to the west is reserved for future platting. Outlot A to the east and south will contain easements for conservation, sanitary, storm water treatment, surface water flowage, and pedestrian trails. The Fourth Addition includes the construction of McFarland Avenue, extending a portion of Ada Hayden Road westward and a small portion of Ketelsen Drive to complete the eastern circulation needs for the subdivision. Ada Hayden Road will, at a future date, extend further west to Hyde Avenue. The proposed road extensions provide adequate interim access to the development until such time as the future extension of Ada Hayden Road occurs. Many of the required improvements in the fourth addition including streets, sanitary sewer, public water, and storm sewer system, have been completed and inspected. Financial security in the amount of $431,799.80 has been provided for the remaining public improvements. The financial security includes the costs of installing all the remaining sidewalks, street pavement, conservation management, storm sewer and street lights within this phase. The City Council is being asked to accept the signed Improvement Agreement with financial security for those improvements. Financial security can be reduced by the City Council as the required infrastructure is installed, inspected, and accepted by the City Council. Staff notes that the proposed Outlot A includes a trail connection to Ada Hayden Park. This singular point of access was allowed/required as part of the original master plan and the preliminary plat. As part of the 2nd Addition, the installation of the trail within the subdivision and a connection within the Park was required. Originally, the preliminary plat was approved with an 8-foot paved trail, but was accepted as a crushed rock trail improvement at the time of the 2nd Addition. Financial security for the trail was released on October 23, 2018. The material change to crushed rock, in the context of connecting to the Park, is viewed as a minor change from the Preliminary Plat approval, no further improvements are recommended with the 4tn Addition for Outlot A. Although the platting of the 4t" Addition includes the extension of McFarland Avenue, the common area with the required conservation area connections that abuts McFarland was platted as part of the 2nd and 3`d Additions. No changes to the configuration of Outlot D & Outlot C are proposed with this addition. Staff does note that a future sidewalk connection to the west may occur with development of the Outlot WW created as part of the 3`d Addition. The applicant stated that would be acceptable in the future if necessary to support development of Outlot WW. No sidewalk improvement is needed with this addition for Outlot D and McFarland Avenue. A Conservation Management Plan update is a requirement of the Subdivision Code for this Addition for the other new Outlot A of this addition. The Conservation Management Plan (CMP), prepared by Inger Lamb of Prairie Landscapes of Iowa, details the installation, long-term maintenance, public outreach and education, and lawn care coordination of the prairie and woodland areas. An updated CMP reflecting the Fourth Addition is required (Attachment 3). The final updates were recently submitted by the applicant and are subject to review and acceptance by the Municipal Engineer as required by the Conservation Subdivision Ordinance. The developer requests that City Council conditionally approve the final plat at this time while the updates are reviewed by City Staff and the Municipal Engineer rather than wait until the next City Council meeting on September 24th. The approval of the preliminary plat placed some very specific requirements on the final plat. One condition is that the developer provide a north bound and south bound turn lane on Hyde Avenue. Since this plat does not include any connection to Hyde Avenue (all access for the First, Second and Fourth Additions is from 190t" Street), this requirement for a turn lane will be fulfilled in a later phase when the connection to Hyde Avenue is made. The developer is also required to comply with a Pre-Annexation Development Agreement that requires payment of costs for sewer and water connection districts for each lot in the Addition. The developer has paid these fees at this time in order to proceed with platting of the fourth phase of the development. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve the Final Plat of Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fourth Addition, based upon the staff's findings that the Final Plat conforms to relevant and applicable design standards, ordinances, policies, and plans with a Public Improvement Agreement and financial security. This option would also direct staff not to release the Final Plat for recording until City staff has approved the Conservation Management Plan. The applicant would need to complete the update and record the plat within 30 days of City Council's approval. 2. The City Council can delay approval of the Final Plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fourth Addition until the City staff has approved the Conservation Management Plan. 3. The City Council can deny the Final Plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fourth Addition if it finds that the development creates a burden on existing public improvements or creates a need for new public improvements that have not yet been installed. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: City staff has evaluated the proposed final major subdivision plat and determined that the proposal is consistent with the master plan and preliminary plat approved by City Council and that the plat conforms to the adopted ordinances and policies of the City as required by Code. The developer is requesting special permission for the City to accept staff's approval of the Conservation Plan subsequent to consideration by City Council for approval of the final plat. Assuming the City Council wants to accommodate the developer's special request, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1 to approve the final plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fourth Addition, but direct staff to not release it for recording until the Conservation Management Plan is approved by the City staff. Attachment 1- Location Map , F, Subject Area "69 " va 3 .'. fir p r r v� ti 8EC4iK' 's 3 � a' �W Sre �• ? A�DAMS STD to � i NN ;_ •" ALMOND RD�--'"� � �� � �� 5 Y vu Location Map Quarry Estates Property 904 W 190th Street � I ATTACHMENT 2: QUARRY ESTATES SUBDIVISION FOURTH ADDITION Fx 99c 4 z OF �' a ® • o p Z= a F �� €x 2 d 3€' ti r a a`€ Nt $#fin NO Fa €j I - i t € x �? s9€zg e � : s d� s s1_ � �_. 3x ° sS� � §� 5yc g$� 9 m gC'a 'xl$i IpY cs a •? � S t ��•• , �x,$ F t d4 ...>x p 7 p mn�• 33a p 5 3 LL$ 5 I ` : s I ' x i 9 o ��g Is. n�anna,.v aann a e$�$ 69 Attachment 3: Conservation Management Plan Guidance for Establishment&Management of Prairie and Woodland Areas Quarry Estates,Ames Iowa September 2019 Contents: 1. Long-term Maintenance 2. Prairie and Woodland Understory Establishment Site Preparation Prairie Establishment—outlying areas Prairie Establishment—internal areas Wetland and Drainage Area Vegetation 3. Site-wide maintenance During Construction Phase 4. Public Outreach and Education 5. Lawn Care 6. Review of Allowed Tree List 1.Long-Term Maintenance: • This section is listed first to underscore the essential need for long-term management planning for maintenance of the prairie,wetland and woodland areas. Activities directed at keeping all natural areas in good condition should be considered on the same level of importance as planning for lawn care and snow removal. Furthermore,routine maintenance of established natural areas,performed by knowledgeable and experienced staff,will not only keep the needed labor and inputs to a minimum,it will also be less costly per acre than traditional lawn management and result in a considerably more ecologically desirable setting. • Once established,all natural areas should receive,at a minimum,an annual assessment by an ecologist experienced in management of such areas. This includes inspection of all relevant landscapes for environmental (invasive species entry,weeds or tree seedlings,drought effects etc.)and mechanical damage(mowing damage, herbicide overspray,vandalism)issues. Areas in need of repair or restoration should be addressed promptly. • An annual sweep to remove shrub and tree seedlings should be expected. This can be in the form of prescribed fire or mechanical removal by hand. o A healthy prairie area will have few new weeds but surrounding unmanaged areas may serve as a seed source. o Introduction of trees near prairie areas for landscaping purposes should be seen as increasing prairie management needs due to increased need to remove encroaching tree seedlings. • All prairie and woodland understory areas should be mowed annually if a prescribed fire has not been administered. o Generally mowing is done late spring to allow winter cover to remain in place for animal benefit and leave a more interesting landscape during the dormant season, o Prescribed fire is usually done on a three-year rotation,usually in early spring but fall burns are also acceptable. This activity in particular should only be performed by experienced crews with National Wildfire Coordinating Group(NWCG)training and all relevant insurance policies and permits. • After periods of unusually dry or wet weather some reduction of desirable prairie species may occur. In such cases the annual inspection should especially include recommendations that address any significant areas of bare or sparsely populated ground. These areas should be re-seeded with appropriate seed mix or planted with live plants rather than allowed to become weedy and leading to larger problems. 2 2.Prairie and Woodland Understory Establishment• Site Preparation(establishing new prairie area) • Existing tree assessment: o Careful evaluation of existing trees with emphasis on preservation of existing desirable species o Weedy maples(box elder and silver/soft maple),mulberry and honeysuckle should be removed. These species re-seed prolifically,leading to increased annual maintenance. ■ Remove by cutting and treating the stumps with glyphosate or triclopyr • No use of Tordon should be allowed onsite • If near a water body herbicide should be compatible with water usage • Consider leaving larger stumps for signage,art installations,and/or casual seating. • Existing lawn grass and hayfield to be converted to prairie and woodland understory: o Mow in normal cycle until herbicide treatment begins o Spray with glyphosate(grass)and aminopyralid(areas with clover,alfalfa, bird's foot trefoil) ■ Repeated inspections and additional treatments as green-up occurs No tilling or soil disturbance • Seed will be broadcast directly onto killed grass so no erosion control needed Prairie Establishment-Seeding • all areas with treated vegetation should be seeded by hand-broadcasting o areas closer to walkways to be seeded with a high density mix of somewhat shorter species, emphasizing flowering species with a wide range of blooming times o areas under trees to be seeded with a savanna species mix,again emphasizing attractive species but maintaining diversity and high plant density o areas receiving stormwater runoff and sump pump flow will be seeded with species that tolerate periodic wet conditions Prairie Establishment—first three years • Seeded areas monitored approximately every two weeks for weed growth o if weed growth is sufficient to cause significant shade on desirable seedlings:weed or mow o weeding to be done by hand in areas not too dense with weeds o if necessary spot mow or use mechanical trimmer on weedy areas. ■ This sets back weeds and favors growth of native species,but does reduce flowering and lead to a less attractive stand during establishment. ■ Desirable to maximize flower display to improve public and new landowner reception, therefore hand weeding is preferred where possible o Monitor for Canada thistle,alfalfa,bird's foot trefoil,quackgrass,brome etc.and treat with appropriate herbicide as needed • Areas that have been damaged or not developing as expected should be evaluated and re-seeded o Care to be taken to use species that germinate readily during any warm season seeding • Continued monitoring and removal of maple seedlings,honeysuckle,cedars,mulberry etc. Prairie Establishment—Mature stand • Annual early spring mowing of all seeded areas if no prescribed burn conducted • Coordinate with Ada Hayden HP staff and Ames Fire Department if prescribed fire is appropriate • Continued iterative maintenance:monitor for weeds and damage,treat as needed .......__._..... . ____ __ www.prairielandscapeslic.com 3 3.5ite-wide Management during construction: It is important to understand the impact of letting a weedy stand of vegetation develop during construction: o In traditional post-construction landscaping either sod or lawn grass seed is established. • Sod and seeded lawns can be managed for weeds by use of broad-leaf herbicides(and the weed- smothering effect of sod). o Establishing a natural prairie landscape post-construction is considerably different: • Broad-leaf herbicides will damage prairie species along with the weedy species,and there is no sod to smother weed seeds. • Furthermore,the weed seeds will contaminate the border areas being prepared for seeding • For these reasons it is strongly recommended that weeds in the areas to be developed are kept well under control,to a larger degree than with typical construction,with mowing or spraying treatments as construction goes on. Not following thru with this recommendation will lead to a longer(unattractive)establishment period and considerably more management labor expense. 4.Public Outreach and Education: • People who are not familiar with native landscapes(or have seen failed attempts at establishing such areas)are often put off by what can be a weedy appearance when compared to traditional park-like landscaping. o This is especially true during establishment years,and even more so during establishment on weedy sites. Again,emphasis on benefits of preventing weeds from setting seed during construction phase o There will always be some people that prefer a traditional high maintenance,controlled landscape,but with education and exposure to healthy natural landscapes many people will enthusiastically embrace a more natural appearance and the benefits offered. • To help people have accurate and realistic interpretations of these natural areas the following outreach and education is recommended: o Education: ■ Signage onsite,both temporary explanations during establishment and more permanent once the site is well underway. This should include QR codes for access to websites with broader information than that immediately available onsite. • Especially useful to point out the natural landscape as historic,and in scarce supply • Emphasis can be placed on the often underappreciated benefits to water quality and stormwater management concerns that are derived from native landscapes • Today many people are interested in milkweeds for butterfly gardens,this is great but useful to argue many less showy species benefit from a broad prairie matrix—not just butterflies o emphasis on habitat establishment is generally well received • phrasing like"During establishment of prairies,first year they sleep,second year they creep,third year they leap"conveys need for patience • Know that education in the second growing season after seeding is important—this is when patience can wane in those unaccustomed to the timeframe needed to establish prairie. Keeping residents and other interested parties updated with progress during this time period can prevent many frustrations on both the part of managers and those waiting to see a mature stand. www.prairielandscapeslic.com - 4 • Hold onsite meetings advertised to both the public and new homeowners to provide opportunity for questions and comments(see comment directly above). • Once established,scheduled walking tours around the natural areas with knowledgeable ecologist • Provide website and other social media with current information updates and access to deeper explanations • Consider interviewing previous landowners for oral history of site,historic perspective on century farm as part of education signage. Old photos could be useful for website development. o Borders: • Research has shown that a paved edge,fencing,signage etc,silently send a message that the landscaping is designed and Intentional,not just a case of someone not bothering to mow or otherwise maintain the area • Recommend that the internal prairie areas between parallel lots be delineated by spaced boulders or fence posts • Zero maintenance"fencing" • Spacing can be fairly broad • Brings in the"glacial erratic"story to the historic landscapes educational piece • Allows some seating for watching birds and butterflies • Lawnmowers prevented from cutting into prairie areas to turn etc. • Heavy enough to prevent creative re-location S.Lawn Care: Coordination with lawn Care Providers:Typically lawn care companies do not understand prairie management and often don't appreciate prairie vegetation and the problems caused by their actions. This commonly leads to issues with herbicide overspray during dandelion treatments,mowing damage and other issues. Any contract with a lawn care provider should include specific language to address potential damage and significant financial penalties when such occurs. Note,minor penalties can be(and have been)seen as cheaper than taking time to mow and spray carefully. Placement of boulders near lawn-prairie interfaces is one of the most effective methods of preventing mowing damage, and requires much less maintenance than fencing.Additionally,can be used for casual seating. Recommendations for lawn care at homes within Quarry Estates:low-environmental impact lawn care is one of the easiest and most important ways homeowners can help the local environment. There are many ways to reduce the fertilize/irrigate/mow/repeat cycle. Some information and recommendations: • Run-off—anything applied to a lawn has the potential to move off the lawn onto down slope areas. o Any herbicides that contact adjacent vegetation(via drift during application or as run-off during rainfall) will have an impact. The most common herbicides are"broad leaf'herbicides—selected to kill dandelions and other weeds in the grass. The majority of plants in the conservation areas and in the Ada Hayden Heritage Park prairies are also broadleaf species,will also be killed or damaged by lawn care herbicides. • It's therefore important to use extreme care during application,and using the minimum amount of chemical necessary ■ Corn gluten can be used as a more natural way of preventing weed seed germination. Considerable information is available on the Internet about this agricultural by-product. o Fertilizers are also prone to traveling downhill to adjacent vegetation. The surrounding conservation areas are negatively impacted by fertilizers. Water bodies grow unhealthy and unattractive"blooms"of .. www.prairielandscapesllc.com - 5 algae and scum,and natural areas are impacted with weed populations increasing in response to fertilization. • Reducing fertilizer use has many important benefits-less damage to surrounding vegetation via run-off,and slowed lawn growth allowing fewer mowing cycles and less thatch buildup. • Using low/no phosphate fertilizers in place of traditional fertilizers is essential to protect downstream water bodies;most algal blooms are the direct result of phosphorus contamination from upstream sources. Furthermore,current research shows that established lawns do not need phosphorus fertilizers-application to mature sod just leads to faster grass growth and more mowing cycles. The detrimental effects of phosphorus runoff on downstream water bodies are severe enough that its use is prohibited on all grounds in Quarry Estates,both conservation areas and homeowner lots. Only non-phosphorus fertilizers are allowed;these will have a zero in the NPK listing(example:an NPK of 22-0-15 would contain 22%nitrogen(N),0% phosphorus(P)and 15%potassium(K). • High nitrogen fertilizers also have negative downstream effects similar to phosphorus runoff. Use of slow-release nitrogen sources reduces potential runoff damage while providing the lawn with enough nitrogen to remain green and healthy. o Insecticides are potent chemicals with a higher chance of impacting humans and wildlife than other common lawn care chemicals(fertilizers and herbicides). Considerable caution should be used when deciding to use an insecticide. It is estimated that over 95%of common lawn insects are not pests,and do not need to be killed. Pest insects are often in higher concentrations in lawns that have lush growth due to high inputs of fertilizers,so reducing fertilizers also reduces insect concerns without use of insecticides. • Mowing_Lawn mowers engines are far less efficient that car engines,and can damage lawns if not used optimally. Lawns that are healthy require less irrigation,herbicides,and pesticides. o Mowing grass so that at least 3.5"of blade remains helps keep the grass healthy(keep in mind a grass plant"wants"to grow 12-18"tall,so keeping it short really stresses the plant) This also slows the rate of soil drying. o Cutting off 1/3 of the grass blade at most leads to healthier lawns o Using a mulching mower allows the grass clippings to return to the soil as a natural fertilizer,and does not lead to thatch build-up. Additionally,lawn clippings are not taken off site. o Mowing when rain is predicted in the next 24 hours leads to healthier grass o Keeping mower blades sharp helps reduce mowing stress to the lawn • Irrigation:reduced lawn irrigation leads to reduced runoff potential,reduced use of water purified for human use,and lower maintenance costs. a Consider using low water-use"eco-grass"(grass seed mixes that are slower,low-growing plants that don't need to be mowed routinely)in backyard areas that are not used frequently or are otherwise hard to maintain tradition lawns. These do not require irrigation, o Irrigate only in the early AM. More water is used if irrigation is done during late AM and afternoon hours. Late day irrigation can lead to disease problems in a lawn that is damp all night. o Irrigating deeply but less frequently is better for the lawn and uses less water. Having an irrigation system that is simple to turn off after rain events leads to healthier lawns,less run-off,and less water use. • Commercial lawn care:if you hire a company to mow and"treat"your lawn you should inquire what their treatments are,why they are doing them,when they do them,and what chemicals are applied. You can request www.prairielandscapeslic.com --. 6 that they limit the use of chemicals or use alternatives that are less damaging to the natural areas surrounding Quarry Estates, 6.Trees to be planted: o Use only native species,this feeds into the native landscapes story for this subdivision and aids habitat establishment. o Planting trees in prairie conservation areas is not allowed. o All trees produce seed,which over time will proliferate into the prairie o As they mature the saplings produce shade that reduces prairie vigor,eventually causing the understory(originally full-sun)prairie species to die out o This leads to bare ground which then erodes and causes stormwater infiltration issues o Recommended native species for yards and other non-conservation areas: o Bur oak,White oak,swamp white oak,hazelnut,eastern wahoo,service berry,honey locust,black maple,shagbark hickory,KY coffee tree,hackberry,American linden and native hawthorns o Issues with some Maples:avoid Norway,Amur and Tartarian(see below under invasive species) • Sugar maple: O Ames is west of its range. This species struggles there unless very well sited. • I'�rCi" f,s€��j;� im� �;aa • ils_ir,,.. }�c,.,. 3 9 b,ir r �r ,..,:;II t s �a€' '. ? � <_>,€ � htrr • Black Maple:does much better in our area than sugar maple. ].. iE:n}li 6 j� i3 o Lindens: • Littleleaf linden: ® native to Europe ht t.t wvj,t'�;gr t� ak?.J.cu.°�":€fi,�t€ss.?...::1)- ,t rit= ! :t-€€I ;,.. ___ _ .._ _.__.. .-_.... €t , American Linden is native,preferred,and somewhat less susceptible to Japanese Beetles: 0 Species to avoid: o Avoid invasive species or those that re-seed profusely(leading to increased management needs): • Amur maple should be actively avoided: ratU"fl"vypv 611, srali� €t€ f Eta rP �r ap s t:r:l 3rr(:' z.,trrr i :a�t_� Lt� V; �" _, t ;t3s�, �F)_. ,€1r-rd • flowering pear:includes the very invasive Bradford pear: • 3a, 3 ti r �I€ rosrwc� t`, ,r ty a httLE 'xc Maples: • Norway&Amur maples are invasive and should be avoided • Tartarian maple:Not as invasive as Amur maple but not native to our area ■ Norway maple:not native to the US and considered invasive g Yra o Crabapples:showy for short period then very prone to losing leaves,dropping fruit,and generally unattractive look Ginko:native to China,female trees drop foul-smelling,slippery fruit ............ __ _ _ _._..- .. .. -www.prairielandscapeslracom _ Vrt/rd anmiim cals,sl:xve ,.i a 15�S,�Nsuwe Suua�uiSua spas mu m�s ev �' i'�;103 Airing a e„ u omg6wnwBu3%f1i :'�y 9 NVld 3dYJ54Ntl1� O I - g9 � I I I , L JJ L L OYONN30.(NNYON 1I - I I � I. AW, .a+ ar wo"Ift- . P -. , Applicable Laws and Policies Pertaining to Final Plat Approval Adopted laws and policies applicable to this case file include, but are not limited to, the following: Ames Municipal Code Section 23.302 (10) City Council Action oil Final Plat for Major Subdivision: (a) All proposed subdivision platsshall he submitted to the City Council forreylew and approt al. Upon receipt of any Final flat forwarded to it for review and approval.the City Council shall examine the application Form,the 1 inal Plat,any comments,recommendations or reports examined or inade by the I)epartment of Planning and Housings.and such other infi7rtnation as it deems necessary or reasonable to consider. (b) Based upon such examination. the City Council shall ascertain whether the 1�inal flit conforms to relevant and applicable dcsig4n and improvcirient standards in these Regulations, to either City Oftlin€antes and standards,to the C°ity's Land Use Policy flan and to the City's other duty adopted plates. (c) The City Council may: (i) deny tiny subdivision where the reasonably anticipated impact of'such subuitision will create such a burden on existing public improvements or such a nerd for nett public improvements that the area of the:City affected by such impact will he unable to coutorin to level of service standards scat forth in the:land Clsc Policy Nan or other capital project or groxth management plan of the City until such time that the City upgrades such public improvements in accordance with schedules set forth in such plans or. (it) approve any subdivision subject to the condition that the applicant contribute it)SO touch of such upgrade of public improvements a,the need for such upgrade is directly and pr0p0rtic,natt0V attributable to such impact as determined at the stale discretion cif the City, ]'he tcrn x,,conditions and amortization schedule for Stich contribution may be incorporated within an lrnproi cnaent Agreement as set forth in Section 2_,1tf4 of file Regulations. (d) Prior to granting approb al of a ma4jor subdivision Final Plat,tilt City Council array Permit the Plat to be divided into two or more sections and may impose such conditions upon approval of each section as it deems nece,:sary to assure orderly development of the subdivision. (e) Following such examination, and within tat?days of the Applicant's riling of the complete .Application for Final flat rApproval of a Major Subdivision with the Department of Planning and Housing. the City Council 1,11411 appetite,approve subject to conditions,or disapprove the application for Final Plat.Approval of a Major Subdivision, `l"he City Council ,hall set firth its rca.oris for disapproving:, any Application or for conditioning its approval of any Application in its official records and shall provide a written copy of such reasons to the developer. The City Council shall patis a resolution accepting the Final flat for any Application that it approve,. ttfr(t. .'tiu, 3524, 5-2?-99)