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Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District <br /> 7118 Clearwater Road <br /> Baxter, Minnesota 56425 <br /> Telephone: (218) 828-6197 <br /> Fax: (218) 828-6095 <br /> o er 1, 2005 <br /> Dawn Bittner, Zoning Administrator <br /> City of Pequot Lakes <br /> 4638 County Road 11 <br /> Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 <br /> RE: Valerie Dwight Wetland Replacement Plan Application <br /> Dear Ms. Bittner: <br /> The City of Pequot Lakes Wetland Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP)met on November <br /> 1, 2005 to discuss the above referenced application. The TEP is responsible for making <br /> recommendations to the City of Pequot Lakes on Wetland Replacement Applications <br /> under the provisions of the Wetland Conservation Act. The City has the authority to <br /> make the final decision on these applications and may be more restrictive than the TEP. <br /> The TEP recommends that this application be approved. The WCA requires that a <br /> process called sequencing be followed. Sequencing requires that wetland impacts are <br /> avoided where feasible or prudent, minimized to the amount necessary, and that <br /> unavoidable wetland impacts are replaced at a minimum of a 1:1 ratio. The wetland <br /> replacement can occur by creating or restoring wetlands. This application is for an after <br /> the fact project and must be replaced by at least twice the 1:1 ratio. <br /> The TEP recommends approval based on the following findings of fact: <br /> 1. The fill can be justified as a safety issue. It will reduce parking on the public road <br /> which reduce the possibility of an accident. The fill can not be avoided since the <br /> entire lot is wetland. <br /> 2. The fill has been minimized to the amount necessary. The applicant could have <br /> applied for more fill than they did for access to the lake or other items. <br /> 3. The wetland impacts will be replaced at a 2:1 ratio or greater. <br /> The TEP strongly recommends that the replacement ratio be raised to 4:1 with the first <br /> 2:1 occurring through the Morrison County Wetland Bank and the next 2:1 through the <br /> Crow Wing County Water Quality Fund that is held by the Crow Wing Soil and Water <br /> Conservation District (SWCD) or the City may establish its own. The Water Quality <br /> Fund is based on a$10,000 per acre rate and will be used for water quality projects <br /> within the county. The payment required would be $480 (based on 1,056 square feet X 2 <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />