8Aii - Comprehensive Plan Discussion - Natural Resources

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1 growth and development could degrade the City's natural resources.The City must actively protect existing natural 2 resources and enhance those that contribute to Pequot Lakes'rural character. 3 Direct future development away from significant and/or sensitive natural resources and toward suitable areas 4 with existing infrastructure and proper soil and slope characteristics. 5 Benton MacKaye, a legendary land-use planner, compared urban growth to flood waters that must be controlled 6 through a series of barriers that he referred to as "levees". Levees include significant topographic and vegetative 7 features such as hills and bluffs, forested areas, lakeshores and other sensitive natural features. Pequot Lakes 8 should limit development around these features and encourage development in more suitable areas. 9 Promote development and construction practices that retain and improve existing natural features and systems 10 on and around building sites. Not all development is equal with respect to its impact on natural resources. 11 Development practices that identify and preserve significant natural resources - such as clustering, open space 12 dedications, restrictive covenants, or conservation easements — should be promoted by the City whenever 13 possible. Furthermore, construction practices in all new developments should not negatively impact resources by 14 causing erosion,tree damage,or the disruption of significant ecological features. 15 Support more environmentally sound alternatives to transportation, power, storm water management, 16 landscaping,and sewer treatment. One of the City's strengths is its progressive thinking.The City should take the 17 lead in promoting the use of new,sustainable technologies for its infrastructure. 18 Foster environmental stewardship. Pequot Lakes must educate residents and visitors about the value and 19 importance of preserving natural resources for sustaining the environment,local economy and quality of life. 20 ACTIONS 21 SHORT-TERM ACTIONS (WITHIN 1 YEAR : 22 ❑ Discourage the use of fertilizers and insecticides where risk of groundwater and surface water 23 contamination are high. Identify these high risk areas and create an overlay district for promoting Best 24 Management Practices for watershed health. 25 ❑ Host community clean-up and tree-planting events. 26 ❑ To protect groundwater and the City's water supply, limit development in areas with shallow depth to the 27 water table and sand over sand geological features. 28 ❑ Retain and manage native vegetation cover in areas with high erosion potential. 29 ❑ Regulate boat canopies,boat lifts,and docks for the purpose of maintaining the natural appearance of the 30 shoreline. 31 0 Encourage design standards to ensure that new buildings fit in with and do not detract from the character 32 of the natural landscape and existing neighborhoods. 33 ❑ Establish shoreline preservation standards to limit clearing of vegetation along shorelines. Make the 34 issuance of permits contingent on meeting these standards. Start an education program to make people 35 aware that permits are needed for construction and landscaping along shorelines. 36 ❑ Enact a "night sky' ordinance to limit the amount and character of signs and lighting for rural and urban 37 areas within Pequot Lakes. 38 MID-TERM ACTIONS (1-S YEARS): 221 Page