10.c1 Memorandum on Wetland Public Amentities
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Date of Meeting: May 19, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: T.J. Hofer, Consultant City Planner
Re: Memorandum on Wetland Public Amenities
City staff have been asked by the Scandia Heritage Alliance to make a determination on if the
trail network installed around the project site are considered “water-oriented public amenity.”
BACKGROUND
The Water Tower Barn Project first had a CUP and Variance approved in 2021 to allow
construction of the project on the south side of 14727 209th Street North, a lot owned by the City
of Scandia. The project includes several amenities, one of which is a trail system near the
wetland located on the property. A portion of this trail is the responsibility of the Scandia
Heritage Alliance and a portion is the responsibility of the City of Scandia.
The City Council approved an amendment to Ordinance 198 (Chapter 155) Shoreland
Management Regulations (Shoreland Ordinance) in November of 2025 to define “water-oriented
public amenities” and to allow such amenities to encroach into a wetland setback given certain
standards are met.
ANALYSIS OF REQUEST
The Shoreland Ordinance defines a “water-oriented public amenity” as:
(49) Water-Oriented Public Amenity. Any structure or impervious surface, wholly located
on land owned by a local, state, or federal government agency and intended for the use
and passive enjoyment of a water resource by the general public. This may include, but
is not limited to, trails, gazebos, and docks. Structures such as office buildings or
storage buildings and impervious surfaces such as sports courts or outdoor recreation
uses shall not be considered a public amenity.
The trail network around the wetland on 14727 209th Street North that the Scandia Heritage
Alliance is constructing is wholly located on land owned by a local government agency (the City
of Scandia), is located around a wetland, and is a trail.
The following standards must be met for a water-oriented public amenity to encroach into a
wetland setback:
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(4) Wetland setbacks shall not be required for structures and impervious surfaces that
meet the definition of a water-oriented public amenity, as defined by this ordinance,
provided that:
(a) The water-oriented public amenity has an approved No-Loss Minnesota
Wetland Conservation Act Notice of Decision.
The project has not yet been issued a WCA NOD, but a no-loss determination is
anticipated.
(b) The water-oriented public amenity meets all relevant standards related to
stormwater management and control.
The project is working with the city and watershed district to meet all stormwater
management and control standards.
(c) The water-oriented public amenity is issued a permit by the relevant watershed
district, or, the relevant watershed district states a permit is not required.
The project will require permits from both the city and watershed before
construction begins.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the above analysis, staff believe that the proposed projects trails do qualify as a “water-
oriented public amenity.” Staff wished to present this determination to the City Council to ensure
that the standard is being applied appropriately and consistent with the intent of the City Council.
Attachments
A. Site Plan, Scandia Heritage Alliance, dated July 23, 2025
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CENTER PROFILE OF INTERIM GRASSED SLOPED AMPHITHEATER PROFILE
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HIGHER BERM PROFILE OF INTERIM GRASSED SLOPE AMPHITHEATER
(SEE GRADING PLAN FOR MORE INFO & FINISHED GRADES)
(SEE GRADING PLAN FOR MORE INFO & FINISHED GRADES)
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DRAWING TITLE
CHECKED BY:DRAWN:DESIGNED:
AMTDMMDMM
7/23/2025
REVISION LOG
DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONSNO.DATE
14727 209TH STREET
SCANDIA, MN 55073
SCANDIA HERITAGE ALLIANCE
CITY SUBMITTAL
PRINT NAME:
SIGNATURE:
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PLAN, SPECIFICATION, OR
REPORT WAS PREPARED BY ME OR UNDER MY DIRECT
SUPERVISION AND THAT I AM A DULY LICENSED
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE
OF MINNESOTA.
DATE:LICENSE NO.
ADAM THIELE, PE
7/23/2025 51317
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SITE PLAN
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1.ALL CONSTRUCTION SHALL COMPLY WITH RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER AND PER THE
GEOTECHNICAL REPORT UNLESS DIRECTED OTHERWISE.
2.ALL CONSTRUCTION SHALL COMPLY WITH THE 2022 EDITION OF
MNDOT SPECIFICATIONS, UNLESS DIRECTED OTHERWISE.
3.ALL HANDICAPPED STALLS AND ACCESS RAMPS SHALL COMPLY
WITH CURRENT ADA STANDARDS. SEE ARCHITECTURAL PLANS
FOR EXACT LOCATION OF BUILDING ENTRANCES.
4.CONTRACTOR SHALL COORDINATE WITH THE PROJECT
ARCHITECT AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEER ON THE EXACT
INSTALLATION LOCATIONS FOR THE SITE SIGNAGE AND LIGHT
FIXTURES.
5.CONTRACTOR SHALL INSTALL NEW WETLAND BUFFER MARKERS
PER CMSCWD RULE 4.4 STANDARDS.
GENERAL NOTES
LEGEND
PROPERTY LIMITS
ADJACENT PROPERTY
CITY APPROVED WETLAND VARIANCE SETBACK
PROPOSED WATERSHED WETLAND BUFFER
PROPOSED FENCE
PROPOSED CONCRETE C&G
PROPOSED BITUMINOUS ASPHALT
PROPOSED CONCRETE
SIDEWALK
NO PARKING ZONE
HANDICAP STALL DESIGNATION
NUMBER OF PARKING STALL IN SECTION
WETLAND BUFFER MARKER
PROPOSED CONCRETE PAVERS
(SEE ARCH. FOR DESIGN)
PROPOSED WOOD CHIP TRAIL
#
5
2
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9
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13
11
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87.1
NEW STORMWATER POND
FUTURE STAGE ADDITION
(COORD W/ ARCH)
EX. WETLAND
BUFFER (TYP)
NEW AGG WALKWAY
W/ BINDER TYP
(COORD W/ ARCH)
NEW INFILTRATION BENCH
8' WIDE FUTURE
ASPHALT TRAIL
PATH (TYP)
COORD. FUTURE TRAIL
W/ CITY OF SCANDIA
FUTURE RAISED WOOD STAGE
(COORD W/ ARCH)
PARALLEL
PED RAMPS
W/ DOMES
CITY APPROVED PARKING LOT
WETLAND VARIANCE SETBACK
NEW WINDOW WELL AREA
(SEE ARCH FOR DETAILS)
FUTURE OVERLOOK WOOD DECKS
ARE NOT INCLUDED WITH THE
PLAN SUBMITTAL DATED 7/23/2025
PROPOSED
COFFEE KIOSK
(BY OTHERS)
NEW PLAZA AREA
(SEE ARCH)
THICKENED EDGE SIDEWALK
(SEE DETAIL)
LIGHT POLE TYP
(SEE ELECT)
3
4" MINUS GRAY DRESSER TRAP
ROCK PARKING SURFACE
NEW CONC VALLEY GUTTER CONC VERTICAL
CURBING
NEW CONCRETE PAVERS TYP
(COORD COLOR & PATTERN W/ ARCH)
PERPENDICULAR PED
RAMP W/ DOMES (TYP)
FUTURE CONC
PAVING (TYP)
NEW SIDEWALK
CONC PAVING (TYP)
NEW WOOD CHIP TRAIL TYP
(COORD W/ ARCH)
NEW LIMESTONE
RETAINING WALL
PROPERTY
BOUNDARY (TYP)
FUTURE AMPHITHEATER,
LIGHTING, & OTHER
DESIGN FEATURES
(COORD W/ ARCH & ELECT)
CITY APPROVED BARN BUILDING
WETLAND VARIANCE SETBACK
NEW "ROCK CREEK" DRAINAGE
SWALE FROM SPLASH PAD TO POND
(BY OTHERS, IF NEEDED)
CITY APPROVED AMPHITHEATER
WETLAND VARIANCE SETBACK
NEW TRANSFORMER PAD
COORD. W/ ELECT.
FUTURE SPLASH PAD W/ LIMESTONE
WALL IS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE
PLAN SUBMITTAL DATED 7/23/2025
NEW BITUMINOUS DRIVEWAY
APRON INSTALL TO ROW LINE
8' WIDE FUTURE PERVIOUS PATHWAY
WITHIN WETLAND BUFFER AREA.
WOOD CHIPS, WOOD DECKING, OR
SIMILARLY PERVIOUS MATERIAL,
SUBJECT TO CMSCWD APPROVAL.
PROPOSED WETLAND
BUFFER LINE TO SATISFY
CMSCWD REQUIREMENTS
PROPOSED WETLAND BUFFER LINE
TO SATISFY CMSCWD REQUIREMENTS