Review Request for an Amendment to the Current Topsoil Standard

The City has received a written request to consider an amendment to the current topsoil requirement.  Presently, the issuance of any Building Permit for a new principal building (residential and commercial/industrial buildings) triggers installation of four (4) inches of topsoil meeting MnDOT's Premium Topsoil Borrow specification, across all disturbed areas not otherwise improved with impervious surfaces (e.g. building, walkways, driveways, etc.).  Staff has not prepared any draft ordinance amendment but did want to initiate a discussion with the EPB about what information will be helpful for a future discussion on this topic.

The City's topsoil ordinance was initially implemented in 2009 as a means to help conserve water and reduce demand on the aquifer.  There have been multiple iterations of this standard over the last 10 years, but the standard has not been amended or addressed for a handful of years now.  Current practice requires the builder and/or homeowner to schedule a topsoil inspection with the Engineering Department prior installation of sod.  They are also required to provide copies of the load tickets so that the inspector can confirm the material is from a supplier that has provided sufficient documentation that their topsoil meets the Premium Borrow Topsoil specification.

Capstone Homes, one of the larger builders and developers in the community, has contacted City Staff requesting consideration of an amendment to the current topsoil requirement.  They identified two negative effects of the current topsoil requirement.  First, that the topsoil is doing too good of a job in terms of holding water.  They acknowledge that many homeowners are not adjusting their irrigation systems to account for the topsoil and are actually contributing to the problem.  Secondly, they identified price as a concern.  The required topsoil is more expensive and oftentimes will result in an additional $1,500 to $2,000 more per lot.

Staff intends to research what other communities on the Anoka Sand Plain to see what, if any, requirements they have for topsoil.  Additionally, we will be reviewing research that the U of MN has been conducting for some time now regarding the most cost-effective means to help conserve water.  Finally, we will also try and review the per capita water usage to see if any trends are evident since the topsoil requirement went into effect.  Staff is curious what other information the EPB may find helpful as it considers this request at a future meeting.

This is being handled as part of Staff's regular duties.

Provide feedback to Staff on any additional information that may be helpful to consider a potential amendment to the topsoil requirement.