V.1. First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Appendix A of the Hopkins City Code to Establish a Tree Replacement Fee
CITY OF HOPKINS
City Council Report 2023-044
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: Ryan Krzos, City Planner
Date: May 9, 2023
Subject: First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Appendix A of the Hopkins City
Code to Establish a Tree Replacement Fee
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
MOTION TO Approve a First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Appendix A of the
Hopkins City Code to Establish a Tree Replacement Fee.
OVERVIEW
The City’s updated Zoning Code established new provisions related to tree protection
and promotion of the City’s tree canopy. More specifically the code requires that if a
development site has existing trees, the developer/applicant either has to retain them in
place or replace the trees elsewhere. If replacing elsewhere, the code gives the option
to pay a fee in lieu of actual plantings. Being a new policy, the City’s fee schedule
needs to provide amount the City is to collect; which per the zoning code is to be a cost
per diameter inch. The amount is intended to be commensurate to the cost of
replacement plantings. Similar communities in the metro impose a range fees for
comparable polices:
Minnetonka: $125 per required inch of mitigation
Maplewood: $60.00 per caliper inch
Eden Prairie $125 per caliper inch
Wayzata: $160 per caliper inch, or the City's actual cost to implement a tree replacement plan
that has been approved by the City Forester
Rosemount: $100.00 per caliper inch of tree replacement
Woodbury: $200 per diameter inch, $400 for protected trees
St Louis Park: $225 per caliper inch
Eagan: $200 per diameter inch, or $1.2 square foot of woodland area
Shakopee: $400 per tree, or $500 per inch of unauthorized significant tree removals
The proposed ordinance would set Hopkins’ tree replacement fee at $200 per diameter
inch. In consulting with the City’s forestry staff, this amount is reflective of expected
actual costs of replacement plantings in Hopkins.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
• Proposed Ordinance 2023-1189 an Ordinance Amending Appendix A of the
Hopkins City Code to Establish a Tree Replacement Fee
Planning & Development
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORIDNANCE 2023-1189
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX A IN THE HOPKINS CITY CODE TO
ESTABLISH A TREE REPLACEMENT FEE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS HEREBY ORDAINS AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Hopkins City Code, Appendix A, is hereby amended by adding the double-
underlined language as follows:
Planning and Zoning
Base Fee Escrow*
Concept review $350.00 As per ordinance
Site plan review $500.00 As per ordinance
Conditional use permit $800.00 $1,000.00 As per ordinance
Conditional use permit for fences, signs
and other uses: $150.00 As per ordinance
Variance $500.00 As per ordinance
Vacate street or alley $500.00 As per ordinance
Rezoning or text amendment $1,000.00 $3,000.00 As per ordinance
Administrative subdivision $300.00 As per ordinance
Subdivision approval, preliminary $1,000.00 $1,500.00 As per ordinance
Subdivision approval, final $1,000.00 $1,500.00 As per ordinance
Subdivision, combined application $1,800.00 $3,000.00 As per ordinance
Planned unit development $2,500.00 $5,000.00 As per ordinance
Comprehensive plan amendment $2,000.00 $3,000.00 As per ordinance
Park dedication fee per residential unit $5,000.00 Per unit
Tree Replacement Fee
$200.00 Per
diameter inch of
tree not
replaced
As per ordinance
Environmental review $1,000.00
$10,000.00 or
based on
estimate
As per ordinance
Traffic/travel demand management study $500.00
$5,000.00 or
based on
estimate
As per ordinance
Zoning verification letter $100.00 per
parcel As per ordinance
Extension of approvals $250.00 As per ordinance
Application for city financial assistance $2,000.00
$25,000.00 or
based on
estimate
As per ordinance
Zoning appeal $350.00 As per ordinance
Interim use permit
$10,000.00 or
based on
estimate
As per ordinance
*Escrow may be adjusted as needed dependent on project size and scope at staff discretion.
SECTION 2. In accordance with Section 3.03 of the City Charter and Minn. Stat. §
412.191, subd. 4, due to the significant length of this Ordinance, City staff shall have the
following summary printed in the official City newspaper in lieu of the complete
ordinance:
On May 25, 2023, the Hopkins City Council adopted Ordinance 2023-1189 an
Ordinance Amending Appendix A of the Hopkins City Code to establish a tree
replacement fee of $200.00 per diameter inch of tree not replaced.
A printed copy of the ordinance is available for inspection during regular business
hours at Hopkins City Hall and is available online at the City’s web site located at
www.hopkinsmn.com.
SECTION 3. The effective date of this ordinance shall be May 25, 2023.
First Reading: May 9, 2023
Second Reading: May 16, 2023
Date of Publication: May 25, 2023
Date Ordinance Takes Effect: May 25, 2023
By:___________________________
Patrick Hanlon, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk