Consider Contract for Alternative Urban Areawide Review Update for The COR

In 2003, the Ramsey Town Center, LLC completed an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) for environmental review purposes for the Ramsey Town Center project.  This AUAR was approved by the City and the Environmental Quality Board (EQB).  The time frame for approval of this document now requires an update to avoid any unnecessary delays in approving development projects or triggering additional environmental review such as an EAW or EIS for those projects meeting required thresholds.  In addition, amendments to the Development Plan from the original Master Plan also appear to require an update to the AUAR regardless of the time frame.

No notification required at this time.  Completion of the AUAR will include a required comment period for residents as well as affected and surrounding jurisdictions.

Minnesota Statutes require that projects meeting certain benchmarks complete environmental review to study potential environmental impacts of development and identify potential mitigation to address these impacts.  Environmental review is coordinated through the EQB.  As development continues to progress in The COR, it is important to keep current with environmental review for required projects to avoid unnecessary delay.  A brief Fact Sheet is attached as background of the Environmental Review process.

An AUAR is an alternative environmental review tool available to governmental units to study the cumulative effect of multiple, overlapping projects and is often considered a hybrid of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) required for certain projects.  This tool gives governmental units the ability to be proactive in this type of review as opposed to reactive to individual projects as is the case with an EAW or EIS. As the Development Plan for The COR is included in the Comprehensive Plan, the project is eligible for AUAR review.  Since the original study was completed in 2003, Minnesota Statute requires that the developer must update the AUAR to remain valid.  A draft copy of the original Town Center AUAR is attached for review to illustrate the level of detail that is required for an AUAR.

Staff is recommending approval of only the required sections listed in the Work Plan Proposal submitted by Landform; not the optional sections.  In addition, Staff will work with the Development Team to identify areas (such as the land use section) that can be updated internally by City Staff in order to reduce the costs of certain line items of the proposal.

Staff recommends approval of the required sections only of the Work Plan for the AUAR Update for The COR.  If optional updates are required based on the comment period, Staff will being a revised case to the HRA.

The AUAR Update is proposed to be funded by TIF District #14.

Motion to approve the required sections of the Work Plan and Contract for the AUAR Update.