Approve Resolution #18-063 Authorizing Services for Updating the Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) for The COR (Project No. 18-112)

In 2003, the City Council adopted Resolution #03-01-012 ordering an Alternative Urbanwide Area Review (AUAR) for The COR (formerly known as Ramsey Town Center). An AUAR is an environmental review process that can be used in lieu of more traditional environmental reviews such as Environmental Assessment Worksheets (EAW) and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), as long as the geographic area is covered by an acceptable Comprehensive Plan. When considering The COR as a whole, it is likely that a series of individual projects in short sequence could trigger the need for an EAW. For example, the recent project known as Affinity at Ramsey likely would have triggered the need for an EAW based on the number of projects approved in the past number of years.

The benefit of an AUAR is that it looks at the cumulative impacts of planned or anticipated development within a specific geographic area, whereas an EAW and/or EIS are project specific and typically can add significant time and cost to a proposed development.  This can assist with reviewing cumulative potential effects to the environment, which may result from multiple developments within the specified geographic area, and can be done in advance of those developments to eliminate potential project delays.  However, an AUAR does need to be updated every five (5) years until the geographic area is fully developed. In 2013, the City ordered an updated AUAR that is now set to expire in July of this year.  The purpose of this case is to consider engaging the services of WSB to prepare an update to the AUAR for The COR.  

No notification has been provided specific to the AUAR Update at this time. As part of the update process, the AUAR will need to be published in the EQB Monitor and the publication date will start the 10-working day comment period.

While an updated AUAR will generally assist with more streamlined review of individual projects, it is worth noting that not all projects would trigger mandatory environmental review (EAW and/or EIS).  Generally speaking, the threshold that triggers environmental review would be a project that proposes 250 unattached units or 375 attached units (or some combination thereof).  However, due to the potential environmental impacts of cumulative development within an area, there is the possibility that a project under the mandatory EAW threshold would still be subject to environmental review (based on the 3-year look back rule).  This can not only add expense to a project but also, and potentially more importantly, add additional time to the review process.

Updating the AUAR for The COR is not required.  However, if it is not updated, the AUAR will become invalid later this year and future projects may trigger the need for environmental review in the form of an EAW and/or EIS.  Thus, by completing the update to the AUAR, the City would be taking a proactive step to help make future projects within The COR more 'shovel ready' as it would eliminate the potential for additional environmental review (which is costly and time consuming on project by project basis).

Environmental review, whether an EAW/EIS or an AUAR, can be rather complex.  Existing City Staff do not necessarily have the capabilities or capacity currently to undertake the update in-house.  Staff requested and received a quote from our current consultant planning firm, WSB & Associates, to complete this work.  Their quote, which is attached, indicates the update to The COR AUAR could be completed for $8,622.00.  If their attendance was required and/or desired at a City Council meeting, that would be an additional $600 per meeting.

Alternatives

Alternative 1: Authorize WSB & Associates to complete an update to The COR AUAR.  Completing the update would provide environmental review coverage for The COR for another five (5) years, which would eliminate the potentially costly and time extensive environmental review for individual projects within that timeframe.  Staff supports this alternative.

Alternative 2: Do not authorize WSB & Associates to proceed with updating The COR AUAR.  Updating the AUAR is not required. However, if it is not, the current AUAR will expire in July of 2018.  Any future projects that exceed the threshold for environmental review would then be subject to the EAW/EIS project, adding cost and time to their review.  Staff does not support this option.

The cost for updating the AUAR will be funded with funds from TIF District 14.

Staff recommends approving Resolution #18-063 to engage the services of WSB to complete an update of the AUAR for The COR.

Motion to adopt Resolution #18-063 authorizing WSB to complete an update of the AUAR for The COR.