Review Updated Environmental Review (AUAR) for The COR (Project No. 18-112)

In 2003, the City Council adopted Resolution #03-01-012 ordering an Alternative Urban Areawide 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 several 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. The AUAR 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, which expired in 2018. In April of 2018, the City Council authorized engaging the services of WSB to complete an update to The COR AUAR. Since this is an update to an existing AUAR, it focuses on what's been developed since the last update, whether there have been any significant changes to the envisioned development plan, and looks at whether there have been any new findings related to threatened or endangered species.

A notice was published in the Environmental Quality Board's Monitor, a weekly publication for environmental review documents and public comment periods.

WSB has completed a draft update of The COR AUAR (attached). There have been no new findings of threatened or endangered species (based on the Natural Heritage Information System). There have been no significant deviations or changes to the overall vision or development plan for The COR since the last update. The document has been updated with all development within The COR since the last update and the Mitigation Plan has been updated as well.

The EPB reviewed the draft update of The COR AUAR in October. At that time, only City Staff comments had been received and WSB was working to update the document accordingly. Subsequently, the draft update of The COR AUAR was submitted to the requisite agencies for a ten (10) day comment period. The City did receive comments from multiple agencies, which are attached to this case. Responses have been incorporated into the document where necessary.

With the comment period now closed, The COR AUAR Update has been updated with the comments received and, where necessary, responses to those comments.  The document is now ready for adoption.  This will provide environmental review for the next five (5) years for development within The COR.

The Planning Commission reviewed The COR AUAR Update at their February 7, 2019 meeting and recommended its adoption.

Alternatives

Alternative 1: Motion to recommend the City Council adopt The COR AUAR Update. This is a planning document that, once adopted, will provide coverage for The COR regarding environmental review. This proactive approach helps to save time and money for prospective projects within The COR by eliminating potential additional environmental review (EAW and/or EIS) for individual projects. Staff supports this alternative.

Alternative 2: Motion to recommend the City Council not adopt The COR AUAR Update. This planning document is not required. The City opted to complete an AUAR originally for the Ramsey Town Center project (now The COR) as it was anticipated that multiple projects within the development area may cumulatively trigger additional environmental review. An AUAR is only valid for five (5) years, so it does need to be updated periodically if the City desires to be proactive and attempt to avoid time delays and added expenses for prospective projects in The COR. Staff does not support this alternative.

The cost of updating The COR AUAR is being funded through TIF District 14.

Motion to recommend City Council approve Resolution #19-041 approving The COR AUAR Update.