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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM 3A STAFF ORIGINATOR: Michael Grochala, Community Development Director EDAC MEETING DATE: November 14, 2019 TOPIC: I-35E Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) 5 year update BACKGROUND Minnesota Law requires that development activities, including Commercial, Industrial and Residential projects, that surpass certain size thresholds must complete an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Another option is the preparation of an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) that allows for a review of possible development scenarios rather than a specific project. The City completed an AUAR for 4,660 acres along the I-35E Corridor Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) in 2005. The AUAR serves as a substitute environmental review. As long as a development project is consistent with the assumptions of the analyses in the AUAR, no additional environmental review is required. In order to remain valid as a substitute form of environmental review, the AUAR must be revised under certain criteria. One of the criteria is the passing of five years. The AUAR was last updated in October of 2015. An update of the plan is proposed for 2020. The AUAR includes multiple development scenarios that are evaluated for possible impacts. This evaluation, in turn, is used to create a mitigation plan to avoid any adverse impacts. This provides a great deal of flexibility for review of future development patterns and projects. The update will include revision of the development scenarios evaluated. Scenario 1 will be eliminated (old Comprehensive Plan) and replaced by the update of the current comprehensive plan. Scenario 2 (commercial/industrial focus) and 3 (residential focus) will be adjusted to reflect actual conditions to date. The update will also allow for the City to accommodate any considerations to further facilitate the Minnesota Technology Corridor along 35E. The AUAR serves as both an important economic development tool as well as a comprehensive framework for mitigating possible environmental impacts of development. The environmental review process can add six to 12 months to the approval process for development projects. By having the AUAR in place, projects typically requiring Environmental Review, can be expedited by addressing the mitigation requirements established in the AUAR. A separate Environmental Review is no longer necessary. EDAC CONSIDERATION Discussion on proposed development scenarios.