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City Council – Staff Report <br />Page 2 <br />REVIEW/ANALYSIS: <br />In form, the Environmental Assessment Worksheet is a simple questionnaire document about the <br />project’s environmental setting, the potential for environmental harm and plans to reduce the harm. <br />EAWs are the first, and many times only, step in formal environmental review. This review <br />provides a screening tool to determine whether a full EIS is needed but is also intended to evaluate <br />the potential impacts of a proposed development project. Per the Environmental Quality Board <br />(EQB): <br />“In addition to the legal purpose of the EAW in determining the need for an EIS, the EAW <br />also provides permit information, informs the public about the project, and helps identify <br />ways to protect the environment. The EAW is not meant to approve or deny a project, but <br />instead act as a source of information to guide other approvals and permitting decisions.” <br />The Limerick Village EAW document provides information on the proposed project in response <br />to the standard EAW questions. The project proposer, in this case Maplewood Development, Inc., <br />provided information intended to address the questions. Information provided in the Limerick <br />Village EAW is generally summarized below with the full EAW available on the City’s website <br />or at City Hall: <br />Information on the project proposer, responsible government unit (RGU), project location <br />and project description <br />Climate trends, impacts, and adaptation or mitigation measures provided by the project <br />Assessment of land cover types, required permits, and land use controls, <br />Review of geology, soils, and topography, water resources, potential environmental <br />hazards, and fish, wildlife, and other ecological or historic resources <br />Possible visual, greenhouse gas, noise, and traffic impacts <br />Cumulative or other potential environmental effects <br />Public Comments: <br />A total of three written comment letters were received during the EAW comment period. Two of <br />the written comment letters on the Limerick Village EAW were received from public agencies: <br />the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), and Metropolitan Council (Met Council). One <br />written comment letter was received from the general public. The full comments and an assessment <br />of the comments is in the Findings of Fact and Conclusions document appended to the Staff Report. <br />FISCAL IMPACT: <br />The project proposer has submitted funds in escrow with the City to complete this review. A future <br />development project will be subject to applicable applications, escrow, and other typical