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STAFF REPORT <br />DATE: 08/05/2026 <br />CONSENT AGENDA <br /> <br />TO: City Council <br />FROM: Jason Stopa, Community Development Director <br />Ashley Monterusso, Planner <br />AGENDA ITEM: 180 Acres – AUAR Renewal Approval <br /> <br />CORE STRATEGIES: <br />☐ Vibrant, inclusive, connected community ☒ Responsive, transparent, adaptive governance <br />☐ Managed Growth ☐ Efficient, reliable, innovative services <br />☐ Balanced Finances now and future ☐ Resilient Infrastructure <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />In 2022, an Alternative Urban Area Review (AUAR) was completed for the 180-acres at Ideal Ave. and 34th St. <br />N. The AUAR is a planning tool that local government can use to understand how different development <br />scenarios would affect the environment of their community before the development occurs. <br /> <br />The Cyphers Logistic Park AUAR was adopted on April 5, 2022, and the City of Lake Elmo as the Responsible <br />Governmental Unit (RGU) would like to keep the AUAR valid for future development to occur within the study <br />area. The City of Lake Elmo is seeking a consultant to prepare the first update to Cyphers Logistic Par k AUAR <br />consistent with Minnesota state requirements. The AUAR Update will incorporate information from the 2040 <br />Comprehensive Plan, other previous planning efforts as well as any updates that have occurred within the study <br />area over the last five years and evaluate two development scenarios. <br /> <br />PROPOSAL ANALYSIS/DETAILS: <br />At a CC workshop (3/10), City Council directed staff to obtain an additional quote from the firm that drafted the <br />original AUAR for renewal. Staff obtained two quotes to compare. Quotes from Bolton & Menk and Kimley <br />Horn are compared in the tables below: <br />Bolton and Menk (includes two scenarios) <br /> <br />KH (includes two scenarios) <br /> Hours Cost <br /> <br />Costs <br />Project Initiation 32 $6,516.00 AUAR Update and Meetings $17,500 <br />Stakeholder and Council Engagement 23 $4,315.00 Traffic Evaluation Memo $5,000 <br />Draft AUAR/Mitigation Plan 137 $23,890 KH Total $22,500 <br />Final AUAR 32 $6,036.00 Engineering Review estimate $13,898 <br />Optional new scenario 100 $18,270.00 Estimated Total $36,398 <br />Total $59,027 Optional: Traffic Study $15,500 <br /> <br />Note that because Bolton and Menk is the City’s Engineering team, staff asked for an estimate for Engineering <br />review from Bolton and Menk to fairly review both proposals as a City review is required for the AUAR process. <br />That number is highlighted in yellow. It has been added to the total of the Kimley Horn estimate and is already <br />included in the Bolton & Menk total.