HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 9 - Attachment Draft AUAR Update MemorandumLake Elmo Village Area
Final Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR)
Five-Year Update – Technical Memorandum
June 27, 2014
Introduction
The Village Area AUAR covers approximately 1,275 acres surrounding the existing downtown Lake Elmo
(commonly referenced as the “Old Village”) and centered on the intersection of State Highway 5 and
County State Aid Highway 17 (Lake Elmo Avenue).
The City of Lake Elmo adopted the Village Area Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) in May of
2009. The AUAR assesses the potential environmental impacts of four development scenarios, three of
which are based on the Village Master Plan accepted by the Lake Elmo City Council in April of 2007 and
one scenario based on the City’s 2005 Comprehensive Plan. The overall development expected within
0each scenario ranged from 600 residential units to 1,600 units. All scenarios anticipated 300,000
square feet of commercial space, 150,000 square feet of office space, and 200,000 square feet of
institutional space.
Since the AUAR was adopted by the City, there have been no development proposals approved by the
City within the study area. The City has reviewed sketch plans for new residential subdivisions,
however, and expects to process at least three residential plats within the AUAR area in 2014.
Prior to moving forward with development proposals, the City adopted a series of amendments to the
Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan, the most significant of which was a complete update to the Land Use
Chapter of the Plan approved in 2012. This chapter includes a section devoted to the Village Planning
Area and incorporates an updated land use map that follows closely with the scenarios studied under
the Village Area AUAR. Of the four development scenarios included as part of the AUAR, the land use
plan approved by the City adheres closely to “The Village Master Plan – AUAR Scenario B” in terms of
the general arrangement of land uses and total residential unit counts. Minor differences between the
adopted land use plan and AUAR Scenarios are noted in the land use section below.
In addition to amending the City’s Comprehensive Plan to support future development, the City
completed a major infrastructure project to extend regional sanitary sewer service to the southern limits
of the Village AUAR area. This system has been deigned in accordance with the assumptions used in the
final AUAR.
Purpose
This technical memorandum serves as the update for the Lake Elmo Village Area Final Alternative Urban
Areawide Review (AUAR) adopted by the City of Lake Elmo on May 5, 2009. This update is prepared
under the provisions of Minnesota Rule 441.3610 Subpart 7, which requires an update every five years
until full development of the AUAR area is complete. The updated information and review of mitigation
items in the AUAR update follow the standard Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) form.
Where applicable, comments for each item have been provided when there is an update from the final
AUAR document. Responses to questions are only provided when there has been a change or update
from the 2009 AUAR. Whenever “no change or no need to update” is indicated, refer to the original
documents to review the original response.
The information in this memorandum for updates or modifications to the AUAR follows the outline in
the original AUAR including any comments or updates to the mitigation strategies. Information and
analysis in the 2009 AUAR is presumed to still apply, unless new information or analysis is included in
this update. Where maps convey the same information as maps in the 2009 AUAR, the same figure
numbers are used. The 2009 Village Area AUAR is available for review on the City’s website at
www.lakeelmo.org.
1) Title. No change.
2) Proposer. No change.
3) RGU. No change.
4) Reason for AUAR Preparation. No change.
5) Project Location. No change.
6) Development Description. The description of the development scenarios (Scenario A, B, C and D)
have not changed. The Village Area Comprehensive Plan Amendment adopted by the City [Exhibit
1] is consistent with Scenario B. The land use categories defined as Potential Future
Redevelopment, New Mixed Use Development, and New Civic/Institutional Development on Table
6-1 and referenced elsewhere in the document have been combined into one general land use
category on the approved land use plan called “Village Mixed Use Development”. All other
assumptions concerning commercial, office, and institutional development remain unchanged.
7) Project Magnitude Data
a) Adoption of village land use plan – very close to Scenario B
8) Permits and Approvals Required
9) Land Use
a) Comp Plan adoption
b) Reed park expansion
10) Cover Type
11) Fish, Wildlife, and Ecologically Sensitive Resources
12) Physical Impacts on Water Resources
13) Water Use
14) Water-Related Land Use Management Districts
15) Water Surface Use
a) Amendment of AUAR
b) Adoption of surface water management plan and ordinance
16) Erosion and Sedimentation
17) Water Quality – Surface Water Runoff
18) Water Quality – Wastewater
a) Installation of Village force main
19) Geologic Hazards and Soil Conditions
20) Solid Wastes; Hazardous Wastes; Storage Tanks
21) Traffic
a) TH 5 restriping
b) Manning Avenue study
c) Lake Elmo Avenue study
d) Cooperative project for Lake Elmo Avenue stop lights
e) Transportation plan update
22) Vehicle-Related Air Emissions
23) Stationary Source Emissions
24) Dust, Air, and Noise Impacts
25) Sensitive Resources
26) Visual Impacts
27) Compatibility with Plans
28) Impact on Infrastructure and Public Services
29) Cumulative Potential Effects
30) Other Potential Environmental Impacts
31) Summary of Issues
Mitigation Plan Update
Exhibits
a) Lake Elmo Village Future Land Use Map