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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLake Elmo Village Area AUAR Update Final City of Lake Elmo Lake Elmo Village Area Final Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) Update December 2016 Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 1 12800 Whitewater Drive, Suite 300 Minnetonka, MN 55343 Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 2 Lake Elmo Village Area Final Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) Update Introduction The Village Area includes approximately 1,275 acres surrounding existing downtown Lake Elmo (commonly referenced as the “Old Village”) and centered on the intersection of CSAH 14 (previously 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. All scenarios assumed 300,000 square feet of commercial space, 150,000 square feet of office space, and 200,000 square feet of institutional space. Additional development assessed for each scenario ranged from 600 to 1,600 residential units. 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. This includes a section devoted to the Village Planning Area and incorporates an updated land use map that follows closely with the scenarios A, B, and C studied under the Village Area AUAR. Of the four development scenarios included as part of the AUAR, the land use map 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. 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 designed in accordance with the assumptions used in the final AUAR. Purpose This serves as the update for the Lake Elmo Village Area Final Alternative 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 (the applicable form in 2009). 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” 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 on the City’s website at www.lakeelmo.org. Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 3 This update was available for review and comment from November 21, 2016 through December 7, 2016. During this period, one comment letter from the Metropolitan Council was received. These comments have been incorporated into the final document and the letter is included as an attachment to this AUAR update. 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. 6(a) The description of the development scenarios (Scenario A, B, C and D) have not changed. However the 2030 Comprehensive Plan has been updated to be consistent with the Village Master Plan. The Village Area Comprehensive Plan Amendment adopted by the City in 2013 is generally consistent with Scenario B. Scenario D, referred to as the Comprehensive Plan Scenario in the 2009 AUAR is no longer consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. An amendment to the Comprehensive Plan would no longer be required for implementation of the Village Master Plan Scenarios, although Scenario C does propose a higher density of residential units. Additionally, Scenario A is no longer consistent with regional policy as it would not provide sufficient housing density. 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 called “Village Mixed Use Development”. All other assumptions concerning commercial, office, and institutional development remain unchanged. The table below summarizes the differences between the Master Plan, the 2005 Comprehensive Plan and the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Master Plan Land Use 2005 Comp Plan 2030 Comp Plan Acres Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D 2030 Comp Plan Mixed Use 72.5 200,000ft2 100 units 200,000ft2 200 units 200,000ft2 400 units Potential Future Redevelop 44.5 250,000ft2 50 units 250,000ft2 100 units 250,000ft2 185 units New Residential 308.6 450 units 700 units 1,015 units Civic/ Institutional 16.5 200,000ft2 200,000ft2 200,000ft2 Open Space 686.4 - - - Total Ft2 Total units 1,128.5 650,000 600 650,000 1,000 650,000 1,600 Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 4 Master Plan Land Use 2005 Comp Plan 2030 Comp Plan Acres Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D 2030 Comp Plan VR MU/MD 86 450,000ft2 465 units VR/HD 7 102 units VR/LD 77 339 units VR P/S 43 200,000ft2 VR GB 717 - Total Ft2 Total units 930 650,000 906 VMX 164.4 650,000ft2 200-300 units V-MDR 119.1 up to 800 V-LDR 244.1 Village Open Space Overlay 592 - Total Ft2 Total units 1,119.6 650,000 900-1,100 Total Ft2 Total units 650,000 600 650,000 1,000 650,000 1,600 650,000 906 650,000 900-1,100 2005 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designations: VR MU/MD; Village Residential Mixed Use/Medium Density VR/HD; Village Residential High Density VR/LD; Village Residential Low Density VR P/S; Village Residential Public/Semi Public VR GB; Village Residential Green Belt 2030 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designations: VMX; Village Mixed Use V-MDR; Village Medium Density Residential V-LDR; Village Low Density Residential Village Open Space Overlay 6(c) Development Timeline Update. The following actions have occurred that roughly follow the tentative timeline for the Village development process identified in Table 6-5 of the AUAR: Event/Activity Date Completed Develop and adopt Village Comprehensive Plan amendment 2013 Develop and adopt Village Zoning code and subdivision requirements 2013 Order forcemain to the Village to serve new development 2013 Begin construction of forcemain 2014 Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 5 Negotiate developers agreement with developers for new development Easton Village, 8/6/15; Village Preserve 1st Add., 8/24/15; Wildflower at Lake Elmo 1st Add., 8/27/15; Village Preserve 2nd Add., 8/16/2016 7) Project Magnitude Data. No change. 8) Permits and Approvals Required. The permits, review, and approvals required in the Table 8-1 still apply, although in some cases the regulations applicable to that permit, review, or approval have been amended. Any project proposer in the AUAR project will need to be aware of current regulations. 9) Land Use. • Comp Plan adoption. The City adopted an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan on December 17, 2013 specific to the Village Planning Area. The plan generally adheres to the land uses identified in the Village Master Plan, which was used as the basis for three of the scenarios studied as part of the AUAR. The adopted Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the Village Planning Area identifies a range of 900-1,100 new housing units within the AUAR area. Of these 800 are planned as unattached residential units, while another 200-300 units will be attached residential units within the planned mixed-use development area. This allocation of units includes a slightly higher number of unattached units than identified in Scenario B, while keeping the overall range of planned residential units consistent with this development scenario. • Airport zoning. The City of Lake Elmo has engaged in conversations with the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), MnDOT Aeronautics, Washington County, and other effects parties over the past year to discuss the adoption of an airport zoning ordinance for Lake Elmo. The City is interested in adopting an ordinance specific to the City of Lake Elmo that addresses the issues identified in the AUAR. The City has been working with developers to ensure that the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) remains free from development; the Village Land Use Plan further guides all land within the RPZ for open space. The Lake Elmo Long Term Comprehensive Plan (LTCP) has been finalized and adopted and a preferred alternative was selected by MAC in August of 2016. • Zoning ordinance update o The City adopted revisions to its Zoning Ordinance to add urban residential districts and a Village Mixed Use district to the City’s list of zoning districts. The future zoning of the Village Area will include LDR – Low Density Residential, MDR – Medium Density Residential, and VMX – Village Mixed Use for new development/redevelopment areas. Areas that are guided for open space will be zoned for rural or agricultural purposes. o Tree preservation and protection. The City adopted a Tree Preservation and Protection Ordinance in 2013. The City now requires that developers either protect trees during development or replace a certain percentage of the trees that are removed. Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 6 o Landscaping and screening. The City refined its landscaping and screening ordinances in 2014 to specifically address the minimum levels of landscaping expected for future projects and to require screening and buffering between incompatible land uses. o Design review process. The City adopted the Lake Elmo Design Standards and Guidelines Manual in 2013. The manual specifies standards and guidelines for the design of multi-family, commercial, and business park developments. o Specific development standards. The City has been incorporating specific development standards into the City Code to clarify the requirements for certain types of developments. Where appropriate, the City has been including standards to address specific requirements from the AUAR Mitigation Plan. • Reed park expansion. The AUAR identifies a large area immediately to the east of Reid Park as a primary ecological area. The areas that are designated as such have been guided for open space/parkland in accordance with the Village Area Land Use Plan adopted by the City in 2013. • The following developments have been completed to date in the AUAR area: Development Number of Residential Units Wildflower at Lake Elmo 60 Village Preserve 46 Village Preserve 2nd Addition 45 Easton Village 1st Addition 71 platted (out of 217) Arbor Glen Senior Living 84 Total Completed as of October 2016 306 Most of the above projects are single family residential subdivisions. In addition, the 2nd Addition of Wildflower at Lake Elmo (20 units) is anticipated to be submitted for preliminary and final plat consideration before the end of 2016. The City has not received any other formal applications for other residential development or commercial, office, or institutional space. Updates have been made to Table 9-1 to reflect development that has occurred within the AUAR area. Table 9-1 Existing Land Use – AUAR Area Existing Land Use Gross Acres Net Acres Agricultural 691 683 Farmstead 13 13 Single Family Detached 123 122 Single Family Attached 1 1 Retail and Other Commercial 45 45 Industrial and Utility 5 5 Institutional 17 17 Open Space 21 21 Undeveloped 175 168 Park, Recreational or Preserve 36 33 Right-of-Way 84 84 Open Water 62 62 Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 7 NWI Wetland - 21 Total AUAR Area 1,275 1,275 10) Cover Type. Updates have been made to Table 10-1 to reflect development that has occurred within the AUAR area. Table 10-1 Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS) Cover Types MLCCS Cover Types Acres Percent of Total Area Planted or Cultivated Vegetation 601.8 47.3% Artificial Surfaces and Associated Areas 366.2 28.7% Forest 120.3 9% Herbaceous 100.1 8% Water 62.4 5 Woodland 23.3 2 Shrubland 0.9 -- Total 1,275 100% 11) Fish, Wildlife, and Ecologically Sensitive Resources. No change. 12) Physical Impacts on Water Resources. No change. 13) Water Use. In April 2009, the City adopted a new 2030 Comprehensive Water System Plan. The 2030 population projections used in both the AUAR and updated Water System Plan are the same and the 2030 Comprehensive Water System Plan accounts for Village build out. Well No. 4 has been constructed in accordance with applicable requirements and is currently in use per the recommendations of the Water System Plan. Wellhead protection plans for all three wells serving Lake Elmo are in progress. 14) Water-Related Land Use Management Districts. No change. 15) Water Surface Use. No change. 16) Erosion and Sedimentation. No change. 17) Water Quality – Surface Water Runoff. The City previously prepared a supplemental document to amend Item 17. Water Quality: Surface Water Runoff in the AUAR and its Mitigation Plan in November of 2010. The amendment was designed to clarify the standards that will be used to address storm water volume control. When the AUAR and Mitigation Plan were completed in 2009, the City had not adopted its Local Surface Water Management Plan and Surface Water Management Ordinance. The AUAR Mitigation Plan noted that the City would address stormwater runoff volume management requirements through its Surface Water Management Plan update. Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 8 The City has completed its Local Surface Water Management Plan update and adopted Ordinance No. 08-016 to regulate stormwater management in the City on June 16, 2009. The City therefore amended the AUAR and Mitigation Plan to require that land development activities meet the requirements of the City’s ordinance. The City completed a second ordinance amendment to the Storm Water and Erosion Control Ordinance in 2011 to adopt the same standard for volume control as the requirement in the Valley Branch Watershed District rules. The Valley Branch Watershed District updated their Rules and Regulations in 2013. Development in the AUAR area will comply with all rules and regulations in the revised 2013 document including capturing and retaining 1.1 inches of runoff from impervious surfaces for new development, an increase from previous requirement of 0.5 inches. Additionally, VBWD is currently completing subwatershed studies that will provide further guidance for development in the project area. Development in the AUAR project area will adhere to the guidance provided by the VBWD to reduce surface water quality and quantity impacts from increases in impervious surfaces. The City participated in a project with the Washington County to study transportation issues along the Lake Elmo Avenue corridor. A significant part of this study included an analysis of the storm water issues in and around the Village area. This study looked at potential regional solutions to existing storm water issues, and identified specific proposals for regional ponding facilities. Phase I recommendations from the study have been implemented including construction of an infiltration pond southwest of downtown Lake Elmo. The AUAR study area includes several subwatershed boundaries. The Valley Branch Watershed District (VBWD) updated the priority ranking status of water bodies within these subwatersheds in their 2015 Management Plan. The priority status of three water bodies increased from low and medium ranking to high and medium ranking and remained the same in two other waterbodies. Table 17-1 has been updated to reflect new information provided in the 2015 VBWD Management Plan. Table 17-1 Key Information for AUAR Area Waterbodies Lake Data Downs Lake Lake Elmo Sunfish Lake Goetschel Pond Legion Pond DNR ID 82-110W 82-106P 82-107P 82-313W 82-462W Surface Area (ac) 34.2 @ Elev 887.4 283.6 @ Elev 884.8 50 @ Elev 890 22.2 @ Elev 891.5 16.2 @ Elev 883.0 Mean Depth (ft) 5 Not determined Not determined 5.2 4 Not determined Max Depth (ft) 7 137 Not determined 13 14 Not determined Volume below the outlet (af) Not determined Not determined Not determined 92 Not determined OHW 889.1 885.6 896.4 900.7 888.7 Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 9 Tributary Area (ac) 2,339 1,191 526 2,812 224 Watershed:Lake Ratio 68:1 4:1 10:1 127:1 14:1 VBWD Priority Ranking Low High High Medium High Low Medium Low Outlet Overland Weir Landlocked Landlocked Landlocked Since the 2009 AUAR, Downs Lake and Sunfish Lake have been added to the MPCA’s 303(d) impaired waters list. Downs Lake is impaired for aquatic recreation due to excess nutrients, eutrophication, and biological indicators. Sunfish Lake is impaired for aquatic recreation due to excess nutrients and biological indicators. 18) Water Quality – Wastewater The City has completed major infrastructure projects to extend the sanitary sewer system into the Village Planning Area including installation of the Village Force Main sewer system form the I-94 Corridor to a new lift station immediately to the west of Reid Park on land owned by the City. 19) Geologic Hazards and Soil Conditions. No change. 20) Solid Wastes; Hazardous Wastes; Storage Tanks. No change. 21) Traffic • The following are transportation projects that have been completed since the 2009 AUAR: o CSAH 14 (Stillwater Boulevard) has been restriped from a two lane section to a three lane section with a center turn lane throughout the Village. This project also included the installation of a pedestrian island with signage at the Lake Elmo Elementary School crossing. o CSAH 15 Corridor Study. The City of Lake Elmo participated in a project led by Washington County to study potential improvements to CSAH 15 (Manning Avenue). Study includes the realignment of CSAH 14 and CSAH 15 intersection in the Old Village to be constructed in 2018. The city approved the preliminary design for these improvements. o CSAH 17 Corridor Management and Safety Improvement Project. The City of Lake Elmo participated in a project led by Washington County to study potential streetscape improvements to CSAH 17 (Lake Elmo Avenue). The project included reconstruction of CSAH 17 in 2015 and in 2016 through the Old Village from CSAH 14 to 30th Street. • The County received funding through MnDOT to install traffic signals at both segments of CSAH 17 that intersection CSAH 14 in the Village. This project was completed in 2014. Lake Elmo Village Area Final AUAR Update December 2016 Page 10 • The City updated its transportation plan in 2010 as part of its decennial Comprehensive Plan update. This plan included population projections and transportation improvements anticipated in the AUAR including the Village Parkway minor collector road. • Lake Elmo Village Parkway will be constructed as development occurs. 22) Vehicle-Related Air Emissions. No change. 23) Stationary Source Emissions. No change. 24) Dust, Air, and Noise Impacts. No change. 25) Sensitive Resources. No change. 26) Visual Impacts. No change. 27) Compatibility with Plans. As noted throughout this update, elements of the Comprehensive Plan that relate to the project area have been updated since the publication of the AUAR. No other changes. 28) Impact on Infrastructure and Public Services. No change. 29) Cumulative Potential Effects. No change. 30) Other Potential Environmental Impacts. No change. 31) Summary of Issues. No change. Mitigation Plan Update • All elements of the Mitigation Plan continue to remain in effect. Some elements of the Mitigation Plan have been implemented as development has occurred within the AUAR project area. The City will continue to address the Mitigation Plan as it updates its planning documents and zoning regulations and as land use development plans are review by the City.