Agenda - Council - 07/09/2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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;;A Metropolitan Council AA June 11, 2013 Mr. Tim Gladhill, Development Services Manager City of Ramsey 7550 Sunwood Drive NW Ramsey, MN 55303 RE: The COR Alternative Urban Areawide Review Metropolitan Council District 9, Edward Reynoso Dear Mr. Gladhill: Metropolitan Council staff completed its review of The COR (formerly "Ramsey Town Center") updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) to determine its accuracy and completeness in addressing regional concerns. Staff concludes that the updated AUAR is complete and accurate with respect to regional concerns and raises no major issues of consistency with Council policies. However, staff offers the following comments: Item 13: Transportation The Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Master Water Supply Plan states that the following will need to be addressed, should water supplies be developed using the FIG aquifer: 1) potential for well interference, 2) potential for impact on surface water features, and DNR and MDH-identified conditions. The AUAR acknowledges the issue of possible surface water impact and that increased pumping of the FIG could impact private wells that pump from this aquifer. The AUAR concludes that the private well interference issue is addressed by requiring additional DNR appropriation permits before wells are drilled, and Council staff commend the City for working with DNR to evaluate water supply sustainability. However, the current mitigation strategy does not acknowledge the planned growth in neighboring communities who also use the FIG aquifer. This is may cause FIG aquifer conditions to change over the timeframe of the AUAR, and no mitigation strategy is proposed should the DNR deny future appropriation permits. The City should provide additional information about how development will be staged to ensure that construction does not occur until after a sustainable water supply is assured. The current mitigation strategy should also address potential for stormwater reuse and water conservation. Item 21 Mitigation elements The expansion of TH 10 from a four -lane expressway to a 6-lane freeway is not included in the Metropolitan Council's fiscally —constrained 2030 Transportation Policy Plan which focuses on low cost, high benefit solutions. The Council is supportive to the construction of an interchange at TH 10/CSAH 83 and is participating in the recently initiated TH 10 Access Planning Study. www.met rocouncil. org 390 Robert Street North • St. Paul, MN 55101-1805 • (651) 602-1000 • Fax (651) 602-1550 • TTY (651) 291-0904 An Equal Opportunity Employer