Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 10/15/2018

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I. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE The COR (formerly Ramsey Town Center) study area is a 369.5-acre project in the City of Ramsey. The area is bounded by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad on the south, Armstrong Boulevard on the west and Ramsey Boulevard (Highway 56) on the east (see Figure 1, Appendix A). The City of Ramsey adopted the Ramsey Town Center Alternative Urban Areawide Review and Mitigation Plan on June 24, 2003, (original AUAR, Resolution 2002-104) and completed an update to the AUAR in 2013. This AUAR update incorporates this document by reference. Pursuant to Minnesota Rules 4410.3610 Subp. 7, for the AUAR to remain valid as the environmental review document for the area, the document needs to be updated every five years until all development in the study area has received final approval. Since undeveloped areas still remain in the study area and the AUAR will expire in 2018, the purpose of this document is to update the AUAR pursuant to Minnesota Rules. The preparation of this AUAR update report has been completed according to guidance prepared by the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) and is based on Minnesota Rules 4410.3610, Subp. 4. The mitigation items in the AUAR update follow the standard Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) environmental review topics. When an environmental review topic item is not applicable to this AUAR, it is so stated. Responses to the environmental review topics are only provided when there has been a change since the 2003 AUAR or 2013 AUAR Update. Whenever "no changes" is indicated, refer to the original document as listed above to review the original response. The 2003 AUAR, 2013 Update, and 2018 Update included an analysis of existing conditions and the preferred development scenario. The AUAR also included the progression of the conceptual designs to reach the preferred development concept. The 2018 AUAR Update is available for review on the City's website at www.cityoframsey.com/planning-division. This report is intended to serve as an update of the AUAR and includes a review of the areas that have and have not developed, an update to the environmental analysis as needed, and a review of the mitigation measures. The City of Ramsey adopted the 2001 Comprehensive Plan, and subsequently updated the Comprehensive Plan in September 2010 (2030 Comprehensive Plan) and is currently in the process of updating the Plan again (2040 Comprehensive Plan). The Future Land Use element of the Comprehensive Plan shows the AUAR area as primarily "Mixed Use" with smaller areas of "Business Park" and "Commercial". The preferred development scenario is fully compatible with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. AUAR Five Year Update The COR (formerly Ramsey Town Center) Alternative Urban Areawide Review WSB Project No. 11954-000 Page 1