Minutes - Council - 04/08/2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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change hands, the Town Center will not be developed and the road cannot be built because the road has to be constructed in the Town Center. Mayor Gamec noted that the grant amount was $800,000. Motion by Councilmember Elvig, seconded by Councilmember Cook, to authorize the Mayor and the City Administrator to execute and enter into a LCDA grant agreement with Metropolitan Council for the Sunwood Drive/Town Center project contingent upon the City not spending any money until the City has received free and clear title to the road easement given to the City. Further discussion: Councilmember Cook stated that he thought the verbiage of the grant specified that nothing is spent until the City actually has right of way and begins construction of the road. He was concerned that what was being required as part of the motion is something that can only be addressed in the development agreement. Councilmember Elvig explained that he is willing to accept the grant if he knows that they are spending the money on the road and not using the funds to buy the easement for the road. City Attorney Goodrich noted that the Met Council will not care much about the two requirements in the motion, they will hold the City to the language in the grant. Councilmember Elvig stated that he thought that they were all moving in the same direction, but he wants to make sure that the City is not going to be burdened with additional costs. City Attorney Goodrich inquired if Mr. Elvig was indicating in his motion that the City can execute the grant and that staff does not specifically need to forward the two conditions to the Met council but make sure that the Council is aware that those other conditions are in place before they spend any money. Councilmember Elvig replied that that was correct. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Gamec, and Councilmembers Elvig, Cook, Pearson, Strommen, and Zimmerman. Voting No: None. Abstained: CouncilmemberKurak. Case//6: Authorizing the Release of the Draft Town Center Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) for Comments and Review Principal Planner Trudgeon stated that in January 2003, the City Council attthorized the initiation of the Ramsey Town Center Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) envirm~nental review. The AUAR looks at the environmental impacts of the project and identifies mitigation efforts that need to be undertaken. A draft AUAR document has been prepared for the Town Center project and is now ready for consideration. The City is required to release a Draft AUAR to various state, county, and multi-jurisdictional agencies for review and comment. In addition, the Draft AUAR document will be available to the general public for their comments. The document is a very large document and is nearly 300 pages long. The base document was created by Ramsey Town Center's consultants. The City has hired three engineering firms to review the document for accuracy and consistency with City policy and goals. There is a 30-day review period (with the possibility of an additional 15 day extension) for everyone to review and comment on the AUAR document. The City will then have to address the comments and adopt a final AUAR document. From staff and the City Consultant's review, the Draft AUAR generally uses sound analysis for determining the environmental impacts and the mitigation efforts described are strong and consistent with City policies. In cases where sections have not been City Council/April 8, 2003 Page 8 of 17