Agenda - Council - 03/25/2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-6- ADDITION TO AGENDA 03/11/03 CASE #: AUTHORIZING THE HIRING OF FIRMS TO ASSIST THE CITY IN THE REVIEW OF THE TOWN CENTER ALTERNATIVE URBAN AREAWlDE REVIEW (AUAR) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW By: Principal City Engineer Brian OIson, P.E. Principal Planner Patrick Trudgeon, AICP Background: As the City Council knows, Ramsey Town Center LLC (RTC) is working on an AUAR Environmental Review for the Town Center project. RTC's consultants are nearing completion of the draft AUAR. It is expected that the City will receive the draft AUAR on Monday, March 17, 2003, with the Council reviewing and authorizing its release at the March 25, 2003 City Council meeting. As mentioned above, RTC's consultants have been working on the AUAR document With input from City Staff. Now that the AUAR is almost complete, Staff feels it is important that independent consultants, hired by the City and paid for by the Developer, review the AUAR document prior to the City agreeing to release the draft AUAR for comments. On March 11, 2003, Staff met with three consulting engineering firms to discuss the Town Center project. Each firm has specialized knowledge that will assist City Staff in reviewing the draft AUAR document. The firms were SRF Consulting, Bolton and Menk, and Hakanson Anderson Associates. SRF Consulting has previously done traffic generation analyses for proposed subdivisions in Ramsey, Bolton and Menk completed our Comprehensive Water Plan in 1999, and the City has a long standing relationship with Hakanson Anderson Associates who have completed our latest version of the Comprehensive Sewer Plan and have provided a great deal of support for City Staff relating to stormwater modeling. It is Staff's desire that the City hire the three consulting firms to assist Staff and the City Council in determining whether the draft AUAR document is acceptable. SRF Consulting would review the traffic portion of the AUAR, Bolton and Menk would advise the City in regards to the utility sections of the AUAR and Hakanson Anderson would review the stormwater management issues. Staff is planning on receiving written correspondence from the consulting firms later this week regarding their scope of work. It shoUld be noted that language has been inserted in the draft Memorandum of Understanding between the City and RTC that obligates RTC to pay for our review of the AUAR document, including the use of consultants and associated Staff time. The cost of the three City consultants will be passed on to. RTC. Recommendation: Given the short time frame, Staff recommends the City Council give authorization to allow SRF Consulting, Bolton and Menk, and Hakanson Anderson to begin work in assisting City Staff in reviewing the draft AUAR for the Ramsey Town Center: Staff will bring back detailed information about the services that will be provided by the three consulting firms at the March 25, 2003 Council meeting for ratification. I ! I I I I I I I I I i I I I !