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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br />EN HILLS <br /> <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />Agenda Item: 7E <br /> <br />October 3, 2006 <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Mayor and City Council <br />Michelle Wolfe, City Admiuistrator <br /> <br />]; i-., <br />~.;z~"_,f,! <br />Jo",,,'','{ / <br />c-\ ,""'j"!-" <br />IJ . <br />Karen Barton, Community Development Director <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />SUBJECT: <br /> <br />Contract with SRF to prepare Alternative Urban Area-wide Review (AUAR) <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />The Minnesota Environmental Policy Act of 1973 requires investigation of environmental impacts <br />associated with major development projects. The purpose of the investigation is to provide information <br />about a project's environmental impacts before approvals or permits are issued. This process provides the <br />opportunity to anticipate and manage environmental consequences before a project is built. <br /> <br />1n the environmental review process, a responsible government unit (RGU) must oversee the preparation <br />aud analysis of the environmental review documents. The RGU is the governmental unit that has the <br />greatest authority to approve or disapprove a project. <br /> <br />There are three types of environmental reviews that can be conducted: An Environmental Assessment <br />Worksheet (EAS), an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and an Alternative Urban Area-wide <br />Review (AUAR). <br /> <br />Thc EA W is designed to provide a brief analysis and overview of the potential environmental impacts for <br />a specific project and to help the RGU determine whether an ElS is necessary. An EA W is not meant to <br />approve or disapprove a project, but to provide information to help guide other approvals and permitting <br />decisions. <br /> <br />The EIS is a much more detailed analysis of environmental impacts: key environmental, social and <br />economic issues that are likely to result from the project. The EIS also examines whether there are <br />alternative project designs or locations that would result in fewer environmental impacts. <br /> <br />The AUAR is designed to look at the cumulative impacts of potential development scenarios within a <br />specific geographic area. The AVAR is a planning tool that is used to understand how different <br />development scenarios will affect the environment and the community. The AlJAR is a means to perform <br />an environmental analysis in advance of a major development and to use the information gathered to help <br />guide local planning and zoning decisions. The AlJAR also directs the Mitigation Plan for any potential <br />developments. <br />