1. Executive SummaryChanhassen 2016
Alternative Urban Areawide Review
AUAR ) Update
AFT
April `07102017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
What is an AUAR?3
Why an AUAR for this Project? 3
How is an AUAR used? 3
Overview of the Chanhassen AUAR Process 4
Summary of Natural, Cultural, and Physical Resources Inventoried 4
Description of the Development Scenarios 5
Identification of Potential Impacts Resulting from the Development Scenario 6
Mitigation Initiatives 7
ALTERNATIVE URBAN AREAWIDE REVIEW(AUAR) WORKSHEET FORM 8
AUAR Guidance as Revised by EQB staff 10-2-00 8
General AUAR Guidance 8
1. Project Title 8
2. Proposer 8
3. Responsible Governmental Unit 9
4. Reason for EAW(AUAR)preparation 9
5. Project Location and Maps. 9
6. Description. 10
7. Project magnitude data. 15
8. Permits and approvals required. 17
9. Land use.18
10. Cover types. 19
11. Fish, wildlife, and ecologically sensitive resources. (This section of the AUAR remains largely
unchanged from the original 2005 AUAR with the exception of the section on wetlands) 20
12. Physical impacts on water resources 23
13. Water Use. 24
14. Water-related Land Use Management Districts 24
15. Water surface use. 24
16. Erosion and sedimentation.24
17. Water Quality-stormwater runoff. 25
18. Water Quality-Wastewater.26
19. Geologic hazards and soil conditions. 26
20. (a) Solid wastes;(b) hazardous wastes;(c)storage tanks. 27
21. Traffic. 28
22. Vehicle-related air emissions. 36
23. Stationary source air emissions. 36
24. Dust, odors, noise. 37
25. Sensitive resources.37
26.Adverse visual impacts. 39
27. Compatibility with Plans. 40
28. Impact on infrastructure and public services. 40
29. Cumulative impacts 41
30. Other potential environmental impacts. 41
31. Summary of Issues. 41
MITIGATION INITIATIVES 42
Intent of Mitigation Plan 42
General Mitigation Initiatives 43
Focused Mitigation Initiatives 43
Monitoring of Development in the AUAR Area and Future Updates to the AUAR 46
LIST OF FIGURES 48
Chanhassen 2005 Alternative Urban Area wide Review 2016 Update
Figure 1—Project Location
Figure 2—AUAR Project Boundary
Figure 3—USGS Map
Figure 4—Primary Habitat Areas
Figure 5–Significant Ecological Areas and Sites of Biodiversity
Figure 6—NWI Wetlands by Type and Delineated(updated map)
Figure 7—City Wetland Classification
Figure 8—Surface Water Features
Figure 9—Geologic Inventory
Figure 10—Soils
Figure 11—Cultural and Historical Resource Information
Figure 12—Existing Land Use (updated map)
Figure 13—Zoning Map (updated map)
Figure 14—Land Use Plan (updated map)
Figure 15—AUAR Development Scenarios(updated maps)
Figure 16—Existing and Proposed Sanitary Sewer
Figure 17—Existing and Proposed Watermain
Figure 18—Surface Water Management Plan
Figure 19—Existing and Future Roadway Network
Figure 20—Existing Traffic Volumes
Figure 21—Concept A Site Generated Traffic Assignments
Figure 22—Concept B Site Generated Traffic Assignments
Figure 23-2022 Build-Out Traffic Volumes(Concept A)
Figure 24-2022 Build-Out Traffic Volumes(Concept B)
Figure 25—Existing and Proposed Lane Use and Traffic Control
APPENDIX 1—RESOLUTIONS
APPENDIX 2—WETLAND PERMIT APPLICATION: AVIENDA
APPENDIX 3—CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT(INCLUDING AVIENDA PHASE 1
ARCHEAOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY)
APPENDIX 4—AVIENDA CONCEPT STAFF REPORT
APPENDIX 5—TRAFFIC ANALYSIS
APPENDIX 6—SOIL CLASSIFICATIONS (SEE FIGURE 10)
LIST OF TABLES
Table 7.1 –Project Magnitude Data–"No Build" Concept Gross Acreage 16
Table 7.2–Project Magnitdue Data–Concept A Net Developable Acreage 16
Table 7.3–Project Magnitude Data–Concept B Net Developable Acreage 16
Table 8.1 –Permits And Regulatory Review/Approvals 17
Table 9.1 –Existing Land Use Calculations 19
Table 11.1 –Natural Rare Features Database–Sites Within A Mile Of The Project Area 23
Table 20.1 –Summary Of Current And Future Residential Waste Generation 27
Table 20.2–Summary Of Current And Future Commercial Waste Generation 27
Table 21.1 –Trip Generation Estimates(Concept A) 29
Table 21.2–Trip Generation Estimates(Concept B) 31
Table 21.3–Traffic Analysis Scenarios 31
Table 21.4–Unsignalized Intersection Level Of Service 33
Table 21.4(Cont.)–Unsignalized Intersection Level Of Service 34
Table 21.5–Signalized Intersection Level Of Service 34
Table 25.1 –Archaeological Sites Within Study Area 38
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Chanhassen 2005 Alternative Urban Areawide Review 2016 Update
Table 25.2—Archaeological Sites Within One Mile Of Study Area 38
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What is an AUAR?
An Alternative Urban Areawide Review(AUAR) is authorized under Minnesota Rules Chapter
4410.3610 as an alternative form of environmental review. Generally, the AUAR consists of a
hypothetical development scenario or scenarios, an inventory of environmental and cultural
resources, an assessment of the"cumulative" impacts that the development scenario may have
on these resources as well as public infrastructure services, and a set of mitigation measures that
reduce or eliminate the potential impacts generated by the development. The AUAR is intended
to address the "cumulative" impacts resulting from a sequence of related development projects as
opposed to an Environmental Assessment Worksheet(EAW)or Environmental Impact Statement
EIS)which simply looks at a single project's impacts.
Why an AUAR for this Project?
This study area was originally guided by the Chanhassen 2005 AUAR, which utilized the 2020
Comprehensive Plan and a proposal by Town and Country Homes as a basis for land use
decisions. The 2005 AUAR anticipated the project area to be built out by 2010; however, the
northwest, northeast, and southeast quadrants remain undeveloped to date. This AUAR will act
as an update to the previous version, and incorporate the City's updated comprehensive plan as
well as the portions of the study area that are already constructed. Since 2005, Highway 212 has
been constructed, four subdivisions have been platted throughout the project area, and Bluff
Creek Boulevard, a major collector, has been partially constructed along the route depicted in the
2005 AUAR.
The 2030 Comprehensive Plan
The City of Chanhassen adopted its plan for 2030 in November of 2008. The comprehensive plan
evaluates land supply and projects growth of the community over a 20 year period. The plan
identifies future land use patterns and suggests that the City of Chanhassen will be fully built out
by the year 2030. This update identified the desire for a regional/lifestyle center within the AUAR
study area, and has changed the guided land uses to include commercial uses. The area
intended for this type of use is the undeveloped property in the northeast corner of the project
area. A proposal called Avienda is a principal subject for this AUAR update.
Avienda Proposal
A Concept PUD (called Avienda)for Regional Commercial zoning was approved by Planning
Commission and the City Council in 2015. The proposal includes approximately 118 acres of
regional commercial, office, and medium/high density residential development. This proposal
called for the City to update the 2005 AUAR to ensure the development is in compliance with
Minnesota rules and to identify and better understand any development issues for the project.
How is an AUAR used?
An AUAR is used as a tool to help parties interested in development within the project area
understand the existing environmental and cultural resources present on a site prior to initiating
detailed planning and design. It is also used to identify key initiatives that must or should be
undertaken to minimize negative impacts generated by proposed development.
Any proposed development in the project area would need to be reviewed for consistency with
the AUAR and Mitigation Plan. If a development plan is not consistent with these documents or
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other statutory requirements, the developer may need to conduct additional environmental
documentation or review or request an amendment to the AUAR. Natural and cultural inventory
information in the AUAR and the Mitigation Plan will be used to guide development. Design and
construction would proceed only after all approvals and appropriate agreements are complete.
Overview of the Chanhassen AUAR Process
2005 AUAR
City staff began exploring the concept of performing an AUAR for the project area originally in
September and October of 2002 in response to heightened developer interest in the project area.
The City hired a consulting team to assist with the preparation and assembled a task force to
provide community input into the process.As part of the process, two meetings were held with
the task force and a general open house was held prior to a planning commission public hearing.
The process followed the statutory requirements for completion of an AUAR.
2016 AUAR Update
As part of the entitlement process for the Avienda development proposal, the update of the 2005
AUAR was authorized by Chanhassen's City Council in November of 2016. The process to
update the AUAR included presentations to the City Council and Planning Commission, a public
open house held on February 28, 2017 and a public hearing on March 7, 2017. The Draft AUAR
was made available for review during the months of March and April.
Summary of Natural, Cultural, and Physical Resources Inventoried
As part of the original inventory work completed in 2002/2003, field research was conducted on
portions of the site that were identified for immediate development. Local and regional data
sources were collected and analyzed for the remaining portions of the project area. For the
update, additional field work was completed on the proposed Avienda project site and regional
data sources were updated for the remaining areas.
The area that was subject to the more detailed field review for the original AUAR was the
Bernardi property or Town and Country Homes proposal in the southwest portion of the project
area. Wetlands on this site were physically delineated and documented as part of the original
AUAR. The project has been fully constructed and the wetlands were managed according to the
development plan and AUAR mitigation plan. For the updated AUAR, a field delineation of the
wetlands on the proposed Avienda Project area site has been completed and is included as part
of Appendix 2. The National Wetland Inventory(NWI)was consulted for the remainder of the
project area.
A Historical and Cultural Resource inventory was also conducted for the project area in 2002.
This inventory included a search of local, regional, and state historic and cultural resource data
bases. The report is included as Appendix 3 of the AUAR. The findings of the Historical and
Cultural Resource inventory included two pre-recorded archeological sites within the project area
and seven others within a mile of the project area. Based on the overall lack of disturbance of
these sites, their proximity to significant water sources, and previously reported sites, and their
topographic prominence, the sites are considered to have high potential for intact pre-contact
archaeological resources. For the Avienda proposal site, a Phase I Archaeological
Reconnaissance Survey was conducted due to the presence of previously documented cultural
resource sites within and near the perimeter of the defined Project boundary, in compliance with
the Minnesota Field Archaeology Act(MN 138.31-42). This study concluded that there would be
no adverse impacts to these sites. Both sites are located in the primary zone of the Bluff Creek
Overlay. The inventory also evaluated various farmsteads for architectural history. Most
farmsteads exhibit building types commonly constructed during the 1910s and 1920s. Only one
was found to maintain a complement of outbuildings consistent with farmsteads of this period. In
some cases, the historical integrity of the primary buildings, such as the house or barn, have
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been significantly compromised.As a result, the farmsteads do not sufficiently convey their
association with late nineteenth and early twentieth-century farming practices. Although several of
the individual buildings retain good historical integrity, their styles are typical of the period and do
not appear to be significant representations of architectural styles.
Since 2005, no natural or cultural resources have significantly changed with the development that
has occurred.
Description of the Development Scenarios
Land Use
For the AUAR update, two new hypothetical development scenarios were generated
incorporating existing developed areas with the remaining undeveloped land within the project
area. The scenarios are based on the directions established within the 2030 Comprehensive Plan
approved in November of 2008, which included dual land use guidance on a number of key
parcels and two alternatives for the Avienda proposal. Both scenarios are consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan would permit land uses such as medium and
high density residential, regional commercial, office, industrial and park and open space. The
development scenarios assumed for this project would generate development projections of 400
to 600 units of new medium and high density housing, approximately 800,000 to 1,000,000
square feet of office industrial, and 250,000 to 460,500 square feet of commercial (retail/service)
space. Concept A replaces an existing 3+ acre wetland complex with development and has the
most retail space. Concept B preserves the wetland complex and as a result has a lower amount
of retail land area. A small area of remnant right-of-way from the construction of Highway 212
near Pioneer Trail)was assumed as medium density residential in concept A. The assumption is
based on the concentration of commercial intensity on the Avienda site. In concept B, this area is
assumed as office following the assumption that less concentration of commercial space on the
Avienda site would allow for more office absorption in other areas.
Differences between the 2005 AUAR and the 2016 AUAR Update
The primary difference in land use between the 2005 AUAR and 2016 AUAR update is
summarized in two key areas. First, the 2005 AUAR assumed a new high school facility would be
located within the NW quadrant of the project area. The High School was ultimately built outside
of the project area. The land use assumption for where the high school would have been located
was reverted to office/industrial for the 2016 AUAR update. Second, the 2005 AUAR assumed
the area subject to the Avienda proposal as predominantly low density residential. The 2016
AUAR update assumes the Avienda proposal area as a mix of commercial, office, and medium to
high density residential. The resultant change in these two key assumptions include roughly 250
to 400 fewer housing units and 500,000 to 600,000 more square feet of non-residential
development in the 2016 AUAR update than what was originally assumed in the 2005 AUAR.
Municipal Infrastructure
Municipal sewer and water facilities have been planned to serve this area consistent with the
projections of the original and proposed development scenarios. Sanitary sewer service is
provided through Lift Station#24 located at Lyman Boulevard and Audubon Road except for the
portion of the project area lying east of TH 212/312. An inactive trunk sanitary sewer has been
constructed to serve this area. Construction of a future lift station and force main will be required
to provide active service to this area. No future wells are anticipated in the project area as a result
of the development scenarios. A trunk water distribution system has been constructed to serve
new development within the area.
Storm sewer improvements have been, and will be built in conjunction with other infrastructure
systems. The City's Surface Water Management Plan was adopted in 2006.The plan, along with
watershed district rules, provide the framework for the management of storm water runoff quantity
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and quality and improvements that would need to be constructed to serve the project area.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II requirements also regulate
individual site development requirements.
Roadways
Since the completion of the 2005 AUAR study, there have been significant infrastructure
investments made in the study area. These include the construction of Trunk Highway 212 as a
four-lane limited access freeway, extension of Powers Boulevard from Lyman Boulevard to
Pioneer Trail, and the widening of Lyman Boulevard from Audubon Road to Powers Boulevard.
As the remaining AUAR development moves forward, there are still a few roadways to be
constructed.
As part of the development of the NW quadrant of the study area, a collector roadway will be
constructed and connect to the intersection of Lyman Boulevard &Audubon Road North and
Audubon Road & Lakeview Drive.
As part of the development of the NE quadrant, Bluff Creek Boulevard will be extended to the
east and connect with the intersection of Powers Boulevard & TH 212 Ramp (North). Also, a
north-south roadway will be constructed through the development that will connect Bluff Creek
Boulevard to the south and the intersection of Lyman Boulevard & Sunset Trail to the north.
As part of the SE quadrant development, three cul-de-sac roadways will be constructed; one
connecting to Powers Boulevard, one connecting to Pioneer Trail, and the third connecting to
Bluff Creek Drive.
Identification of Potential Impacts Resulting from the Development Scenario
Environmental Impacts
Environmental impacts would normally result from construction activities and elements associated
with development such as impervious surface coverages, lawns, and other urban treatments.
However, the current use of the site as agriculture creates an impact on these features that when
new development occurs, could be enhanced with proper environmental design. The City has
existing tools in place with the Bluff Creek Ordinance and other provisions to ensure future
development pays high respect to natural and cultural features.
Traffic Related Impacts
A traffic analysis was conducted to determine the impact of existing and future traffic volumes on
the adjacent roadway network, with and without the remaining AUAR undeveloped parcels.
Results of the analysis of existing traffic showed that all study intersections are currently
operating at an acceptable Level of Service (LOS) during the weekday AM and PM peak hours,
except for Lyman Boulevard &Audubon Road North and Powers Boulevard & Pioneer Trail,
where the SB left-turn movements are operating at LOS E during the weekday AM peak hour.
Area traffic forecasts were also computed for full development conditions, which project that
Concept A will generate +/- 23,000 average daily trips and that Concept B will generate +/-
17,350 average daily trips. Analysis of future traffic levels indicate that the following intersections
should be monitored for potential to be signalized prior to full build-out of the AUAR:
Lyman Boulevard & Audubon Road North/NW Quadrant Access
Lyman Boulevard & Sunset Trail/NE Quadrant Access
Powers Boulevard & Pioneer Trail
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Mitigation Initiatives
Mitigation initiatives are designed to minimize or negate the negative impacts that urban
development will have on the physical environment. These initiatives include a combination of
existing regulatory processes (such as wetland permitting), physical capital improvements (such
as roadway signalization or striping), and best management practices (such as low impact
development). With the exception of traffic/transportation system, mitigation initiatives identified
in the 2005 AUAR remain largely relevant for the project area. Mitigation initiatives for the project
area are outlined in the following topic areas:
General Mitigation Initiatives
Fish,Wildlife and Ecologically Sensitive Resources
Water Resources(wetlands, creeks, lakes)and Surface Water Management
Erosion and Sedimentation
Wastewater
Water Supply
Traffic/Transportation Mitigation Initiatives
Land Use Management Initiatives
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