Letter to EA Distribution 12-19-06
CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Administration
Phone: 952.227.1100
Fax: 952.227.1110
Building Inspections
Phone: 952.227.1180
Fax: 952.227.1190
Engineering
Phone: 952.227.1160
Fax: 952.227.1170
Finance
Phone: 952.227.1140
Fax: 952.227.1110
Park & Recreation
Phone: 952.227.1120
Fax: 952.227.1110
Recreation Center
2310 Coulter Boulevard
Phone: 952.227.1400
Fax: 952.227.1404
Planning &
Natural Resources
Phone: 952.227.1130
Fax 952.227.1110
Public Works
1591 Park Road
Phone 952.227.1300
Fax: 952.227.1310
Senior Center
Phone: 952.227.1125
Fax: 952.227.1110
Web Site
'IIWW.ci .chanhassen.mn. us
December 19, 2007
<<Title>> <<FirsCName>> <<LasCName>>
<<Company _N ame>>
<<Address_Line_l>>
<<Address_Line_2>>
<<Address_Line_3>>
<<City>>, <<State>> <<ZIP_Code>>
Re:
Chanhassen High School
Environmental Assessment Worksheet Decision
Dear <<Title>> <<LasCName>>:
The City of Chanhassen held a public hearing on November 21,2006 on an
Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EA W) for the proposed development of a
405,000 square foot high school in the City. The agency review deadline was
December 6,2006. On December 11, 2006, the Chanhassen City Council held a
hearing and approved a resolution of Negative Declaration of the Need for an
Environmental Impact Statement for the Chanhassen High School Campus.
Attached is a copy of the Resolution as well as the Findings of Fact.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me at
(952) 227-1131 or bgenerous@ci.chanhassen.mn.us.
Sincerely,
Robert Generous, AICP
Senior Planner
Enclosures
ec:
Kate Aanenson, Community Development Director
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
g:\plan\2006 planning cases\06-35 chanhassen high school\ea\eaw decision letter distribution.doc
The City of Chanhassen . A growing community with clean lakes, quality schools, a charming downtown, thriving businesses, winding trails, and beautiful parks. A great place to live, work, and play.
Ms. Becky Balk
MN Dept. of Agriculture
625 North Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
MN Dept. of Health
Environmental Health Division
Policy, Planning & Analysis Unit
625 North Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
Mr. Rick Newquist, Supervisor
MN Pollution Control Agency
Env. Review Unit/Majors/Rem Division
520 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
Ms. Helen Burke
Minneapolis Public Library
Government Documents (2nd Floor)
300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1992
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Twin Cities Field Office E.S.
4101 East 80th Street
Bloomington, MN 55425-1665
Mr. Roger Gustafson
Carver County Engineer
11360 Highway 212 West
Suite 1
Cologne, MN 55322-8016
Mr. Chip Hentges
Carver Soil & Water Conservation
District
219 East Frontage Road
Waconia, MN 55387
Ms. Marya White
MN Dept. of Commerce
85 Seventh Place East
Suite 500
St. Paul, MN 55101
MN Environmental Quality Board
Environmental Review Program
300 Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
MN Historical Society
State Historic Preservation Office
345 Kellogg Blvd. West, Level A
St. Paul, MN 55102
MN Dept. of Natural Resources
Environmental Review Unit
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4025
Mr. Gerald Larson
MN Dept. of Transportation
MnDOT Environmental Services
395 John Ireland Blvd, MS620
St. Paul, MN 55155
Mr. Jim Haertel
MN Board of Water and Soil Resources
520 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
Ms. Tamara Cameron
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Regulatory Functions Branch
Army Corps of Engineers Center
190 Fifth Street East
St. Paul, MN 55101-1638
Mr. Kenneth Westlake
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Planning and Evaluation
Unit
77 West Jackson Blvd., Mailstop B-19J
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
Metropolitan Council
Review Coordinator
Planning and Technical Assistance Unit
230 East Fifth Street
St. Paul, MN 55101-1626
National Park Service
Stewardship Team Manager
111 East Kellogg Blvd., Suite 105
St. Paul, MN 55101-1288
Mr. Kevin Ringwald
City of Chaska
One City Hall Plaza
Chaska, MN 55318
Mr. Bob Obermeyer
Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed
District
c/o Barr Engineering
4700 West 77th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55435-4818
Mr. Steve Pumper
Chaska School District 112
11 Peavey Road
Chaska, MN 55318
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES, MINNESOTA
DATE:
December 11. 2006
RESOLUTION NO:
2006-91
MOTION BY:
Peterson
SECONDED BY:
Lundquist
A RESOLUTION DECLARING NO NEED FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT FOR CHANHASSEN HIGH SCHOOL
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 112
WHEREAS, an Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared for the Chanhassen High
School according to the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) regulations; and
WHEREAS, notice of the EA was published in the EQB Monitor on November 6, 2006;
and
WHEREAS, copies of the EA were mailed to all of the agencies and organizations on the
EQB official EA distribution list; and
WHEREAS, the comment period for the Chanhassen High School EA ended on
December 6, 2006; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Chanhassen,
Minnesota that findings in the document titled "Findings of Fact Regarding a Need for
Environmental Impact Statement", Chanhassen High School, be incorporated herein by
reference.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a determination is herby made that the preparation of
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project, which is the subject of the EA, is not
needed by on application of the following criteria to the factual information contained in the
EAW:
1. Type, extent and reversibility of environmental effects;
2. Cumulative potential effects of related or anticipated future projects;
3. The extent to which environmental effects are subject to mitigation by ongoing public
regulatory authority; and
4. The extent to which environmental effects can be anticipated and controlled as a
result of other environmental studies undertaken by public agencies or the proposer,
or an EIS previously prepared on similar projects.
Passed and adopted by the Chanhassen City Council this 11th day of December, 2006.
ATTEST:
Todd Ger
YES
Furlong
Lundquist
Peterson
Thomas A. Furlong, Mayor
NO
None
ABSENT
Tjomhom
CHANHASSEN HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT
Findings of Fact Regarding
Decision on Need for Environmental Impact Statement
I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Independent School District 112 proposes to construct a high school campus development
in Chanhassen, Minnesota, consisting of 405,000 gross square feet of office/institutional
use with parking facilities and athletic fields.
The project location is north of Lyman Boulevard, south of the Twin Cities and Western
Railroad, and west of Bluff Creek.
"Chanhassen High School" is intended to be a public high school with
institutional/teaching facilities, parking and athletic facilities on the site.
The project site is 95 acres and is a proposed Office & Institutional District, 01. The
proposed plan includes:
. 405,000 square feet of building
. 379,500 square feet (8.7 acres) of the site will be parking area.
. Approximately 1,153 proposed parking stalls.
. 24.5 acres of the site will be impervious surfaces.
. 26.4 acres of wetland to remain on site.
· 1.4 acres of existing tree cover to remain on site.
Approximately 35 percent of the site will be urban lawn and landscaping. Some of the
primary environmental impacts are highlighted below and described in greater detail
within the applicable categories of the EA W.
The most significant potential issues associated with the proposed project are:
1. Traffic: There will be temporary impacts to vehicle traffic due to construction-related
activity during excavation, construction materials delivery and storage, and tie-ins to
existing subgrade utilities. These predicted vehicle traffic impacts will last for much of
the construction life of the project, and will be geographically associated with the phasing
of construction. Some of the potential impacts can be mitigated through implementation
of City ordinances relating to hours and days of operation, noise, nuisance conditions, etc.
Post-construction traffic impacts are anticipated after the project is constructed, and are
detailed in the traffic study. These impacts are anticipated to involve slight decreases in
Level Of Services (LOS) in the project vicinity. Plans for mitigation of these impacts
include adding turn lanes and signalizing of nearby intersections.
2. Wetland Impacts: A total of 1.66 acres of wetlands are proposed to be filled as part of
the project. Mitigation measures will include on-site replacement (new wetland creation,
as well as public value credits) according to MN Wetland Conservation Act rules, which
are administered by the City of Chanhassen.
3. Storm Water Runoff: There is potential for impacts to Bluff Creek and associated
wetlands from temporary and permanent storm water runoff. Potential impacts from
temporary storm water runoff include those from sediment loading during and
immediately after construction. These potential impacts will be mitigated through MPCA
storm water and local permitting.
Potential impacts from permanent storm water runoff include those from performance of
storm water engineering design and construction. These potential impacts will be
mitigated through local review of design plans, as well as on-site inspections during
construction.
II. REASONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Chanhassen High School Campus project meets and exceeds the state Environmental
Assessment Worksheet (EA W) threshold for institutional development (Minnesota Rule
4410.4300, Subp. 14). Pursuant to Minnesota Rule 4410.1000, Subp. 4, the Chanhassen High
School EA W addresses the cumulative impacts of the project.
III. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS
The Chanhassen High School EA W was submitted to the Environmental Quality Board on
November 6, 2006. The EA W Notice of Availability was published in the November 6, 2006
issue of the Minnesota EQB Monitor. Copies of the EA W were mailed to all of the agencies and
organizations on the EQB official EA W distribution list. The 30-day comment period ended on
December 6, 2006.
IV. COMMENTS ON THE EA W
During the comment period, letters of comment were received from the following agencies,
organizations and individuals:
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Metropolitan Council
2
The comment letters on the Chanhassen High School EA Ware included as attachments to the
City Council report for the Chanhassen High School Interim Use Permit. Following is a
summary of the comments received and responses to the comments.
MPCA: Acknowledged receipt of the EA W. They did not review it. Did not waive
requirements for permits required by the MPCA. Permit requirement were included as part of
the EAW.
DNR: "The DNR has reviewed the EA W for this project. It appears to be complete and
accurate. We have no comment."
Metropolitan Council: Acknowledged receipt of the EA W. Their review found the EA W
complete and accurate with respect to regional concerns and raises not major issues of
consistency with Council policies. An EIS is not necessary for regional purposes. They offered
the following comment for consideration: Item 25, Nearby Resources, project adjacent to Twin
Cities and Western Regional Trail. Support the inclusion of the walking path in the northeast,
shown in figure 3, for future connection to the regional trail.
v. FINDINGS OF FACTIDECISION ON NEED FOR EIS
Minnesota Rule 4410.1700, Subp. 7, specifies the following criteria to be used in deciding
whether a project has the potential for significant environmental effects.
Type, extent and reversibility of environmental effects.
Cumulative potential effects of related or anticipated future projects.
The extent to which environmental effects can be anticipated and controlled as a result of
other environmental studies undertaken by public agencies or the project proposers of an
EIS previously prepared on similar projects.
Based on the information contained in the EA W, comments received on the EA W, and the
criteria listed above, the City of Chanhassen, as the ROU makes the following determinations:
A. The project does not have the potential for significant environmental effects.
B. The preparation of a State Environmental Impact Statement on the project is not needed
or recommended.
C. The City of Chanhassen may issue permits to allow construction in compliance with the
rules of the EA Wand in conformance with the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act.
g:/plan/2006 Planning Cases/06-35 Chanhassen High SchooVENeaw findings.doc
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