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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-10-10 PACKET 04.02. TO: Economic Development Authority FROM: Christine Costello, Economic Development Director DATE: October 5, 2017, 2017 RE: Cottage Grove Business Park Presentation Background The City has been making great strides in positioning the community for growth. A number of activities have taken place in Cottage Grove to position the community as a competitor for industrial development in the Twin Cities metro area and the state. The activities that have taken place include qualifying and marketing available development sites in the Business Park as shovel ready through the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and Xcel Energy. Cottage Grove also continues to have a clear strength in industrial/manufacturing businesses. This is evident with the fact that there are over 15,000 manufacturing jobs within 25 minutes of the Cottage Grove Business Park, meaning roughly 8 percent of the region’s manufacturing sector is employed within 25 minutes of the Business Park according to the U.S. Census Bureau. At the July 12 City Council meeting, the Council authorized the preparation of an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) for the Business Park. An AUAR is a planning tool that local governments can use to understand how different development scenarios will affect the environment of their community before the development occurs. The process is designed to look at the cumulative impacts of anticipated development scenarios within a given geographic area. An information gathering workshop was held on August 14 with members of state agencies such as Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR), as well as surrounding communities, to determine if any proposed development scenario(s) would affect the environment of their community before any development occurs. There were no outstanding issues or concerns from any of the agencies or jurisdictions at this phase of the AUAR process. All of the agencies and jurisdictions will have another opportunity to comment during the required 30-day comment period. Currently the City is at Step #6 of the AUAR process shown below. The City of Cottage Grove was not required to complete the 30-day scoping review listed in Step #4-5 of the process. The purpose of the scoping review is to suggest additional development scenarios and relevant issues to be analyzed; the City as the responsible governmental unit (RGU) determined that any additional development scenarios being suggested weren’t superior to those that have been identified for the Business Park area. Economic Development Authority October 5, 2017 Page 2 of 3 On October 4th the City Council authorized the distribution of the draft AUAR for publication in the EQB Monitor and allows for the 30-day review period to begin. The draft AUAR will also be distributed to various state and federal agencies and jurisdictions for their review and comment. The draft AUAR document is also available for public review. At the conclusion of the 30-day review period, any comments received on the draft AUAR will be addressed in a final AUAR document. To conclude the AUAR process, the Council will be asked to adopt the final AUAR. Below is the schedule for the completion of the AUAR process: EVENT DATE City Council – Authorize distribution of draft October 4, 2017 Business Park AUAR for publication. Draft AUAR sent to EQB Monitor and Federal and October 5, 2017 State distribution agency list Submission to the EQB Monitor October 9, 2017 Publication in the EQB Monitor (begin 30-day October 16, 2017 comment period) Draft AUAR comments (in writing) due November 14, 2017 Responses to Final AUAR submitted to EQB November 20, 2017 Monitor Economic Development Authority October 5, 2017 Page 3 of 3 Responses to Final AUAR published in EQB November 27, 2017 Monitor Objection Period to responses of Final AUAR December 6, 2017 completed City Council adopts Final AUAR December 20, 2017 Once the AUAR is adopted, it satisfies all state requirements for environmental studies in that particular area. If subsequent development in that area follows the general land use plan, then no further environmental studies are necessary for individual developments, thus positioning Cottage Grove competitively in the metro and for the state for business growth. Discussion John Shardlow, the City’s consultant from Stantec will provide the EDA an overview of the the draft AUAR. Requested Action: No motion required.