By MaryHelen Swanson

What better time is there for a city to plan for growth in its outer ring than before development starts and canít be stopped.

The city of North Branch is in the process of planning for growth of about 400 acres to the northwest of downtown through the use of an Alternative Urban Areawide Review - AUAR for short.

Thatís the only short thing about the planning process which has to date produced a three-quarter inch draft publication that details a number of scenarios for development of that land.

It is full of maps, drawings and study results.

It was reviewed by the cityís planning commission, council and economic development group last week.

Hired consultant Jay Kennedy, of WSB and Associates, told those gathered at city hall that the AUAR is useful when a city doesnít know exactly what it is going to do with property, but knows that whatever is done, will impact the environment and the city.

Issues that have been studied for the AUAR include water and sewer and storm water management.

In addition, transportation, pollutant sources (none have been determined), wildlife and historical impacts are considered.

Water and sewer would enter the area via 400th Street. Storm water would need ponding to provide run-off on particularly flat land and to allow treatment of the water before it is discharged into the Sunrise River.

Kennedy explained a potential transportation link that would include an I-35 interchange at 400th to Flink Ave. on the west side of the freeway. The essence of this roadway would be to provide some relief from increased traffic from the area once developed.

The roadway concept drew a lot of discussion from the group with Councilman John Pace Jr. asking of the city should be working with the state on the potential 400th Street overpass.

If itís a simple overpass, Kennedy said, without ramps, there shouldnít be significant barriers and ìyesî the city might want to talk with the state about it.

If it were a simple overpass, City Planner Alan Cottingham said, it would be paid for by the city, so MN/DOT would not be as concerned.
City Engineer Julie Dresel suggested that discussion on another overpass should be lowkeyed until funding is secured for the I-35 overpass bridge reconstruction on Hwy. 95.

Mayor Gloria Karsky thought it good, however, to consider obtaining rights-of-way and Kennedy agreed that the city has to look long-term at the issues. Dresel did agree that preserving right-of-way land is important.

Cottingham told the group that ramps would not be needed for the AUAR development project that is being considered.

Questions arose as to whether 400th is the right place for another overpass or whether MN/DOT would even allow one that close to the Hwy. 95 bridge.

Bill Rice asked if it would be more prudent to look at 410th. Finance Director Dave Stutelberg said it was something to think about.
Kennedy pointed out that addressing the above issues would be the same no matter what scenario the city went with in development of the land.

The AUAR includes three proposed plans, variations of planning that includes areas of housing and industrial areas. The city currently owns about half of the 393 acres.

The use of an AUAR, city staff noted, allows the city to look at several options without having to have a set plan such as would be required with environmental assessment programs.

At its March 22 meeting, the city council will authorize distribution of the draft AUAR to some 60 agencies and there will be a 30-day comment period. A public hearing will also be held after the comment period.

The city will then respond to the comments and consider formally adopting the AUAR. This could potentially occur in June. The council also is expected to consider an interim ordinance halting development in this area at its March 22 meeting.

Cottingham said it would be necessary until the council has officially adopted a final draft of the AUAR. Otherwise, he said, development could get started there following the current city comprehensive plan and the city would not be able to put a stop to it.

Copies of the plan will be available at City Hall after March 22 for public viewing.

After adoption, noted Kennedy, every five years the city has to take a check to see if it is still in line with the study.

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