City Council Meeting Date: October 5, 2021
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mitzi A. Baker, AICP, Community Development Director
Title
Consider a Citizen Petition for the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) to be Completed for the Proposed Kraewood Development.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council will consider a citizen petition for the preparation of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) to be completed for the proposed Kraewood development.
Summary Report:
By letter, dated September 17, 2021, from Katrina Hapka, Environmental Review Program Coordinator with the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board ("EQB"), the City of Northfield ("City") received a petition for an environmental assessment worksheet ("EAW"), dated August 26, 2021 (the "Petition"), for the proposed Kraewood Development. The Petition is signed by over 600 individuals and has been submitted pursuant to Minnesota Rules, part 4410.1100. The Petition is requesting that an EAW be prepared on the proposed Kraewood Development project.
MN Rules include categories of projects and thresholds that trigger a mandatory EAW. A copy of the mandatory categories is attached for reference. The proposed development does not meet criteria for a required EAW.
The Rules also include a petition process, whereby a petition is first submitted to the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) who determines the "responsible government unit" (RGU), forwards the petition to the RGU and the RGU then must make a determination as to whether to order the preparation of an EAW or not by applying the standard set forth in the Rules. The City of Northfield was determined to be the RGU in this case, and the determination on the need for an EAW must now be made by the City Council.
The EQB describes the EAW as "a brief document designed to lay out the basic facts of a project necessary to determine if an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required for the prop...
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