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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution - 83-58 - CSAH 18 Draft Environmental Impact Statement - 03/15/1983 CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA RESOLUTION NO . 83-58 POSITION STATEMENT FOR CSAH 18 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT WHEREAS, the Hennepin County Department of Transportation and the Scott County Highway Department have caused to be prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the construction of CSAH 18 between I-494 and TH 13 and 101 , Project Number 6816; WHEREAS, the City of Eden Prairie has reviewed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement ; and WHEREAS, the City Council has found that segments of the document are inconsistent with City policies and that the City desires to take a position regarding alternates that are proposed in the document. NOW , THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Eden Prairie City Council that the following items constitute the positions , comments , and recommendations regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for CSAH 18: 1. By labeling the project as CSAH 18 corridor, the document prejudices the location of a bridge crossing , since it requires a common segment of CSAH 13 between Old Shakopee Road and I-494. 2. The document does not attempt to locate a corridor other than the one that bisects Anderson Lakes , which has potentially significant environmental consequences . 3. During the articulation of the alternatives , the Normandale crossing discussion always falls within the same paragraph as the concept of the "dual crossing. " This writing style unfairly prejudices the single crossing concept at Normandale. 4. There has been a substantial shift in the auto/travel patterns nation wide. Since this project has been under development for a sionificant number of years , the computer model which forecasted the traffic impacts should be modified to reflect the current conditions , if appropriate. 5. The summary of adverse impacts on page iv completely omits any discussion regarding the "leap frog affect" of promoting additional growth south of the Minnesota River as a result of the westerly crossing alternates . 6. The historical background on pages .1 - 11 of the document do not reference any citizen studies of the corridor. It is believed that other studies of the project have been undertaken . 7. Only two references could be found in the document dealing with the fact that historically there have been two crossings of the river -- one being at Normandale. Resolution 83-58 Page 2. 8. The freeway alternates in the document are not compatible with the Metropolitan Council Transportation Policies 12 , 13, and 17 as listed on page 13 of the document. 9. The proposed westerly bridge crossings add the undue burden of an additional conduit throunh the City of Eden Prairie thereby promoting "leap frog development. " Eden Prairie' s growth has been in full accord with Metropolitan Council planning criteria. In preparation of development, Eden Prairie has made multimillion dollar investments in utilities and street improvements in reliance of consistent Metropolitan Council planning approval which would promote a growth rate necessary to repay this tremendous debt. An untimely construction of a road corridor that does not enhance Eden Prairie ' s development plans will jeopardize the repayment of these financial commitments . Furthermore, the draft Environmental Impact Statement does not address the impacts on the regional facility known as Eden Prairie Center (approximately 11 miles west of CSAH 18) or the construction of a major center area roadway network which is intended to promote economic development. Finally, the Metropolitan Council has considered the area south of the Minnesota River as a free standing growth center. The freeway alternates and the more westerly alignments will have the net effect of extending the metropolitan area across the river. 10. Modal interrelationships on page 23 'indicate that an advantage to the project is to provide an additional truck crossing. Inasmuch as this would I have an adverse impact on adjacent residential land , the City of Eden Prairie does not view this as an advantage to our community. 11 . Under economic development on page 25 , the second paragraph discusses the advantages of this corridor because of increased commercial development. Since we have TH 169,TH 5 and the proposed 212, an additional development corridor in this area cannot be viewed as a specific advantage to the City. 12 . The document assumes that TH 212 will be completed by the year 2000 as a basis for the alternate alternative selection process . The City of Eden Prairie has great concern about the lack of coordination of the regional roadway system. 13. The City contends that if consistency with comprehensive plans was a factor in the selection crite:- ia as indicated in Table 1, page 33, the freeway alternatives would not have been included in this document since they are inconsis- tent: with Eden Prairie' s plan which has been approved by the Metropolitan Council , 14. We note that alternates 5 and 6 as shown on page 36 have nearly identical costs . Based on the complexity of the project and the accuracy of estimating at this stage of completion, we would contend that for all practical purposes both alternates could be built for the same investment. 15. The cost of homes in Shakopee as noted on page 37 and their associ - ated land costs support our contention that most of the alternates suggested in this document will promote growth south of the river in an untimely fashion. t Resolution 83-58 page 3. } 16. The extent of the impact due to a freeway alternate to the partial taking of the Preserve Shopping Center is riot given adequate treatment . 17. The right-of-way and relocation impacts as shown in Table 10, page 87 for alternates 6 and 14 are influenced partly due to the needs along Old Shakopee Road. Since one of the early deletions from the scope of alternatives was Normandale between Old Shakopee Road and I-494, an increased right-of-way need along Old Shako- pee Road has been created which deserves fuller justification. 18. Table 16, page 121 and page 165 indicate that the impacts to Anderson Lakes Park could vary from minimal to heavy. Since no other corridor through this area has been evaluated , it should be noted that tremendous impacts are possible with the potential of breaking the lake seal whenever construction occurs . The impact to Woodlake -is an example of this potential . 19. The City of Eden Prairie goes on record supporting the no build bridge alternate as being the most consistent with our City ' s needs , goals and objectives . However, the City of Eden Prairie does recognize that this position would conflict with the regional needs of a road system serving the south side of the Minnesota River. Therefore, the City of Eden Prairie can support alternate 6 (a minor arterial with a crossing at the Normandale corridor. ) ADOPTED by the Eden Prairie City Council on March 15 , 1983. r Wolfgang nzel , Mayor _ ATTEST: SEAL 3d D. 1 e , City Clerk