6 PCSR 03-22-1994 ITEM 6
•ity of MEMORANDUM
E 1k Ri
ver TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: STEVEN B. ACH, CITY PLANNER„� �:�
DATE: MARCH 22, 1994
SUBJECT: AGENDA ITEM NO. 6
This item was sent out last week under separate cover. Please bring this
item with you for discussion.
•
1110
P.O. Box 490 • 13065 Orono Parkway • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425
,k/ AK.
ity of � MEMORANDUM
lk
River TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: STEVEN ROHLF, B & Z ADMIN.
DATE: MARCH 3, 1994
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT ON GRAVEL MINING
Included with this memo is the City's draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) on gravel mining in Elk River. Also included is a memo from City staff
to the Council that summarizes the EIS process and the City's rationale for
doing this environmental review.
Although the Planning Commission is not being asked for a recommendation
on the EIS, staff felt it is an important document for you to have for planning
purposes. The Planning Commission may wish to make comments on the
draft EIS at the March 22, 1994, meeting. The Planning Commission's
•
comments will be considered by the City Council along with comments from
other agencies and individuals sometime in April, after the comment period
ends. It is best if these comments can be put in writing.
The Planning Commission is also welcome to attend a public meeting
regarding the draft EIS to be held by the City Council on Monday, March 21,
1994, at 6 p.m. at Elk River City Hall. Feel free to call with any questions.
pc-eis.doc
P.O. Box 490 • 13065 Orono Parkway • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425
,k/
ity of � MEMORANDUM
River TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: STEVEN ROHLF, B&Z ADMIN.
DATE: MARCH 2, 1994
SUBJECT: DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT (DEIS) ON GRAVEL
MINING
There is nearly 2,500 acres of land owned or leased by nine different gravel
companies within the City limits of Elk River. Gravel Mining generates
taxes and jobs, however, the amount of land that has the potential to be
involved in gravel mining and estimated duration of the mining activities in
Elk River (possibly 75 years) raises concerns.
In the past, environmental review has only been done on a pit by pit basis as
gravel mines expand or new ones are created. In an attempt to look at the
cumulative impact of gravel mining, the City encouraged the gravel miners
• within City limits to cooperate in a joint EIS.
A DEIS has been prepared and is included with this memo. The City Council
will conduct a public meeting on Monday, March 21, 1994, at 6 p.m. at City
Hall to take comments regarding this DEIS on gravel mining.
For Council's information, the following is a simplified summary of the EIS
process:
1. RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENTAL UNIT (RGU)
The City of Elk River is the RGU for the EIS on gravel mining. City
staff enlisted the cooperation of the gravel companies within our City
limits in the preparation of this review.
2. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET (EAW)
An EAW regarding gravel mining was prepared and mailed to various
State and Federal agencies for comment. A public hearing on the EAW
was held by the City on March 11,1993. The EAW was used as a
scoping document to determine what alternatives, impacts, issues and
• mitigative measures would be addressed in the EIS.
P.O. Box 490 • 13065 Orono Parkway • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 2
March 2, 1994
• 3. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (DEIS)
This is the step which we are currently at in the process.
The past year has been spent gathering and analyzing data related to
gravel mining in Elk River. The issues considered included ground
water, surface water, soil erosion, noise, air quality, traffic,
employment, economic and social issues. From this data, the DEIS
was prepared.
Notice of the DEIS was distributed to the various State and Federal
agencies and a 45 day comment period began on February 28, 1994.
The comment period ends April 8, 1994. Part of the comment period
process is the public meeting on March 21, 1994. To aid the Council,
appropriate City staff will be at that meeting.
The DEIS looks at the accumulative effects of gravel mining
alternatives and general mitigative measures to eliminate or reduce
negative impacts. The DEIS is not meant as a means to address
specific issues regarding any certain gravel mine. The public meeting
is set up to hear general comments on gravel mining so that they can
• be addressed in the final EIS. This meeting is not meant to be a
question and answer session.
Sometime in April, the Council will consider all comments regarding
the DEIS and order the appropriate revisions for the final EIS.
4. FINAL EIS
Once finished, the final EIS will be published and distributed and
another comment period will begin. As RGU, it is the City's (Council's)
responsibility to determine the adequacy of the final EIS. Once the
Council determines that the final EIS is adequate, notice of this
decision will be published and the EIS process will be completed.
SUMMARY
The EIS process is extremely expensive, however, it makes economic sense
for the miners to do it jointly versus individually. Environmentally, it makes
sense for the City to do this joint environmental review so the accumulative
impacts of gravel mining can be considered.
• After the EIS process is completed, staff anticipates the gravel mining study
area being rezoned to ME/Mineral Excavation Overlay District. The
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 3
March 2, 1994
underlying zoning would remain as it is currently zoned. However, the ME
• zone would put future adjacent land owners on notice that gravel mining is
anticipated in this study area.
The final step in upgrading the City's regulation of gravel mining is to go
through the conditional use permit process for each individual gravel mine
and address specific concerns. The EIS will be an invaluable tool through
this process. The gravel miners have agreed to cooperate with the City
through the conditional use permit process.
City staff feels the mining companies in Elk River have dealt with the City in
an extremely responsible way and should be thanked for their cooperation.
They will be at the March 21, 1994, meeting.
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pcdeis.doc