Alternative Urban Area-wide Review is a blanket environmental review of a large area, with limited detail on the specific project proposed. It is a planning tool that will satisfy the environmental review requirements of projects falling within the territorial project description boundaries adopted for the AUAR. Projects can include residential, commercial, warehousing, light industrial and the associated infrastructure. The area to be reviewed must be covered by an approved comprehensive plan that meets Minnesota Environmental Quality Board requirements. Multiple development scenarios can be evaluated, thus giving the review flexibility and added planning value. An AUAR also includes a formal mitigation plan to guide actions that will minimize adverse effects. This detailed review typically takes 10 to 12 months to compete.

Recent AUAR experience by Bolton & Menk, Inc., includes:

• Municipal Projects
  • AUAR for the City of Cologne
  • AUAR for the southeast area for the City of Waconia
  • AUAR for Valley Green mixed-use business park in the City of Shakopee