Cannon Falls begins 30-day scoping comment period for AUAR of 251-acre site

The City of Cannon Falls opened a 30-day public comment period March 4 for the scoping document of an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) covering about 251 acres proposed for annexation and development, city staff and consultants said at a joint Planning Commission and City Council work session on March 4.

The scoping document identifies what will be studied in the AUAR — including water resources, geology and soils, wildlife and plant communities, historic properties, traffic, utilities and greenhouse gas emissions — and frames two development scenarios the review will evaluate: an industrial park scenario and a technology park (data-center) scenario, consultants said.

"This is just laying out what's going to be studied," said Ashley Payne, an environmental scientist at Kimley‑Horn, who reviewed the environmental-review steps and timeline for the audience. Payne said the scoping comment period runs through April 3 and that the city, as the Responsible Government Unit (RGU), will collect comments and work with the project team to respond before adopting a final order that authorizes…