Shakopee council adopts updated AUAR for 2,890-acre Jackson Township with traffic, stormwater and species protections

The Shakopee City Council on Jan. 6 adopted Resolution R2026-5 to accept an updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) and mitigation plan for the 2,890-acre Jackson Township development area.

The update, prepared on the city's behalf by SRF Consulting, analyzed two development scenarios—one tied to 2030 comprehensive plans for Scott County and Shakopee and another reflecting the city's 2040 plan—and revised analyses of traffic, stormwater and climate adaptation. "This area has already had one that we're required every 5 years to update that AUAR," Mr. Kirschke said in the presentation, describing the report's scope and the required updates.

Why it matters: The AUAR guides how infrastructure and environmental protections are sequenced and funded as the area develops. Key recommendations will shape project design and permit conditions, including roadway work and requirements to protect sensitive habitats.

What the update says and recommends - Study area and scenarios: The AUAR covers a 2,890-acre study area and compares two buildout scenarios tied to regional and city comprehensive plans. - New analyses: The update adds climate adaptation and greenhouse-gas information, refreshed traffic modeling and stormwater-management review, and an updated mitigation plan. - Mitigation measures: The report recommends traffic-improvement work such as constructing a right-turn lane on Marystown Road, modifications to US 169 north- and southbound ramps, and eventual roundabout installations to mitigate ramp traffic. It also calls for protecting threatened and endangered species in coordination with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service, plus future extensions of sanitary infrastructure and use of green infrastructure for stormwater.

Public and environmental questions During council questions, a council member asked whether PFAS had been added to the AUAR studies. Mr. Kirschke replied that PFAS testing "is currently not required," and added that "it's only been found trace amounts in, I believe, one or two wells in the city," noting the AUAR focuses on the elements required by rule (stormwater, traffic, environmental protections). The council did not direct additional testing as part of this adoption.

Council action and next steps A council member moved to adopt Resolution R2026-5 authorizing the AUAR update; the motion was seconded by Councillor Delaney and passed without recorded opposition. With adoption, the AUAR and its mitigation plan become part of the project's regulatory and planning record; implementation steps such as detailed engineering, permitting and any further environmental review will follow as specific projects advance.

The council meeting record shows the update was prepared by SRF Consulting on behalf of the city and that the public agency comment period previously ran from Sept. 30 to Oct. 14. The city did not provide a timeline for individual infrastructure projects tied to the AUAR at the Jan. 6 meeting.