The Andover City Council on March 3 provided an update on the Alternative Urban Areawide Review for the proposed Fields of Andover development.
The project, planned on just over 800 acres, could include either 80 or 1,545 housing units and about 30 acres of commercial development, according to previous reports.
Community Development Director Joe Janish told the council the Alternative Urban Areawide Review environmental process is allowed under state statute when certain criteria are met. For the Fields project, the review was initiated by the developer.
Janish said the study area covers about 808.2 acres and requires review because the project’s size and potential housing units exceed state thresholds. The area is adjacent to land that has already been urbanized.
The city plans to extend urban services to the study area at a future date, Janish said.
Janish said the review process establishes the environmental issues that must be evaluated and outlines development scenarios for analysis. The process does not approve or deny a project, nor does it rank the scenarios.
The proposed development is located west of Round Lake Boulevard, north of 161st Avenue and west of Andover High School and the city campus.
The council previously reviewed a technical memorandum on water supply and a sanitary sewer report during a Jan. 27 work session. Members also received an overview of the draft review at a Feb. 19 work session.
Publication of the draft review is scheduled for March 10, starting a 30-day public comment period that runs through April 9. Government agencies may request a 15-day extension.
An open house on the review is scheduled for March 23 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Andover City Hall in the council chambers.
Janish said staff will prepare responses to comments and revise the document between April 10 and April 17, with publication of the revised review expected in April or May.
Mayor Jamie Barthel said the project has been discussed in council workshops in recent months and that it was good to have the information shared publicly.
Council Member Rick Engelhardt asked how residents should submit comments. Janish said comments should be sent directly to him.
“That way, it makes it easier to find them if they’re caught by spam, or something to that effect,” Janish said.
Barthel encouraged residents to contact Janish and reiterated that the public comment period begins March 10.