Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR)

What is an AUAR?

An Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) is a hybrid of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) review processes. The AUAR process is designed to look at the cumulative impacts of anticipated development scenarios. It is a way to perform an environmental analysis in advance, before major development occurs in an area, and use the information to guide local planning and zoning decisions. Future projects in the area will not require individual environmental review if they are consistent with the development scenarios discussed in the AUAR and the mitigation measures required by the AUAR Mitigation Plan are implemented.

 

AUAR Process

The first step in the AUAR process is to prepare a Draft Order for Review. Once published for the required public comment period, all agencies and members of the public will have the opportunity to review the scenarios and the contemplated review to be completed within the AUAR. Comments could include suggestions for additional study, relevant issues to be analyzed, or additional development scenarios if reasons are provided and detail why the suggested development alternatives are environmentally superior to those identified in the Draft Order. After the public comment period commences, the Final Order for Review must be prepared to consider all timely and substantive comments. The Final Order must be adopted by the City within 15 days of the end of the comment period. Following the adoption of the Final Order for Review, a Draft AUAR will be prepared. The AUAR will study each item identified for each Scenario contemplated. Once the Draft document is submitted to the Environmental Quality Board (EQB), the official 30-day public comment period will begin. After the comment period is completed, a Revised AUAR including mitigation measures for potential environmental impacts will be prepared and distributed. Barring any objections, the City will adopt the Revised AUAR and mitigation plan and distribute the final document to the EQB.

 

Current AUARs

Lake Wilhelm North Residential Development | Comment Period Feb. 17 - March 19, 2026