Orono_Route_Permit_Application - Docket # W002/TL-11-223

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Lake Independence. The Project is not expected to impact Baker Park Reserve because the Proposed Route remains entirely south of the BNSF railroad and U.S. Highway 12. Three recreational parks owned by the City of Orono (Bederwoods Park, Lowry Woods Nature Area and Lurton Park) lie between 0.5 miles to just over one mile from the Project Area. Bederwoods Park is located approximately 1.15 miles south east of the Project. It is 8 acres in size and includes a baseball field, swing -set, climber, slide and bike rack. Lowry Woods Nature Area which is located approximately 0.9 miles south of the Project is a 15 acre parcel of "Big Woods" and consists of 100 -year-old Red -Oak, Sugar Maple, Ash and Hickory trees. The distance between the Project and Bederwoods Park and Lowry Woods Nature Area along with topography, forested areas, and residential areas is significant enough that visual impacts from the Project will not occur. Likewise, the distance, topography and forested areas between the Project and these parks will be significant enough that audible impacts from construction of the Project will not occur at these locations. The third park (Lurton Park) is a 39 acre parcel located approximately '/z mile east of the Project. Lurton Park was donated to the City for use as a passive and natural environmental park. Visual impacts from the Project to this park are unlikely due to the elevation of the County Road 6 overpass of U.S. Highway 12. However, due to the close proximity of Lurton Park to the Project there is a potential that temporary audible impacts could occur during the construction of the Project. A portion on the south side of this park was recently purchased by the Minnesota Department of Transportation ("MnDOT") for the construction of the U.S. Highway 12 bypass project. Mitigative Measures The proposed Project will not directly affect recreational areas. The Project has been routed to avoid impacts to Baker Park Reserve to minimize impacts to parks and recreation. Therefore, no mitigative measures are proposed. 6.2.10 Public Services Public services within the vicinity of the Project include sewer, water and transportation. In the City of Orono, water and sewer services are provided by city -owned wells and wastewater treatment facilities. As the Project lies at the edge of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, water in nearby areas outside of the City is obtained from private wells as well as neighboring cities. Likewise, wastewater in surrounding areas is treated with individual septic treatment systems or neighboring cities. The Metropolitan Council forcemain interceptor 8352, which is a 12 -inch outside diameter ductile iron pipe, is buried between the BNSF railroad line and U.S. Highway 12 north of the Project (see Section 8.1.8 regarding Metropolitan Council response to the Project). The U.S. Highway 12 Bypass project adjacent to and north of the Project has been completed and no additional work to this project is known at this time. U.S. Highway 12 is a high volume traffic corridor providing access to the Twin Cities Metropolitan area freeway system for the suburbs and rural areas west of the metropolitan area. U.S. Highway 12 reduces from a divided four lane highway to an undivided two lane road just west of the County Road 6 overpass and on the north side of the Project. County Road 6 borders the south and east edges of the area of the Project. Additionally, local city and township roads traverse the area around the Project. Orono Project June 7, 2011 MPUC Docket No. E002/TL-11-223 49