10 Rules ofthetheSuccessful

Navigating
Navigating NEPA Land Development Design
NEPAProcess
Process
No matter the type of land development, there are 10 basic rules to live by for a successful project.
Before
Before
federal
federal
agencies
agencies
andand
their
theirsponsors
sponsorscan
can
putput
a shovel
a shovel
in in
the
the
ground
ground
they
they
must
must evaluate,
evaluate,
document
document and
and
report
report
a project’s
a project’spotential
potential
social,
social,
economic
economic and
and environmental
environmentalimpact.
impact.

1. Master engineering – Consider sewer, 2. Listen to the land and

water, transportation, storm sewer, gas, electric, understand it – There’s much
DOES
DOESYOUR
YOUR
PROJECT
PROJECT USEUSE
FEDERAL
FEDERAL FUNDING?
FUNDING? NONO NEPA
NEPA MAY
MAYNOTNOTAPPLY
APPLY
telephone and fiber, earthwork (grading), lot to learn walking the property
configurations (lot width), trails and amenities with the owner. Knowing what
YESYES not as the project progresses.
at the beginning, you’re facing can have direct
cost/benefit effects.

DETERMINE
DETERMINE LEAD
LEADAGENCY
AGENCY CONDUCT
CONDUCT STUDY
STUDY & RESEARCH
& RESEARCH
 Highway:
Highway:Federal
Federal
Highway
Highway 3. Use space
Administration
Administration wisely – Three
 LeadLead common examples
 Why Why of
is the wasted
is the
project space
project
needed are:
needed
Intersections – They’re costly and take
 Identify
Identifyup valuable
alternatives space.
alternatives
 Flood/Levee:
Flood/Levee:USUSArmy
Army
Corps
Corps
of Engineers
of Engineers  LeadLead
Stormwater management  – Rainfall
 is increasing.
Rationale
Rationale forfor Incorporate a stormwater
solution
solution
 Airports:
Airports:
Federal
Federal
Aviation
Aviation
Administration
Administration  LeadLead
plan from the beginning to reduce overall
 Solution
Solution costs.
consequences
consequences
 Transit:
Transit:
Federal
Federal
Transit
Transit
Administration
Administration  LeadLead
Home setbacks – Vary property lines to create
Social more lots/acre with less street.
Social
 Land
Land
Dev:
Dev:
Bureau
Bureau
of Land
of Land
Management
Management  Lead
Lead
 Economic
Economic
 Dams/Powerplants:
Dams/Powerplants:
Bureau
Bureau
of Reclamation
of Reclamation  Lead
Lead  Environmental
Environmental
 Urban:
Urban:
Housing
Housing
and
and
Urban
4. Urban
Development
Match Development
talent to the task Lead
Lead  Measures
Measures
to to
reduce
reduce
impact
impact
 Other
Other
___________________________________
___________________________________
and be clear of roles and  Lead
Lead
 Other
Other responsibilities – Make sure
___________________________________
___________________________________  Lead
Lead
 Other
Other the developer, contractor,  Lead
___________________________________
___________________________________ Lead
and city officials are in sync, DOES
DOESYOUR
YOUR
STUDY
STUDY
SHOW
SHOW
as they all have different 6. Design from the outsideIMPACT?
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL inIMPACT?
–
priorities. 5. Save streets for last – Design backyards to the property
PROCEED
PROCEED
WITH
WITH
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT People
(EA)
(EA) live in homes. StartYES
PROCESS
PROCESS
YES
boundaries and front yards to the street.
there. Then move onto the This reduces earthwork NO
(one
NOof the most
street design. costly elements in land development).

DOES
DOESTHE
THE
EAEA
SHOW
SHOW
SIGNIFICANT
SIGNIFICANT
PREPARE
PREPARE
CATEGORICAL
CATEGORICAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?
IMPACT?
8. Design each element for EXCLUSION
EXCLUSION
(CE/CATEX)
(CE/CATEX)
the greater whole – Always DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENTATION
7. Don’t ignore topography YES–YES design NO
with
NO the end-user in
Topography is essential for learning mind. Create a destination
the geologic and hydrologic that people will flock to. Turn
PREPARE
PREPARE ENVIRONMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE
ISSUEFINDING
FINDING OFOF NONO PROCEED
PROCEED
9. Explore WITH
WITH
creative PROJECT
PROJECT
ideas –
characteristics ofSTATEMENT
a STATEMENT
property. (EIS) obstacles into elements.
IMPACT
IMPACT (EIS) SIGNIFICANT
SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT
IMPACT
(FONSI)
(FONSI) Routines help get projects done
quickly, but they’re not always
10. Be flexible and know your market and best in every situation. Commu-
SUMMARY
SUMMARY OFOF
EISEIS
PROCESS
PROCESS
PROCEED
PROCEED
product – Listen to the market. WITH
HousingWITH PROJECT
designPROJECT nity amenities may be just the
Agency
AA Agencypublishes
publishesNotice
Notice
of Intent
of Intent
in the
in the
trends change and consumer demands ebb and thing to lure the buyers you’re
Federal
Federal
Register
Register
flow. Know what your clients want and bring it looking for.
Draft
BB Draft
EISEIS
published
published
forfor
public
publicreview/
review/
comment
comment forfor
a minimum
a minimum to
of 45them.
of 45
days
days PROJECT
PROJECT PROCEEDS
PROCEEDS
Final
CC Final
EISEIS
published,
published,
provides
providesresponses
responses WITH
WITH ROD
RODCHANGES
CHANGES
to to
substantive
substantive
comments
comments
Minimum
DD Minimum30-day
30-day
"wait
"wait
period"
period"
Do you have a land development project on the horizon?
Issuance
EE Issuance
of the
of the
Record
Record
of Decision
of Decision
(ROD)
(ROD)

Contact Randy Jenniges to help maximize your project’s ROI

320.333.5951
For
For
additional
additional
insight
insight
into
into
the
the
NEPA
NEPA
process,
process,
contact
contact
Bob
Bob
Rogers
Rogers
at at
brogers@sehinc.com
brogers@sehinc.com
Building
Building
a Better
a Better
World
World
forfor
AllAll
of of ® |® ©
UsUs | 2019
© 2019
Short
Short
Elliott
Elliott
Hendrickson
Hendrickson
Inc.
Inc.
AllAll
rights
rights
reserved.
reserved.