Appendix: Site Background and Analysis Property Description.... 48 History.... 48 Regional Orientation... 49 Local Context... 52 Existing Assets... 53 Analysis Of Developable Areas... 64 Aggregate Resources.... 64 Topography.... 66 Soils.... 68 Built Environment... 70 Environmental Remediation, Gopher Ordnance Works... 72 The GOW Structures... 73
Property Description History In 1942 and 1943, the U.S. War Department acquired about 12,000 acres of farmland in Dakota County for the construction of the Gopher Ordnance Works (GOW). The GOW facility was designed to manufacture smokeless gun powder and related products, assisting the war effort by producing a propellant for American military ordnance. Production began in January 1945, and ceased in October 1945. Title to 8,000 acres of the property was transferred to the University of Minnesota in two stages: Approximately 4,700 acres in August 1947 and another 3,320 acres in March 1948. The 1947 parcel includes the land south of 170th Street and the western third of the land north of 170th Street. The 1948 parcel includes the eastern twothirds of the land north of 170th Street. University research, including aeronautical, medical and agricultural projects, began on sections of the land immediately, frequently mading use of some of the remaining 298 GOW buildings for studies and storage. Influenced by a New York state report regarding World War II-era munitions facilities, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) inspected the property in 1981 and concluded on the basis of its limited investigation that there was no contamination of concern. Under a federal law that provides funding for environmental restoration of former defense sites, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has conducted several inspections and evaluations of the property, beginning in 1985. In a 1999 report, the Corps determined that the entire property was eligible for restoration funds. In 2005 the Corps revised its position and for the first time stated that only the land transferred in 1947 (south of 170th Street) is eligible for federally funded investigation and restoration. Historical photo of the Gopher Ordnance Works. Image courtesy of the University of Minnesota. 48 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Regional Orientation Site Map Map of the Minneapolis St. Paul region highlighting the location of UMore Park. Regional Orientation UMore Park s location in southern Dakota County places the site at the edge of suburban development in the Twin Cities region as shown on the Regional Orientation Site Map. Areas of traditional suburban growth have emerged over the last twenty years in the communities just to the west, including Rosemount, Farmington, Apple Valley, and Lakeville. Outlying small towns along the Mississippi River to the north and east of UMore Park, including Hastings and Cottage Grove, have also experienced significant growth. The Flint Hills refinery and other industrial uses along U.S. 52 to the north of UMore Park have provided a buffer zone between the site and older suburban communities to the north. Given its status as a large undeveloped block of land, UMore Park has served as a barrier to connected growth between Rosemount and the rural areas of Dakota County to the south and east. Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 49
Development Growth The Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA) boundary outlines anticipated areas for suburban growth given infrastructure assets and suitability for development. The Metropolitan Urban Service Area Map on the following page shows that the anticipated boundary will include areas to the west and north of UMore Park, as well as outlying communities including Hastings. The MUSA boundary touches the north and west boundaries of UMore Park, and the current status of the property as a University research center has prevented the inclusion of UMore Park in the MUSA boundary in the past. Development of the property would require a formal change of this boundary to encompass the UMore Park acreage. The consultant team recommends that this process occur as soon as possible. Dakota County and the southeastern suburbs have recently emerged as a new focal point for suburban growth. As noted in a recent article in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, this shift places UMore Park in the eye of the needle for potential new suburban growth. While the Metropolitan Council and a variety of individuals and groups have advocated for more compact development of the Twin Cities and redevelopment of the urban core, the Twin Cities today is a fairly dispersed and sprawl-oriented metropolitan region. However, the increase in suburban growth in Dakota County and the southeastern portion of the metropolitan area presents an opportunity for the University and its development partners to establish a significant new community that will help counteract the negative impacts of sprawl. The new community at UMore Park will promote strategies involving compact development, a sustainable balance of jobs and housing, the provision of mass transit and multiple modes of transportation, and overall environmental sustainability to establish a good example of new community development in the Twin Cities region. As the largest master planned community in Minnesota, the property provides an opportunity like no other to undertake all of these strategies. The development of the new community at UMore Park involves planning strategies designed to address the many problems created by traditional suburban sprawl. Citizens and government leaders from throughout the region have highlighted the increased costs of unchecked suburban expansion in all directions from Minneapolis and St. Paul, including longer commute times, greater consumption of gasoline and other fossil fuels to support residents living on the edges of development, increased pollution, loss of farmland and open space, and lack of a sense of place. The northwestern boundary of the UMore Park property abuts urban development in the City of Rosemount. Agricultural research and farming activities have traditionally occurred on the UMore Park property in close proximity to residential neighborhoods. 50 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA) Map MUSA 2030 MUSA 2010 35E Lebanon Hills Regional Park Grey Cloud Island Flint Hills Resources Mississippi River Cedar Avenue CR 42 CR 46 CR 42 UMore Park 52 MUSA 2020 CR 46 Spring Lake Legend MUSA 2010 MUSA 2020 MUSA 2030 Regional Parks Wildlife Management Area Met Council Lands Refinery/ Mining Lakes and Streams Roads Source 1 Empire Township Sand and Gravel Mining Wildlife Management Area Met Council Land Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Regional Park Wildlife Management Area Aquatic Management Area Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 51
Local Orientation Site Map Local Context The UMore Park property is divided between two jurisdictions: the City of Rosemount to the north of County Road 46, and Empire Township to the south. Rosemount is a growing community that doubled in size from 1990 to the year 2000 to a population of 14,619 within its 35 square mile area. Empire Township is more rural, with a population of 1,638 spread over nearly 34 square miles of land. By 2020 the Metropolitan Council projects the City of Rosemount will grow to 38,400 people without the development of a new community at UMore Park. The town of Coates (including a land area of 1.4 square miles and a population of 163 in the year 2000) borders the UMore Park property to the east. The Local Orientation Site Map shows the suburban cities of Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Apple Valley, Lakeville and Farmington to the north and west of the property. 52 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Existing Assets The assets around UMore Park present an ideal location for the creation of a new community. UMore Park enjoys a strategic location near significant regional open space facilities and may serve as a key connector between these amenities and other nearby environmental assets. The Regionally Significant Parks and Recreation Map on the following page identifies the existing, planned, and proposed significant parks and trails surrounding the UMore Park property. It also shows the potential locations of greenways as proposed by Dakota County. The County s Office of Planning has published a greenway plan that considers the opportunities for potential non-motorized access between various parks and open spaces. Plans for new regional parks and wildlife management areas to the south of the site complement UMore Park s development potential. Vermillion Highlands: A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area is a 2,822-acre property adjacent to the southern edge of UMore Park. It will be maintained in perpetuity to preserve its woodlands, wetlands, and other natural resources, and to provide public access and University research and education. The Vermillion River to the south of the UMore Park property is a high quality river with a significant trout population. Biological and Ecological Areas UMore Park lies in proximity to several Regionally Significant Ecological Areas (RSEAs) established by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The Regionally Significant Biological and Ecological Areas Map shows that these RSEAs occur within one to three miles of the UMore Park property in every direction with the exception of due west. RSEAs are described by the DNR as tools to help (communities) identify natural areas for conservation and protection. These areas make up 15 percent of the total land area in the seven-county metropolitan region and are under a variety of ownership and protection categories. However, these designated areas currently do not hold any official legal status as significant environmental assets. The new Dakota County regional park is near the southern boundary of the UMore Park property, and additional conservation lands flank the areas to the south and west of Vermillion Highlands. Significant opportunities exist to connect the new community with these open space resources through trails and park linkages and to provide wildlife corridors connecting the regional parks with nearby natural systems, including the Mississippi River floodplain and other creeks and wetlands in the area. The DNR has also created Metro Conservation Corridors as a method for understanding and working toward preservation of key natural lands. The eastern 60 percent of UMore Park is designated as a Metro Conservation Corridor (2007, DNR). Connectivity between Pine Bend Bluffs Scenic and Natural Area and RSEAs to the south of UMore Park necessitates the creation of functioning regional and local habitat corridors within the UMore Park property. Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 53
Regionally Significant Parks and Recreation Map Lebanon Hills Regional Park Pine Bend Bluffs Scenic and Natural Area Grey Cloud Island (Planned Regional Park) Spring Lake Park Reserve CR 42 170 th Street Biscayne Avenue UMore Park 52 CR 46 Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Regional Park Legend Regional Parks (Dakota County data, 2006) Pine Bend Bluffs Scenic and Natural Area City Greenway (Dakota County data, 2007) Existing and Planned Regional Greenways... (Dakota County data, 2007) Rivers and water bodies Vermillion River Dakota County Proposed and existing regional parks and greenways; Source 2. 54 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Regionally Significant Biological and Ecological Areas Map Lebanon Hills Regional Park Pine Bend Bluffs Scenic and Natural Area Grey Cloud Island (Planned Regional Park) Mississippi River Critical Area Spring Lake Park Reserve CR 42 Biscayne Avenue UMore Park 52 CR 46 Legend 170 th Street Regional Park Wildlife Management Area Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Aquatic Management Area Met Council Land Aquatic Management Area Vermillion River Greenways and ecological areas as proposed by Dakota County and the Department of Natural Resources; Source 3 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 55
communities: a 43-acre oak forest and a 1.2-acre mixed emergent marsh. The Land Cover, Wetlands and Streams Map on the following page identifies these locations. With the exception of the limited areas of woodland, the UMore Park property faces few development constraints with respect to land cover. Wetlands and Streams On average, 600 to 900 acres of the 5,000-acre UMore Park property is used for agricultural research annually. Land Cover The Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS) provides information regarding the current land surface and its use. Leased farmland (planted or cultivated vegetation) covers a significant percentage of the property, including agronomic crops. Artificial Surfaces and Associated Areas (primarily from the GOW remnants) represent the second largest percentage of the land cover on the property. The Land Cover Classifications Table for the UMore Park Property below explains the total acreage and percent of the site as classified by the MLCCS. The site also includes two areas of exceptional native plant In 2007, field work by Bonestroo, a local planning and engineering firm, confirmed wetlands at UMore Park totaling 4.88 acres. These areas likely include Type 1 and Type 2 wetlands (ranging from temporarily flooded to saturated) and may contain small areas of Type 3 wetlands (shallow marsh). The potential wetlands at UMore Park total 109.18 acres, but field work will likely document a smaller acreage total. Streams on the property mainly flow to the south and east, toward the Vermillion River. Most of these streams are relatively small in size and pose few constraints on development. The Concept Master Plan accounts for the presence of these wetlands and streams, but these water features do not pose significant barriers to the development of the UMore Park property. Land Cover Classifications Table for the UMore Park Property Type Percent of the site Acres Water 0.0% 1.1 Shrubland 0.1% 3.9 Forests 1.5% 73.9 Woodland 1.8% 89.0 Herbaceous 7.9% 387.4 Artificial Surfaces and Associated Areas 17.9% 875.6 Planted or Cultivated Vegetation 70.7% 3,457.0 56 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Land Cover, Wetlands and Streams Map CR 42 Mixed Emergent Marsh and Confirmed Wetland Potential Wetland Oak Forest Confirmed Wetland Potential Wetland Biscayne Avenue Confirmed Wetland Confirmed Wetland CR 46 Confirmed Wetland Po W C 170 th Street Vermillion River Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Legend Wetlands and PotentialWetland Areas (adapted from Bonestroo) Native Plant Communities (MLCCS data) FEMA Floodplain 10 foot contours MLCCS Land Cover Artificial Surfaces and Associated Areas Planted or CultivatedVegetation Forests Woodland Shrubland Herbaceous Water Source 4 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 57
Land Use The Existing Land Use Map on the next page outlines current land uses for the areas surrounding UMore Park. This map does not outline zoning classifications, but instead depicts the current and actual use of the land by property owners. This information provides base line information for understanding the physical assets and land uses for areas around the property. The map depicts land use designations identified by the City of Rosemount, within the community s borders, and by the Metropolitan Council for the rest of the map. Traditional suburban land uses, including strip shopping centers and lower density single family residential developments, dominate the areas to the west of UMore Park. Rosemount s downtown and its original core of residential neighborhoods is located just to the northwest of the site near Minnesota Highway 3 and County Road 42. Light industrial land uses, including warehouses and small business parks, cover the area immediately adjacent to the west side of UMore Park. The Flint Hills refinery and its buffer zones occupy the majority of the territory to the north. A mixture of light industrial, retail and agricultural lands line U.S. 52 near the eastern boundary of the site. Agricultural uses cover the areas to the south and east of UMore Park throughout Dakota County. Dakota County Technical College, adjacent to the site on County Road 42, is one of the larger educational campuses in the southeastern portion of the Twin Cities region. Several jurisdictions including Rosemount, Empire Township and Coates surround the UMore Park property. In contrast to the largely segregated land use patterns present throughout this portion of Dakota County, the new community could present a creative mix of residential, commercial, and open space areas and therefore create an improved sense of community. Downtown Rosemount (image left) has a small town Main Street appeal. Local churches (middle image) serve as icons in the town. Farmsteads of various acreages (right image) border the UMore Park property to the east. 58 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Existing Land Use Map Roads Principal Arterial Minor Arterial Collector Railroads Dakota Cty. and Umore Roads Source 5 Eagan Lakes Streams City Boundaries Metropolitan Council Land Use 2005 Farmstead Seasonal/Vacation Single Family Detached Manufactured Housing Park Single Family Attached Multifamily Office Retail and Other Commercial Mixed Use Residential Mixed Use Industrial Mixed Use Commercial and Other Apple Valley Industrial and Utility Extractive Institutional Park, Recreational or Preserve Apple Golf Course Valley Major Highway Railway Lakeville Airport Agricultural Undeveloped Legend Water City of Rosemount Land Use 2007 Agriculture Agricultural Research Business Park Commercial FP General Industrial High Density Residential Industrial/ Mixed Use Medium Density Residential Public/ Institutional Existing Parks/ Open Space Rural Residential Transitional Residential Urban Residential Waste Management Lakes Streams Rosemount Empire Township Rosemount Inver Grove Heights UMore Park NOTE: City Land Boundaries Use coding shown for City of Rosemount is within the dashed boundary Metropolitan line. Remainder Council of exhibit Landdepicts Use 2005 Land Use from the Metropolitan Council Farmstead Seasonal/Vacation Single Family Detached Manufactured Housing Park Single Family Attached Multifamily Office Retail and Other Commercial Mixed Use Residential Mixed Use Industrial Mixed Use Commercial and Other Vermillion River Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Flint Hills Resources Coates Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 52 0 0.5 1 Miles Mississippi River Lakes Streams City Boundaries Metropolitan Council Land Use 2005 Farmstead Seasonal/Vacation Single Family Detached Manufactured Housing Park Single Family Attached Multifamily Roads Office Principal Arterial Retail and Other Commercial Minor Arterial Mixed Use Residential Collector Mixed Use Industrial Railroads Mixed Use Commercial and Other Dakota Cty. and Umore Roads Industrial and Utility Extractive Institutional Park, Recreational or Preserve Golf Course Major Highway Railway Airport Agricultural Undeveloped Water City of Rosemount Land Use 2007 Agriculture Agricultural Research Business Park Commercial FP 0 0.5 1 Miles General Industrial High Density Residential 59
Transportation Transportation represents one of the key factors determining the development potential of a given site. The Regional Transportation Map displays proposed and existing transportation routes. U.S. 52, a four lane expressway, runs north-south just to the east of the site and connects St. Paul and the Interstate 494 loop to Inver Grove Heights and other southeastern suburbs. This highway also connects the Twin Cities with the Rochester area in southeastern Minnesota. Rochester is the home to a University of Minnesota coordinate campus and the Mayo Clinic, which has a significant research partnership with the University. County Roads 42 and 46 provide east-west access from suburbs near Interstate 35, including Burnsville and Lakeville, through UMore Park and connect to the Hastings area to the east. Minnesota Highway 3 follows a north-south alignment just to the west of UMore Park and connects the Farmington area with St. Paul. A number of local arterials in the vicinity of the property would require upgrades and expansions to accommodate growth at UMore Park, and several new arterial roads within the property would be required. Notably, transit authorities have recently begun to consider the potential of extending mass transit from downtown St. Paul to the UMore Park site. Regional transit authorities have explored a variety of alternative transportation modes to serve the UMore Park property in the future including a bus rapid transit service along County Road 42 as well as an extension of the Robert Street Corridor from the St. Paul area southward to Rosemount. The Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority (DCRRA) is currently evaluating the Robert Street Corridor as one part of a planned comprehensive transit network serving the Twin Cities and the UMore Park property. The preferred transit alternative for the Robert Street Corridor as identified by the DCRRA includes Light Rail Transit (LRT), Express Bus Service and Bus Rapid Transit. Local and regional governments have not yet funded the Robert Street Corridor, but are proceeding with planning and design exercises for the corridor at this time. The interchange between County Road 42 and U.S. 52 lies about one-half mile east of the eastern edge of the UMore Park property. This connectivity to a major highway is an important asset for the development of the property. 60 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Regional Transportation Map Source 6 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 61
Infrastructure Given UMore Park s location at the interface between suburban areas of the Twin Cities and rural areas of Dakota County, the site is located on the periphery of local and regional infrastructure systems. The property is located near a number of infrastructure assets, but given its current use as the Rosemount Research and Outreach Center and for short-term leases, the interior of UMore Park would require significant investments in infrastructure to prepare for development. The Existing Utilities Map on the following page identifies major utility lines currently servicing the property. A regional sewer line provided by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) is currently located along the north side of the property, and an extension of the system is currently under construction along the north and west boundaries of UMore Park. In addition, the MCES recently upgraded Empire Township s existing treatment facility, which is designed to accommodate 800 gallons of sanitary sewer flow per acre per day from the potential development at UMore Park. Water lines servicing the City of Rosemount run along the north side of the property, along County Road 42, and a University-owned well and tower system currently services around 15 percent of the property. Further analysis will be needed to determine if the new community can use the existing water tower as part of the new water distribution system. Two major electric transmission lines cross UMore Park, one through the northwest corner of the site and another running north-south along the eastern boundary of the property. Major gas lines currently run along the extreme northwest and northeast corners of the property. Smaller profile utility lines and easements for dry utilities (including electrical, telephone, cable television, fiber optics and natural gas) are located in various areas of the UMore Park property. Development of the community at UMore Park would involve extending these infrastructure systems from the surrounding areas to the interior of the property and in some cases increasing the capacity of trunk lines servicing UMore Park to accommodate the eventual growth of a community to include 30,000 people. The current UMore Park water tower is smaller in size compared to the three-to-four new towers recommended to supply the new community. 62 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Existing Utilities Map Pipeline CR 42 Mid America Com pany Northern Natural Gas Pipeline Empire Outfall Main Water Tower 52 UMore Park Biscayne Avenue CR 46 170 th Street Empire Outfall Force Main Proposed Gravity Sewer Legend Legend Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Source 7 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 63
Analysis Of Developable Areas In addition to influences from the surrounding areas of Dakota County, a number of factors specific to the UMore Park property determine the development potential for the new community. Aggregate Resources Recognizing the regional significance of the sand and gravel resources on the UMore Park property, the University of Minnesota Board of Regents authorized the formulation of a Request for Proposal entitled Geological Assessment University of Minnesota Outreach, Research & Education (UMore) Park in August 2007. The University s goals for the project were to achieve a sufficient understanding of the location, quality and quantity of marketable construction aggregates to inform decisions on potential extraction, operations and reclamation in conjunction with the future development of a master planned community on the property. ProSource Technologies, Inc. in association with J.D. Lehr, PA, conducted a geological assessment via a Phase I drilling and testing program for the nearly 5,000 acres of the UMore Park property from September 2007 through May 2008. The assessment program confirmed that the UMore Park site contains significant areas suitable for the extraction of sand and gravel assets, and this information helps inform the development strategy for the property. Aggregate has become such a valuable and needed resource in the Twin Cities that the University has initiated a gravel Environmental Impact Statement process that is scheduled for completion by the close of 2009. At that time the University will determine whether to mine gravel. Analyses indicate that the western portion of the UMore Park property contains substantial sand and gravel resources. In 2007 and 2008 an extensive drilling program was undertaken to study aggregate resources on the site. The Aggregate Resources Map on the following page represents a composite of the Geological Assessment Report, including an aerial image. The consultant team recommends that the University and its future development partner(s) consider pursuing mining operations before proceeding with eventual build-out of residential, commercial and open space uses in areas of gravel deposits. Quarries created by gravel mining would present opportunities to create manmade lakes and landforms that would serve as focal points for neighborhood centers and the community overall. The availability of sand and gravel resources and the ability to extract these assets is a key influence on the development plan and real estate strategy for the new community. The consultant team further recommends that the Concept Master Plan provide the basis for an end use plan for the gravel mining operation. If properly coordinated, the movement of earth during mining can establish development zones for future real estate development. A Conceptual Grading Plan (see page 98) has been provided 64 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Aggregate Resources Map CR 42 52 Not Yet Evaluated Biscayne Avenue CR 46 170 th Street Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area NOTE: This contouring method does not consider existing topography along the perimeter of the deposit. One hundred foot property line setbacks are shown. Source 8 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 65
to demonstrate the topography desired at completion of the mining operation anticipating the real estate development that would follow. Topsoil stripped during the gravel mining process should be stockpiled and used to reclaim disturbed areas and to enhance landscaped areas such as parks and open space. Wetland areas created as a result of the mining operation would enhance the habitat values of the site. The availability of low cost sand and gravel through the mining process also provides the materials for the stormwater management techniques recommended in the Concept Master Plan. Topography The topography of the UMore Park site is generally flat as shown on the Land Topography Map and in the Property Topography Table below. Limited areas with slopes in excess of 30 percent exist, primarily in the north central portion of the property. With few exceptions topography presents very few constraints on development at UMore Park. Nearly all of the site (93.4 percent of all land) presents less than 10 percent change in grade and therefore requires little grading for development to take place. Given the potential decision to mine portions of the site, the resulting topography of the property following mining, rather than the existing topography, serves as a more significant element in shaping the community. The relatively flat terrain of the property is ideal for future development. Property Topography Table Percent Topographic Slope Total Acres Percentage of the nearly 5,000 acre site 0-5% 4,119 84% 5-10% 458 9.5% 10-15% 164 3.5% 15-20% 81 1.7% 20-25% 35 0.7% 25-30% 14 0.3% over 30% 16 0.3% Total 4,887 100% 66 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Land Topography Map CR 42 52 UMore Park Biscayne Avenue CR 46 CR 46 170 th Street Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Legend Roads Slope for Development 0-5% 5-10% 10-15% 15-20% 20-25% 25-30% over 30% Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 67
Soils Waukegan silt loam covers 54 percent of the UMore Park property as shown in the Soils Map. Although this soil formed on a sandy outwash plain, Waukegan silt loam is very dark brown, silty, and rich in organic matter from centuries of growth of prairie plants. The initial 13 inches of topsoil below the ground level provides for moderate drainage, but within the sandy subsoil drainage proceeds at rates of as high as six to 20 inches per hour. As a result, local farmers typically irrigate crops to increase productivity during normal crop years and to mitigate the negative effects of droughts. Waukegan silt loam yields, on average, four tons of grass-legume hay per acre. The soils at UMore Park provide solid foundations from which to build, but without providing for adequate vegetation on the site the risk of soil erosion increases significantly. Prior to construction of the GOW smokeless gunpowder production facility, the soils beneath the site of the plant (24 percent of the property) also primarily consisted of Waukegan silt loam. However, the construction of the GOW, coupled with soil movement and other disturbances, changed the topsoil in this area of the UMore Park site. Today, the soils within the footprint of the GOW are classified as Urban Land Waukegan Complex soils, although residual amounts of Waukegan loam and other higher quality soils exist inside the GOW as well. 68 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Soils Map CR 42 Biscayne Avenue UMore Park 52 CR 46 170 th Street Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Legend Urban Land -Waukegan Complex Waukegan Silt Loam Vermillion River Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 69
Built Environment Nearly 800 remnant structures from the GOW remain on the site as shown in red on the Built Environment Map on the following page. Many of the remnants include only the foundation floors and some structural walls of the previous buildings. A number of these remnants are visually prominent, such as the T walls and the power plant stacks. Additionally, a number of University research and operational buildings remain on the property as highlighted in yellow on the Built Environment Map. Many of the existing structures are leased as a source of revenue for the University or utilized for various research or civic functions. The consultant team recommends that these uses continue, keeping in mind the long-term plans for gravel mining and real estate development of the property. Similarly, the University should continue leasing land for agricultural production and conducting research on UMore Park property until land is required for gravel mining and real estate development. The majority of the GOW remnants consist of foundations and some structural walls. Buildings supporting agricultural production are located throughout the site. Perhaps the most widely recognized features of the Gopher Ordnance Works are the smokestacks remaining from the GOW dual steam power plants. The Morton Sphere was used to store anhydrous ammonia during the GOW days, and was later used by the University as part of the supersonic wind tunnel facility as a part of the Rosemount Aeronautical Laboratories. The decommissioned Morton Sphere is the only piece of the test apparatus that remains on site. 70 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
Built Environment Map MUSA2010 CR 42 Dakota County Technical College Power Plant Stack A M US A 2 0 1 0 52 Power Plant Stack B CR 46 Biscayne Avenue Solvent Recovery House (T Walls) Wachter Farmstead CR 46 170th Street Vermillion Highlands A Research, Recreation and Wildlife Management Area Legend Source 9 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 71
Environmental Remediation, Gopher Ordnance Works Subsequent to the early history of the Gopher Ordnance Works, which was described on page 48, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agreed to perform a site investigation of the environmental condition of the 1947 parcel. In mid-2006, the University was informed that the Corps had selected a contractor to perform the site investigation. Site work commenced in August 2007. At this time, the MPCA is awaiting the final report of the site investigation from the Corps. The University, the Corps and the MPCA continue discussions about the scope of federal financial responsibility for GOW-related contamination and debris on the 1947 and 1948 parcels. Most of the GOW manufacturing and industrial activities were located on the 1948 parcel. It also bears the majority of GOW building remnants. Production of a propellant for American military ordnance at the Gopher Ordnance Works got underway in January 1945 and ceased in October 1945, with the end of World War II. Photograph courtesy of the University of Minnesota. 72 Site Background and Analysis January, 2009
The GOW Structures The Gopher Ordnance Works included 800 manufacturing buildings of wood and concrete, and the foundations of most of these structures remain in place on the UMore Park property. Based upon existing information the disposition of GOW assets and existing University buildings would not materially limit the extent of developable acreage at UMore Park. The consultant team suggests that the potential development of gravel resources on the site offers the opportunity to address potential remediation in conjunction with the mining process. The GOW buildings have deteriorated to different degrees; some are still intact while others are collapsed. Site Background and Analysis January, 2009 73