07-10-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, June 19, 2017 6:30 o'clock p.m. acreage is half of what is required under the statute. 78-626 lists four exceptions the Council can use to provide a variance, none of which exist on this project. Macentee stated the purpose of the RPUD district is to encourage sensitive development in transitional areas located between different land uses and along significant corridors within the City. Installing a five - story building is not sensitive and is intrusive and inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Macentee stated for anyone who has ever driven Shadywood at rush hour, the traffic lines up from the intersection past the Narrows Bridge pretty much every day. Macentee stated he appreciates putting in parking spaces for this number of people but they will also have people turning in and out of this development on a routine basis, which will further exacerbate the traffic situation. Macentee stated the residents support some type of condominium development on this property but they feel this proposed project is too large. The residents are also concerned that condominiums are turned into apartments when they are not sold. Tom Lowe, 2630 West Lafayette Road, stated his primary concern is the traffic. Lowe stated one night last week the traffic was backed up all the way to Hazelwood in Tonka Bay. If someone is going to make a right turn to go into Wayzata, they have to get into the line of traffic. Lowe stated there is no way they can get into that line. If they want to take a left turn, they are taking their life into their hands because they have to cross traffic that is going north. Lowe stated unless Hennepin County is going to do something about this intersection, something drastic is going to happen. Lowe stated he questions the veracity of the traffic study because it looks like the traffic numbers were pulled out of a book somewhere. Lowe stated they need to go thereat 5:00. Lowe jokingly stated that if this project is approved, he is going to try to get Old Beach Road opened up so traffic can get out that way. Lowe stated the traffic situation is very serious. Lowe stated he also believes the zoning should stay as it is. Dave Schneider, 2540 Old Beach Road, stated this is not about Old Beach Road but that the proposal will impact the entire area and will affect everyone that lives there. Schneider stated it is not about opening Page 9of14