04-19-2004 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Tuesday, Jar.uary 20,2004 6:00 o’clock p.m. (MIKE KEAVENY ON BEHALF OF RICHARD M. KEAVENY REV. TRUST, 3425 SHORELINE DRIVE, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND C0>LMERC1AL SITE PLAN REVIEW - Continued) Austin Evans, 2497 Kelly Avenue, the nearest neighbor to the south of the bowling alley, voiced numerous concerns; 1) As Kelly Avenue ts a residential street, he found the additional traffic worrisome within a residential neighborhood. 2) The fact that the restaurant and lounge w ould have a liquor Lccrj^c w as a concern, especially since the neighborhood is kept up at night from the commotion at the Narrows currently. 3) He questioned whether there was adequate space for restaurant use and the parking to accompany it. 4) The City cannot ensure how long the Pizaa Factory w ill remain, and the City would lose control of wrhal type of restaurant or lounge occupies this space in the future by allowing this today to go forward. 5) The traffic exiting onto County Road IS would make a dangerous situation and intersection w orse. 6) Evans cautioned that relocation of the bus shelter at the junction of Kelly Avenue and County Road 15 would be far more dangerous than where it is currently. Encouraging pedestnans to cross 2-4 lanes of traffic between cars stacked up for the light would be hazardous. 7) WTiat would the impact be to Lake Minnetonka from this additional development merely 200 ’ from the lake. Might people try to snow mobile or obtain boat access to the restaurant. 8) 68% of the little proposed landscaping at all is located pnmanly in the rear where few see it. Ln fact, no landscape plan has been provided. Reminded of the Navarre Town Meeting a year ago, dunng which residents asked for additional landscaping along County Road 15 in Navarre. 9) The proposed parking facilities are incomplete and inadequate. While 53 spaces arc required, contrary to zoning regulations, the proposal ofTcis a mere 30 spaces for a 75 scat restaurant. The additional use requires 91 total spaces, shon 7 in the proposal, w iih no setbacks or greenspacc provided. 10) This approval would increase the use of the lot to 16,(X)0 s .f of retail space, w hich required by zoning should assume 1* of lot area per 4’ of retail space. Evans maintained that by approving this request the City will continue to perpetuate an urucceptable plaiuiing stare of affairs for Navarre. 11) In the Navarre Town Meeting several points were echoed by the residents. Since Navarre is considered Orono’s town center, why not make it more like Wayzata or Excelsior with additional landscaping, street lighting, and updating facades of the businesses in the area. Evans encouraged the Planning Commission to give senous consideration to denial of this applicant’s request and recommend the owTiCr address alternative uses for the site. He PAGE 46 of 53