06-21-2004 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Woodhilt Avenue Residents Miy 4. 1999 NEGATIVE IMPACTS CAUSED BY COUNTRY CLUB i:SE OF WOODIIILL AVENUE The Country Club's application includes llicir estimation that their traffic use ofWoodhili Avenue "will be in the range of 20 to 30 trips per day on weekdays, and possibly 60 on weekend days in the summer months of June and July." Page seven of the Parsons report corroborates the preceding weekend projections through their statement thatit is therefore estimated that no more than 60 trips (i e 30 members per day) would use the Woodhill Avenue access...." In our judgment, the Club would have to exercise very Stringent controls to limit the usage ofWoodhili Avenue to the volumes cited in their application. The reason for this comment is that their projected volume usage represents only five to eight percent of the total daily trip generation for the Country Club. Thus, for purposes of addressing the impacts of the Country Club access on Woodhill Avenue, we have utilised the Club's projectiotu that the volumes on Woodhill Avenue would increase by 20 to 30 vehicles per day on weekdays and by 60 vehicles per day on weekend days in the summer Considering that Woodhill Avenue presently serves just six homes, the effects of th- Country Club access would be to cause a 50 percent increase in the total volume using Woodhill Avenue on weekdays and to c.ause a two-fold increase in the volume on weekend days In our judgment, this expected magnitude of traffic increase would cause noticeable adverse impacts for the existing residents served by Woodhill Avenue. In this regard, we take exception to three points expressed on pages 8 and 9 in the Country Club’s application, which suggest that no traffic difficulties would be experienced. These three points and our re.sponses are as follows: a) Tht two rtsuknces located at the intersection of Orono Orchard Road and Woodhill Avenue have a limited impactfiom the restoration of the Woodhill Avertue access. The driveways for these two homes arc on Woodhill Avenue Their ability to use these driveways would be impacted by the motorists traveling to and from the Country Club Further, the safety of these re.sidents to walk or bicycle along Woodhill Avenue would diminished. b) The entrance from the Woodhill Ridge private road onto Woodhill A venue docs not pose any significant traffic hazard To the contrary, we believe that a serious safety hazard would exist because extensive trees and brush obstruct sight distance in the southeast comer of this intersection. c) HTii/c pedestrian or bicycle use by children of the public street will expose the children to a greater level of traffic on Woodhill Avenue than is present today, the level of trdfic is substantially less than the level of traffic usually encountered on residential public street in Orono and elsewhere. Thl s comment overlooks the point that Woodhill Avenue is just wide enough for two traffic lanes and does not have a sidewalk or bike path. The Club’s application and the Parsons repon conflict with each other regarding the width ofWoodhili Avenue. The application indicates that Woodhill Avenue is 22