06-09-2003 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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#03-2889 April 18,2003 Page 9 Applicants are proposing a driveway connection directly to the rear of the Orono Shopping Center site, rather than a connection to Outlot D. The City has no indication at this point that such a plan is acceptable to the owner of the Orono Shopping Center site. The City had not contemplated such an immediate connection in earlier reviews of proposed development for Lx)t 1. The ramifications of such a connection require further review by staff and City consultants to determine whether this should be approved. From a public safety and internal traffic flow standpoint, the connection may be a positive feature; its impacts to traffic flow on the Orono Shopping Center site need analysis. Existing Highway 12 will be turned over to Hennepin County when Highway 12 is relocated. Brown Road south of 12 will be realigned to create an intersection with existing 12 directly across from Brown Road North and a semq>hore is intended be installed at that intersection. The schedule for installation of that stoplight is still being discussed with MnDOT, but it may be delayed until the realignment of South Brown is completed. The City’s traffic consultant reviewed the prior office proposal fcr a 23,000 office building and 70- unit Orono Woods Senior Housing building in November 2000. Based on standardized trip generation rates, a 70-unit building was expected to generate 120 Uips in and 120 trips out per day on weekdays, less on weekends, where the medical office use as approved would be expected to generate 1 30-in/l 30-out weekdays and significantly less on weekends. Total trip generation would then have been 250-in/2S0-out on weekdays. The current proposal does not specifically contemplate medical office use, and it does not contemplate any retail use. Absent a further review by the City’s traffic engineer, staff believes the proposed office use will not significantly differ in traffic generation from the earlier reviewed uses. Pedestrian Access. Sidewalks are proposed to connect between the individual units and the parking lot, as well as a continuous service walk along the walkout side of the buildings, and a handicap ramp along the west side of the main lot. It would be appropriate to provide for pedestrian access connecting Orono Woods and the office complex sidewalks, as well as a connection to the existing sidewalks abutting Hwy 1 2. It was determined during the review of Orono Woods that walking trail connections to the northwest comer of the property had little value at this time because they would not connect to any existing or planned trail system. Landscaping Plan Development of this site will be subject to the B-6 standards for landscaping, attached as Exhibit F. The applicants have provided a landscaping plan. The plans have placed an emphasis on heavier planting at the comers of the property. The B-6 Code in referencing the B-1 Accessory Use standards, requires a screen (fence or compact evergreen hedge at least 6' high) not less than 50% opaque be located along lot lines between commercial uses and residential uses. Such screen might also take the form of a berm or retaining walls where parking lot is recessed. medial 1