10-30-2003 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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TO: FROM: Mayor Peterson and Council Members Ron Moorse, City Administrator ^ DATE:October 27,2003 SUBJECT: Landform Commercial Development Proposal for Willow and Highway 12 Description of Proposal Landform has requested an opportunity to present a development proposal to the Council for the property at Willow and 12. The development proposal is attached. The proposal includes three commercial buildings on the outlot at the comer of Willow and 12, with a total of 29,560 square feet. The buildings include a 14,560 sq. ft. pharmacy, a 2-story bank building with a total of 5,400 sq. ft., and a 9,600 sq. ft. retail building. Kev Issues For Discussion There are a number of key issues to be discussed regarding the proposal. These include the proposal ’s compliance with the City ’s Comprehensive Plan, the compatibility of the proposal with the overall development plan for the Highway 12 commercial area, and the traffic impact of the proposal on Willow Drive and the Willow/12 intersection. Compliance with Comprehensive Plan The City ’s Comprehensive Plan guides this property for office use, and allows retail uses accessory to the office use. The 24,160 squai e feet of retail space is far beyond retail accessory to office. The scale of the proposed development is much more consistent with a neighborhood retail center. The scale of the proposed retail development requires an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. Compatibility with the Development Plan for the Highway 12 Commercial Area. One question to be addressed is whether the proposed location is the best site for this level of retail use, and particularly the pharmacy, in terms of the long term development plan for the Highway 12 commercial area. Three legs of the Willow/12 intersection are currently developed for retail uses. It would generally follow that the fourth leg would also be retail, unless there is a specific plan or reason to do something different. Orono ’s Comprehensive Plan has guided this leg of the intersection for office use due to two factors. First, to direct strong retail anchors to the areas in which they will have the greatest impact in terms of facilitating retail development and strengthening the retail market. Second, to manage the level of traffic on Willow Drive, and at the Willow/12 intersection. Since the City ’s development plan does not encourage retail development on the NW quadrant of Willow and 12, locating a pharmacy at this location does not take the best advantage of this retail anchor. However, there are two factors that, to some extent, offset this disadvantage. First, a pharmacy building, with the corporate-required design and parking layout, does not meet the current •AiBaiai