05-11-1999 Public Hearing - Woodhill CC

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05/11/99 15:30 HO.StZ F003 LINDQUIST & VENNUM p.ll.p The City Engineer observed that the County Road 15 corridor “is in need of additional capacity” but it is understood that it “will not be considered for widening to four lanes due to its character as a scenic parkway.” As to the Woodhill Road exit serving eleven residential homes and Woodhill Golf Course, the City Engineer found that “during peak traffic hours access tp/from these roadways can become quite hazardous in that [lack ot] gaps in the traffic along eSAH 15 make it difficult to exit these roadways.” The City Engineer concluded that; “Access to (Woodhill Country Club) would be vastly improved with... the provision of a connection from Orono Orchard Poad to the golf course and residential area.” (pages 17-18) Of the four altcm.atives discussed by the City Engineer, three require extensive condemnation of private homes and property by the city, consequent displacement of many families and harm to those not displaced, and face other environmental and traffic engineering difficulties. Ihe fourth alternative, reopening the century-old route along Woodhill Avenue, is immediate and witliout any cost to Uie city. Indeed, of all of the proposals discussed in the City Engineer’s report relating to the improvement of traffic conditions along County Road 15, the restoration of vehicular access from Woodhill Country Club to Woodhill Avenue is the easiest, fastest, and least expensive to implement. II. Staff Report Does Not Raise Any Material Objections to Restored Vehicle Access The planning department staff report prepared by Michael Gaffron identifies no problems with the application that cannot be easily solved in the implementation of the access. The stall report does not dispute thai Woodhill Avenue has the roadway capacity to carry the traffic from Woodhill Country Club. It concludes that all neighborhood impacts such as dust, noise, odors, lights, visual impacts, and security can be adequately addressed. Drainage is satisfactory. The staff would appear to prefer that the easterly 75 feet of V*'oodhill Avenue be paved in asphalt rather than its current gravel condition. The neighbors appear to want the road left gravel. Woodhill Country Club believes that the gravel surface is preferable, but would be willing to bear the cost of asphalt paving. The staff report identifies no traffic safety concerns. It concludes that the paving and width of the street is not “a limiting factor for the level of traffic currently proposed by Woodhill.” The city engineer has identified that a very shon portion of the 100-ycar old driveway on the Woodhill property has a t lightly steep grade. Although this has never presented Doc«in9k&1U 2