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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 26, 2015 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 12 of 23 10. #15-3774 MICHAEL STEADMAN ON BEHALF OF IRWIN JACOBS, 1700 SHORELINE DRIVE, PRELIMINARY PLAT – REVIEW CUL-DE-SAC ALTERNATIVES (continued) A typical subdivision of this size generates 162 trips a day, with 12 occurring during the morning peak hour, 17 trips occurring in the evening peak hour, and the rest of the day on average will be eight trips in an hour. Swing stated that is just slightly over one trip an hour from the neighborhood traffic either into or out of the area. Swing stated it is a very small number and will not create an unsafe condition. Swing stated when reviewing the alternative route, they found that the road currently is approximately 12 feet wide and is proposed to be approximately12 feet wide going down the hillside in the back. Swing stated the hillside itself is quite problematic due to the very steep drop initially of approximately 20 percent grade for the first 80 feet. After that it flattens slightly and continues down at about a six percent grade. When a road plan is put together that will carry construction traffic for the few deliveries that are expected per week, the road still has to be designed in a way that the delivery vehicles can get in and out. Most delivery vehicles will have a very difficult time negotiating steep slopes. Swing stated in this case, the design that they will end up with from the driveway turnaround on Mr. Jacobs’ property to the new cul-de-sac results in a 12 percent grade, which is a very difficult grade for a truck to go down and brake. It is also a very difficult grade to come up, particularly when the pavement is wet or covered with snow. Swing stated in his view it cannot be designed in a way that can be safe since the trucks will not be able to negotiate that kind of slope safely. Swing stated they further explored the opportunity to access in off of Shoreline Drive, which is a County road. Swing stated they are presuming that would be allowed. In that situation, the vehicles would be in traffic causing other cars on Shoreline Drive to back up, which is an opportunity for a rear-end type collision or other collision. Swing stated by coming in at the driveway entrance on the property, they would be creating an unsafe condition. Swing indicated when they talked to Hennepin County about the opportunity to gain construction access at this location, they were told by the County it would not be allowed because there is a public street that has been improved to allow for construction traffic. Swing stated they would not be able to get a permit for access. In addition, when they looked at the City’s Codes for an access road along bluffs and steep slopes within the Shoreland District, they found it is not permitted. Swing stated they have looked at it from the standpoint of engineering, whether access would be allowed, and whether it is allowed per City Code, and the answer in all those cases is that this is not a feasible solution. Levang noted he talked about traffic calming strategies. Levang asked if there are additional traffic calming strategies that could be put into place. Swing stated the developer has proposed a speed limit for construction traffic at 15 miles per hour, which is slower than what the road is posted for. Swing stated he does not know if much calming is needed since it is a narrow street and vehicles are occasionally parked on the sides. Swing stated they could perhaps add barrels at strategic locations to continue to engrain the idea in the driver’s head that there is something there to look out for but that he would not suggest putting in speed bumps or something along those lines. Walsh asked if he is saying the alternative road is not feasible or not doable.