03/15/2004 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE • ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, March 15, 2004 6:00 o'clock p.m. (#10. #04-2993 CHRIS VALERIUS, 2377 SHADYWOOD ROAD, VARIANCES FOR A COFFEE SHOP—Continued) The applicant continued that a drive through is important for the disabled so they don't have to get out of their cars and for parents with children, and a variance is not for parking stalls, but for pavement and stall location and for the location of the drive through aisle. Chair Smith inquired whether applicant would consider a carhop service for those people who don't want to leave their car. It was confirmed that they did that at their Long Lake shop. Applicant said they know their customer's needs because they are regular customers and they are only stopping for 1.5 to 2 minutes. Their customers have asked for a drive-up service, however she would also consider a car hop or walk up service if a drive through were not approved. The applicant continued that they are offering to take down two existing structures, one attached, one detached to make this process go smoother. Chair Smith indicated she thinks the structure is very charming. The applicants added they propose grass and landscaping to include vegetable and flower gardens to give a family feel, like a home. Bremer inquired about how traffic flows after people back out of their parking stalls. Gaffron responded that you back out into traffic and can go either way. The main exit is out to Lyric Avenue. Bremer stated the new plan indicates a third planned driveway. Gundlach responded that was an alternative before discussions were held. It became a safety issue at the intersection of Lyric and Shadywood rather than the driveway itself. Applicant said three parking stalls would suffice rather than four. Rahn stated that accessibility to those stalls means people have to cross the drive-through. Applicant stated all drive-throughs are that way and cited Dairy Queen and Culvers as examples. Gundlach said that a traffic analysis hadn't been done and stated that possibly the traffic frequency isn't such a concern, but rather safety and functionality issues are most important. A car would enter the drive-through at the corner of Lyric and the drive aisle for the city owned parking lot and exit onto a main drive aisle. In regards to the parking stalls you back into a drive aisle in the parking lot and when you park in a stall you have to cross over the drive-through lane to get to the door and those are the issues the city engineer placed in his March 9, 2004 letter (attached). Page 26 of 48