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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, March 24, 2014 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />    Page 4 of 24   <br />(4. COUNTY ROAD 112 TURNBACK PROJECT - RESOLUTION NO. 6375, Continued) <br /> <br />McMillan stated the area east of Old Crystal Bay Road is largely undeveloped, and asked whether <br />Hennepin County has any thoughts about access to those parcels should they become developed at some <br />point. <br /> <br />Grube stated he would suggest that a good approach would be for the City to ask itself how it would like <br />to gain access to both Old Crystal Bay Road and the county road from those parcels. Grube stated in <br />previous iterations of the City’s Comprehensive Plans, there have been conversations about some frontage <br />road or reduced access. Grube noted legally a parcel needs to have access to a public right-of-way. <br /> <br />Grube stated in other old county road sections, there is typically a driveway every 100 feet and a 50-mile <br />per hour speed zone, which does not mix well when there are a number of houses in a row. Grube stated <br />one option would be to look at internal circulation with one or two road accesses onto the county road <br />rather than a frontage road. <br /> <br />McMillan noted the road as designed also tapers down as you go further west. <br /> <br />Grube stated at Old Crystal Bay Road, there is a signal light, and a concrete median, as shown in red on <br />the overhead, is being planned for that area which would help better align the traffic and widen the <br />intersection. Grube stated discussions were also held with the school district as it relates to access to the <br />school campus to handle future expansion. The school district raised the possibility of having access on <br />the back side of the campus as well as a playground. Grube stated if a left turn lane is ever constructed at <br />some point in the future that may help the traffic traveling eastbound and turning left into the campus, <br />which would make access a little safer and in the future avoid the conflict between the playground and <br />vehicles. <br /> <br />Bremer commented in her view that would be an improvement. <br /> <br />McMillan asked if the school district would want a right-hand turn into the back of the campus. <br /> <br />Grube stated that would need to be part of the discussion. Grube stated the discussion started with the <br />trail and it evolved into a discussion on turn lanes possibly being built at some point in the future. <br /> <br />McMillan stated in her view if there are turn lanes there, the stretch from the west edge of the school to <br />Old Crystal Bay would need to be constructed slightly wider to allow some future capacity. <br /> <br />Grube stated they were also looking at possibly reducing the speed limit to 50 miles per hour in that <br />western section. Grube stated if that area becomes developed without a right turn lane, what will happen <br />is the development will precede the ability to reduce the speed. Grube stated a right turn lane for the apple <br />orchard could be added more easily than a left turn lane in the middle. <br /> <br />Levang stated she is very comfortable with the plan and that the Department of Transportation has been <br />very mindful of the City’s suggestions. <br /> <br />Grube stated if approval on the layout is given tonight by the Orono City Council, they will have <br />accomplished layout approval by both cities. Grube noted approval by the city is required by the state. <br />Grube stated the first phase of the project would not start until 2017.