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City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for August 5, 2015 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2015\PC 15-016 - Arden Plaza - Final PUD Phase III\Memos_Reports_15-016 Page 11 of 16 1,000 square feet of building space. This will allow for an easier evaluation of parking needs for Phase II of the Master PUD and any future redevelopment on the site. Staff anticipates that with the completion of Phase II the parking ratio on the site would be approximately 5.25 stalls per 1,000 square feet of building space. 2. Chapter 12 – Sign Code The permitted amount of wall signage in Sign District 5 is 80 square feet per business establishment. The applicant has proposed a total of 78 square feet of wall signage for the Tavern Restaurant divided between two signs. One sign would be located on the building wall facing Lexington Avenue and would measure 38.5 square feet. The second sign would be installed on the west façade adjacent to the primary entrance and would measure 39.5 square feet. 3. Traffic Study and Transportation Improvements A traffic study was completed in 2007 to evaluate the full build-out of the Arden Plaza retail center. An additional study was completed in 2008 in conjunction with the B-2 District Guiding Plan that looked at the redevelopment of Arden Plaza in addition to other development opportunities along the County Road E corridor. The Phase III development proposal is in substantial conformance with the development scenarios evaluated in these traffic studies and an additional study was not requested at this time. The application does not propose any alterations to the internal circulation plan as shown in the previously approved Master PUD. As part of the City’s approval of the Master PUD in 2009, Arden Plaza was required to construct certain transportation improvements. One condition was that the development of Phase III would be contingent on the construction of a traffic signal located 650 feet west of the County Road E and Lexington Avenue intersection. This traffic signal was proposed as part of the transportation improvements included in the Guiding Plan for the B-2 District. The signal was recommended in part based on the assumption that the Holiday Inn site north of Arden Plaza would be redeveloped into a 95 apartment unit building and a 120,000 square foot office building. The 2007 Arden Plaza traffic study did not indicate that a new signal would be warranted. At the time, Ramsey County also did not support the traffic signal due to spacing between the Lexington Avenue intersection and the proposed signal. City staff discussed the Phase III development plans with the Ramsey County Public Works Department and a letter from the County addressing traffic control on County Road E has been included in Attachment F. The letter notes that the County Road E improvements now under construction include a dedicated left-turn lane to serve Arden Plaza and restricted turns from the property to the north. The County believes that these initiatives will adequately serve the expected traffic and that a traffic signal at Arden Plaza is not needed at this time. The City will continue to monitor traffic operations along County Road E and additional transportation improvements may be required for Phase II of the Arden Plaza Master PUD.