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The applicant has noted that shopping centers typically rely on a parking ratio of 4.0 stalls per 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area. This is supported by a study completed by the National Parking Association and the Urban Land Institute, titled Dimensions of Parking, which recommends 4.0 – 4.5 stalls per 1,000 square feet of building space in shopping centers less than 600,000 square feet in size. According to the Parking Generation study completed by the Institute of Traffic Engineers (4th Edition), the average peak parking demand for shopping centers is 2.04 to 2.94 vehicles per 1,000 square feet of building area, depending on the day of the week. At the 85th percentile, the study showed demand of 2.39 to 3.90 vehicles per 1,000 square feet of building area. The 405 parking stalls that would be provided at the retail center equates to a ratio of 4.96 stalls per 1,000 square feet of gross building square footage. The Planning Commission was supportive of staff’s conclusion that 405 parking stalls will be adequate to accommodate demand following the completion of Phase III. Going forward, staff recommends that the City evaluate parking needs for the retail center based on the ratio in the Dimensions of Parking study of 4.0 – 4.5 stalls per 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. Once all three phases have been completed, the retail center will include 440 parking stalls, which will be a ratio of 5.25 stalls per 1,000 square feet of building space. 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 County Road E. 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 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 City of Arden Hills City Council Meeting for August 31, 2015 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2015\PC 15-016 - Arden Plaza - Final PUD Phase III\Memos_Reports_15-016 Page 4 of 8