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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL – APRIL 25, 2016 9 <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler explained that if these two parking spaces were replaced with a <br />landscaped area, this would assist in increasing the percentage of the lot covered by landscaping. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Hutmacher reported that the landscaping coverage would <br />be increased to 15.3% if the two parking spaces were converted. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden feared that this property was not properly connected to the adjacent <br />properties. She questioned if a sidewalk connection should be made. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler suggested that the applicant respond to this question. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden asked if the drive-up window was already agreed to. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler indicated that the previous tenant, TCF Bank, had a drive-up window <br />with five lanes on the west side of the building. The drive-up window and one lane would be <br />retained to allow the property owner more flexibility in attracting a tenant to this space. Further <br />discussion ensued regarding the City’s car stacking requirements. He explained that the future use <br />of the drive-up window was further addressed by Condition 8, which was drafted by the City <br />Attorney. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant questioned if the City had a limit on the number of drive-up windows and asked if <br />Walgreens was considered to have a drive-up. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler stated that drive-up windows were required to be spaced at least 1,320 <br />feet apart from one another. He noted that Walgreens and Goodwill had drive-up facilities. <br /> <br />Councilmember Wicklund inquired if the City had made other variances for monument signs <br />along County Road E. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler indicated that E Street Flats was granted a PUD amendment for their <br />two monument signs. He explained that flexibility was requested to allow this property to have <br />two signs on their County Road E frontage when only one was allowed. Staff noted that both of <br />these signs were 10 feet in height with a sign copy area of 51.2 square feet. <br /> <br />Councilmember Wicklund questioned if there was a plan to remove any of the trees along <br />County Road E where the monument sign would be placed. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler reviewed the landscape plan with the Council and stated that the original <br />location of the monument sign would not impact any of the existing trees. He commented the <br />alterative location may impact the trees. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes expressed concern with the fact that 50% of the greenspace by the <br />sidewalk would be eliminated by the extra parking. She requested further information from staff <br />on the number of trees currently on the site. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler discussed the landscaping plan further and noted the location of existing <br />trees.