04-07-21 Planning Commission - Laserfiche WebLink

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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – January 6, 2021 7 Commissioner Weber questioned who owned the private drive. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla stated Bethel University owns and would maintain the private drive. Commissioner Weber asked if appropriate pedestrian crossings would be put in at some point in the future. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla commented crossings would be installed at the intersections and after Lot 1 was developed crosswalks would be installed. Commissioner Vijums stated he was not concerned about tree mitigation. He discussed City Code requirements regarding efficiency/studio units. He reported the size of the memory care units were a concern to him, even if there was only 17 of them. He asked if the builders could increase the size of these units to 400 to 450 square feet. He feared for the residents of these units and wondered how much smaller developers would go. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla reported the Summit Development was approved with 400 square foot memory care units. Todd ____________ explained the research shows fewer steps and more familiarity is best for dementia and Alzheimer patients. He stated this has led to smaller sized units for memory care patients. He commented further on how the four memory care pods were surrounded by bright and airy open spaces. Commissioner Vijums thanked Mr. ___________ for the additional information on the memory care unit design. He agreed with Commissioner Weber that the density was tight for the memory care units. He asked if this building had received Fire Marshal approval. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla explained the Fire Marshal had reviewed the building and provided comments to staff and the development team. He noted there were no overall concerns to the request. He reported the Fire Marshal would take a closer look at the plans when the developers requested a building permit. Commissioner Subramanian thanked staff for the detailed report. He asked how much security the memory care units had to ensure the residents did not wander away. He discussed how the recent pandemic has impacted the elderly population. He questioned if this building had restrictions or plans in place to address this concern. Todd ___________ addressed the pod system that would be in place within the memory care wing. He reported a resident would have to push on a panic bar for 15 continuous seconds in order to get through a door. He noted if someone pushes on an emergency bar, an alarm is sounded and a health aid or caregiver would be notified. Florent ___________ further described the electronic technology that would be in place within the building to assist in keeping the residents safe and secure.