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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – December 3, 2025 7 <br /> <br /> <br />Commissioner Bjorklund asked if the louvered mechanical area had been screened. <br /> <br />Ms. Door reported this area has to allow air through and explained the best option was to place a <br />wall in front of the louvered mechanical area. She commented further on the silencers that would <br />be installed on the three big boxes on the roof. <br /> <br />Commissioner Bjorklund indicated he had concerns with the fact the proposed sound wall <br />would not provide meaningful noise mitigation for the rooftop units. He explained he stood in <br />the backyards of three of the adjacent homes and was able to see the rooftop units. <br /> <br />Mr. Baxter discussed how sound moves in a spherical pattern and how it dissipates over <br />distance. He explained he understood the sound wall would not be tall enough to cover the <br />rooftop units but there would be meaningful noise reductions in the backyards of these houses. <br /> <br />Commissioner Jacobson stated it appears the loading dock and the rooftop units were the main <br />areas of concern. She explained it appears the berm and sound wall would mitigate a portion of <br />this sound. <br /> <br />Ms. Door reported this was the case. <br /> <br />Commissioner Jacobson encouraged Boston Scientific to address the sharper sounds that were <br />coming from their property. <br /> <br />Ms. Door noted Boston Scientific has received complaints from the neighbors regarding beeping <br />from snow plows working overnight and noted the proposed wall would address this concern. <br /> <br />Commissioner Bjorklund expressed concern with the fact the sound wall would not alleviate <br />sharp and sudden sounds. <br /> <br />Mr. Baxter reiterated that the sound wall would assist with addressing this concern. He <br />commented further on how the silencers on the rooftop units would assist with addressing the <br />noise that was hitting the second floors of the adjacent homes. <br /> <br />Commissioner Jacobson asked if there were any measures the neighbors could take to assist <br />with mitigating the noise. <br /> <br />Mr. Baxter reported this would depend on the topography of the lot, but noted he did not believe <br />there was a great deal a resident could do to mitigate all of the noise. <br /> <br />Commissioner Birken stated with the greenery in the illustration, she did not believe the noise <br />wall looked so bad. She questioned how many of the existing trees would be retained. <br /> <br />Ms. Door discussed how Boston Scientific had pursued a full concrete, landscaped wall versus a <br />cheaper wooden wall in order to properly address the concerns of the neighbors and to provide a <br />nicer finished product. <br /> <br />Chuck Evans, Landscape Architect with Damon Farber, reported the plans show a mix of new <br />and existing planted materials. He indicated he was hoping to save the mature evergreen trees on