7A, Draft Guiding Plan for B2 District

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land Use and Public Improvements Plan land Use and Public Improvements Guidelines for the future use of property in the B2 District are presented by the following text and Figure 9. Arden Plaza Site · Northern Access: Plan to create a new access driveway aligned north-south along the western edge of the Arden Plaza and "TCF Bank" sites to serve both those properties plus the Northpark Corporate Center site. A connection back to Lexington Avenue at the southern edge of the Arden Plaza site is optional and should be studied further. During the course of this planning process, study and recommend future traffic controls for that intersection, including whether the northern access drive should be restricted to right-in, right-out movement. Any new development that occurs before the new road is built should be designed to fit within a long-term guiding plan that makes use of the new access drive. · Eastern Access: Preliminarily determine during this planning process whether the eastern access drive to this site should be restricted to right-in, right -out movement. An east-west driveway between the proposed new access road and Lexington Avenue should divide the site between the commercial area and the residential area. · land Use: Redevelop the current Arden Plaza property long-term with retail and service businesses on the northern half and either retail businesses, an office building or an apartment building on the southern half. · Access: Work with Ramsey County to install a traffic signal on County Road E approximately 550 feet west of Lexington Avenue along with protected left-turn lanes in a landscaped median. That signal would serve Arden Plaza and the former Holiday Inn site. This would necessitate realigning the northern access driveway for Arden Plaza to the northwestern comer of the "TCF Bank" property, which would require redevelopment of that property. · Gathering Space: Create an attractive civic (but privately owned) gathering space in the northeast comer of the site, potentially including a small pond or other water feature. · Building Orientation: Orient the northern commercial buildings to frame the civic gathering space feature create an attractive and inviting space. These layout options are preliminarily suggested to accomplish this space-making: o An east-west layout of two parallel sets of buildings around a "Main Street" or landscaped median feature leading to the green gathering space in the northeastern comer of the site. o An L-shape with the open side facing northeast; sidewalks and a single row of parking would front the buildings on the sides facing the gathering space; the major parking would be on the opposite sides of the buildings; the buildings 20 October Guiding Plan for the 82 District 4-3