06-03-09-PC - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

a r c h ia c t s May 20, 2009 Meagan Beekman City of Arden Hills 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112 RE: Arden Plaza Drawing Submission The Arden Plaza team is submitting revised drawings to be used for the submission. We thank you for your input and comments on the project. The revised drawings incorporate most of the comments, and modify the original concept per the new drawings. Indicated below are the areas we have not modified, and a brief explanation as to why. I have also included answers to some of the questions that were not specifically addressed in the drawings. Landscaping: 1) The plan exceeds the number of caliper inches per the guidelines, however these trees have distributed throughout the site. Especially of note are the street trees. We have located a lot of the street tree emphasis toward the newly created main street adjacent to the plaza. We believe this is an appropriate place to add the vitality of the street trees. Site Plan: 1) It is our understanding by code we need a 42" high guardrail height which is currently being shown on the drawings. All fencing is to be decorative metal railing. 2) Two new sidewalk connections have been provided at the center infiltration area. We are not connecting directly across the infiltration for several reasons. First, any sidewalk through that area would dramatically decrease our ability to provide storm -water infiltration, and would negate the ability of this area to act as a rain garden. Second, any connection at the middle of the area would be inconvenient to much of the pedestrian circulation, as the pedestrians would have to go between cars. Further, that would mean a pedestrian crossing in the middle of the road. We believe a more natural, and safer circulation pattern is around the edge of the green area, which is currently being shown. 3) The pharmacy monument sign has remained in its current location. Any shift of this sign to the west is problematic, as we are very constricted with the location of the walk, the drive aisle and the retaining wall. There would not be enough room to fit the sign in any location further west. However, we are willing to `separate' the city sign from the pharmacy sign via the revised landscaping plan which has created a buffer, and thus more distinction between the two signs. 4) Building one and three setbacks are further than indicated in the B2 guidelines. In order to incorporate the grading on the site, retaining walls, drive aisle, and future right -of way possibly needed by the County, we believe the buildings are as close to B2 as possible. As the council is well aware, in comparison to earlier plans we have eliminated parking between County Road E and the building, and have moved the buildings substantially closer to County Road E. 23BB University Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55114 Ph: 651 .47 .0050 Fx: 651,472.0060 www. calloge-uds.com