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<br /> <br /> <br />Carol Wagner <br />1148 Autumn Street <br />Roseville, MN 55113-6101 <br />651-488-6286 <br /> <br />March 4, 2002 <br /> <br />To: Members ofRoseville City Council <br /> <br />RE: Proposal by Accessible Space Inc and VSI Construction for property use of the southeast <br />corner of Roselawn and Lexington Avenues. <br /> <br />Until recently a full service gas station/auto repair garage has been in operation on this corner and <br />the adjacent lots have never been developed. This corner has been and continues to be <br />unattractive and not well maintained, and over the years it has also been put to some unsightly <br />use, perhaps even in violation of city codes. Frequently one or more vehicles bearing For Sale <br />signs have been or are still being left in the empty lot. One summer a semi-truck with a <br />refrigerator trailer was parked there overnight, its engine kept running to keep the refrigeration <br />unit functioning. Undoubtedly the noise of that vehicle was very unwelcome and annoying to the <br />nearby neighbors because we could even hear it in our home on Autumn Street. Now, during the <br />month of October, a truck farmer parks his truck in that open space and sells pumpkins, and prior <br />to Christmas, Christmas trees are sold in front of the vacant gas station. The station has been <br />empty for a year or so, and it is just a matter of time before it's either vandalized or perhaps set on <br />fire by intruders. <br /> <br />Over the years, several retail plans for this property have been presented to the Roseville City <br />Council and Planning Commission, one for a super market and later a Conoco station with <br />convenience store and car wash. The latter proposal was presented twice, the second time after <br />the plans had be scaled down in size from the original proposal. Wisely the Roseville City Council <br />and Planning Commission rejected these projects because of the impact they would have on the <br />neighborhood and the increased traffic congestion at that intersection. Those of us living close to <br />this intersection were very pleased with those decisions but remain concerned about the future <br />plans. <br /> <br />Now another proposal is before the Roseville City Council and Planning Commission, one by <br />Accessible Space Inc and VSI Construction for a non-retail office building, its occupants would <br />buy their individual office space, and for a twenty-two unit apartment building for the <br />handicapped. My husband and I attended the Planning Commission hearing when the developers <br />first presented their proposal and also the hearing at which time they presented it to the Roseville <br />City Council. Both times we were saw the architect's drawings of the proposed buildings and of <br />the land usage, and both times we were very impressed, feeling at long last, a sound and wise <br />solution for that corner had be found. The apartment building will fill a definite need for <br />affordable housing for handicapped people who want to live and enjoy an independent lifestyle. <br />Should they be denied that? After all, anyone of us is just a heartbeat or an accident or a fall <br />away from suddenly being in that position ourselves. We cannot foresee any significant traffic <br />increase created by either the non-retail office building nor the apartment building. Most of the <br />