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�� � <br />enjoyment ot�;�utumn Street that we now enjoy. This building has a ti°ery large parking lot (an <br />estimated I 7 parking spots in a building proposed for use as a 1 � tc� 20 seat deli) an the north <br />side of the building, and which is mor� than sufficient for any conceivable use that this proposal <br />or future proposals could design. <br />"rhere can be no doubt that the use of the south side presents an immediate threat to the integrity <br />of the neighborhood. To understand why, yau have to consider the actual behavior of traftic at <br />this intersection. It can be difticult to turn out af Autumn Street onto Lexington, especially left <br />into the third lane of traffic, but right as well. Why would the property owners seek to make use <br />of Autumn Street as a"take aut" window? Because a south-facing aspect to the building offers a <br />temptingly convenient route far customers to make use of Autumn Street as a thoroughfare ta <br />their business without need to use Lexington, or to avoid making a left-hand turn across the busy <br />Lexington thoroughfare. Catering delivery out of the south side af the building, heading to any <br />destinations west of Lexington--e.g., the Roseville Professional Building on Hamline near the <br />Public Library—would naturally use Autumn Street. Many patrons using the take-out window <br />for pickup of catered trays and boxed sandwiches would find that the route over to Roselawn, <br />and then to Hamline, would be the path of least resistance. The potential for increased traffic, <br />and particularly at the higher speeds driven by non-residents who do not appreciate the number <br />of small children who have been known to play in the area, would pose an increased threat to the <br />safety, enjoyment, and welfare of this R-1, low-density neighborhood. <br />As long-term residents, we also appreciate how small businesses come and go. In its history, this <br />praperty has seen life as a veterinary office, professional office, and hair salon, to name just a <br />few. We believe the City must aiso consider the long-term impact of this rezoning. After the <br />alteration of this property to include a take-out window, another even more intensive B-1 b- <br />qualified business could establish themselves in this property with no further permits required by <br />the City. Imagine, as we have, that Domino's Pizza decided to locate here, with a carryout <br />window and a fleet of drivers, to compete with the Papa John's located in the Lexington- <br />Larpenteur stripmall. That would be identical in nature to this business here, but would produce <br />a mammoth amount of fast-maving traffic on the conveniently traffic-free Autumn Street. This <br />result is unthinkable to the residents of Autumn Street—both to the sznior citizens who speak of <br />the historic quiet of the street and the younger residents who enjoy the safety provided by the <br />neighborhood—but it is a very real, plausible consequence of the decision that must be <br />considered when reviewing this re-zoning and permit application. <br />The City of Roseville long-ago foresaw the need to protect sensitive residential streets in the <br />Lexington-Roselawn intersection. All of the businesses at this intersection are given an "LB" <br />designation in the Comprehensive Plan. While LB admits of more than one zoning categories <br />(including both B-1 and B-Ibj, three months ago the City's own staff, in Section 6.3 of the <br />planning document for the review of the Bookhouse appiication (PF07-O50), emphasized the <br />Comprehensive Plan's commitment to "fairly low traffic generating users" at this intersection. In <br />particular, in that planning document the City's staff drew the distinction with a"convenience <br />business that relies on drive-by traffic," and stated the staffs belief that "all of the proposed <br />allo���ed uses" in that property "would be similar low-traffic, destination businesses...." <br />Circumstances have not changed in the past three months since the City approved that <br />application. There is no distinction in the city code between a"drive thru" and a take-out <br />� <br />