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Special City Council Meeting <br /> Thursday, February 20,2014 <br /> Page 12 <br /> Mr. Regan referenced further down County Road C and the successful retail area <br /> and existing node where Walgreens decided to redevelop by demolishing existing <br /> buildings on a land site versus bare ground to achieve that location adjacent to <br /> similar service businesses. <br /> At the specific site of his firm, Mr. Regan reviewed those adjacent uses and the <br /> need for consistency with those uses, with their site dictating a similar use, which <br /> could be "big box" but was limited due to the County storm ditch around the site <br /> on the west and north side and up Terrace Drive, creating an island and no con- <br /> nectivity to adjacent sites to the north or west; as well as the deep size of the lot <br /> for buildings other than of 10,000 square feet. Mr. Regan noted the need to mass <br /> uses on the north side of their site and provide a nice boulevard and well land- <br /> scaped frontage along County Road C and the entrance to the overall site and <br /> push things up on County Road C. While problematic, Mr. Regan expressed con- <br /> fidence that his firm could mitigate design concerns and concerns about massive <br /> parking fields. Mr. Regan opined that consolidation of medical facilities was no <br /> longer an option for their site, but based on retail brokers and other retailers, it <br /> could support a high quality retail development, as long as it wasn't limited to un- <br /> der 20,000 square feet, at least not as the initial catalyst to develop the site and <br /> drive that development further onto the site if limited to smaller retail or quasi- <br /> office uses, it couldn't be accomplished in a piecemeal fashion. Therefore, Mr. <br /> Regan advised that they would continue to sit on the challenging site until opin- <br /> ions changed or more flexibility was allowed. <br /> At Mayor Roe's recognition of the current draft of over 20,000 square feet in re- <br /> tail laid out for that site, Mr. Regan responded that what was now being outlined <br /> seemed consistent with what could be developed there and demand for that prop- <br /> erty type that remained consistent over the long-term. Mr. Regan opined that he <br /> had no problem with the proposal as laid out, that it made sense. <br /> Mayor Roe asked Mr. Regan to elaborate on what he was hearing from other bro- <br /> kers or developers and their perception of Roseville. <br /> Mr. Regan responded that Wal-Mart served as a poster child of the perception, <br /> since it received significant press over a long period; and similar experiences for <br /> Ryan Companies and Rottland. However, Mr. Regan opined the cycle appeared <br /> to be ending and felt like it was starting to trend in the right direction with a <br /> whole different set of players. But, Mr. Regan cautioned that those things were <br /> still fresh in the minds of the development community; and while deals will still <br /> get done, he couldn't predict how and when. Based on his experience with re- <br /> sponsiveness and receptiveness at the City staff level, and support of the current <br /> City Council as the CSI proposal was pursued, he offered to do his best to spread <br /> the word about that new trend. At the request of Mayor Roe for any other sugges- <br /> tions of things the City could do to change perceptions or lingering issues, Mr. <br /> Regan responded that he could think of nothing specific. <br />