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Calibre Ridge Partnership, Case No. 2355 Page 2 The concept for the site was greeted well, but when translated into a more detailed site plan, several critical dimensions for parking, setbacks, and distances between buildings proved to be inadequate, as well as the way that open space, play areas, pedestrian circulation, and landscaping were handled. Many of you may have followed the progress of these discussions in our weekly memos to the city Manager. We have approached the project from the point of view that is basic to a PUD: exploiting the flexibility inherent in the PUD process to arrive at a project that benefits the city, the neighbors, and the natural features more than could be obtained by a traditional zoning approach. Once it was understood that the concept which was presented to the Planning Commission in August had some fatal flaws in getting it to work on the site - the number of units of the exact design proposed simply could not fit reasonably on the site - Duffy once again took a hard look at the project and made some important changes to keep the project moving. He teamed up with another residential developer more experienced in family housing, TWin cities Housing Development corporation, and also took on a fresh team of architects, criteria archi tectural studio and KKE Architects. It is the result of this new collaboration that is before the Commission tonight in the form of a request for approval General Plan of Development stage PUD (Concept Approval). Plans and drawings of the project, as well as background information on the development team are included in the enclosed gray booklet. The current concept is similar to the previous sketch concept in many ways, but greatly improved in many other ways. The overall site plan still has 58 units, but in seven buildings, not eight. The project is still townhouse units, but they all have a front door and a back yard, instead of being placed back-to-back with garages on both sides of the buildings. The site now has three separate play areas for children of all ages, spaced more or less evenly across the site, instead of one central open area. There is a trail system through the site, connecting all areas of the project to a sidewalk leading to Minnesota Avenue, the main access to the site, that allows children to walk or bike on their way to school or the park without going on the main private roadway. The parking areas have been redesigned to be more efficient, leaving more green yard space visible and useable for each unit. The structures themsel ves have been redesigned to be interesting and adaptable to the grade of the site, as well as to be economical. Overall, the changes that have been made are the result of a concerted effort on the part of the development team and City staff to make the project more livable, a better place for future families to make their homes.