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Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, August 5, 2015 Page 8 When developed, Mr. Bilotta noted the result would achieve better traffic safety and one 351 versus multiple access points on Lexington Avenue. 352 If the ownership of Lot 2 is not transferred, Member Stellmach asked if it would be 353 possible for that access point to be moved further north or if there were additional 354 restrictions. 355 Mr. Bilotta responded that if Lot 2 was ultimately not part of the project, reminding the 356 Commission that it was not approving any Preliminary Site Plan for that portion of the 357 project (Old Owasso School site) at this time, the applicant would need to propose an 358 alternative for City and Ramsey Council approval, whether further north or requiring a 359 redesign of the project with no access off Lexington Avenue. 360 At the request of Member Stellmach, Mr. Bilotta noted that no traffic studies had been 361 required, since this was proposed as an assisted living use, and therefore any significant 362 increase in vehicles per day would be minimal. From his best recollection, and without 363 benefit of data at hand, Mr. Bilotta estimated current traffic volumes for Oxford Street, 364 Woodhill Drive and Lexington Avenue. 365 At the request of Member Daire, Mr. Lloyd confirmed that the proposed facility was 2-3 366 levels, with the lower level of the facility being 10-12’ below the driveway coming off 367 Lexington Avenue, and with two entry points, one at the top level and one lower. 368 However, Mr. Lloyd advised that, at this Preliminary Plat approval point, staff had yet to 369 review any building plan specifics beyond that proposed to ensure grading was 370 sufficiently addressed, including elevations and floor plans to see how levels related to 371 one another. 372 Based on the traffic expectations addressed by staff in their report, Chair Boguszewski 373 asked if staff was comfortable that current development plans would address current and 374 future traffic on Lexington Avenue with only minor adjustments. Given the back-up 375 already evident on Lexington Avenue, Chair Boguszewski opined that it was important to 376 address and make sense of any additional traffic generated by this project. While 377 recognizing the validity of staff’s comments that as an assisted living/memory care 378 facility, traffic would be negligible from residents living on site, Chair Boguszewski noted 379 that there would be traffic generated from staff and visitors and vendors accessing the 380 site. Therefore, Chair Boguszewski noted such a development application would typically 381 include a traffic study, while staff was indicating they found it not to be a challenge in this 382 case; and suggested – if possible – the Commission may prefer to make it a condition of 383 approval serving to satisfy the Commission and community that an additional level of 384 vetting had been pursued. 385 Mr. Bilotta had since obtained current traffic number data from his office; and advised 386 that, whether or not a traffic study was deemed appropriate, the Commission could add it 387 as a condition for approval. While an assisted living facility would generate less traffic, 388 since it is a large facility located on a county roadway, Mr. Bilotta advised that as part of 389 their approval, Ramsey County may require a traffic study as well. Therefore, Mr. Bilotta 390 stated that he saw no problem adding that as a condition for approval of the Preliminary 391 Plat. At the request of Chair Boguszewski, Mr. Bilotta confirmed that a traffic study would 392 indicate the level of intensity at which the developer could build. 393 Member Cunningham asked if there was a reason why access had to be on Lexington 394 Avenue as opposed to Oxford Street, opining that an access point there seemed of less 395 impact to her. 396 Mr. Paschke reviewed the location of the propose main access, as well as drop-off and 397 pick-up points for workers and/or guests of Oxford Street and Woodhill Drive, considered 398 as the back parking lot due to grade and what seemed to work out most appropriately. 399 From his personal perspective, Chair Boguszewski addressed internal traffic circulation 400 for this HDR designated property and steps to adequately address and not degrade the 401 quality of life for those single-family residential properties in the area. Chair Boguszewski 402