Laserfiche WebLink
Regular Planning CommissionMeeting <br />Minutes –Wednesday, January 6, 2016 <br />Page 22 <br />related todensity, flow and other issues; noting that on an ideal site, you’d come into the <br />1084 <br />middle and bring traffic sufficiently address ingress/egress flow, but questioned how that <br />1085 <br />flow would be accomplished when using access at the end of the property as proposed. <br />1086 <br />Mr. Eisler stated there was no way someone could deliver food by semi onto this site. <br />1087 <br />Mr. Eisler noted that there were many issues with the property, and while recognizing that <br />1088 <br />Mr. Weyer owned the property and was understandably emotional about its use, but also <br />1089 <br />noted the need to ensure it was developed with an appropriate use. While these <br />1090 <br />conversations often become circular, Mr. Eisler noted the need to zone first and then <br />1091 <br />receive any development plan; and opined that the proposed use as an assisted living <br />1092 <br />facility was a business use, not residential use and that for a for-profit business by the <br />1093 <br />developer, even though residential uses were surrounding the site. <br />1094 <br />Mr. Eisler agreed that traffic was already problematic in this area and opined that the <br />1095 <br />proposed use would only exacerbate the issue. <br />1096 <br />Mr. Eisler disagreed with the project architect regarding referenced statistical visitor traffic <br />1097 <br />dated 2009-2010, and questioned its relevancy to 2016 traffic patterns, opining that traffic <br />1098 <br />will only become more ofa major issue. <br />1099 <br />Mr. Eisler concluded by stating his preference to retain zoning as is, noting that the <br />1100 <br />property owner had the right to sell the parcel as another option especially given <br />1101 <br />developers haven’t been successful to-date in making a project work. As the <br />1102 <br />Commission moves forward tonight, and with the good overview provided by the <br />1103 <br />developer, but lacking sufficient detail based on his experience, especially related to <br />1104 <br />traffic circulation, Mr. Eisler opined the developer needed to take that risk to determine <br />1105 <br />that impact and provide a traffic study at a minimum. <br />1106 <br />C <br />hair Boguszewski closed the public hearing at approximately 9:40p.m. <br />1107 <br />Commission Discussion and Deliberation <br />1108 <br />Member Murphy stated his partiality for completion of a traffic study before continuing <br />1109 <br />with this request; and therefore asked if anything was to be gained by having further <br />1110 <br />discussion without that in play and having a more informed discussion from Ramsey <br />1111 <br />County. <br />1112 <br />Chair Boguszewski clarified the question was whether the Commission wanted a traffic <br />1113 <br />study before further deliberation. Chair Boguszewski noted the same situation frequently <br />1114 <br />occurred when a site was vacant and then proposed for envisioned alternative or <br />1115 <br />development. Chair Boguszewski noted that the Commission already hadbackground <br />1116 <br />information available from past development proposals for the site for a 77-unit <br />1117 <br />development, and for eleven single-family home development; and asked if we accepted <br />1118 <br />the subsequent estimates presented by the applicant for 60 additional vehicles trips per <br />1119 <br />day and whether it was valid. <br />1120 <br />Member Murphy reiterated his interest in a traffic study. <br />1121 <br />Chair Boguszewski questioned if that study states 60 or less vehicle trips daily, did that <br />1122 <br />speak on its own merits or if this proposal proved to be a great project for an area zoned <br />1123 <br />HDR, did a traffic study further impact the Commission’s decision to change zoning to <br />1124 <br />HDR. Also, Chair Boguszewski noted that hypothetically in a clean and sterile world, with <br />1125 <br />this project at hand, he believed there was a very low risk that the City Council would <br />1126 <br />ultimately approve HDR and then the developers abandon this development for Section 8 <br />1127 <br />housing; expressing his confidence that they intended to develop what they proposed to <br />1128 <br />do. If the use at hand is cogent to a decision to changedesignation to HDR, Chair <br />1129 <br />Boguszewski opined that a traffic study would then have valid impact on Commission <br />1130 <br />deliberations on the process. Therefore, Chair Boguszewski expressed his willingness to <br />1131 <br />support a traffic study before the Commission’s decisionifit was important to the body, <br />1132 <br />unless there was a sterile separation in zoning and this proposed project. <br />1133 <br />Member Bullechoed those comments, and stated that in his review of traffic data from <br />1134 <br />other projects and as noted in staff’s initial analysis, opined that this development made <br />1135 <br /> <br />