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Fine Associates, Case No. 1774 Page 2 land uses, parking, access, and landscaping. Division of the land is proposed to follow at a later date (approximately a month later) as an element of timing relating to the tax increment ingredient of the overall project. 4. The Residence Inn proposal consisting of thirteen 8 unit structures plus the headquarters building. This development will augment to other Inns in the Metropolitan Area; one in Eden Prairie and one in Eagan. The Eden Prairie Residence Inn has enjoyed the highest occupancy rate of any motel or hotel in the Metropolitan Area. Its market is substantially different from the typical hotel in that they are usually occupied by persons with more extended stays and include cooking and eating facilities. They are built in clusters and appear more like residence townhouses rather than motel rooms. 5. The two office buildings are located near the immediate intersection of County Road C so as to enhance the image of that intersection. Access to the structures are provided by a pair of driveways orienting to the frontage road. Thus, in the entire development there is no direct access to either County Road C or Snelling Avenue. 6. The variance requested is for the amount of parking relating to the proposed furniture store at the far .northwest corner of the site. Such stores tend to be relatively large in area, but low in consumer traffic and parking need. With purchases normally being "large ticket items" the need for parking capacity similar to other - retail stores is significantly less. Therefore, the proposal is to provide parking at a rate of three spaces per 1,000 square feet gross rather than the five spaces required in typical retail establishments. The parking ratio is similar to that of the Dayton's Home Store located at the southwest corner of Hamline and Highway 36. Here again, the parking provided has been found to be ample. 7. In our meetings with the developers and their representatives, the staff stressed the importance of the high level of aesthetic quality. Fortunately, in this case a single developer and architectural firm controls the design element. Several perspectives have been prepared indicating the nature of this result. Additional details regarding the aesthetics may be discussed at the Planning Commission and Council hearings. 8. The Engineering Staff notes that the drainage concept appears workable, though there may be some adjustments in actual pond size and capacity as a part of the more detailed engineering considerations. Some changes in utility easements will be necessitated and controlled by the land division to be processed later. The overall traffic considerations and engineering concepts are workable. We have, however, discussed the possibility of one minor adjustment in the driveway location, that being the second driveway from the southeast, to be relocated slightly further to the northwest in order to align up with the northerly most access to the Comten Development. This might result in the slight modification of the ponding area and the parking layout contiguous to the northwest.