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MAR-LEN DEVELOPMENT, CASE 1699 Page 2 A. The site plan proposed has a series of seven truck loading bays in the front of the structure facing Long Lake Road. This function should be more appropriately located on the side or the rear of the structure. Though some landscaping is proposed to "screen" this function, this will be extremely difficult without ar,tually hiding the building. Rather than attempt to hide this "rrastake", the site plan should be revised to correct this condition ;or a use proposed that does not require such massive trucking fa,-ilities). B. As drawn on the site plan, some of the truck loading bays will be inaccessible when certain bays are occupied by a truck and semitrailer. This is due to the inability of a truck to bypass trucks unloading at the westernmost bays among the seven proposed. C. Access to the principal parking lot to the east side of the structure is via a 24 foot wide parking access lane serving parking on both the north side and the south side. This access will function like a street. Parked vehicles backing out into the access lane will be dangerous. The length of the lane increases its susceptibility to unsafe speeds and visibility. D. Three driveways are proposed along Long Lake Road. The two at the south end are too close together and will represent a traffic hazard. This condition should be corrected by reorganizing internal access to the higher elevated area of land on the south side of the property within the site. E. The southerly portion of the site is proposed to accommodate a double row of parking at a significantly higher elevation• than the rest of the parking area. Pedestrian access to this area is proposed via a stairway. Such a stair access to consumer parking .tareas is strongly avoided at sites in consumer -oriented industries. It represents a serious hazard and a fault of the plan. F. The garage doors serving the entire center on the east side of the structure open directly to the access lane serving the "front" of the building on the east side. This is a dangerous condition, resulting in vehicles backing out of the service bays into what will be a heavily used north/south traffic lane, connecting the parking bays to the east. 3. The deleterious conditions noted are, to a degree, caused by the conditions of the 'site, one of which is the presence of several pipe lines and transmission line facilities located on the property. Attempts can be made to correct the conditions noted. The best solution is perhaps to substitute a use on the site with an entirely different set of operational criteria. In other words, it would appear that the proposed use may not be appropriate to the site, triggering a forcing of unwise site conditions deleterious to the operators and the public's interest. 4. We suggest that the Planning Commission and Council seriously consid:.-r the findings of fact pertinent to the conditions outlined. If these results are negative, actiorn5 may be appropriate, including the disapproval of the special use permit for a site plan review.