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PLANNING REPORT DATE: CASE NUMBER: APPLICANT: LOCATION: ACTION REQUESTED: PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS: 7 November 1984 1557-84 Walter Kohler East of Lexington Avenue, North of Brenner Right -of -Way Alignment Approval of Variance to Parking Lot Requirements 1. The property in question is a Dairy Queen site across Lexington Avenue from the Lake Josephine Ramsey County beach and park area. Ramsey County also owns the land to the south, which is primarily a natural wetlands preservation area. The property was developed in the early 6Os with a Dairy Queen building near the easterly end of the property. The applicants now propose to add a drive -through pick-up addition on the northerly side of the structure. This development proposal is similar to that which was recently approved by the Planning Commission and Council on the Rice Street Diary Queen site near McCarron's Lake. 2. The staff has met with the applicant (the operator of the Dairy Queen), his father-in-law who is the owner of the property, and their builder on several occasions. We have encouraged them to consider improvements to the parking lot which is currently a large area of asphalt without curbing or basic organization to provide appropriate parking spaces. They have subsequently submitted a plan of which reduced copies are attached. They propose to construct new curbing along the north property line, but not elsewhere on the site. Wn had suggested that some additional curbing at the entrances would be appropriate and helpful. 3. The plan as drawn will work only if the southerly access drive is used as an entrance only. The proposed signage for the site as indicated on the site plan, however, does not make this clear. the Ordinance allows for access and egress directional signs at a maximum size of 4.5 square feet. Such signs could be utilized to delineate the entrance and exit locations. 4. The plans as drawn do not indicate any additional landscaping, which we think could be helpful towards improving the aesthetics of the site. Perhaps this is more important on this site because of its relevant location to the park development to the west and south. Towards this end, it would be helpful if members of the Planning commission and Council could view the site in the context of the development proposal. 5. Perhaps there is a limit to how much we can expect based on the minor improvements being made to the building. However, we feel that it is in the City's interests (and the landowner's as well) to make this an attractive site so it will be an asset to this area of the City.