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City Council minutes December 16, 1998 L~ °~ -" ~~ Page 4 • Uban then described the proposed development. The 4.79 acre parcel would be developed with a private road and five twinhomes (ten units total.) The existing single family home at 1859 N. Snelling Drive would be a part of the PUD. The design allows for maximum open space between the existing homes to the south and for on-site ponding of surface water. A homeowner's association will be established to maintain the landscaping, the private road, and other common elements. Uban noted that the private road will be built to city standards but will not be maintained by the city. The developer proposed to save or relocate a number of the trees already on the site. Planner Uban noted that two aspects of the plan require flexibility from usual city zoning standards. The private road is a 706 foot cul-de-sac and the city normally would allow only a 400 foot cul-de-sac. In order to properly access the entire site, a longer street length is required and there is no place to build an outlet street. In addition, 706 feet is not an unusually long cul-de-sac in a suburban city. The homes also have screen porches that are closer than 30 feet to the rear property line, although the buildings themselves are 30 feet away. Uban stated that the storm drainage pond on the south end of the property prohibits the road and the units from moving any further to the south to meet the setback requirement. Finally, Planner Uban reported that traffic is anticipated to increase by 60 to 90 additional vehicle trips per day. This is about 50% of the trips that would be expected from the property if it were instead developed as single family homes. • Administrator Hoyt summarized the commends that had been received from neighbors of the project prior to the meeting and at the planning commission's public hearing. Several residents of the area had raised issues about enforcement of stop signs and speed limits on Snelling Avenue and Snelling Drive. Since that hearing, the police have been paying close attention to the area and have ticketed several people on Snelling Avenue. Another concern was the confusing intersection at Roselawn and Snelling, which is an issue that the city will be raising with Ramsey County and the State of Minnesota, who have jurisdiction over those roads. A neighbor to the south of the proposed development wanted to be sure that the green space between the Garden Avenue properties and the townhomes remain open space and no be taken up by structures. The neighbor to the noth of 1859 N. Snelling wished to have the city place maximum control in restricting the existing single family home from changing to a townhome use. Officials from the University of Minnesota requested that buyers of the homes understand that the adjacent University agricultural fields are sprayed several times a year. The developer will be disclosing this information to buyers. Mr. Gordy Howe, Masterpiece Homes, described the various design elements of the Questwood Development. Mr. Rob Morris, also of Masterpiece Homes, explained the landscape plan and the proposal to save or transplant a number of the existing trees. Mayor Gehrz inquired as to the formality of the homeowner's association. Mr. Howe • explained that buyers are legally required to be part of the association when they purchase a home and are notified of this before a purchase agreement is finalized.