12-11-08 Planning Comm. Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Comforts of Home Site Plan Approval Application November 24, 2008 Page 2 'fold Development Company is proposing a Retail building along Rice Street and a Conunercial/Office building to be located on the parcel's lower elevations along Country Drive. The synergy of a complementary retail or restaurant use in support of the Comforts of Home facility is an opportunity to maximize the best use for the building. Comforts of Home residents and their visitors can dine or shop right next door. The Retail building architecture will be modem and complementary to the wooded site and the residential use of the Comforts of Home building. 'fold is proposing an office/commercial building of either 2 or 3 stories for the lower elevations of the parcel along Country Road. The sight lines to the parcel from I-694 afford businesses or office tenants great visibility from the highway, while affording t7re occupants very pleasing views of the existing woods and wetlands. Ample parking is provided around the building with sw'face parking lots replete with a landscaping theme to complement the natural wooded setting. City of Little Canada PUD Application: Explain why the City of Little Canada should approve the project based on the following questions: IIow does the project promote public welfare? 1. 13v reducine traftc congestion: A: The project will not reduce congestion, but it will have minimal effects on current traffic patterns in the area. Traffic from the Comforts of Home building residents would be lower than that of a standard multi- family housing facility, as elderly residents are expected to make fewer trips to and from the facility than residents who occupy standard multi-family buildings. Traffic fi'orn visitors is not expected to be concentrated at any particular times of the day, and thus is not expected to affect U'afi'ic during rush hours rn' other concentrated periods throughout the day. The varied schedules of both the Comforts of Home employees and the Retail Building employees will have a mitigating effect on traffic concentration at any period. The site design provides ample parking shared between all buildings on site, with entrances off both Rice Street and Country Drive. The interior traff c distribution is uniformly directed by connecting roadways and multiple shared parking areas. This traffic design allows for easy ingress and egress for both the Comforts of Home facility and the Retail/Commercial buildings from Rice Street and from Country Drive. 2. I3v imurovin~ safety from fire and other dangers: A: The project will have a neutral effect on safety from fire and other dangers. Assisted living facilities typically have low rates of crime. The proposed uses of Assisted Living and RetaiURestaurant use will have visitors at varying times throughout the day, providing activity and "eyes on the street" to deter crime. Commercial/Office use historically is not acrime-intense environment. Comforts of Home Site Plau Approval Application