11-20-2006 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Access. Access to the site is provided by a 30 -foot street, extending from Labore Road with a 50 foot right of way. According to Section 1006.030 of the Subdivision Ordinance, single family residential local streets shall be platted at a minimum of 50 feet. The proposed street meets this requirement, although the building setbacks are significantly less than the required 30 feet. The roadway is stubbed off in the southwest corner of the site, providing a potential future connection to the property to the west. No future connection has been proposed for the property to the east. While this property is not currently planned for development, the City's policy is to be proactive in planning connections between residential neighborhoods. Staff recommends that the plan be revised to show a potential connection extending east from the site at a location that would facilitate reasonable access. Finally, the proposed road appears to be significantly longer than the City's 500 foot cul- de -sac standard. Because the drawing is not to scale, staff can only estimate the length at well over 1,000 feet, possibly more than 1,500 feet. Pedestrian access throughout the common open space areas is accommodated by an 8 foot bituminous trail. Open Space. The open space calculations submitted by the applicant indicate a total common area of 315,388 square feet. However, this amount of open space would suggest that only 6% of the site is being developed, which is grossly understated. The applicant will need to resubmit open space calculations, along with information as to the actual size of the property. Three common areas are proposed for the site, the largest of which is in the southwest corner, in the City of Maplewood. A second open space area is designated in the northeast portion of the site. The third area is located along the western border of the site, behind lots 33 -41. This common area appears to be more of an outlot, or a remnant left over after the site is developed, rather than a usable open space. If a project of this type were to proceed, staff would recommend that the site be re- designed to remove a number of units, increasing the amount of available open space. Particular attention should be paid to preserving open space in areas containing dense tree cover and steep slopes. Tree Preservation. The entire site currently contains dense tree cover. Staff is concerned that the proposed density and location of detached townhome units will require a great deal of clear cutting on the site, preserving only those few trees which lie around the site perimeter. A tree inventory shall be required at development stage, providing the specific number of trees proposed to be removed. Staff recommends that the townhome units be designed to have a minimal impact on the existing tree cover, particularly trees in the front yard spaces of the project. The Comprehensive Plan states that the attractiveness of the East Portion of Little Canada shall be enhanced through a continuing program of civic beautification, 4