08-25-1999 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION JULY 8, 1999 be located along the back portion of the property in order to save as many trees on the site as possible. Ponding is proposed between the buildings and the lake to ensure water quality standards are met before run -off goes into the lake. Black also pointed out a slight encroachment into the 25 -foot setback. However, the pond could be reshaped to eliminate the need for this encroachment. The City Planner noted that a variance would be necessary to allow the encroachment. Black presented the Commission with a diagram showing how the front of the buildings would look from Rice Street. He noted that these buildings will be walkouts on the back. He also noted that the buildings will have brick fronts and cedar siding. Keis asked about the elevation of the buildings to Rice Street on the north end. Black presented three cross - sections showing building elevations to .Rice Street for each townoffice structure. The elevation of all three buildings is 908 at the front doors. The elevation of Rice Street on the north is 917 so the northern building will be 9 feet lower than the street in that location. The middle building will be 5 feet lower than Rice Street and the southern building will be 2 feet higher than Rice Street. Black indicated that the buildings are set back from Rice Street with the parking in the front. For the northern building, the gable front with cedar siding will be at eye level from Rice Street. However, given the setback, visibility into the site will cause the eye to go to the entrance level of the building rather than the gable front. Black felt that if the buildings were set up to Rice Street, the problem would be compounded. Keis asked how much parking there is between Rice Street and the parking lot. Black replied that there will be 6 feet of green area from the public right -of -way. The Planner noted that the requirement is for 5 feet. Black indicated that the area will be grass and shrubs, but not a lot of trees that would block the view of the buildings from the street. Knudsen asked the Planner what he would consider to be the unique aspects of this property. The Planner replied that typically what a planner would consider unique, a developer would consider difficult. The unique aspects are the topography, the vegetation, and the Lakeshore. Page 37