06/12/2006 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • • Millers Crossroads Shopping Center page 4 A peak parking analysis was prepared based on data compiled by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Specific data is available for fast food establishments with and without a drive through. There is no data available specific to coffee shops exclusive of fast food, so some approximation is necessary. The analysis assumed one fast food restaurant with a drive through, one fast food restaurant without a drive through, and the remaining space as medical office. (Parking for a fast food restaurant would be somewhat higher than a coffee shop, and medical office parking is somewhat higher than retail.) Using these approximate, comparable (though higher demand) uses, the peak analysis shows that the 84 spaces to be constructed is an adequate number. As required by the zoning ordinance when a parking deferment is allowed, the performance agreement for the site will include the requirement that the additional parking spaces must be constructed if a problem arises. Traffic Generation: A traffic generation analysis was prepared comparing businesses with and without a drive through. Again, there is no data category specific to "coffee shop ", so other uses were examined, including fast food restaurants and pharmacies. A fast food restaurant with a drive through generates fewer daily trips throughout the day overall but more trips during peak hours. The City Council has expressed serious concerns about coffee shop drive up traffic at early hours of the day in this location. The increase in peak traffic may not be an issue on another site. Due to the limited access to the arterial roads, all traffic for this site must use Lakota Trail. Much of the traffic will come off of Hodgson Road or Ware Road and through the neighborhood. The City Council has made it clear that it views this as a negative impact on the neighborhood. Stormwater Management: Stormwater flows through a series of ponds. A large outlot includes the pond to the east of the building and the pond /wetland to the south. These ponds were designed to accommodate stormwater from the commercial site. The drive through would cross this outlot, so an access easement is needed. The easement would grant access to the commercial site across the outlot. Utilities: The original Millers Crossroads approval included extensive installation of utilities (water and sanitary sewer). Part of the plan includes extending lines across the commercial site to Hodgson Road. This is to provide the ability to install trunks down the west side of Hodgson to provide service there. These pipes must be constructed across the site as part of developing this site and an easement must be granted to the City for these utilities. Landscaping: The new plan includes significantly more landscaping than the 2003 plan, including a berm and lilacs to screen the building from residences west of Hodgson Road. A variety of trees, shrubs, and other plantings provide screening and create an aesthetically pleasing site. The outdoor seating area would be surrounded by tree lilacs, roses, perennial flowers, and arborvitae. The drive through would be flanked by dogwood. Pine, spruce, ash, maple. and linden trees would be distributed across the