09/11/2002 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

3 Memo to Jim Studenski Page 2 June 4, 2002 • Review of Access Options for Behm's Century Farm, 6th and 7th Additions Project • Carl Street is designated as a minor collector street in the Transportation Plan, with a planned westward extension to Sunset Avenue (Option 1). The existing Carl Street serves about 16 homes and provides access via Fourth Avenue, a major collector street. ANALYSIS Specifically, this review is based on the planning principles for minor collector streets described under Appendix B: Functional Classification Criteria, of the Transportation Plan. Collector streets are defined generally in this plan appendix as: "providing connections between neighborhoods and from neighborhoods to minor business concentrations. Mobility and land access are equally important. Collectors serve short trips and are spaced one -half mile to 1 mile apart in developing areas." Minor collectors such as Carl Street are further distinguished as having a primary function to provide access and a secondary function to provide for through travel within the community. The following four planning principles for minor collector streets established in the Transportation Plan were applied for this review. These principles were the four out of nine in total that were determined to show some differences among the access options previously identified. Each principle is followed by a brief assessment of how well each of the options meets the principle. 1) "The design of minor collectors should reflect the function of providing access." Under Options 1 and 2, the proposed Behm's Century Farm Project would be accessed from either the west via Sunset Avenue, or from the east via Fourth Avenue, upon project completion. Due to the timing of future expansion of the Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA), under Options 3, 4, and 5, the project would be accessed solely from the west via Sunset Avenue; the road providing access to Fourth Avenue would not be built until the MUSA was eventually expanded to include the area north of existing Carl Street. Given this circumstance, Options 1 and 2 would have several advantages over Options 3, 4, and 5. These include: • Providing for more direct access (0.75 to 1 mile closer) to Lake Drive (CSAH 23), Lino Lakes shopping and business centers, and the I -35W interchange. • Locating the roadway at or near the midpoint between Main Street and Lilac Street would better approximate a grid street system, which is typically more efficient than other street systems in providing access. 411 • Facilitating better emergency response times by making it possible to access the development from the east or west for fire, police, and emergency services.