04/12/2006 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Pheasant Stroll Estates page 3 The submitted plan includes a private drive access onto CR J. The applicants propose a temporary private access to CR J which then would be removed in the future when the new public street is built. The private drive would connect to the new public street near the northwest corner of the site. Two problems arise with the proposal. First, it would be difficult to get the "temporary" access removed and connect with the new public street. Residents of the townhome neighborhood likely would oppose removing an existing driveway access and substituting a connection to a public street. Once an access exists, and the entire neighborhood is built and populated while that access exists, it is very difficult to remove it. In addition, we have experienced many occasions where residents oppose a new connection to an abutting development after they are accustomed to isolation. The second problem is that the proposed design puts all of a new street entirely on another property. This would mean that the property owner to the west would bear the entire loss of land to the road. It is typical to align roads on property lines, with half the right of way dedicated from development on each side. It is possible that the site could access directly onto Ware Road. However, this does not resolve the need for a future public road on the west side and right of way for that road. • In short, the proposed design does not take into account the larger public interests in access management. Staff does not support the proposed design. • The proposal does include additional 50 feet of right of way dedication for CR J. However, more right of way is needed: 60 feet from centerline, which is what the Anoka County Highway Dept. would plan for. This would push all the units north ten feet. In addition, the setback from an arterial road is 40 feet, not the proposed 30 feet. Therefore, with the right of way and complete setback, the units would need to move north 20 feet. This has a significant affect on the site layout: it pushes the internal road into Lot 1, and eliminates several units elsewhere in the plan. The proposed plat does include land for the future realignment of Ware Rd. The goal there is for the City to be able to align Ware Rd. with the existing Mackubin St. in Shoreview in the future to create a four -way intersection rather than the existing off set situation. However, a setback of 40 is needed from Ware rather than 30 feet, which would affect the layout by moving units west by 10 feet. Staff discussed the shortcomings of the proposed site design with the applicant. The applicants chose not to provide for a public street for access to Co. Rd. J. Utilities: Municipal utilities comprise the other vital infrastructure element in the 49/J planning study. The proposed design of Pheasant Stroll Estates includes a utility corridor connecting to the water and sanitary sewer trunks existing in Ware Road. The infrastructure plan must be completed to determine how the larger area can be served.