02/12/1997 P&Z Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Planning & Zoning Board February 12, 1997 Page 3 be realigned to achieve a full intersection. The applicant is willing to comply with that recommendation. Mr. Brixius stated that the cul -de -sac variance has been reviewed. It is the overall consensus of the Public Works Director and City Engineer that there is sufficient hardship to justify the variance. Staff is recommending approval of the variance if the project is approved. Wetland mitigation is subject to the Rice Creek Watershed District regulations and the City Engineer's review. Park and trail issues are addressed in the preliminary plat. Mr. Glen Van Wormer, Traffic Engineer from Short, Elliott, Hendrickson engineering firm (SEH), stated that his firm was contracted by the City for a traffic study. Single family dwellings are projected to generate 10 trips per day. With a 48 -lot subdivision 480 trips would be generated daily. Estimates include peak hours of 48 trips in the evening rush hour. Approximately two - thirds of those cars would be going east and the rest traveling west. Approximately 30 additional trips are estimated for the morning rush hour that would be traveling south to County Road J or north to Birch Street. All traffic entering and exiting the proposed subdivision must use 62nd Street and Ware Road. The distribution of development generated traffic will further change if West Shadow Lake Drive is extended to County Road J. This extension would also open opportunities for additional development. If development grows to the south, traffic could decrease as roads are extended to accommodate those developments. Mr. Dunn asked how many residential homes were used for traffic calculations, noting that the project is divided into different phases. Mr. Van Wormer answered that the calculations are based on the addition of 48 homes in the first phase. The ultimate study used an additional 29 homes in the second phase, and a possible 23 homes in the future to the east as well as 18 buildable Tots to the south of 62nd Street were also considered. That is a total of 116 units. Mr. Van Wormer stated that the ability of the exiting roadway to handle traffic jams was reviewed. With full build -out, turn lanes would not be necessary on 62nd Street. However, the condition of Ware Road is not good and is wearing out from a structural standpoint. Mr. Gelbmann asked where the current traffic loads currently exist. Mr. Van Wormer responded that Ware Road has 1,200 cars per day with 120 cars in the p.m. peak hours. This information was provided by Mn /DOT. • Chair Schaps asked if there is a projection as to how long Ware Road will last based on these projections.