Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Landform® and Site to Finish® are registered service marks of Landform Professional Services, LLC. <br />March 14, 2023 <br /> <br />Ms. Jenni Faulkner <br />Planning Consultant <br />City of Lake Elmo <br />3880 Laverne Ave. N. <br />Lake Elmo, MN 55042 <br /> <br />RE: Ebertz Property/Drake Motor Partners PUD/Preliminary Plat Application <br /> <br />Dear Ms. Faulkner, <br /> <br />The following letter is a follow-up to the Lake Elmo Planning Commission meeting that was held on March 13, 2023. A few <br />neighboring property owners voiced concerns during the public hearing regarding the PUD/Preliminary Plat application <br />submitted by Drake Motor Partners. We were not allowed to respond to the neighbors concerns during the meeting and <br />therefore we are offering this written response to outline the ways in which the applicant is willing to work with staff to <br />address the concerns. We offer the following clarifications and summary of design changes that we are working to <br />address: <br /> <br />1. Lighting – The PUD flexibility requested in the application is internal to the site for Block 2 as well as the east <br />property line of Block 1 where it adjoins the adjacent commercial property. The reasons we feel that flexibility is <br />warranted include: <br />a. Staff previously indicated a desire for the private drive to function as similar to a public street. As such, <br />proper lighting along the length of the private drive will improve pedestrian and vehicle safety. <br />b. Lot 1-Block 1 will share an access with the commercial property to the east. Again, pedestrian and <br />vehicle safety warrant lighting levels above the 0.4 footcandles that is allowed by code. <br />c. The areas where we are seeking flexibility on the lighting requirements do not impact the residential <br />properties. The lighting levels adjacent to the residential properties are at or below the required 0.4 <br />footcandles. <br />2. Noise - There are no outdoor speakers at the Automotive Dealership facility and all service work will be done in <br />the building as is required by city code. We can commit to stay within the city ordinance sound levels. <br />3. Trash - We will move the trash enclosure to meet setback requirements, therefore eliminating the need for any <br />PUD flexibility on the location. <br />4. Landscaping – The previously submitted landscape plan exceeded the number of trees required for the site. <br />However, we will make adjustments to the landscape plan to address city comments and to provide additional <br />trees adjacent to the residential property lines. We will also provide a screening exhibit with a cross-section view <br />from the three residential developments. <br />5. Screening Fence – A 6-foot screening fence was previously proposed along the north property line. We are <br />proposing to revise the site plan to extend the fence along the west property line, adjacent to the Union Park <br />development, until reaching the area of the existing retaining wall on the Springs development. The fence will be <br />constructed of a composite material and provide year-round screening. Details will be provided with revised <br />plans. <br />6. Uses – We are willing to reduce our permitted “use by right” uses to just the following: a). All the commercial uses <br />already zoned as permitted, b). All of the Auto Dealership uses listed in the PUD, c). All the DQ requirements <br />listed in the PUD, d). Indoor Recreational Facility and e). Daycare Operations. We are fine with keeping all the <br />other uses that would normally be subject to conditional use remain that way, as recommended by staff. <br />7. Signage – We will restrict all Block 2 building signs from facing north or west to minimize any impacts to the <br />residential neighborhoods.