1998 Planning Commission Packets

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- - _. _ _: �� r.� , _ � .— � - --- - - -- - - --= ----- - - --- - - -- � - : - -- - --__ Planning Commission Report TOLD Development Co. Case # 507-97 January 14, 1998 Page 5 Company will be the owner of the site, from whom Walgreens has entered into a twenty-year lease contract. However, in the event the use changes, covenants have been, or will be attached to the city-owned parcel prohibiting certain types of uses. 4. Drainag� Residents west of the subject property have expressed concerns that this development will increase existing problems with flooding in their backyards. Addressing this possibility, the developer pointed out that there should be less stormwater ntn-off onto adjoining properties after the development than there is now as a result of regrading the site to divert all run-off to on-site storage ponds. The City engineer will review the grading and drainage to ensure that this will be the case. Rice Creek Watershed I�istrict will also review the plans and will need to issue a permit. 5. Traf�c and Access Because of the site's location at the corner of the City's highest volume intersection, the trai�ic impacts of this use will be examined closely. The applicant is proposing a full access on County Road I and a right-in right-out onto Highway 10. In addition, Eastwood Road is proposed to be closed, which raised considerable concern at the neighborhood meetings from the residents living on Greenwood Drive. The developer has provided a traffic study prepared by Benshoof & Associates to investigate this and other traffic impacts of the development. Currently, access to Eastwood Road from Highway 10 or eastbound County Road I is restricted, diverting many vehicles onto Greenwood Drive. According to the analysis, the closing of Eastwood Road would redistribute 330 vehicles in a 24-hour period onto adjacent neighborhood streets. Greenwood Drive is shown to increase from 510 vehicles a day to 664 vehicles a day. With the traffic to be generated by the proposed Walgreens, there would be an additional 50 vehicle trips, raising the total daily volume to an expected 714 vehicle trips per day, which represents a 40 percent increase. Both MnDOT and Ramsey County traffic engineers will need to approve the proposed access points. 6. Public Safety. Mounds View Police Chief Tim Ramacher and his staffhave reviewed the proposed plan. Chief Ramacher has noted that any time vacant land is developed, there will be an increase in police activity because there will be more people activity and cars on the site. Accidents, theft, vandalism and disorderly conduct are examples of the type of incidents which may occur. Because of the buffers provided around the development, he would expect these problems to be confined to the site and he does not expect the surrounding area to be adversely affected. The Fire Marshal for the Spring Lake Park/Blaine/Mounds View Fire Department has reviewed the plans and has responded that the proposed plan for this development does not present any areas of concern. The City will require a cul-de-sac radius of 50 feet, which the Fire Marshal finds acceptable for fire truck maneuverability. 7. Economic Benefits. As mentioned earlier in this report, the taxes currently generated by the subject properties amounts to less than $6,000 annually. With the development as proposed, tax revenue is expected to increase to $66,000. The number of jobs created by this development, jobs potentially filled by Mounds View residents, is expected to be about 35 positions, more than half of which would be full-time positions. The wages will be competitive for the marketplace.