Agenda Packets - 1998/04/06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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* 13 • INTER MEMO , OF F ICE To: Chuck Whiting From: Rick Jopke Subject: Proposed Development on Shoreview University of Minnesota Site Date: March 31, 1998 On Friday March 27,1998 I attended a meeting at the City of Shoreview concerning the future development of the University of Minnesota site. Also in attendance were representatives from Blaine, Arden Hills, Ramsey County, and Anoka County. The site is 228 acres in area and is located on the east side of 35W between County Road I and County Road J. Twenty three acres of the development site is currently owned and used by MnDot. The site is being acquired by the Wispark Corporation for future development. Two development alternatives are being studied. One alternative would be a business park with approximately 2 million square feet of space. the other alternative would be a mixed use iidevelopment (see attached site plan) which would include 1.1 million square feet of business park uses, a 204,000 square foot office park, 59,000 square feet of retail uses and 272 units of townhomes/villas/garden apartments developed by Rottlund Homes. A new north south road from County Road Ito County Road J would be constructed as a part of the development. The roadway would line up with Naples Street on the north and the County Road I/east35W entrance/exit ramps on the south. The roadway would have to go through wetlands associated with Rice Creek so there are a number of significant wetland and environmental issues which would have to be overcome. An Environmental Impact Statement is being completed for the project It is anticipated that infrasructure improvements coul occur in the summer of 1999 with development to follow. A traffic study has been completed which indicates that the business park alternative would generate approximately 30,000 cars a day and the mixed use project would generate approximately 28,000 cars a day. A portion of that study is attached. The City will also be getting a copy of the full traffic study to help better understand the traffic impact on Mounds View. According to the traffic study County Road I and County Road J are not currently designed to handle the proposed traffic volumes. The existing roads could only handle about a third of the development. Additional signals, thru lanes,and turn lanes would be necessary on both roads and a new bridge over 35W would be necessary on County Road J. Discussion occurred concerning the impact of development of the arsenal site in Arden Hills on County Road I. A separate traffic study is being completed for that development. Future meetings will be held to coordinate the two 0 studies.Representatives from Shoreview have asked for support from surrounding communities to bring about the construction of the new bridge on County Road J.