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Planning Case No. 452-96 • New Apostolic Church; 3025 County Road H September 4, 1996 Page 8 feet, and that he would advise the trees be specified at 6-7 feet because their ability to survive transplanting is better. Staff has reviewed the list of all the landscape materials with Mr. Wriski, and all of them are suitable other than the White Cedar. Staff is recommending that both the evergreen and deciduous trees be specified at 6-7 feet in height. The Code does not specify the width of the green belt planting strip, so it falls to the Planning Commission and City Council to determine if the proposed width is sufficient to provide adequate screening. Working from west to east, the green belt planting strip goes 12 feet in width to 24 feet and then to 10 feet along the north property line, and is 12 feet in width along the east property line. Certainly the width of the planting strips have been increased from the original design, and they improve the buffering effect. It should be noted, however, that the section along the north property which measures 12 feet would be reduced if the parking spaces along this section were"sawtoothed" in order to make them functional. A diagram illustrating this design is attached. The width of the planting strip along the east side would have to be reduced if the length of the parking spaces were increased to the standard 20 feet. The buffering situation has been improved at the expense of meeting the required dimensions for parking spaces. • The widths of the buffer areas remain less than is typical for other churches in the community, as was discussed earlier in the"Variance" section of this report. Staff questions whether an adequate buffer has been provided, and is concernedthat the proposed buffer would be narrowed further if the sizes of the parking spaces were brought into compliance. d. Adequate off-street parking and access is provided on the site or on lots directly abutting or • directly across a public street to the principal use in compliance with Chapter 1121 of this abutting residential uses in compliance with Section 1103.08 of this Title. The site has adequate access with two driveways, one on County Road H and one on Pleasant View Drive. The site plan shows a drive aisle of 11 feet behind the first bay of stalls along the north property line (the compact stalls). Cars parking in this bay will leave only 5-7 feet of width between the back bumper and the curb line, and thus will block the drive aisle and make it impassable. Staff is suggesting that these spaces need to be "sawtoothed" into the landscaped buffer area in order to make them functional. Staff has discussed the revised plans with Mark Bishop (Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department) by telephone, and he has indicated that the 11 foot drive aisle is a concern. Staff will be meeting with Mr. Bishop on Tuesday, 'September 3 to review the 111 plans in person. Unless the problems in this area can be resolved, the site does not have adequate on-site circulation.