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Planning Commission Resolution No. 505-97 (Option#2) April 16, 1997 • Page 2 2. The geographical area involved. 4. The character of the surrounding area. This subject area is for the most part vacant. The only improvement is a small insurance office near the corner of the subject property. A large proportion of the area is federally protected wetland, the balance is uplands covered in prairie grass and scrub trees. There is an 83-unit senior residential building to the south of this project, Highway 10 and commercial developments to the east, and a service station and multi- and two-family residential districts. TJB Homes has an office building within this section of land to be developed, but it is not included in the proposal. 3. Whether such use will tend to or actually depreciate the area in which the use is proposed. The applicants have provided an estimated tax impact analysis of the subject property showing the current taxes paid and the projected taxes paid with the uses proposed, Taxes paid are expected to increase a minimum of$215,000 as a result of this project. Staff has no information to indicate one way or the other the impact upon tio°, property values, but assumes it to be positive. The commercial businesses in the immediate area will benefit with the new uses, however the residential areas across Silver • Lake Road may be negatively impacted if traffic congestion results. The senior facility to the south should benefit as a result of this project with the added facilities within walking distance and the prospect of more seniors with which to gather. 5. The demonstrated need for such a use. According to the recently completed SRF Section 9 Redevelopment Plan for the Highway 10 corridor, the gas station/car wash/fast food components of this PUD are not listed as being demonstrated needs in this area. The applicants have supplied a separate marketing report-that-indic-ates-a-large percent of-the gasoline mark-et-in-Mounds View-is-not-being— met. The study examined the Highway 10 volume as well as the household consumption to estimate that the existing service stations captures only 36 percent of the gasoline market. While this may be true in the strictest sense, Staff questions the validity of this finding in that any service station along Highway 10, not just those in Mounds View, could be capturing this unmet market. In addition, the household consumption could be met anywhere in the metro area, depending upon where one works or travels. Staff has received letters and phone calls from residents voicing displeasure regarding the possibility of another gas station or car wash in the City. Given that there are already six gas stations and seven car washes(soon to be eight) in the City and ten fast food outlets on Highway 10 alone, it is Staff's contention that neither the need nor desire for these uses does not exist. .