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Planning Commission 499-97: Children's Home Society August 6, 1997 Page 3 of play space per child, a total of 3800 square feet of play space is needed. The proposed tot lot needs to be expanded by 625 square feet or the number of children limited to 79. It appears that it would be very easy to expand the tot lot to the property line, so the depth would be 30 feet rather than 25 feet, and to add an additional 30 x 25 foot area on the south end of the total lot. With these changes, the tot lot would occupy 4500 square feet, which is more than the required 3800 square feet. A condition to this effect is included in the resolution. It is our understanding that the tot lot will be in an unfinished state for the remainder of this year, until the site work for the overall community center is done in the spring. (The area proposed for a tot lot needs to be regraded to get positive drainage from the building to Bronson Drive.) Children's Home Society is planning to use the playground in City Hall Park as an alternative during this period of time. There is a condition to this effect in the resolution, including a requirement that Children's Home Society provide liability insurance which would hold the City harmless for their use of City Hall Park. Parking and Access: The Mounds View Zoning Code requires one space for each child, • plus 1 additional space for each classroom. An analysis of parking requirements has been included on the site plan. This analysis shows 20 spaces for the day care center. The number is consistent with the parking ratio required. (98 children/7 children per space= 14; 1 space per classroom=6 spaces; total required=20 spaces)We are assuming that the applicant is counting the infant, toddler and"trans" spaces as classrooms. It is not clear whether the short term day care parking spaces are included in the 20 being provided for the day care center. Staff will contact the architect to get more information on this issue. Staff would suggest that they not be counted, to keep them free for parents dropping-off children. We will also be asking the architect if the drop-off spaces could be moved-to-the-other side of the drive aisle to piovide direct acc,-e • - '• - ...w- • • parking spaces. Adequate access is available to the surrounding street system through a driveway entrance onto Edgewood Drive. (See next item.) • Access to Arterial or Collector Street: Edgewood Drive is classified as a local street in the Mounds View Comprehensive Plan, and therefore the proposal to use Edgewood Drive as the primary access to the site is inconsistent with the criteria for permit approval. The classification may need to be re-examined in light of the community center being established on Edgewood Drive and the existing location of City Hall. During the past six months, the idea of establishing a city center at the intersection of Edgewood Drive and • Highway 10 has been discussed and appears to be gaining momentum. The City Council has authorized a number of tasks to be done which would result in Edgewood Drive being