Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/01/1996

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However, on a long term basis, an access to the north may be desirable - particularly to serve the residential area directly north of the church between CSAH //5 and T.H. //47 and to utilize as a backdoor reliever for exiting traffic. But this north access would be expected to serve as nothing more than a minor access to the church property and facilities bemuse the routing would be too indirect and circuitousl But there appears to be no major obstacles to developing this future northerly access to the Sunwood Drive - 149th Avenue connection mused by traffic congestion, intersection spacing, grade or sight distance problems, heavy tree concentrations or existing wetlands. Existing Site Features As shown On the existing site plan, Exhibit C, the Lord of Life Lutheran Church building facilities are located on the north central portion of the campus with the existing parking lots and CSAH g5 access located southwest of the church. Directly west of the church and exisiing parking lot is a major line of coniferous trees aligned in a north-sout~ direction and being 50'-100' wide. To the west of the tree line is an open area, approximately 150' wide, followed by a narrower fence line of trees, and then another open area extending ~o CSAH gS. A relatively new single family residential development now abuts the church property about 300' west-northwest of the church buildings. To the north of the church, about 350' of open space exists between the buildings and the north property line. Due to its relatively flat topography of this area, it is used as a recreational field area for ball and soccer games. The area directly east of the current chur~ch buildings consists of a rather steep embankment - dropping about 20' Vertically in a 100' horizontal distance - before flattening out and becoming a 200' wide wetland area about 100'-200' west of T.H.//47. The triangular shaped area to the south' of the current church facilities is generally wide-open with gently rolling terrain which drains to the northeast towards the wetlands along T.H.//47. This area appears to be very suitable for building, parking lot and access drive development with minimal impact on the site's natural features (i.e. - mature trees and existing wetland areas) and on adjacent land uses and developments. Proposed Expansion Areas Based on the existing site features enumerated above and summarized as follows: 1. Major tree stands and adjacent residential development to the west-northwest; 2. A relatively small expansion area to the north and the unavailability of ava:ess to the north in the near future; 3. The steep embankments and wetland to the east of the currents facilities; 4. The openness and lack of adjacent development to the southwest, south and southeast; and 5. The ayallability of frontage and access into ([2SAIl g5 and T.H. #47 to the west, southwest and east-southeast. It seems that the major, long-term growth and expansion of-the church structure should be predominantly to the south with the parking facilities located in relatively close proximity to the building(s) tO the west, southwest and south as shown on the Phase II Development Plan, Exhibit F. However, on .a short-term basis, there is a need for building expansion and parking lot additions in close proximity to the existing facilities. The proposed Phase I building additions, as shown on Exhibit E, would tie into the existing structure on the north and northwest sides while the additional parking and CSAH//5 access would be directly to the west.