Minutes - Planning Commission - 02/05/2015

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Commissioner VanScoy questioned if access at 149 could be closed and then opened at 152 " He inquired if this would be a viable, less costly option for the development. Community Development Director Gladhill discussed the proposed access points for TH 47 and commented staff could explore this option further. Chairperson Levine did not want to see TH 47 overburdened with traffic and encouraged staff to keep this in mind while routing traffic to this new development. He feared that there would be a choke point on TH 47 with the current design. He suggested that traffic be routed to Nowthen Boulevard. Commissioner Bauer agreed with this recommendation and stated he would not support the Sketch Plan without access to Nowthen Boulevard. Commissioner Nosan did not understand why staff was recommending the access point on Nowthen Boulevard be eliminated. She commented that she avoids TH 47 at all cost. Community Development Director Gladhill explained the proposed land use differed from the current land use and had different traffic patterns and numbers. In addition, the current driveway does not line up with a public street. Commissioner Brauer indicated he was majorly delayed in getting to the meeting due to an accident along TH 47. He further discussed how traffic on Waco Street was increasing in speed due to the fact it was a through street. Ron Christensen, 5782 152n Way, he recommended that the Nowthen Boulevard access be closed. He did not want traffic from the new development impacting the neighboring school. He then discussed his slow commute to work each day along TH 47 to Bunker Lake Boulevard. Community Development Director Gladhill requested the Commission make a motion on how to handle the access point on Nowthen Boulevard. Motion by Commissioner Bauer, seconded by Commissioner Brauer, to recommend that staff work with the applicant to redesign Harvest Estates to provide a full access point onto Nowthen Boulevard. Further discussion Commissioner VanScoy believed that when he first looked at the sketch plan he thought access onto Nowthen Boulevard was necessary. However, after reviewing the comments from the County, he did not believe this to be true. He believed there were traffic issues on both 5 and TH 47 that needed to be addressed. He was concerned with traffic getting in and out of the new development without a signalized intersection on Nowthen Boulevard. Commissioner Nosan was against putting more traffic onto TH 47. Planning Commission/February 5, 2015 Page 4 of 7