Agenda - Planning Commission - 11/01/1994

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CASE # 2 ARTERIAL THOROUGHFARE SETBACKS By: Steven J. Jankowski, City Engineer Background: The Planning Commission has identified its desire to modify the current setback requirements along arterial streets, primarily along county highways. Anoka County had adopted a new thoroughfare setback policy in May, 1994. Requiring a fight-of-way dedication of 120 feet on all county roads will satisfy the Anoka County's new policy goal. Modifying the building setback to meet local zoning requirements rather than specifying a distance from road centerline is also consistent with Anoka County's new policy. Although they are not under county jurisdiction, the thoroughfare setback policy should also address Trunk Highway g47 and U.S. Highway gl0. I would propose that Trunk Highway g47 also require a 120-foot right-of-way, but that where it appears commercial service centers might be established, an additional 40-foot fight-of-way be dedicated to the City to provide a service road. On U.S. Highway gl0, it appears that the vast majority of highway through Ramsey has a right- of-way width of 225 feet or greater (see Table 1). I would propose that City policy require dedication up to this width whenever dedication becomes possible. Also, the areas along the north side of the highway be required to dedicate an additional 40 feet to the City to provide a service road. Table 1 U.S. HIGHWAY gl0 RIGHT-OF-WAY WIDTHS Section 35 Section 35 Sunfish to Ramsey Ramsey to Armstrong Armstrong to Puma Puma, City Limit/Elk River 225' west of J.R.'s 160 ' east of J.R.'s 225' 225' min. (widens to 365' west of Kovars) 210' min. (widen s to 260') 225' Proposed Policy: All county trunk highways shall have a required fight-of-way width of 120 feet which shall be dedicated to Anoka County. Trunk Highway g47 shall have a required right-of-way width of 120 feet which shall be dedicated to the state. In addition, in areas where the City's current zoning or Comprehensive Plan identifies industrial, commercial, or high density residential land use adjacent to the highway, an additional 40-foot fight-of-way shall be dedicated to the City to provide service road access. U.S. Highway #10 shall have a required minimum 225-foot right-of-way dedicated to the state. In addition, for the property located north of the highway, an additional 40-foot right-of-way should be required to be dedicated to the City to provide service road access. Setback distances from the desired right-of-way for all of the above arterial thoroughfares shall be the same as required by current zoning standards.