Agenda - Council - 01/11/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Case #9: Request for a Conditional Use Permit to Operate a Restaurant Drive-Thru Window in the TC-2 Zoning District; Case of Ramdance, LLC Community Development Director Frolik explained Ramdance, LLC has submitted a site plan to construct a 9,200 square-foot multMenant restaurant facility in the Ramsey Town Center. The building is referred to as the Pond Building and is the fourth and final building proposed tbr Lot I of Ramsey Town Center 3''a Addition. The other three buildings are Coborn's grocery store, Gateway Retail Building, and Comer Retail Building. The site plan proposes to include a drive-up window for customer convenience. The TC-2 District requires a Conditional Use Permit ~'or uses with a drive-thru feature. Community Development Director Frolik stated at the December 2nd Planning Commission meeting, staff and the Planning Commissioners discussed concerns with the design of the drive-thru fcature on the Pond Building, in combination with the drive-thru pharmacy feature on the Coborn's building, resulting in conflicting traffic patterns and flow through this westerly parking lot. Rather than table the conditional use permit and site plan case for the revisions, thc f~lanning Commission recommended Council approval of the plans on the condition that the Commission is given the opportunity to review the final site plan to be sure that the concerns with the drive-thru feature are addressed. Subsequent to the Planning Commission mecting, Ramdance submitted revised plans: for site layout, grading, and future site layout dated December 7, 2004. The drive-thru for the Pond Building was lengthened to accommodate four, rather than three vehicles. Community Development Director Frolik indicated in addition, the curbed parking node adjacent to the drive-thru was redesigned to make it virtually impossible to negotiate a right-in turn into the drive-thru and thereby decrease the potential for traffic congestion just south of the entrance into the parking lot. The plan is to also utilize parking lot directional signs to direct users of the Caribou drive-thru to the south end of the parking lot and then north again to the entrance to the drive-thru. The drive-thru pattern is not the best, but staff thinks there is time to work on this. Staff and the Planning Commission recommend approval of the current proposal for the drive-thru facility. Councihnember Elvig commented he watched the Planning Commission meeting, and there was some very healthy dialogue. The fact that it is Caribou Coffee makes him relax a little, because the cat's do not stack up :too much. He stated he wants to be sure the Planning Commission is given authority on this. Community Development Director Frolik explained the final site plan will go back before the Planning Commission in January. Councihnember Cook expressed concemwith the traffic pattern. Coul~cihnember Kurak questioned why there are already two drive-thrus in Town Center, as this is one of the last things the Council wanted in Town Center. City Council/December 14, 2004 iPage 22 of 33