Agenda - Council - 02/26/2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Comment 12.4: In Section 21- Traffic Analysis Report Summary, this section should acknowledge the development and potential benefits of a pedestrian circulation system for the site as conceptually illustrated in the "RTC LLC" plan shown in Section 6. With a variety of mixed land uses, higher density and a pedestrian -friendly environment, a pedestrian system was part of the themes and desired outcomes for the Ramsey Town Center design which emerged from the Calthorpe lead planning effort for the Ramsey Town Center site. The mix of land uses, compactness and network of greenways/drainage ways should induce bike and pedestrian trips for work, shopping, school, entertainment, and recreational purposes. If not year-round, at least seasonal. These internal trips would replace some auto trips. The AUAR should address the potential for alternative mode splits and indicate if some form of a pedestrian walk way system is still part of the project's development program. Response: On page 21-5, the traffic analysis for the AUAR incorporates trip generation adjustments for the density and diversity of the project's mixed use pedestrian oriented design that account for approximately 16 percent of the project PM peak hour trip - making that would otherwise occur in automobiles. Further reductions for alternate mode use related to the project's design were considered uncertain given that dedicated transit to the site is not yet a reality and that the suburban location of the project and short timeframe to build -out indicate a continued (at least initial) use of automobiles to access the project in advance of a transit infrastructure being built. Comment 12.5: In Section 21- Mitigation Element, given the bleak long-term outlook for the timely availability of state and county funding (acknowledged by the AUAR document) to complete the projects listed, and assuming the need to have the projects completed by the time the Ramsey Town Center project is scheduled to be completed in 2007, it may be useful to prioritize the projects that are critical to providing a reasonable level of access to the project. An emerging trend is for more local funding of critical highway projects needed to support ongoing local development. The local funding is one means to insure that needed highway improvement projects are constructed in a timely manner. Local funding strategies can range from fully paying for the project such as the new Tamarack Interchange in Woodbury, city/private partial funding provided to construct the I-494 Penn Avenue Interchange, or reimbursements. Reimbursements are typically financial agreements between Mn/DOT and a municipality whereby the municipality funds a Mn/DOT project to accelerate the timing of its construction. The municipality is refunded the project cost at a future time when funds for the project become available to the department. The AUAR should acknowledge the need for creative funding mechanisms and partnerships if the mitigation projects listed are to be constructed within the desired time frame as determined in part by the phasing and timing of the Ramsey Town Center project. Response: See response to Mn/DOT Comment #6.1. Comment 12.6: In Section 17 - Water Quality - Stormwater Runoff, in the AUAR, alternative land consumption strategies were considered to reduce the amount of impervious materials on the site. A suggestion is the design of a project that implements a shared parking design to reduce the tendencies in commercial development to over 34-25