Minutes - Council - 08/08/2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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to provide a mix of detached bungalow homes and attached townhomes. These items are discussed in respective cases. Associate Planner DaInes stated Skyline Pointe proposes to develop approximately 17 acres on the southwest comer of Alpine Drive and County Road 5 (Nowthen Boulevard), of which 6 acres are wetland. This wetland has been delineated and buffered in accordance with City Code requirements. On the remaining 11 acres, the applicants propose to develop a total of 52 units for a total density of 4.72 units per acre. This density has been decreased from the sketch plan that showed 6.5 units per acre, and from the 5.2 density that was proposed at the Planning Commission, but will still require a land use change to move forward as proposed. One-third of the units is proposed to be bungalow style, detached units, and is located on the southwest portion of the site. Ms. DaInes advised the detached units will be directly adjacent to larger lots, thus density transitioning is required along the southwest portion of the site. The site proposes to gain access from 1515t Lane and Alpine Drive. Ms. DaInes stated residents of the Fox Knoll development have expressed concern with the slope along 1515t Lane, and are concerned that the addition of an intersection will compound the situation. The traffic generation report concluded that, under the assumptions they were using (46 townhomes and 16 bungalows) the development would create an additional 350 trips per day, half of which would use 1515t Lane. This added traffic would not produce unacceptable levels of services or delay at 1515t Lane and Nowthen Boulevard. The residents of Fox Knoll have indicated that the traffic created by the school during peak school hours congests the intersection because parents park there and wait to pick up their children. This was not included in the peak-hour analysis. Associate Planner DaInes stated the site proposes to redirect the stormwater runoff from the existing drainage and utility easement on Lot 3, Block 2 Juskwicz Addition, and pond all runoff in locations on-site. The plan indicates the intention to buffer the wetland and provide the appropriate setbacks, as required by City Code. The submitted building elevations appear to satisfy the architectural requirements laid out in the R-2 district. A Landscape and Tree Preservation Plan have been submitted, and are acceptable to staff. Ms. DaInes advised according to the submitted site plan, the proposed development provides a network of trails throughout the development. The development also proposes to construct a trail along the outside edge of the wetland buffer area, connecting to Alpine Drive. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 10, 2006, and recommended that the City Council deny the plat because of the projected traffic flow and the inadequate justification for an increase in density. Staff is recommending approval, contingent upon compliance with the Staff Review Letter dated June 30, 2006, revised August 4, 2006. Councilmember Jeffrey stated he has a huge concern about traffic here. The traffic studies were not done with the school impact, and to dump that many cars onto 1515t Lane or onto Alpine Drive at any time of day is not good. The Council recently had a work session where Anoka County presented their materials regarding Highway 47, and the two major intersections along Highway 5 at Alpine Drive and Sunwood Avenue have higher than normal critical crash counts with today's traffic. Alpine Drive and CR 5 is not a clean intersection to begin with, and he strongly disagrees that they do not need road improvements to dump traffic on there. During school, cars line up on both sides of the street, and to expect traffic to flow freely going both directions on 1515t Lane is not realistic. He stated the development looks nice, but it does not fit City Council / August 8, 2006 Page 13 of 29