Agenda - Council - 03/13/2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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turn lane construction will be required with a bypass lane north-bound on Nowthen B'oulevard. Helium Street is also proposed to be constructed as a temporary cul-de-sac to eliminate and prevent the need for additional accesses in the future. The applicant has submitted a revised landscaping plan that provides additional vegetation in the green space between County Road 5 and Helium Street to mitigate any potential conflicts with vehicular headlights. . The proposed drainage plan is problematic, and revisions have been requested regarding the proposed elevations and the nature of handling stormwater runoff. The proposed plat does not indicate a sidewalk on Helium Street. However, a 10-foot trail is shown on the plat between Helium Street and the County Road 5. It is standard practice to require trails within the boundaries of the development, however, due to the site constraints, a portion of the trail is located within the Helium Street right-of-way. The applicant has revised the plans to include three, three-unit buildings to lessen the bulk of the units. The building elevations submitted appear to meet R-2 City Code standards for architectural detail and use of color variation. Color palettes have been submitted, and are acceptable to staff. The applicant intends to provide color elevations at the meeting. A Landscape and Tree Preservation Plan have been submitted. Staff is requesting that all invasive or otherwise undesirable trees are removed, with the exception of any trees that may be able to be spared on the western boundary of the property. The construction associated with the stormwater pipe will make any tree preservation in this area difficult. Tree cover along the southern boundary of the property consists mostly of Siberian elm, an invasive species that does not warrant preservation. Staff is recommending that they be removed and the area be landscaped with a more desirable mix of trees. Recommendation: The Planning Commission heard the request for preliminary plat and preliminary site plan approval at the meeting on February 1, 2007, and after a split vote, recommended 3 to 2 (with one abstention) to approve the proposed development. The Planning Commission expressed a desire to see the three property owners come to some agreement for the design of the plat. Also, concern for the location of the proposed access was expressed, specifically the lack of alignment with the Lord of Life property. Another concern expressed was that proposed Helium Street is located adjacent to the right-of-way for County Road 5, creating conflicts with on-coming traffic. The increase in traffic due to the increase in the number of units in the general area was another concern the Planning Commission discussed. At the public hearing, two property owners to the north spoke out against the development, stating that no effort was given to contact them. It is Staff's understanding that since the public hearing, the applicant has made contact and presented a plan. However, the property owners could not come to an agreement. The Park and Recreation Commission met on February 6, 2007, and recommended construction of a bituminous trail along the eastern edge of the plat and payment of park dedication in cash -120-