Minutes - Council - 05/12/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Gamec suggested that the way Apple Ridge is being phased would get the new residents used to using T.H. #47. Councilmember Haas Steffen reported that the Road and Bridge Committee has spent a lot of time discussing a lead link fence or some other alternative. The barrier arm that has been talked about does not give emergency vehicles the same problems as a lead link fence would. Mr. Jankowski advised that the City of Coon Rapids has a gate-type of emergency closure and has had only one vehicle drive through it. However, it is located in a cul-de- sac with little through traffic at all. Councilmember Haas Steffen stated that we should not have through traffic in this area either, especially if there is signage stating "no through traffic". Mr. Jankowski reported that the assumptions made in the traffic study state that 80% of the traffic will be going south and 20% will be traveling north which places two-thirds of the traffic on T.H. #47 and one-third onto C.S.A.H. #5. Based upon these assumptions, and the assumption that people will travel a route that will take the least amount of time, there will be approximately 182 additional vehicles on 157th Lane going out to #5. Couneilmember Haas Steffen expressed concern about the isolation of the 17 homes - those having to go out #5 because they have no way out to #47. She preferred people starting out by using #47 rather than going back into a development if there's a way to do that. John Peterson, Oakwood Development Inc. (formerly Good Value Homes) predicted one complication with a barrier across a street and that is that the Council Chambers will be filled with people who live in this City asking why there is a fence barfing them from a neighborhood. He noted that the traffic going west is not excessive by standards but added that this is a traffic issue that does not have to be tied to the fifth plat. With regard to timing - it is estimated that if the market stays good - Apple Ridge could be about a three-year project. Councilmember Haas Steffen stated she was not suggesting that Council wait until the fifth phase. She realized the people in the existing neighborhoods are requesting a lead link fence, however, she is concerned that the new area will not have two entrances for emergency vehicles. Terri Svare, 6015 - 158th Lane NW, Ramsey, stated that when the existing neighborhood residents suggested a lead link or an "arm", it was a quality of life issue. She expected some extra traffic, but excessive was not fair. She didn't feel that two accesses to a subdivision was necessary. She noted the lot next to her home was a lot smaller than the lots next to everyone else's homes. She stated she would like that a little larger and that it would be nice to be a little accommodated. She stated it seems odd that the lot adjacent to hers should be so small. City Council/May 12, 1998 Page 8 of 16