Loading...
Issues 1. Issues a. The proposed Development exceeds the capacity of a local road on the proposed Highover-Drive / Gunflint Trail through-street. Finding: Per the City of Chanhassen' s Transportation portion of the Comprehensive Plan, a residential street can be expected to safely handle 1000 trips/day. An engineering guideline for the amount of traffic generated from a residential lot is approx. 10 trips/day. This means that most residential streets can handle traffic from 100 lots. Cunently, there are 51 lots from Highover that must use Highover Dr. and there are 9 lots that access Gunflint Trail. It can be logically assumed that not all of the 58 proposed lots from Y obeny will exit the site to the north. With this assumption, there is no way that the number of lots using either Highover Dr. or Gunflint Trail will approach the 100 lot maXImum. As for street width, in the City of Chanhassen the street width is defined or measured from the back of the concrete curb on one side of the street to the back of the concrete curb on the other side of the street. A review of the City as-built plans for both exist. Hunter Dr. and Gunflint Trail show that the streets are 31-feet wide from back-to-back of curb. This meets the cunent City code requirement for local street widths. b. The direct connection of the Highover and Longacres neighborhoods as proposed conflicts with the City Code requirement of discouraging through-traffic on a local street. (18-57) a & j (a) Streets shall be dedicated on the plat to the public. The location and design of streets shall consider existing and planned streets, reasonable traffic circulation, topographic conditions, runoff of stormwater, public convenience and safety and the proposed land uses of property to be served. U) The alignment shall discourage through traffic. Finding: The issue here is the idea of through or, more precisely, cut-through traffic on a local street. My interpretation of what the code is trying to discourage is the use of local streets as an easy or enticing cut-through route to avoid certain traffic control devices (ie. signals, stop signs, etc.). I don't believe the code means to discourage the connection of local streets to serve local, residential traffic. That is what the Hunter Dr.lGunflint Trail connection will be doing through the Y obeny development. In my professional engineering opinion, I doubt that traffic on Lake Lucy Road to the nOlth will turn down a winding residential street with a stop sign and a tee-intersection (which Hunter Dr. will have) to go south to TH 5 instead of simply taking either TH 41 or Galpin Blvd. Either of these latter roads is a much more direct route and has a faster speed limit than the local street, Hunter Dr. Staff studied the access issue to the subject property (Y oben-y Farms) concun-ently with Longacres and Highover Subdivisions as required by section 18-57 (a). Streets were planned in a fashion to accommodate future planned streets (the extension of Highover Drive and Gunflint Trail). Also, to meet the requirement specified in section 18-57 U), the streets were aligned to provide traffic calming measures. No straight street alignments. In reviewing the Highover staff report dated July 14, 1997, staff found the following language: "In reviewing this plat, staff also had to look at access to the property to the south. While these property owners (the Harveys (cun-ently David Hun-ell) own the parcel located southwest of the subject site and the Y oungquists own the land located south of the subject site) are not ready to develop or subdivide at this time, they have been asked to give consideration as to how their property will be developed. Staff wanted to ensure that they are not land locked. Highover Drive will be stubbed to the northern property line of the Harvey's parcel. When they are ready to develop, the street will extend through the Harvey's property to the Youngquist site and will eventually hook up with Longacres Drive." A con-esponding condition was placed in the development contract which read: ''Temporary cul-de-sacs will be required at the ends of Highover Drive and Highover Trail. Traffic bafficades shall also be installed with a sign indicating "This street shall be extended in the future". A condition will also be placed in the development contract to notify future property owners of the street extension." 24" RC RON wjTRASH GUARD 2 7 ~~oo c~/· c~~~~ ~I~TER NOlE: COMPACTION EFFORTS IN DE YARD AREAS SHAll ME SFEes. CAllEO FOR UNDER STR ETS . ~ (95% STANDARD PRDCT ) EXCA VA 110N LIMITS NOT TO EXCEED DR.>JNAGE I< U ITV EASEMANT. 28 CCNSTRUCT BIT. CURB/BERM ACROSS STREET TO 1I0ll) DRAINAGE ON STREET. 3 2- TYPE In BARRI ADES W/SION INDICAllNO "THIS TREET WilL BE EXTENDED IN E FUTURE CURB & PAVEMENT TO BE EXTEN ED IN THE FUTURE ELECTRICAl PANEl. FOR WiET WElL 4 HIGHOVER DRIVE Highover Drive As-Built Plans Showing a 31 foot Back of Curb to Back of Curb Cross Section In reviewing the Longacres PUD staff report dated May 4, 1994, staff found the following language: ''The major thoroughfare, Longacres Drive, is designated as an east/west collector street providing future connection from Trunk Highway 41 to Galpin Boulevard. This segment of roadway is also listed on the City's MSA system. The applicant has submitted detailed street construction plans to MnDOT's State Aid office for review and approval. It is necessary to receive at least preliminary approval on the street alignment from MnDOT prior to having the final plat approved and recorded at the County. Staff believes that the street alignment will meet the State's design criteria; however, should the State request a modification the applicant should be required to comply with their requirements. " A corresponding condition was placed in the development contract which read: "The applicant shall construct a 36-foot wide gutter-to-gutter urban street section along Street A. The remaining streets may be constructed to City urban standards (31-foot wide back-to-back)." In reviewing the Longacres 4th Addition staff report dated May 7, 1997, staff found the following language: "With this phase, Gunflint Trail is also being constructed north of Longacres Drive to provide a future connection to the property to the north. A temporary turnaround will not be required on Gunflint Trail due to the length of the street. Barricades with a sign indicating "This Street Shall be Extended in the Future" will be installed at the end of Gunflint Trail. A condition will also be placed in the development contract to notify future homeowners of the street extension." A con-esponding condition was placed in the development contract which read: "Gunflint Trail is a temporary dead end street which will be extended in the future when the adjacent parcel develops." 1- BEGIN C&G, MATCH EXIST. / STA. 0+37.91 J 5 C/J()j <t CURVE 51 INTERSECTlONS TO CONSTRUCTED þs PItR STD. DETAIL 5204 I 'U R-20' 1 ;;: Gunflint Trail As-Built Plans Showing a 31 foot Back of Curb to Back of Curb Cross Section c. In several respects, the proposed development fails to adequately mitigate negative impact on the sun-ounding properties, as required by the City Code. Sharmeen d. In seeking to crowd as many residential lots as possible into the parcels, the proposed development requires dramatic alteration of the topography and vegetation, contrary to Municipal Code Section 18-39(f). Matt and Sharmeen provide finding Finding: As previously stated in the staff report, we believe the developer is doing the best job he can to blend in with the exist. topography especially when one considers the many site restraints or touchdown elevation points that the site must meet, ie. two exist. street connections, exist. home sites, and wetland edges. The city has establThe findings necessary for city council approval of the preliminary plat and the final plat shall be as follows: (1) The proposed subdivision is consistent with the zoning ordinance; (2) The proposed subdivision is consistent with all applicable city, county and regional plans including but not limited to the city's comprehensive plan; (3) The physical characteristics of the site, including but not limited to topography, soils, vegetation, susceptibility to erosion and siltation, susceptibility to flooding, and stormwater drainage are suitable for the proposed development; (4) The proposed subdivision makes adequate provision for water supply, storm drainage, sewage disposal, streets, erosion control and all other improvements required by this chapter; (5) The proposed subdivision will not cause environmental damage; (6) The proposed subdivision will not conflict with easements of record; (7) The proposed subdivision is not premature. A subdivision is premature if any of the following exists: a. Lack of adequate stormwater drainage. b. Lack of dedicated and improved public streets. c. Lack of adequate sanitary sewer systems or no ISTS (individual sewer treatment system). d. Lack of adequate off-site public improvements or support systems. (g) The city shall notify the applicant of the city council's action, stating the conditions of approval or reasons for disapproval. (h) An applicant may at his own risk, apply to process the preliminary and final plats simultaneousl y. 2. Solutions a. Pursue access on Highway 41. b. Two cul-de-sacs. c. Road behind Harrison Hill Trail. d. Construction traffic off of 41. e. Less grading, tree removal and more open space.