Letter from Dee & Jeff McGuire 7-27-05
CITY OF CHANHASSiN
RECEIVED
AUG 1 2005
July 27, 2005
CHANHASSEN PLANNING DEPT
Dear Chanhassen City Council Members,
Our family resides in the Stone Creek subdivision which is across the street from a
proposed office complex at the intersections of Galpin Boulevard and Lyman Boulevard.
We have been out of town the past two weeks and have missed the meetings about this
property. We believe our community doesn't need commercial development next to
upscale single family homes and we have serious concerns regarding this specific site.
1. Volume & Type of Traffic
We are already experiencing heavy volumes of traffic on Galpin Boulevard and feel
it prudent to ask for a new traffic study to be done before final approval is granted for
new construction.
School buses for middle schools East and West, Pioneer Ridge Freshman Center, Chaska
High School and Bluff Creek Elementary all run along Galpin Boulevard. There are in
fact several stops on Galpin. These buses often times park along Galpin near our
subdivision during the day between stops. One of our children is dropped off on Galpin
as the bus doesn't turn into our subdivision on its afternoon run. Has there been outreach
to the bus company to check their routes? What happens when the new secondary school
is built next year just east on Lyman across the railroad tracks? Certainly we would not
expect construction traffic to be coming in and out onto Galpin Boulevard in front of our
subdivision. What about all of the semi-truck traffic?
2. Arterial Roads
What are the near term and long term plans for development of Lyman Boulevard with
regard to the 212 extension, this development, and future development of the nursery
property to the south of this site, the new secondary school and other undeveloped land
within a 5 mile radius? How will the new residential neighborhoods going in across from
the Autumn Woods subdivision impact the traffic at the intersection of Lyman and
Galpin?
3. Proposed Entrance & Site Design
It is difficult to enter and exit out of our subdivision now and it is unlikely, given our
proximity to the intersection at Lyman, that we would get a stop light. What plans for
traffic management have been considered? In our view an entrance off of Lyman would
be a better solution for a commercial development with appropriate traffic signals and
turn lanes installed at the intersection of Lyman and Galpin.
,.
Further, should the development be approved, appropriate sized berming and landscaping
similar to the Stone Creek side of Galpin should be mandatory on the east side of this
development as appears to be incorporated on the north side of the site.
4. Trails & Sidewalk Disruption
What is the plan for reducing the impact for community residents, especially children
on bicycles?
What are the plans for trail access across this new property development?
5. Hours of Operation, Noise & Lighting
We assume the community will be provided with the specific limitations of each of
these prior to final approval by the city council.
Wouldn't this development make more sense near Lifetime Fitness or across from the
new CVS Pharmacy off of Highway 5?
What is the occupancy rate ofthis developer's current project south of Highway 5?
Does Chanhassen need more light office space?
We urge you to give serious consideration to this site development. There are not a lot of
newer Chanhassen neighborhoods commingling with office space. We certainly don't
want to see a negative impact on the residential character of this area or on the housing
values - that would hurt us all.
Sincerely,
\~nA )c<J(
~JeffMC ui
2272 Stone Creek Lane E.
(952) 470-4420
Cc: Carver County Engineers /
Chanhassen Planning Commission
Carver County - Board of Commissioners
Chaska City Council
Chaska Planning Commission
MN DOT
Stone Creek Homeowners Association