HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-03-16 NAC MemorandumMEMORANDUM
TO: Tom Melena
FROM: Scott Richards
DATE: March 16, 1999
RE:
FILE NO:
General Issues
5775 WAYZATA BOULEVARD, SUITE 555
PHONE 61 2- 595 -9636
!NO RTHWEST ASSOC lATr.:D CONSULTANTS
COMMUNITY PLANNING - DESIGN - MARKET RESEARCH
Oak Park Heights - Valley Senior Services Alliance
General Plan Review
798.02 -98.02
Staff has received copies of the VSSA General Development Plans for Boutwell's Landing.
g
in anticipation of upcoming staff meetings and site plan reviews, 1 offer the following
g
comments related to the project. 1 have separated the lists into general issues and
information that needs to be clarified or received from VSSA to complete the review.
1. Overall, the plans are very similar to the approved Concept Plan, includin g overall
number of units and placement of the parking, park and open spaces, as well as the
residential units.
2. VSSA has asked the City to consider removing the center landscaped median from
the main parkway. Staff should comment on this issue.
3. The name for the parkway will not be "Haase Parkway". VSSA should develo p an
acceptable roadway name.
5 The wetland area west of the main parking will not be called "Haase Nature
Preserve ". The Park Commission has indicated they would like the park areas to
be named Boutwell's Park.
6. The plans show that the trail between 58th Street and the main arkwa
� y
immediately to the west of River Hills has been eliminated. Staff should comment
on this issue.
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA 554 1 6
FAX 6 1 2- 595 -9837 E -MAIL NAC@ WINTERNET,COM
7 The lighting plan shows that the trail lighting originally ro osed through the
p p g
development has been eliminated. Staff should comment on this issue.
8. The Parks Commission has expressed interest in the development of a combination
park shelter and recreational center for the VSSA project. The original Concept
p
Plans had indicated a separate recreational building for VSSA that is now not
indicated on the plans for either phase. One structure could be placed within the
park that could provide for year round utilization for the project's residents and
public meetings /recreational programs.
9. Jay Johnson, Public Works Director has expressed concern with right -of -wa y and
street widths for the proposed development. These issues should be discussed
with staff and City Council. A copy of a memo from Jay related to this issue is
attached.
10. The architects have added fourteen visitor parking stalls within the northwest corner
of the project. Staff should comment on whether this will be adequate.
11. The plans should be revised to include turn around areas on some of the
exceptionally long or curved driveways for the westerly twinhomes.
12. The trail connection to the High School's Environmental Living Center should be
discussed further with School District representatives. A gate and signage would
be added to limit access only to pedestrians. The options for moving the historic
school house structure onto high school property from the Valley Senior Services
Alliance property should also be discussed.
Information Required /Clarified
Grading / Stomwater Plans
1. Stormwater calculations are required from the project engineer for the project.
2. Landscape details around the stormwater ponding areas and for other areas
disturbed by grading within the parks should be specified.
Tree Preservation /Landscape Plans
1. Additional landscaping details for the area south of the main parkway, especially
in that area adjacent to the access roadway to River Hills must be provided.
2
2. Plant schedules should be provided for all landscape plans. The schedules should
include all varieties used and quantity and size for each.
3 All tree preservation/replacement/inventory plans and specifications required by the
City Arborist shall be provided.
4 The landscape plans should be revised to reflect the addition of the 10 stall arkin
p g
area in the northwest corner of the project.
Trails
1. Trail within the westerly park area is shown within the ponding area. Revised trail
locations should be specified.
2 Plans should be provided to the City related to proposed trail crosswalks, including
signage and other means for creating safe crossings.
3. Plans for the trail bridge within the wetland should be provided.
Snow Removal
1. Snow removal plans for the private street should be provided.
Signage
.
Signage plans for the development should be provided, including the monument
signs at the parkway entrances.
pc: Kris Danielson
Skip Sorenson
Barb Barry
3
From: jjohnson <jjohnson cityofoakparkheights.com>
To: 'Joe Anderlik' <janderlik bonestroo.com >; `Lindy Swanson'
<lmswans @ cityofoakparkheights.com >; 'Scott Richards` <nac@ winternet.com >;
'Thomas Melena' <tmelena @ cityofoakparkheights.com >; 'Kris Danielson'
<kdan ielson cityofoakparkheights. com>
Date: Thursday, January 28, 1999 11:27 AM
Subject: VSSA Street layout
1 took a quick look at the layout of the VSSA Phase 1 plans in Scott's
office. The street right of way is measured on the drawings as 55 feet and
cul -de -sac diameter at 100 feet. Using Autumn Ridge as the representative
of the current City standard the street width should be 60 feet and the
cu -de -sac diameter 120 feet. However, from the preliminary plat !cannot
tell if the cu -de -sac is a public street or a shared drive way for the
three buildings. Also the lighting layout has a different building
configuration than the construction drawing. If the construction drawings
are correct they have designed in snow storage to the cul -de -sacs. If the
lighting drawing is correct the cul -de -sac labeled Preserve Court will have
trouble with snow.
Having a 55 foot street right of way we can still fit a standard 32 foot
street but the utilities will be squeezed on the edges.
The 100 foot diameter cul- de-sac will not fit the 94 foot diameter pavement
and have adequate room for utilities and snow storage. Narrower pavement
will make plowing and fire truck access more difficult. Large fire trucks
(the ladder truck) may have to back out of the cul -de -sac after a fire.
Recommendation. Increase the diameter of the cul -de -sacs right of way.
Revise the lighting drawing to match the construction drawings for
building placement.
!will be taking a more detailed review of the drawing in the next couple
of days.
Jay
2/8/99
Page 1 of 1
0
PLANT HEALTH ASC
Memo To : Scott Richards
City of Oak Park Heights
Franc: Katharine D. Widin 3117199
Municipal Arborist
Re: VSSA Submittals for Tree e Preservation Ilan and Landscaping
. � utwell's Landing project is still incomplete. in order
l o The tree protection for the X30 g �
replacement cai culati ons,1 will need the areas of evergreens
to be able to verify the tree p given separate summary
the same plan as the deciduous trees. 1 have been g p
delineated on th p the hand- sketched maps that
are useful; however, Z am not able to decipher
sheets which ar �
were sent to me with the summary sheets. it is not possible to tell from the sketches
located in relation to the construction that will be
exactly where the evergreen areas are According
u i and which areas will be saved and which removed. g
to the City's
occ rr ��g9
Ordinance, a tree protection plan is to be submitted by the
proposed Tree Pr-otection. fir' q p erv�ous surfaces
p s: "location of all buildings, structures, or imp
developer which contains: "delineation areas to be graded an
to be built upon the land", delineation of all and the limits
g ,
contemplated . 9' �d • p � of all existing significant trees • For this
of land disturbance", "size, species and location � � � �
treed areas, both native and planted, we have allowed some
project, due to the extensive tre �
estimation of the numbers of significant trees. We have not required the individual listing
s so i t is particularly important to see where the groups of
of all of the planted evergreens, p
evergreens are �
rE n relation to the construction. At the very least,
the location of all
or within 30 feet of the grading limits needs to be
significant trees in the construction zone • t will have on the significant trace
that l can determine what impact the project ha
onthcplansotha .
trees affected by the construction., or the amount of
on site. if � cannot verify the amount of r Y a 'lI need
• - cannot verify the number of replacement trees which w�
trees existing on the site, z ca.n o y, useful tool in determining
provided. A complete tree protection plan also serves as a u
to b prc� p p
where tree protection measures wi ll need to be implemented.
enlented.
2. The � requires that the developer show, as part of
� he proposed tree protection ordnance also r €l .�� would likes
p p easures to be taken to protect significant bees . 1 woul
the tree protection plan, the nl
wil! be used to protect trees within 30 feet of the
to see what fencing and other measures will p nrn.n
. concern are the trees in the woodland adjoining Aui
grading limits. Of southeast of the large
• area where the g
Ridge and also the are parkway bissects the oak grove so p
wetland.
i have plant material specifications included. These
�a All of the landscape plans need to ha m
p .. � for
include lam. identification, quantities and sizes. The designs submitted
specifications incl p
the typical p p
l 4- lex and duplex do not include this information.
mediae' plantings have been eliminated. This was an
�a 1 am disappointed that the parkway � plan. � would i eke to
ral a nd very attractive component of the landscaping p
interesting, � nteg �' the width of the parkway and consequently
how the removal of this median will affect h p� .
see ho wetland complex. x. 'W�ll i t be possible to save
the oak grove to the southeast of the large p � wan in that area°
g l also like to see the detail for the retaining in
more of those oaks? l would
P02