4.3. SR 05-26-1998ity of
River
MEMORANDUM
Item #4.3.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor & City Council
Pat Klaers, City Admini.~~
May 26, 1998
Library Parking Lot
The Mayor has requested that this issue come back to the City Council for
additional discussion on the options for the expansion of the library parking
lot. It was getting late during the Council meeting when this item was
proposed and I think everyone feels that some additional information should
be presented to the Council.
The city purchased the Ryding property north of the library last fall. At that
time staff discussed with the library personnel the public comments they had
received regarding the expansion of the parking area and the saving of trees
on this site. Stafflooked at this concern and also at the possibility of making
the center drive isle narrower. By making the center driving surface
narrower, it was thought that the parking lot would be safer rather than
having a large area for more free movement of vehicles. Additionally, by
making the center aisle area narrower there would be more green space
provided.
The Library Board did not hke the idea of reducing the center drive area and,
in fact, felt just the opposite about the safety issue. The Board felt that the
larger driving area was safer for the patrons walking to and from the hbrary.
This input was received at the Planning Commission level and the issue was
tabled for more review.
At the March 23 City Council CIP meeting, I provided a brief update on the
hbrary parking lot expansion proposal. The City Council indicated to me at
that meeting that they wanted to add as much additional parking as
possible.
After the Planning Commission tabled this issue, city staff met with the
Library Board on site and ultimately agreed upon a plan. The proposal
resulted in a mirror image of what is the existing parking lot and essentially
doubled the number ofpubhc parking spaces from 18 to 36. This plan
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
Library Parking Lot
May 18, 1998
Page 2
retained the large center driving area and the large green space area along
Proctor Avenue. The plan kept the 72 feet of east/west blacktop and, with
the four staff stalls, included a total of 40 parking spaces. This is the plan
the City Council approved on May 18, 1998 (see attachment).
After visiting with the Mayor, I learned that I had misunderstood City
Council input on 3/23/98 and didn't realize that the City Council desired
additional information on options and alternatives instead of simply viewing
the final proposal.
Accordingly, attached are some sketches of some alternatives and options for
your review. Some of the features in the A-E options may possibly be
combined to create the best option. None of these options have been reviewed
by the Library Board and it would seem appropriate to get their input ff a
different alternative is desired by the Council. By this I mean we should
receive comments on whether or not the drop off area is necessary and ff they
have any concerns about reducing green space adjacent to the single family
home and along Proctor Avenue in lieu of providing additional parking
spaces.
Staff will be present at the Council meeting to review the options in the
packet. Each option has some good points, but some options contain some
concerns. Brief comments from me include the following:
Option A.
Has parking in the north/south fashion and relocates the
entrance off of Proctor. Adds 12 additional spaces to the
plan the Council approved.
Option B.
Relocates the entrance off of Proctor. Has parking in a
north/south fashion, and provides six additional spaces.
Option C.
Was offered more for information than anything else and
does not seem acceptable to have parking in the center of
the driving area.
Option D.
Adds seven parking spaces to the plan the Council
approved, but may be confusing as the entrance off of
Proctor and exits onto 5th Street are one ways. If you
were in the western lane and wanted to park in the center
aisle, it appears that you would have to back into the
stall. Contains almost 100 feet of blacktop as measured
from east to west.
Library Parking Lot
May 18, 1998
Page 3
Option E.
Provides 17 more stalls than approved. Includes 104 feet
of blacktop in an east/west direction. I beheve the
variance required is 2 feet on the east and west setback
requirement of 10 feet. Additionally, this option paves up
to the property hne on 5th Street and, if the city were to
meet this setback requirement, then it would lose two
proposed parking stalls and the total provided would be
55, or 15 more than what the Council has approved. The
east and west variances of two feet each from the setback
requirement could be combined to be a four foot variance
on one side or the other with the remaining side meeting
the setback regulation.
As noted in the attachments, all of the options remove the existing trees on
site, and typically, staff recommends the preservation of green space and
trees as much as practical or possible. It may be possible to hve with the
expansion as approved by the Council at the meeting on the 18th and have
Option E (or something similar) as an alternative in the future ff additional
spaces are needed.
LIBRARY PARKING LOT EXPANSION
City
Elk
ver
C
i~¢.o c..-r'o ¢._ A,v"¢,,
PLANNING
DEPARTMENT
EXISTING CONDITIONS
City of
PLANNING
DEPARTMENT
12.
· 52 PARKING STALLS
· MEETS ZONING ORDINANCE
· 12 TREES REI'IOVED
· NO DROP-OFF AREA
I$
OPTION A
I/.-
46 PARKING STALLS
MEETS ZONING ORDINANCE
12 TREES REMOVED
, NO DROP-OFF AREA
OPTION B
- 45 PARKING STALLS
MEETS ZONING ORDINANCE
o 12 TREES REMOVED
UNSAFE PARKING
OPTION C
· 12 TREES REMOVED OPTION D
47 PARKING STALLS
ONE-WAY ANGLE PARKING
MEETS ZONING ORDINANCE
· 57 PARKING STALLS
· VIOLATES ZONING ORDINANCE
12 TREES REMOVED
OPTION E