6. PCSR 05-11-2004 )1*
Item # 6 .
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Elk
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning Commission
Au
FROM: Scott Harlicker, Senior Planne ;i�l,
DATE: May 11, 2004
SUBJECT: The Miske Property - Coving vs. Grid
Request
Attached is the proposed Orin Thompson plat of the Miske property called River Park. The
developer is proposing to plat the property utilizing the "coving concept". The Commission
drove through a coving project in Otsego during the mobile tour at the April workshop
meeting. As an alternative to the coving concept, and in response to the attached memo
from the City Engineer, staff put together a grid style plat utilizing alleys,pedestrian
greenways and dwelling units fronting on greenways. The units would be a mix of single
family and urban row style townhomes.
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F.IENG16 3 3 0 012 6 410WGI11001P0-PRE PI AT OVERALL.dwg,04/26/7004 12 51 27 PM.Cra'gB.1'.2
rb Howarc R. Green Company
March 17, 2004
File: 821880J-0240
Ms. Michele McPherson
Director of Planning
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
RE: RICK HARRISON CONCEPT PLAN
MISKE PROPERTY
Dear Ms. McPherson:
As you are aware, I have significant concerns about the Rick Harrison Conceptual Plan for
development of the Miske property. My concerns revolve around two items: Safety and additional
costs of operation and maintenance of the public infrastructure. As such, I have discussed my
concerns and gathered information from other department heads and will attempt to quantify the
various concerns in this correspondence.
1. The Fire Chief expressed significant concerns relative to the time required for
emergency responses because of two issues. First, the difficulty in street naming and
addresses and the ability of an emergency response vehicle to drive directly to that
address; and secondly, with all of the curved streets in the development, the speed at
which they can get to the middle of the development will be greatly reduced.
2. There is estimated to be 721 units in this development. Generally, this type of
development will generate from six to ten trips per unit. That means there will be
between 4,500 and 7,000 vehicle trips throughout the development. Virtually all of the
roads in the development are curvilinear. As drivers become more familiar with the
street network in the neighborhood in which they live, they will tend to pick up speed,
and as such, the curves tend to be straightened out by the driver. This means it will be
difficult to keep vehicle traffic on their own side Of the roadway, especially on roadways
that have lower volumes of traffic.
3. With all of the curves in the development, many of the site distances required for safe
vehicle travel are across the fronts of private property. These areas could easily be
built up with trees, shrubs and other landscaping that will limit the site distance. The
same is true relative to stopping distance at intersections.
4. It will be virtually impossible for snow removal equipment to determine where the edge
of the roadway is in large snowfalls. With the setback of the houses all varying and the
curves of the road, the snowplow driver will essentially be guessing where the edge of
the curb is. This will likely lead to poor snow removal, or in the other case, removal of
significant amounts of sod from the boulevard areas.
Ltr-031704-McPherson.doc
2550 University Avenue West • Suite 400N • St. Paul, MN 55114 • 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389
Ms. McPherson
March 17, 2004
Page Two
5. From a sanitary sewer standpoint, there will be a significant increase in the number of
manholes required in this development because of the curved streets. That will lead to
increased costs for the maintenance of the sanitary sewer system. The Sewer
Department annually cleans all sanitary sewer lines from one manhole to other. With
the increase in manholes, there will be an increase in the amount of time and setups
required to clean the sanitary sewer system in this development. In addition, with the
varying setbacks of the homes, some as far as 125 feet back from the property line, the
sanitary sewer system will need to be significantly deeper to allow for this additional
service length. This again will add to the cost of operating and maintaining the sanitary
sewer system.
6. The same is true of the storm drainage system. Given the curved roads, there will be
many more manholes and/or catchbasins to provide for a storm sewer collection
system. Normal maintenance of these structures will increase in time and cost because
of the increase in structures for the size of the development.
7. There will likely be a significant increase in the number of hydrants throughout the
development due to the varying and sometime relatively large setback of the homes.
This increase in hydrants will lead to an increase in operation and maintenance of the
water system.
8. How will the City control the construction of the homes at the appropriate setback and
angle that they are laid out in this development? As we are all well aware, many times
developments do not end up how they start relative to who is building the homes.
Different builders look at lots differently. There would need to be some mechanisms to
require homes of a specific style at a specific elevation and a specific setback. I think
this would be virtually impossible under the City's current system to regulate and
monitor.
It is my recommendation and I believe the departments I spoke with support that this development
style should not be allowed to move forward. If you have any questions regarding any of these
comments, please call.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
Terry.E.
TJM:sw
Ltr-031704McPherson.doc
Howard R. Green Company