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PL 11/20/1985 - 30641� INFOf�7AL PUBLIC HEAFtING ON PROPOSED DEVELOPPIENT BY 6d00DBRIDGE PROPERTIES FOR 100 TWIN DRIVE-IN SITE - NOVEMBER �0, 1985 - 7:30 P.P�. r�r, David ��[eir, President of Wood6ridge Pr.operties, introduced himself and thanked those in the audience for coming. He stated Woodbridge Pro�erties ho�ed to be their neigfi6or, and 6efore proceeding with their proposed develop- � ment, thev �ranted to get t'iipat from the neig�i6orfiood, Mr. Weir stated t6e property in question �vas that known as the 100 Twin Drive-in site. He stated there was also a piece of pror�ertv owned by the Johnson family that they did not own. They are havit�g discussions Rn�tfi P�r. Johnson, 6ut he did no� �kno4�r w[iere those discus-sions �al d l ead. �9r. �deir stated 6+loodbridge Properties' first concern was traffic. That was._..a concern quickly reconfirmed wfien t�.ey approached the City. The City and the nelghbors �ave experienced traffic �ro6lems and congestion in this area for some tl�e, 13e stated tF�iey learned a traffic study had been prepared for the City about a year ago. Because of tfieir concern tfiat tFie traffic study was adequate, thev also retained a traffic consultant to review the plan and to look at their proposed concept to mafce sure tfiey totally eliminate any�pro6lems that exist todav and not create any more pro6lems �Prom t�iezl^ development. He �ated traffic eaas as important to them in running a 6usiness parC or 6ast'ress campus as it was to anyone living tn the area. People will lease space, 6ut tfiey will not renew that lease if there are tra�ffic or parfcing pro61 ems. i�r. k[eir stated fie would 1�"�e: to as� �or t'l�pat regardi'hg traffic problems that e�sist toda�. The residents made the following e�atements regarding traffic:. * There is a lot of traffic coming off 6Jest �loore La[ce Drive onto Highway 65 in the morning (6:30 - 8:00 a.m.j, and it is very difficult to get out onto Highway 65. Traffic coming down Highway 65 from the north actually block them off from entering Highway 65 because of cars waiting�to get onto tfie entrance ramn to 694. * Difficulty coming off 694 exit ramp from the east and trying to cross Hig�iway 65 traf�Pfc going nort6 to maCce a left turn at Highway 65/Old Central intersection. * Have some of the congestfon problems been caused b,y the metering of the light onto 694 entrance ramp? * Do you thin[c fixing the 694 6ridge over the river is going to help the build-up on thgs particular ramp? Even when tne traffic is movinq at a goad rate, it still builds up 6ecause of traffic coming down Htghway 65 from the north. * The alternating metering ligFits on the entrance ramo to 694 is what causes traffic to build up. � � �� � INFORP�AL PUBLIC HEARIPJG ON PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BY WOODBRIDGE PROPERTIES FOR 100 TWIN DRflJE-IN STTE -- N0�IEMBER 20, 1985 - 7:30 P.M. PAGE 2 *��[e have a yield slgn cvming from West Ploore La[ce Drive onto Highwa�r 65. �Ie never fiave t�ie right--of��ray, and oncoming traffic has t4�o lanes. If' tFie light at intersectlon was changed so we had a"right turn only" light, tFiat �rould allevfate the pro6lem. * That intersection �rould almost need to 6e an "eight phase" in�ersection so eacfi movement of traffic has its ovvn 1 igFit. * One solution �ould 6e a 6ridge under the freeway so we can get south to alleviate some traffic to tfie south out of that area. * t�hen traffic gets Ave. from 7tFi St. a speedway now. 6acrced up on Central, people �r-ill cut through on 57th There are a lot of cFiildren in tfifs area. It is * Don`t want to see anv more trafftc pus�ed onto 57th Ave. and 7th St. May6e �here s�iould 6e "no truck trafi'�Fic" during certafn times of the day. * Looking at the approach to tF�e site, suspect a fairi,u major flow of tra�ffic coming from the east on 694 are going to find out it is a lot easier to enter tFie site 6q� 6ypassinq Hig�iway 65, gofng to Universit,y, and coming up 57�h and driving down on 7th St. Concerned there would be qui'te a 6it of trucF traffic comfng in this wa,y. Can access be restricted on that side and C�eep all trucC� traffic coming in �From Highway 65? Mr. Weir stated he i�►ould lifce to tal[c about the zoning and use for the pronerty. He stated the property has 6etween 2,800 and 2,900 linear feet of interstate freewa�r frontage. He stated they have had numerous requests from discount retailers, Budgetels, off-price t�rpes of discounting operatfons--all of which �rould 6_e per�itted under-,tFie current zonfng wFiich is C-3. When they initially approached the City, they expressed tFie concern a6out the traffic which the Cit�� was also concerned about. The Cit,y wants to have the traffic nroblems of. today resolved, 6ut tFiey want to ma[ce sure t�iere is no 6urden placed on the propertu taxpayers in this neighborhood. The Cit�r has devised a way� through a tax incre- ment plan to be able to use the increased taxes from taxing the proposed develop- ment to pay for the cost of the interchange improvement. Mr. �(eir stated Woodbridge Properties has chosen to have a very high quality development, rather than have a discount operation--to have a very high quality master plan 6usiness campus ivitfi a lot of landscaping, green area, public �reas the entire �ommunity can enjoy, jogging trails going around the property, a plaza area with fount.ains, something that will really set off the site as being very, very lusf�, first class, and a good place for people to work. He stated the City has been very eager to encourage them in this regard. Mr. �leir stated he would li[ce to ask the �eeling of those in the audience as to what their preference was related to the master plan business campus type of ^ approach or the more traditional commercial t�rpe of development. 1C INFORP�AL PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED DEVELOPP�ENT BY 1J00DBRIDGE PROPERTIES FOR ,P""1 lOQ T�i[IN DRTVE�-IN SITE - NOVEMBER 2Q, 1985 - 7:30 P.I�'I. PAGE 3 Most of t6.e people in the audience indicated they would definitely prefer the high quality office par[c, rather than a commercia1 development. One resident stated 6e li�ed t�e idea of having office buildings; however, he was concerned about tEie 6u�fer zone 6etween t�e develo�ment and the residential pror�erties, Mr. I�eir stated Fie �rorald 6riefl�r descri6e some of' the details of the develonment. He stated t6e �7o[innson propert�r has 6een e�ccluded at tFiis time. They do show a site plan �rhere they co�ld accommodate a two-story 6uilding in this north entry area. It would reqaire realigning t�e roadway pattern, but they have shown it with t�e 6uilding pulled away �rom the neig66ors. Mt^. G�eir stated the project would 6e fiailt in phases. It totals 745,000-746,000 s.q, �t. of proposed space, T[ieq� t"ntend to start tfie first o�ffce bullding in the s_�Y�ing of 1986, vrit� tC1e understandt'l�q t�t tFie Cit� will 6e underta[cing plans l�n 1986�87 to ma�e sure t� irtterc�ange is improved at the same time 694 is widened. NJt^. �1eir st�ted t[iey plan to 6ufld a 6usiness ciass hotel that would cater to the bus�ness traveler and larger employers in the area, with a ring route around the property for circulation. They fiave pulled ifie buildings well away from the residential areas. ParCcing structures have 6een suppressed 1/2 story under ground/ ,—, 1/2 storg� above groand and close to t�ie 6ufldings. jMl^. I�eir stated one thing they feel is extremely important when they start a project is to come in, execute the master plan, put in the landscaping around the entire area, put in the jogging trails, ligFiting, signage, and convey to the public that this is the Lake Polnte Corporate Center, which is a high quallty place for people to wor[c. Even though the 6uildings will be phased, the property will not be phased as t6ey go along, causinq a lot �f disruntion in the area as things are huilt. Mr. Weir stated there �vill 6e primary means of ingress and egress on 7th St. It was his understandfng there would 6e two means of ultfmately dispersing traffic on the west side of tfie site. One would be on 7th St. to 57�h Ave.,which has been widened already to accommodate additional traffic, and the other would be to come around the sound barrier wall to tie in with 57th to University Ave. �Jr. f�eir stated there will definitely be a berm to provide a buffer from the 1^esidential ; Fiowever, he did not have tFie final design. One resident stated he would ]i�e to see �he buffer extended. Twent�c feet was nov.adequate. One resident asked about the number of parking spaces. Mr. Weir stated that, including the par[cing structures, there was a total of ^ 2,500 par[cing spaces. A resident asked what types of tenants would typicallv occupy the office space. � INFORPIAL PUBLIC HEARIPdG ON PROPOSED DEVELOPI�ENT BY WOODBRIDGE PROPERTIES FOR 100 Td�IN DRIVE-IN SITE - NOVEM�ER 20, 1985 - 7:30 P.MI. PAGE 4 Mr. I�eir stated a near6N �roject tfiey� have done w�ich was Quite a bit smaller than t�iis one was across from McGuires in Arden Hills. Some of the �tenants in that development were H. B. Fuller� Co., Central Federal P�ortgage Co., Universal Title, Ban� of America, Commercial Finance, etc. T�ei.r whole approach is to design and own and manage verq� hig� quall''ty office and business park environments. The types of tenants they attract are eager to be in tfieir properties; tenants expect a lot o�' services, and they treat their facilities as an employee amenity. He stated it is a resource for t�em to attract and maintain top caliber people. The only service retail type of 6usiness tF�ey contemplate would be a travel or laundr!r service related to t6e of'�ice use. A resident as�ed how long it �rould ta[�e 6efiore tfie development was finished. Mr. Weir stated they Fiave developed a conservative staging plan that goes over a period of 8-9 years. Because tf�ey are investment 6uilders, thev build buildings without having tenants in advance. A resident asked what [cind of s.ite lighting would be used, especially at night. Mr. �Jeir stated they tend to use a 6ox-type downligfiting fixiure. That tyne of liqhting �vas not only to protect tF�i.e residents, fiut it also created a different �ind o� envi�ronment and 6etter atmospfiere. It was a su6tle way of conveytng the � qualtty they have in a 6usiness park. Mr. Weir introduced P�r. Jim Benshoof, President of Benshoof & Associates, and a Registered Transportation Engineer, who could give the residents an update on what the City had proposed as far as traffic and answer any questions. Mr. Jim Benshoof stated they 6egan their worF by reviewing a study conducted for the City of Fridle,y about a year ago�of w�iat roadway improvements were possibly needed. T�ey then forecasted the traffic associated with this specific proposal t6at would have two points of entry and exit--to the east and to the west. They orojected 6n�r mucfi traffic the develo�ent would add to the streets in the area, -�t�g�t �5 and University Ave., and tfien analyzed the particular roadways that ��1���most a��ected 6.q� t�e development trafft'�. �e �ad a drawing tFiat repre- sented their prelfminary recommendations �Por upgrading the Highwav 65 intersection. Mr. Benshoof stated �vhat t[iey found in analyzing the Highway 65 intersection was that it was at its capacity, if not over capacity, so they concurred with the concerns expressed a6out the current difficulties at this intersection. Further, they learned from MnDOT that MnDOT expects continued growth in the volumes on Hiqhway 65. They are hopeful the 610 bridge crossinq the Mississippi River to tfie �rest wfll provide some relief. At the same time, they are projecting continued ��Q� i� �1al�e and ot6er communities in that a�ea th�t would have further traffic on HigGway 65,� T�ie net result would 6e that even if there is no develo�ment on ��ropert�, condt''t�ns �rould get v�orse causing tFie need for more improvements. L�t��s a�sc� a co�clast�n o�P t�ie trafifi'c engineer�s report done �or the Cit�� about %�� � �� "�Qa lE INFORMAL PUBLIC HEARIPJG ON PROPOSED DEVELOPPIENT BY 1J00DBRIDG� PROPERTIES FOR �''-'� T�.O-. 'FI�N DR�1/E-IN S�1'E � NOUEPI6ER 20, 1985 �- 7:30 P.P�. PAGE 5 Mr. Benshoof stated that with future proposed improvements, the intersection �1y 1 accommodate tf� future tra�Pfic growth associated with this development and Q� �ro�� antty �h� year ZQUO and o�ill accommodate the total traffic at a level ��'e�p��e �sent�'�l ly�� �e same as no�v provided. �`Jr. �ensfioof outlined the following improvements: - Their concept would involve upgrading the east leg of the intersection identically to tfie way the City engineering consultant had recommended, and that was sltgFit widening to provide tero lanes for left turn from the e�st to go soat�, one lane to continue to tFie west, and the right turn ��ld_�e an i`�l.�nd to t[ie north, separate the frontage road to allow �ot^ cl ear s�tac�ilig di3tance in t�iat area. Furt�er feature rel ati ng to �e east leg and also t�e �rest �ras t6at tCe signal phasing be changed to ��e a�sep�rate R6ase �'o�° the east leg and a separate phase for the west 1eg so traffic coming from the west to Highway 65 would not be interfered i�tf� fiy� traffic from the east. � The need for a second left turn lane from tbe south to accommodate the traffic coming into the site from t6e soath. That could be accomplished v�ith slight widening to the west side of 65. �"� ��rom �F�ie north, tC1e ne.ed for a tfiird through lane to provide the additional ����Ettu needed, �t �[ouid then 6e accommodated by utilizing the existing �� ta�n l�ne �o�^ p�e�erred trafftc and r�idening 5-12 ft. to the west to �rovi�le for� ne.�r right turn lane from the north to go to the west. � T�e �rest side �rould be reconfigured in a manner that would seek to accommo- date trips to and from the site, but at the same time discourage inappropriate use of West Ploore La[ce Drive to the north and west. So, the major orienta- tion avould be to and from the new roadwa,v through the site with West Moore La�e Drive coming to a T-intersection with that roadway, so the natural o1�%entation of t�ie new development traffic would be clearly oriented on #�t ro�dQta,�. 1�rom tfi.e w+est, t�iis roadway would provide three lanes approaching 65. This leg would have an exclusive phase of the signal to allow traffic to clear out without interference from any other traffic. One resident stated they still had the problem of traffic from the north blocking access to 63 from West Moore Lake Drive in the morning because of stacking to get onto 694. Mr. Benshoof stated he believed the upgrading of 694 would increase its caaacit,v; thereby reducing the meter timing and significantiv relieving the stackfnq situation. Mr. Benshoof stated he would try to answer the particular points raised by the residents earlier in the meeting. �..1 Mr. Benshoof stated a point raised was that in the evening peak period, it was dtfficult to make a 1eft turn coming from the east and crossing and then turning left at West Moore Lake Drive. That was caused by the limited distance between the ramp and the intersection and there really was nothing that could be done to improve that. 1F IPJFO�s1AL PUBLIC HEARING OPJ PROPOSED DEVELOPP1EPdT BY 4�OODBRIDGE PROPERTIES FOR �'°'+i 100 DRIVE-IN SITE - NOVEMBER 20, 1985 - 7:30 P.MI. PAGE 6 fi ��'�1'�lent stated that on tFe extt ramp from t6e east, coul dn `t they exi t onto ��1�onta�e road t�iat runs paral l el to 65? �r., �en�oo� stated t�at �as a conceht that could certainly be Znvestigated. To wor� �rell, it would require some separation between the highway and the frontage road in order to allow s�ace to 6rinq the opposing direction of flot.v on the frontage road to the intersection, and there was not much space to work with. �Jr. Benshoof' stated someone had mentioned the signal phasing, and he concurred �tl��i,t6at oC�servation. l�t�. flens600f stated a comment �ras made about a need for a bridge under the freeway. -He-s�ated tFiat, o�' conrse, 7t� St, was available, and they anticipate it will be �sed � s �'2�ni`Picantl y. Mr. �enshoof stated there were questions about 57th Ave. and its potential use by development traffic. He stated they have carefully considered the directions people will want to travel from �he development and the routes available to them. Based on that, tfiey really do not expect to see much development traffic, aside �rmm �eople ��o lt�ie in t�ie neig�6orFiood, using this segment of 57th. - �Jr. Bens�oof stated a concern about truck traffic was expressed. He stated it n ���rd..to restrl�t tr�c�s to particular routes since 57th and 7th were adequate . r°q���s.. I�e Ct'�n� �ro�ld _6�ve to reg�late crhat roadways trucks can use. One �� 11t a�� -t�po�^t�nce �tas- t�e ��e several c�ioices avai 1 ab1 e to traffi c enteri ng �I� 3-� � �ie dewel oproent e A��i�ient as�ed i��p tFiere were any plans for the intersection at University and -57�� �t �as 6etter tFian tEie intersection at Central, but he did not think it �as going to be able to handle any increased traffic pattern that will occur as a result of this development. �Jr, Bens[ioof stated they have addressed University Ave. as well as Highwa.y 65 and �ound it is operating at a better level than High�ray 65. In the future, the City's con�altant assigned additional traffic t6rough the intersection for the development co� �ered at t6at tt�e and �o�nd t6at wl'th some minor rephasing of the traffic ���1, �e i�tersec�ion would accommodate the traffic they projected. �C^. BensFwof stated their ftndings were quite consistent with that of the City's consultant`s projections with some minor adjustments to intersection signal timing that sFiould meet traffic needs. One resident stated that regarding 57th and 7th St., had any consideration been given to a 4-way stop for the people coming down 57th going westbound and traing to cross 7th St.? It was a nroblem now during rush hour. Mr. Benshoof stated they have addressed the adequacy of that existing traffic ^ control whether there should be any changes, and the results indicate there would �e a high likeliE�ood, prior to full development of the proposal, o� sorr�e �ustiftcation for a 4-way stop control at the 57th/7th intersection. 1G I�dFORMAL PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED DEVELOPP�ENT BY WOODBRIDGE PROPERTIES FOR r''� 100 T���IN DRIVE-IN SITE - NOVE�'IIBER 20, 1985 - 7:30 P.P1. PAGE 7 Qn� p�sldent 1 i.u�na= on 6dest f�oore Lake Drive stated he was at the meetinci not so �J�acJi �'or� tF� drtve�in prope�ty as he was for the Johnson property. He had no p�o�lem �itFi the development as proposed for the drive�-in property, but he would no� ltfe to see, �Por example, a drugstore on the Johnson property. He asked how seriously V�oodbridge Properties was negotiating wlth ��r. Johnson to include that property in the development. Mr. Crauch, attorney for Mr. Johnson, stated there have been some negotiations and these negotiations are ongoing at this time. One resident stated this was the best looking project so far that has been proposed for the drive-in property. i�r. l�eir stated that on bebalf of Woodbridge Properties and the City, he wanted to �hqnk the residents for coming and for sharing tfieir concerns and providing some i��ut, In�orr,�al pufilic Fiearing adjourned at 9:D0 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, � Lynne Saba � �1/f/vGD 8/1 I�J� � DE YEL a�1r�E/1/T , i'� ► � • �� t . . �- , , � �� � �. � t� ./1, i.�I �� ' I•f �/ � ,� � / . :�� -.�� ��� . � �"� �"1 f�DD�t.E'.l',J � � � � �iQ �v�� S �-��, � �� � A�. ��� � 7 �� .�'o � G�u- L��.�,c-- ,�-�o � �7� � �� �/°� •�,�:�=(�i o�°u�n��i��r� �/v V Z v� l�s! 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