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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-12-15 Minutes 1 MINUTES OF THE Edina Transportation Commission Thursday, December 15, 2005 Edina Senior Center 5280 Grandview Square Sherwood Room MEMBERS PRESENT: Les Wanninger, Warren Plante, Ellen Cerf, Joni Kelly Bennett, Jean White, Geof Workinger, Marie Thorpe, Marc Usem MEMBERS ABSENT: Dean Dovolis STAFF PRESENT: Steve Lillehaug, Sharon Allison, Wayne Houle I. Call to order The meeting was called to order by chair Wanninger. He welcomed new member, high school student Commissioner Ellen Cerf to the ETC. II. New Business a. Westin Edina Galleria, 3460 West 70th Street Lillehaug stated that the developers are seeking approval for final development plan and conditional use permit for 3460 West 70th Street to facilitate development of the site to an 18- story, 79 residential unit condominium/225 room hotel building along with a 7,000 square foot restaurant and parking ramp. The applicants Warren and Peter Beck as well as the developer Ryan Companies’ Mark Swenson and Eric Anderson, and traffic consultant RLK’s Vern Swing were in attendance. Staff is recommending approval of the Traffic Study and Travel Demand Management Plan prepared by RLK, Inc., subject to six conditions being met. Swing, Principal Traffic Engineer, explained that with or without construction, the level of service is expected to be at level C or better (level D is the minimum threshold), taking into consideration the Target expansion and a 1.5% growth. Swing said they are in agreement with staff’s conditions for approval. Commissioners’ discussion centered on connecting Southdale to the Galleria (this will be kept in mind as Southdale continues with their plans for redevelopment said Houle); future growth and impact on W. 70th St. (1.5% growth expected each year for next 20 years); concern regarding hotel generated traffic in an area not considered a destination spot; making the area pedestrian friendly from the hotel to the hospital (discussions have taken place but no definite plan has been laid out). A motion was made by Thorpe to approve the traffic study and seconded by Plante. Ayes – 6 Nayes – 2 (White, Kelly Bennett) 2 b. Target, Redevelopment Expansion, 7000 York Avenue Lillehaug said an official application is not yet submitted for this site, but a Traffic Impact Study was submitted for approval. The proposed redevelopment plan is to expand Target from 154,000 square feet to 196,500 square feet, making it a SuperTarget. Staff is recommending approval subject to six conditions being met. John Dietrich with RLK said they conducted the traffic study before submitting the application because they wanted the City to be able to look at the traffic impact jointly due to the proximity of the Westin Edina Galleria redevelopment. There are currently five (5) access points to this site and one (1) is proposed to be closed. Overall, the level of services will remain the same, except for W. 70th St. where the level will drop from an A to C but it will be safer. RLK is in agreement with all the conditions, except for condition #3 (meeting the 95% queue length). Dietrich indicated the existing storage length at the entrance is being doubled with this proposal and accommodates approximately 90% queue length design. Commissioners’ discussion centered on giving some assurance that delivery semi-trailers will not go into the residential area of W. 70th St. (this will be brought up with Target); berms blocking the sightline at the southwest entrance will be dealt with; pedestrian crosswalk at W. 70th as well as at Hazelton; A motion was made by Kelly Bennett to approve the traffic study and seconded by Wanninger. Staff was directed to resolve the disagreement on condition #3 with RLK. Ayes – 8 Nayes – 0 III. Approval of Minutes Corrections to the minutes of October 20th as follow: delete Fred Richards from Members Present; Item II, 3rd paragraph, last sentence delete ‘transit’ and insert ‘transportation.’ A motion was made by Workinger to approve the minutes with the above corrections and seconded by Cerf. Ayes – 8 Nayes – 0 IV. Planning Commission Update No report at this time. V. Meeting adjourned. The next regular meeting is scheduled for January 19, 2006, 6:00-8:00 p.m., in the Community Room, City Hall.