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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999 05-13 PCP • PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER May 13, 1999 REGULAR SESSION 1. Call to Order: 7:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Minutes - April 15, 1999 4. Chairperson's Explanation The Planning Commission is an advisory body. One of the Commission's functions is to hold public hearings. In the matters concerned in these hearings, the Commission makes recommendations to the City Council. The City Council makes all final decisions in these matters. • 5. Ryan Companies Us, Inc. 99005 Request for Site and Building Plan approval for a 203,040 sq. ft. furniture distribution center as the first part of the redevelopment of the old Joslyn Pole Yard site (4837 France Avenue North). 6. Other Business 7. Adjournment �r i i • A Application Filed On 4-29-99 City Council Action Should Be Taken By 6-28-99(60 Days) Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 99005 Applicant: Ryan Companies US, Inc. Location: Westerly Portion of Joslyn Pole Yard(4837 France Avenue North) Request: Site and Building Plan Approval The applicant Ryan Companies US,Inc. on behalf of Twin Lakes Business Park, LLC (Paul Hyde) is seeking site and building plan approval to begin the redevelopment of the old Joslyn Pole Yard currently addressed as 4837 France Avenue North. The property in question is zoned I-2 (General Industry)and the Joslyn site is bounded on the north by the Soo Line Railroad with various open space and industrially zoned property on the opposite side of the railroad tracks; on the east by France Avenue; on the west by Twin Lake; and on the south by the Dale Tile Company, an off site parking lot,the former Davies Water Company and R-4 zoned property containing an apartment building,vacant land and some single family homes. The area proposed to be redeveloped is one of potentially three phases and is located on the westerly part of the site (see attached location map). • The applicant proposes in this phase of the redevelopment to construct a 203,040 sq. ft. furniture distribution center on a 12.24 acre portion of the property. This furniture distribution center is considered a permitted use in the I-2 zone under the category of wholesale trade activities. The Joslyn Pole Yard property, as the Commission is well aware,is listed as a Federal "Superfund Site"and has been undergoing a clean up of the property to an industrial standard under a supervised agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency(MPCA). The clean up has proceeded to the point where Real Estate Recycling(now Twin Lakes Business Park, LLC)has reached agreement to acquire the site as well as adjoining property(Davies Water Company and the off site parking lot for the Highway 100 France Avenue Racquet and Swim Club)and hopes to redevelop the property. All of this property will eventually be incorporated into their redevelopment proposal in various phases. The City has established a Soils Tax Increment Financing District(TIF)to assist in the redevelopment of this property. A soils district is one in which TIF monies are primarily used to acquire property and to pay the cost of remedial action necessary for the correction of contaminated property. A development agreement has been approved to proceed with the three phase redevelopment which could lead ultimately to the development of 400,000 to 500,000 sq. ft. of new construction which could also generate up to 600 full time jobs. • 5-13-99 Page 1 The City has worked with the developer with respect to conceptual plans for the development • and through the TIF process. An open house inviting neighboring property owners and residents in the area to see preliminary plans and to answer questions relating to the development was held on February 18, 1999. It was attended by the applicant and city staff members. Although the site and building plan process does not require a public hearing,we have sent informational notices of the Planning Commission's consideration to all those invited to the open house. ACCESS/PARKING Access to the site is to be provided from Azelia Avenue. The Minnesota Department of Transportation(MN/DOT) is preparing for an upgrading of T H 100 from Golden Valley to Brooklyn Center in various phases over a five year period. Part of that improvement will be the development of an interchange at France Avenue and the raising of the Soo Line Railroad bridge over T H 100. This will cause a need to redo access in the area. France Avenue,in all likelihood,will no longer be a through route because of grade problems at the Soo Line crossing. Access through the area is being looked at by extending Azelia and tying it into 50th Avenue at France Avenue. Details of this have not yet been worked out. The applicant is not planning to replat the property at this time but will be in the future in order to create the three building sites anticipated. Currently Azelia Avenue ends at the Joslyn south property line. Extension of the Azelia Avenue right of way would normally,be accomplished through the platting process. However, for access to be gained to the proposed site,the City will need,through an easement agreement,the description of an extension of Azelia Avenue. The access created in this site plan • is in anticipation of an Azelia Avenue continuation,however, only a turn around and access to the distribution center will be provided at this time. It is recommended that the easement agreement for an extension of Azelia be sufficient enough to comprehend the street extension and also sufficient enough area for a cul-de-sac to be installed if, for some reason,the roadway plan should change or subsequent redevelopment phases not proceed. Said easement should be subject to approval of the City Engineer for the appropriate area and subject to the City Attorney's approval as to form and content. Access to the actual distribution center from the potential Azelia extension would be to the southeast portion of the site leading to a 100 car parking lot and also two loading dock areas, one on the south side of the building and the other on the east side of the building. The office/customer service area is at the southeast corner of the building. Parking for this facility is based on a combination of the office(one space for every 200 sq. ft. of gross floor area) and the industrial (one space for every 800 sq. ft. of gross floor area)parking formulas. The 8,800 sq. ft. office space requires 44 parking spaces while the 194,240 sq. ft. of warehouse/industrial space requires 243 parking spaces for a total requirement of 287 parking spaces. The applicant indicates there will be a maximum of 80 employees on the site at any one time. Their plan calls for proof of parking of 181 spaces to be located around the north,west and south sides of the building. These spaces appear as dotted in on the site plan. The 181 proof of 5-13-99 Page 2 parking spaces and the 100 proposed to actually be installed total 281 parking spaces which is six • short of that required to meet the minimum. The additional spaces certainly can be provided by expanding the proof of parking areas. A proof of parking agreement will need to be executed between the applicant and the City noting a requirement of 287 spaces and proof of parking for 187 spaces. The site plan should be modified to reflect the six additional proof of parking spaces also. B-612 curb and gutter is required around all driving and parking areas and is noted on the plan. The loading dock areas are accessed through the parking lot. On the east wall of the distribution center there will be 29 loading docks,three at drive in level and 26 at dock height. The drive in and dock height doors are separated by a retaining wall. On the south side of the building the plan calls for nine dock height doors with a potential for three more. This area is separated from the parking area by a retaining wall Another access feature of the site*plan is a"fire access road"around the north and west sides of the building creating a circular drive around the building. This road will have a class five base with top soil and grass over the top. It will provide for the ability of the fire department to get equipment around all sides of the building. It will be marked and served by surmountable curb at the north and south sides of the site. This is similar to a fire access road provided by Jerry Steffens at his Sunlite Properties building in the industrial park. The Fire Chief has reviewed this concept and is okay with it. • GRADING/DRAINAGE/UTILITIES The applicant has provided a grading plan, a storm`water and erosion control plan, and a utilities plan which are being reviewed by the City Engineer. The plans show the 100 year flood elevation for Twin Lake which is 855.9 ft. The 100 year flood elevation serves as the westerly boundary of this development proposal. Further to the west is flood plain and wetlands that will not be disturbed with this particular development. The applicant proposes to do regrading on the site which is now fenced in and contains a large mound or berm along the west and a portion of the south side of the site. The MPCA has, or is reviewing,the applicant's plans and they will need to work around containment areas and monitoring wells on the site which will need to continue in order to monitor and treat ground water on the site. Drainage on the site from the paved areas will be handled by storm sewer which will collect water in the south loading area and parking lot as well as the easterly parking lot and convey water via storm sewer to a large sediment pond to be located to the north of the building. This ponding area will flow out to the lower level to the west. Another feature of the grading and storm water plans is a drainage swale to be located along the south side of the building in a landscaped area between the south parking lot/loading area and the south property line. This drainage swale will serve to convey water drained from the easterly portion of the site which is subject to future development through a pipe under the access drive to the site and into the drainage swale then westerly to the flood plain • 5-13-99 Page 3 y and wetland area. The roof and the westerly portion of the site will drain to a catch basin and Yp storm sewer which also leads to the westerly flood plain and wetland area. • Water is provided to the site from two locations,one along the south property line in an easement running from Azelia Avenue,the other in an easement area which will be located under the 4 extension of Azelia and under the driveway serving the site. The water line will loop around the entire building and will be connected to the building along the south side. Sanitary sewer will be provided also under the access drive from the extended Azelia Avenue and will tie into the building also along the south side. The portion of the site which is being developed is 12 plus acres and is subject to Shingle Creek Watershed Management review and approval. An application for Watershed consideration has been submitted and should be scheduled for the Watershed's May 13, 1999,meeting. Any approval of the site and building plans for this project should be contingent on the approval and compliance with Watershed District requirements. LANDSCAPING/SCREENING The applicant has submitted a landscape plan in response to the landscape point system used to evaluate such plans. There is a slight discrepancy between the information provided on the site plan in terms of the size of the proposed site which indicates 12.24 acres and the landscape plan which indicates 11.8 acres. The applicant's landscape plan would require 750 landscape points based on the formula used for landscaping in an industrial area. Their plan calls for providing , 750 points by providing 37 shade trees, 50 coniferous trees,27 decorative trees and 80 shrubs. The landscaping is spread around the site with perhaps the most concentration along the southerly green strip/buffer area where this property abuts with multiple family residential zoned property to the south. There is, also, an abundance of trees both shade and decorative in the wetlands/flood plain area as well as along neighboring property south of the site. The new shade trees proposed to be planted on the site include six Northwood Maple,six Greencolumn Maple, six Greenspire Linden and 19 Patmore Ash. Eight of the Patmore Ash will be planted along the westerly side of the building with three located north of the building and the remainder on island planting areas in the parking lot located at the southeast side of the building. The six Greencolumn Maple are to be planted immediately adjacent to the building on the north side. The six Greenspire Linden will be planted in the green strip along the south portion of the property. The Northwood Maple will be planted between the receiving dock and parking lot on the south side of the building and in the green strip to the east of the loading dock/parking lot area. The proposed coniferous trees include Austrian Pine and Black Hills Spruce. The Austrian Pine serve primarily as a part of the screening plan along the south side of the site with ten Black Bills Spruce being planted in this area. Black Hills Spruce are also provided in the green area to the east of the loading and shipping dock and to the northeast of the building. 5-13-99 Page 4 • Ornamental trees include Amur Maple,Japanese Tree Lilac and Adams Crabapple. These are found also in the green strip to the east of the building and in the parking lot islands to the south of the building and in a clump of five at the southwest corner of the building. Shrubs such as Black Chokeberry, Mohican Viburnum, Goldflame Spirea and Sea Green Juniper are found as foundation plantings at the southeast corner of the building. Perhaps one area that needs detailed review is the screening plan provided by the applicant to screen the parking and loading docks from the residential area to the south. A green strip/buffer area/drainage swale is provided in a 70 to 80 ft. wide area. They propose to provide a berm with coniferous trees that will provide an approximate 10 ft. screening height at planting time. As indicated previously,the types of plantings that are proposed are coniferous trees made up of Austrian Pine and Black Hills Spruce. These plantings would be staggered with the Black Hills Spruce closer to the south property line on the south side of the drainage swale and the Austrian Pine on a berm on the north side of the swale. The applicant on Sheet C-5 has provided a cross section profile showing the screening plan as it relates to an existing home further to the south. It should be noted that immediately to the south of the loading facility,the applicant's own two lots that are on the east and west side of Lakeview Avenue. Also immediately to the south of the Joslyn property is vacant property on the east side of Twin Lake Avenue. These areas are heavily wooded and do provide existing vegetation that help to screen the facility from the residential to the south. The parking lot and loading areas are screened from the apartment building lying westerly of Azelia Avenue also by the proposed berm and coniferous tree plantings. This entire screening area is a sensitive area and we would recommend the addition of • coniferous trees both north and south of the drainage swale to increase the density of screening in this area. The screening requirement when an I-2 zone abuts an R-4 zone calls for a protective strip of no less than 50 ft. in width which contains no structures other than screening devices and cannot be used for any other industrial activity other than parking. The activity areas are required to be effectively screened from view of the residential district in a manner to be approved by the City Council. It is also been the practice to screen parking and loading areas from abutting residential property as well. The Planning Commission should look closely at the proposed screening plan for adequacy. Again,the staff would recommend the addition of coniferous trees in this area to provide effective landscape screening of the loading and parking areas with this distribution center. BUILDING The applicant has provided building elevations and a floor plan for this huge distribution center. The building elevations show the location of the loading docks on the east and south sides of the property. The exterior finish is an insulated precast wall panel with a rake finish. A color is not noted but we assume it will be an earth tone color of some sort. There will be an aluminum store front system at the front entrance or at the southeast corner of the site leading to the office/service area. The floor plan shows the large warehouse/distribution area and the office/customer service area at the southeast corner of the building. 5-13-99 Page 5 LIGHTING/TRASH The applicant has submitted a lighting plan indicating compliance with city ordinances. The plan shows two single standard poles,one at the entrance to the site and the other to the south of the receiving dock. These would be 30 ft. high light poles with a shoebox type fixture directing light downward on the site. Double mounted freestanding light poles of 35 ft. in height are shown lighting the parking lot area. Wall mounted fixtures, 17 in all, are distributed around the entire building. The foot candles indicated on the lighting plan show them to be in compliance with the requirements of the zoning ordinance. Again the fixtures indicated are a shoebox type which should direct light downward and prevent glare off of the site. As always,our concern is that lighting on the site not exceed the standards contained in the zoning ordinance or create glare off site. It appears that the lighting plan provided is acceptable. The site plan shows the location for a trash compactor on the east side of the site. It has also been indicated that all trash will be contained within the building. We have indicated that any outside trash facilities, including compactors,must be screened with a screening device that matches the building exterior and contains a solid opaque gate. OUTSIDE STORAGE A matter that needs to be addressed with the applicant and should be conveyed to the occupants of this distribution center has to do with outside storage of trailers. No place on the site plan is indicated for the outside storage of trailers. We have been assured that there will be none and the only trailers on the site will be those being loaded or unloaded as part of the distribution center operation. The receiving and loading areas are not of sufficient size to accommodate dead storage of trailers and,therefore,this is not comprehended as part of the site plan. If such activity is to be undertaken,the plan must be expanded to show a specified trailer storage area which must be screened, otherwise no such storage should take place. As indicated previously,this application is for site and building plan approval and,under the city's zoning ordinance and does not require a public hearing. We have,however, sent notices to j property owners and residents in the area that had previously been invited to an open house showing the preliminary plans for the development. There should be interested parties at the Planning Commission's meeting and the Commission may wish to take comments. i RECOMMENDATION I Altogether the plans appear to be in order,however,there are some minor modifications that need to be made. Approval of this application should be subject to at least the following conditions: 5-13-99 • Page 6 • 1. The building plans are subject to review and approval by the Building Official with respect to applicable codes prior to the issuance of permits. 2. Grading, drainage and utility plans are subject to review and approval by the City Engineer prior to the issuance of permits. 3. A site performance agreement and supporting financial guarantee in an amount to be determined based on cost estimates shall be submitted prior to the issuance of permits to assure completion of site improvements. 4. Any outside trash disposal facilities and rooftop or on ground mechanical equipment shall be appropriately screened from view. 5. The buildings are to be equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system to meet NFPA standards and shall be connected to a central monitoring device in accordance with Chapter 5 of the City Ordinances. 6. An underground irrigation system shall be installed in all landscaped areas to facilitate site maintenance. 7. Plan approval is exclusive of all signery which is subject to Chapter 34 of the City Ordinances. • provided around all parking and driving areas with 8. B-612 curb and gutter shall be prov d p g g the exception of where surmountable curb is allowed as access to the fire access road. 9. The applicant shall submit an as-built survey of the property, improvements and utility service lines prior to the release of the performance guarantee. 10. The property owner shall enter into an easement and agreement for maintenance and inspection of utility and storm drainage systems prior to the issuance of permits. 11. The applicant shall provide appropriate erosion and sediment control devices on the site during.construction as approved by the City Engineering Department. 12. Storm water drainage systems shall be approved b the Shingle Creek Watershed g Y PP Y Management Commission prior to the issuance of permits. 13. All work P erformed and materials used for construction of utilities shall conform to the City of Brooklyn Center's current standard specifications and details. • 5-13-99 Page 7 14. The applicant shall execute an appropriate easement agreement for the extension • of Azeha Avenue in a manner approved by the City Engineer with the form and content of the easement agreement being approved by the City Attorney. 15. The plans shall be modified prior to the issuance of permits to provide additional coniferous trees along the south green strip/drainage swale to provide appropriate screening from the residential property to the south. 16. The applicant shall enter into a proof of parking agreement acknowledging a parking requirement of 287 parking spaces and that they will install up to 187 additional parking spaces on the site upon a determination by the City that any or all of these parking spaces are required. Said proof of parking agreement shall be executed and filed with the title to the property prior to the issuance of building permits. 17. There shall be no dead storage of trailers"on the site. Said vehicles are to be parked or stored at loading dock areas only. • 5-13-99 • Page 8 - IA CO. FU QUROUEST LA. C �1 ;!�! 'fj,• ;f;l, ` Y `. 56TH.— AVE IM 56TH. AVE. N. 'h �;'••! !'!,`!; !� X f/,,''!!'!� EIXBERG OR. � 159H. AVE. 54TH. A 1 f Vii' !� %i /•ij/J�f,;:' ::'%:'.:'.! �! ;,, < 53RD. � L i ` Planning Commission 52ND AVE. N. p� Application o. 99005 OAK rrg i + ► ��/, z Tlp. 'r ���f , 'kb �� , Sts? AVjE.� N• `;(,r,oS�s� 1 W H AVE 49TH AVE zWt MIDDLE TWIN LAKE [LAKESREEZE AVE. N. Arb 12 J �'4tt'rao t � 48TH AVE, N. !,! T.� �; 47TH AVE. 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F 0 0 0 J • 1 MEMORANDUM DATE: May 7, 1999 TO: Ron Warren, Planning and Zoning Specialist FROM: Scott Brink, City Engineer SUBJECT: Wickes Distribution Center Plan Review Draft plan sheets have been reviewed relating to the proposed Wickes Distribution Center at the Joslyn Manufacturing Site. A set of plan sheets prepared by Polaris Group, Geomatrix,and Ryan Companies, dated 4/29/99 has been provided. The following are some Public Works considerations relating to redevelopment of the Joslyn site and adjacent parcels. Other issues may arise or be brought to attention as the process continues. 1) A site review approval is required by the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission. A. site review application and plans have been submitted to the Watershed for consideration for their May 13 meeting. • At this time, the watershed's engineer has provided some preliminary comments as follows: • Specific additional hydrologic calculations are requested. • A revised erosion control plan is required, including temporary sediment barriers at all catch basin inlets used during construction. • Calculations verifying cut and fill volumes in the Twin Lake 100 year floodplain are required. • Legal documentation granting easements over all ponding areas, wetlands, 100 year floodplain and other hydrologic features as needed is required. • An operations and maintenance plan must be provided. The applicant has been provided these comments and is aware of them. The Floodplain Map indicates that a large portion of the west half of the Joslyn site is located within the 100 year floodplain. The City's floodplain ordinance stipulates that there may be no encroachment into the 100 year floodplain without provision of compensating floodwater storage. The fill is minimal and some compensatory volume has been provided. Further calculations requested by the Watershed are expected to verify the compensatory storage. In the event an amendment to the floodplain map is required, the property owner (applicant) would be responsible for preparing the amendment. 2) There are utility easements on the Joslyn site and adjacent parcels. An 8 inch diameter main currently traverses across the site from Azelia Avenue and proceeds directly north. An existing 6 inch main runs along the south boundary of the property between Lakeview Avenue and Azelia. • These mains and their respective easements must be shown clearly on the plans. New water mains looping the proposed building are shown. Pending further review by the Building Official and Fire Chief, some further adjustments to the proposed water main layout may be needed. 2 In addition, the developer is responsible for verifying and insuring that required fire pressure flows are attained. Sanitary sewer is shown and proposed to discharge from the site at Azelia Avenue. Because of continuous groundwater pumping into the sewer main(as a result of site remediation; expected to continue for several years), the capacity of the main to handle the additional flows from the redevelopment should be confirmed. The Azelia Avenue sanitary sewer eventually feeds the Lakebreeze Avenue sewer and Lift Station A, is located on an easement at the corner of France Avenue and Lakebreeze. The developer would be responsible for the preservation and/or maintenance of all utilities as existing and proposed, including remediation wells and pumping facilities related to State of Minnesota requirements. 3) TH 100 reconstruction by Mn/Dot in this area is scheduled to occur within the next 4-5 years. Representatives of the site developer, the City, and Mn/Dot have met to plan for expected trunk highway related impacts to the site. As part of the TH 100 improvements, Mn/Dot has indicated that the CP railroad bridge crossing over the highway will need to be raised approximately 3 feet. This would in effect raise the at grade crossing at France Avenue nearly the same amount; thus likely resulting in difficulty to maintain France Avenue as a through street. Efforts have therefore been made to re-design a relocated through street that would instead traverse in a westerly direction from the 50th and France intersection, cross the railroad tracks, continue south and west across the Joslyn site, and connect with Azelia Avenue just north of Lakebreze Avenue. This newly constructed street would then replace France Avenue as a Municipal State Aid collector street in this area. If Mn/Dot's T.H. 100 improvement project • continues as scheduled, we could see this work occurring within the next 34 years. It is critical that a right of way corridor of sufficient width be established at the correct location for a possible relocated through street to replace France Avenue. This corridor must be shown on the plans and should either be dedicated to the City in the form of a right of way grant with a legal description, platted, or set aside appropriately. The location for the corridor must be established and approved by Mn/Dot. Mn/Dot has reviewed the plan as well and has offered some additional comments(attached). A minimum corridor width of 60 feet is typical for most streets in the City. However, in view of the likely usage of the roadway with larger volumes and large delivery vehicles, turning movements, and a possible future trail/sidewalk, a wider corridor width of 80 feet is recommended. A very clear delineation between public street versus private access must be made where Azelia Avenue feeds into the private property. Until an extension of Azelia, or "future connection to France Avenue" is constructed, snow plows, maintenance and emergency vehicles, and other types of traffic will need adequate maneuvering space to push snow and turn around. It is therefore suggested that the driveway be extended an additional 20 feet to the north to provide for adequate snow removal and turning around of vehicles. Future T.H. 100 improvement plans, along with the proposed redevelopment present questions in regards to future traffic volumes and travel patterns. Along with the site development and possible France Avenue termination and street relocation, access ramps between TH 100 and 50th Avenue will also be closed. A traffic study is therefore being developed for the larger area that includes the Joslyn site. It is expected that an upgrade of Azelia Avenue between Lakebreeze and the site, as well as improvements to the intersection of Azelia and Lakebreeze will be needed with or without the through street relocation. However, it is mainly essential at this time that a right of way corridor of 3 sufficient width be established in the correct location, to provide for future needs. The developer will need to provide expected traffic volumes generated by the proposed site for the traffic study. Any required upgrades to Azelia Avenue would be the responsibility of the developer. 4) The City's Trail Plan reflects a potential future bicycle/pedestrian trail adjacent to Middle Twin Lake, from Twin Lake Avenue north across the railroad tracks to the extension of 51st Avenue. This redevelopment provides an opportunity to explore dedication of a trail easement. Trail construction could also be considered, including potential trail head improvements at the south end of Upper Twin Lake. A bicycle trail is currently designated on the France Avenue west sidewalk. Redevelopment should take into account this link in the City's trail system, including relocation of the sidewalk along with a relocated France Avenue as previously mentioned. 5) The Joslyn parcel and two of the three adjacent parcels to be combined for redevelopment are subject to future water hookup charges at the time of development/redevelopment(see adjacent map). Actual charges would depend on the size and configuration of individual parcels. No sanitary sewer hookup charges are due. SAC charges would apply as usual. 6) The pavement thickness shown on the plan are not of adequate thickness for heavier vehicles and traffic volumes. It is recommended that the roadway and parking lot pavement designs be re- evaluated accordingly. 7) As previously mentioned, the site grading plan will also be reviewed by the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission May 13, 1999 meeting. At least some additional comments • could be expected. More detailed design information such as catch basin inverts, standard casting numbers, hydrant specifications, etc. will ultimately need to be provided. Other Any other requirements and conditions of the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission, Department of Natural Resources, City Attorney, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Transportation, and other regulating agencies as appropriate must also be considered and adhered to as required. It is also recommended that clear agreements and assignments of responsibility(including costs) be developed per Agreements between the City and Developer, and between the City and Mn/Dot,prior to any site construction. i • I • • ' �1NNEYpT' A Minnesota Department of Transportation Metropolitan Division r` VIN Waters Edge 1500 West County Road B2 . Roseville, MN 55113 May 10, 1999 Scott Brink City Engineer City of Brooklyn Center 6301 Shingle Creek Parkway Brooklyn Center, MN 55430-2199 Subject: S.P. 2735-167 (T.H.100) Segment 4 Wickes Distribution Center Twin Lakes Business Park Brooklyn Center (Joslyn Site) After reviewing the Wickes Distribution Center plans from Ryan Companies, I have the following comments and concerns: •Proposed Azelia Avenue street width- only 30 feet(face to face) is very narrow for a street with all the semi-truck traffic likely to be generated from this large distribution center and other development on the remaining Joslyn site. If France Avenue is closed at the railroad tracks, and Azelia Ave. becomes the N-S connection across the tracks, will it become a Municipal State Aid route? [On the 1997 MSA Street System map of Brooklyn Center, France Ave. north of TH 100, • and 50d' Ave. between France and TH 100 are designated MSA routes. I talked with several people in State Aid, and discussed the development plan with them. If France Ave. is closed at the RR tracks, that part of France south of 50d' Ave. would go off the MSA system. The connection across the Joslyn site would have to go on the system, as well as Lake Breeze Ave. between Azelia Ave. and TH 100. State Aid routes need to be continuous and can't `dead end'. When the 50d'Ave. right in, right out connections to TH 100 are closed, 5d' Ave between France Ave. and Brooklyn Boulevard/Osseo Road would go off the MSA system (dead ends). It would appear that these lengths of roadway would compensate each other, but you would need to discuss this issue with the State Aid people. Will on street parking be allowed on the Azelia Ave. to France Ave. connection? State Aid has additional width requirements if so. •It's suggested that an 80 foot right of way across the Joslyn site would be more desirable than 60' or 66'. A street wider than 30', sidewalk(s), a bike trail/path and snow-storage would probably require more than 60'. Do you concur? •What is the projected truck traffic count on Azelia Ave.? *With the expected large volume of truck traffic generated from this and future projects, could the driveway entrance into the Wickes site be moved to the north end of site? This would help eliminate truck/trailer left turn conflicts on Azelia Ave. between Lake Breeze Ave. and Wickes driveway. If the building design was mirrored, and the loading dock moved to the north side, the homeowners south of the site may be happier. On sheet C-5, there's a "Profile: House and Site" section shown. Apparently there is concern from the neighbors, and Wickes is trying • to screen the loading dock from the houses. If the building was mirrored, with a blank wall facing the houses, several problems would be helped: Visual and noise concerns of nearby residents, and traffic operations (left turning movements). An equal opportunity employer r! ! Page 2 Wickes Distribution Center- Ryan Companies Plans •On sheet C-4 of the Ryan plans, the two Pavement Design Sections show 3 inches and 3-1/2 inches of bituminous pavement. With the number of trucks, and their low speed while turning cause the bituminous pavement to rut soon after placement? MSA standards for pavement structure? Curb and Gutter - B612 - what does the City use on other streets? Has the Shingle Creek Watershed District and DNR seen these plans and do they know about the Wickes project, especially since it's a Superfund Site that will drain into Twin Lakes? •Is EPA and/or MPCA approval needed or has it already been given? If you have questions or need more information, feel free to call me at(651) 582-1326. Respectfully, 4e,� AIn 2rkl— Tim Donovan Preliminary Design • i cc: Beth Neuendorf, file S:\predesign\2735\segment4\letters\RyanPlans.wpd M •