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Approved buyer, with square footage from 900 to 1800 square feet and underground parking. Sherman Associates will be building 40 executive townhomes at the north end of the development, each roughly 2800 square feet. These homes will have main-level living, the master bedroom, and a den on the main level, and a finished lower level with a family room and additional bedroom. They will also be building a three-story loft complex with underground parking, gabled roof, indoor swimming pool and exercise facility, outdoor patio, and guest parking. Sherman will also be constructing the office building at the southern end of the site, which will have roughly 80,000 square feet with four to five stories. Black reported that the developers have been working with the City engineers, and the site plan has been looked at by the Public Safety and Parks and Recreation commissions. The building plans will be completed in the spring or early summer with the first units to be started after streets and utilities are finished, around September or October of this year. Midwest Asphalt has been flexible with the delineation of the boundary for the first phase, so that the developers and the City could start on the development. Greenfield described the main boulevard as transitioning from the regional park on the west to a more urban look as you move east. She also explained that they are proposing to raise the grade of the west side of Old Highway 8 by up to twelve feet to help hide the railroad cars that will be seen at the end of the boulevard. They are also proposing a bridge to help cross from the new park area to the regional park trails. She explained that they are currently looking at three connections to the regional park trails, one at the north, one at the south, and one at the central corridor. Johnson encouraged the developers to take a look at a project the western suburbs (10 miles west of I-494)where they have a trail that goes under Highway 7 and an at-grade crossing that is very usable and well done. Harmon inquired if the trails proposed here are sidewalks. Greenfield replied that they are sidewalks for an uninterrupted walk. Kaufhold asked if steps were being taken to control light pollution from the street, parking lots and office building. Winter replied that they are taking steps to ensure that there will be minimal light pollution. Greenfield added that they have been working with the City staff to revise the current street lighting that is on Old Highway 8. Winter added that they want to pull elements from the rest of the city, so that this development does not look as if it's in a community of its own. Harmon inquired if they are anticipating any parking congestion since they have fewer parking spaces then the City is requiring. Greenfield replied that they would be able to meet the parking needs with the on-street parking and guest parking which has not been assigned to a specific building. They believe that the area only needs one space per unit and a half space for visitor parking, not the two per unit plus visitor parking that the City is requiring. Harmon indicated that she is concerned that with the variety of residents that the area will be attracting, there may be an issue with parking. Harreld asked if there would be any restrictions on parking in the office parking lot. Winter replied that there would be shared parking through out the whole development so they can avoid having"8,000"parking spaces to serve the area. Harreld also inquired if the developers would be upgrading the bridge over I-694. Greenfield replied that this is not currently part of the project, but the developers would support it. I:ACOMMISSIONS\EDC\Minutes\2006\01-10-06 minutes.doc