2019.04.02 Planning Commission - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 Commissioner McQuillan asked if this item would come back to the Planning Commission once the Comp Plan was finalized. Assistant Director of Community Assets and Development Gozola reported this request would come before the Commission one more time for final approval once the Comp Plan was approved. Chair Nichols-Matkaiti questioned what range of changes could occur between the preliminary and final PRD approvals. Assistant Director of Community Assets and Development Gozola commented the plans could not change. Commissioner Frischman inquired if the underground parking had a shared entrance/exit door. Assistant Director of Community Assets and Development Gozola reported this was the case. He described how traffic would flow in and out of the site from the underground parking ramp. He noted the City wanted traffic to flow south out of the site and onto Silver Lake Road. Commissioner Biedenfeld asked if the diagonal parking would be used for staff. Assistant Director of Community Assets and Development Gozola deferred this question to the applicant. Chair Nichols-Matkaiti opened the public hearing and invited the applicant to speak. Ron Howard, Pope Architects, introduced himself to the Commission and thanked them for their time. He noted the underground parking would be assigned to independent living residents and commented on how the diagonal parking stalls adjacent to Black Oak Drive would be utilized. He explained he would like the surface spaces to be utilized by visitors. He anticipated these parking stalls would assist in getting vehicles off Black Oak Drive. Commissioner Biedenfeld asked if the people parking on the street were employees or guests. Mr. Howard anticipated that this was mostly visitors to the site. David Ryden, 2950 Bent Tree Hills Drive, asked if additional staff would be hired after the renovations were complete. Reed Hewitt, Benedictine Health Center Administrator, explained he was projecting he would need to hire 20 additional FTE’s once the renovations were complete. He commented further on how staffing moved through the facility on a daily basis noting there was less staff onsite overnight. Mr. Ryden expressed concern with the number of cars that were driving through his neighborhood because they were lost and could not find the Benedictine Health Center entrance. Carol Finstad, 2750 Lindsay Court, stated she believed the site was vastly under-parked and anticipated cars would continue to park on Black Oak Drive. Assistant Director of Community Assets and Development Gozola explained 30+ parking stalls in the underground lot were reserved for staff, which would assist with opening more surface stalls to visitors. Mr. Ryden commented on the amount of traffic driving down his street looking for the Benedictine Health Center. He encouraged the health care center assist with properly directing traffic to their site or improve their signage. Mr. Howard anticipated the new layout of the site would assist traffic in finding the property. Mr. Ryden expressed concern with the size of the holding pond. He feared that if this pond were to over flow the neighboring homes would flood. Mr. Howard commented on how the existing pond would be increased in size in order to meet all watershed and State drainage requirements.