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2200 Old Highway 8 Access Analysis <br />Planning Commission; 1-21-20 <br /> <br /> <br />Page 2 <br />2) Future Development. 2200 Old Highway 8 is comprised of 35+ acres of land guided and zoned for Heavy <br />Indusrial uses, and is one of the largest continguous pieces of undeveloped land within the Community. While <br />the current private access road has been deemed sufficient for present uses on the site, long term changes to <br />uses and future development of the property will eventually warrant a public or private road connected to Old <br />Highway 8 that serves ALL uses. <br /> The applicant’s position is they understand the risks of not establishing a wider easement for roadway <br />purposes along the northern property line, and they are willing to accept any potential consequences of only <br />maintaining a 30’ area for road purposes. <br /> Staff is recommending that unless the applicant shows exactly how/where the future private or public road <br />will be located and that it can work to accoodate all future uses (i.e. it must be of sufficient width to <br />accommodate a road design appropriate for heavy industrial uses), it is incumbent on the City that all future <br />options for roadway access be protected. <br />The purpose of this type of application (cleaning up legal descriptions and boundaries) is to facilitate future sale <br />and/or development of property, so the City can clearly anticipate there will be changes in the future to uses and/or <br />ownership of these lands. Platting of property is the one and only time a City can require dedication of right-of-way, <br />so the Commission and Council must feel comfortable that decisions made with this application are appropriate for <br />the long-term success of this area. <br />APPLICANT’S EXPRESSED CONCERNS <br />Placing an additional 30’ of roadway easement along the northern lot line of Lot 1 concerns the applicant in the <br />following ways: <br /> The existing weigh-station will be located entirely within the new roadway easement which brings <br />uncertainty as to the longevity of that installation (i.e. the City could require it be removed a week after the <br />plat is filed). <br />Staff’s response: As indicated by the City Attorney at the 1/14/20 Council meeting, the City can require <br />dedication of the additional 30’ easement to protect the legitimate public interest of facilitating a future road <br />in this area, but it cannot “take” the weigh-station away from the property owner without an agreement on <br />compensation (if any). As a new public or private road would ONLY (potentially) be built in this location <br />if/when the large undeveloped area of 2200 Old Highway 8 came forward for development, the applicant <br />completely controls the timing of this possible improvement. There is zero public interest in utilizing this <br />roadway easement absent a request by this applicant. <br /> The proposed easement will preclude expansion of the building to the north thereby impacti ng its value. <br />Staff’s response: The building is currently located up against the 40 foot setback from the roadway, so there <br />currently is no buildable area to the north. Additing the new easement has no additional impact in this regard.