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CONSIDERATION OF A PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR CLASSEN CROSSINGS APARTMENTS & RETAIL ADDITION, A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT. (GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF CONSTITUTION STREET ON THE WEST SIDE OF CLASSEN BOULEVARD)
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BACKGROUND: This item is a preliminary plat for Classen Crossings Apartments and Retail Addition, a Planned Unit Development and is generally located 220' south of Constitution Street on the west side of Classen Boulevard. This property consists of 3.93 acres including 2.65 acres proposed for apartments and 1.28 acres proposed for retail.
Planning Commission, at its meeting of December 11, 2014 recommended to City Council amending the NORMAN 2025 Land Use and Transportation Plan placing this property in Mixed Use Designation and removing it from Commercial Designation and placing this property in the PUD, Planned Unit Development District and removing it from A-2, Rural Agricultural District and I-2, Heavy Industrial District.
In addition, Planning Commission recommended approval of the preliminary plat for Classen Crossings Apartments and Retail Addition, a Planned Unit Development.
DISCUSSION: The proposed 44 apartments and 11,411 square feet of retail space in this addition are expected to generate approximately 1,376 trips per day, 71 AM peak hour trips, and 83 PM peak hour trips. Traffic capacities on Classen Boulevard exceed the demand for existing and proposed trips as a result of this development. No negative traffic impacts are anticipated. (Please See Attachment A)
Being at the threshold for when a traffic impact study is normally required, this development was analyzed in a traffic impact study prepared by Traffic Engineering Consultants, Inc., for Sooner Mobile Home Park Redevelopment and submitted in September, 2013. As such, only a letter detailing trip generation differences between the current proposal and the original study, capacity analysis of proposed access point(s), and discussion concerning driveway spacing and adequacy was required. This letter was completed in July, 2014. The current analyses showed that the improvements identified in the Sooner Mobile Home Redevelopment traffic study will adequately serve the Classen Crossings traffic. No additional off-site improvements are required.
The applicant is requesting two points of access onto Classen Boulevard, which is one more than staff feels is necessary to adequately serve the proposed development. Negotiations were undertaken by the applicant with the Family Video property immediately north of this site to reconstruct their access to Classen Boulevard as a shared driveway between the two developments. However, these negotiations were unsuccessful. Driveway spacing is identified in the City of Norman's Engineering Design Criteria (EDC) in order to maintain safe and efficient traffic flow on our city streets. As roadway speeds increase and as trip generation potential increases for a proposed development, the required spacing between driveways also increases. Violation of this spacing requirement can result in a less safe environment for the traffic that uses Classen Boulevard/US 77. The spacing between the northern Classen Crossings driveway and the existing driveway north of their site violates the EDC driveway spacing requirement. In addition, the spacing proposed between the two driveways being proposed to serve this site also violate the EDC spacing requirements. Based upon a 40 mph speed and a medium generator (generating between 100 and 200 peak hour trips), the EDC requires a minimum spacing of 330 feet. The current proposal provides only 140 feet between the existing driveway north of the project and the north driveway serving this site and 180 feet between the two site driveways. As such, a compromise on the northernmost driveway has been reached whereby only right-turn entering and right-turn exiting movements will be allowed. An island will be constructed in this driveway to discourage left-turn entering and left-turn exiting movements. With this amendment, staff will support the request for a variance in the driveway spacing that will result.
Public improvements for this property consist of the following:
- Alley. Alleys are not required on lots greater than one (1) acre if sufficient circulation is provided. The proposed site plan shows proper circulation for delivery trucks and sanitation vehicles.
- Fire Hydrants. Fire hydrants will be installed in accordance with approved plans. Their locations have been approved by the Fire Department.
- Sanitary Sewers. Sanitary sewer mains will be extended into this property. They will be installed in accordance with approved plans and City and State Department of Environmental Quality standards. Due to the lack of access to the sanitary sewer main through the property to the north, the developer has requested to use a portion of the BNSF Railroad Right-of-Way to place a sanitary sewer main within it and connect to an existing sanitary sewer located within the Constitution Street Right-of-Way.
- Sidewalks. There is an existing sidewalk adjacent to Classen Boulevard.
- Storm Sewers. Storm sewers and appurtenant drainage structures will be installed in accordance with approved plans and City drainage standards. A privately maintained detention facility will be constructed in the southwest corner of the development.
- Streets. Classen Boulevard is existing.
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- Water Mains. There is an existing 16-inch water main adjacent to Classen Boulevard. An interior looped water main will be installed to serve fire hydrants.
- Public Dedications. All rights-of-way and easements will be dedicated to the City with final platting.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the preliminary plat for Classen Crossings Apartments and Retail Addition, a Planned Unit Development, with the condition that the northern driveway will be restricted to right-in and right-out vehicle movements only.