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• Mr. Steve Ach July 18, 1997 Page Two location or opposite 196th Avenue. Obviously for the Amoco site, it would operate better for customer accessibility in its proposed location. However, when the north end of the Hillside Crossing development is fully built out, this driveway location and the future one on the east side of Evans Street will interject left turn movements into a relatively busy roadway. This could be a potential problem, especially at peak traffic times. 2. In the review of the plat of Hillside Crossing Three, staff recommended additional right-of- way be given along the east lot line of the Amoco site. This is due to the fact that the slightly widened Evans Street to facilitate the free right movement from 197th Avenue reduces the size of the usable boulevard area. Staff recommended this additional right-of- way be granted to maintain an approximate 15-foot boulevard area consistent with the remainder of the Hillside Crossing development. This additional right-of-way width could be used for an extension of the sidewalk to the south to facilitate pedestrian movements to the Amoco site and to the future user of the parcel to the south. I assume that your memo to the Planning Commission will adequately address the landscape issues along the north and east lot lines. One point I would make about the landscaping is there needs to be a site triangle maintained at the intersection of 197th Avenue and Evans Street in the area of the free right turn. Currently, as the plan is • presented, the top of the berms are at elevation 1,000 with low plantings on top. The grade of 197th Avenue as it approaches the free right turn is at 996, a difference of at least four feet. This is reduced as a car turns right to approximately two to two and a half feet. This four-foot vertical elevation difference will make it difficult for a driver to see around the corner; therefore, it is imperative that the landscaping maintain an adequate setback from the site triangle at this corner. One other comment we would make relative to landscaping is it appears the building elevation of 997.25 has been raised from the Concept Plan of September 1996. In reviewing this Grading Plan, we feel the site would be better served by lowering the building site to approximately 996.0. This would have the same effect as raising the landscaping by one foot. We feel that lowering the building elevation will minimize the grading in the MnDOT right-of-way and will make this site fit better with the vacant parcel to the south. 3. The Drainage Plan as shown calls for sheet drainage of the majority of the site to the west where spillways are located to direct the runoff to the MnDOT ditch. We would recommend that spillways not be allowed, and that catchbasins with small diameter storm sewer be installed to collect the runoff and direct it to the TH 169 ditch. In fact, if the building site is lowered to 996.0, storm sewer will likely be a necessity. Also, the way the right-in access off of 197th is laid out, runoff would flow out of this driveway onto 197th Avenue. Therefore, we would recommend that a catchbasin be installed near this driveway to intercept any runoff prior to exiting the site. It appears that it will be relatively easy to design in a denial at the Evans Street driveway so the same situation does not occur. • Howard R. Green Company CONSULTING ENGINEERS