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..ri -owarc R, Green Com many February 14, 2001 File: 813370J-0240 Mr. Robert Baker 12131 Grouse Street, #201 Coon Rapids, MN 55433 RE: ELK RIVER SENIOR HIGH PARKING EXPANSION II Dear Mr. Baker: We have received a revised copy of the Elk River Senior High Parking Lot Expansion dated February 6, 2001. As requested by Michele McPherson, we have reviewed this revised plan relative to our comments from January 12, 2001. Based upon our review, we would offer the following comments: 1. A small ponding area has been added to the green space and the parking lot grades have been revised so that the northwest corner of the parking lot will drain to the ponding area. We would suggest providing an emergency overflow at the south end of the ponding area at an overflow elevation of approximately 907.5. This way, if the holding pond ever fills to capacity, it can drain out the south end and along the southerly curb line to the catch basins near the entrance. 2. There is a catch basin directly north of the entrance approximately center point of the parking lot at elevation 909.83. We would suggest lowering the rim on this catch basin so that a much larger area can flow into the catch basin and drain through the storm sewer pipe system. As it sits right now, in any fairly substantial storm event runoff will tend to bypass this catch basin. 3. We would still recommend that there be drive isles at the south end of the parking rows so that someone searching for an open spot does not get stuck at the end of the row of parking stalls with no way to exit other than backing up. In fact, we would suggest that consideration be given to providing for head-in parking along that south curb line and creating a drive isle through the double rows of parking a little bit north of this head-in parking. The single row of parking can still stay intact to prevent shortcuts out the entrance. We believe this would be a better layout and may actually provide a few additional parking stalls. 4. One item that we did not comment on in our January 12, 2001, letter was the auto gate proposed for the exit from the parking lot. These are currently located in the public right-of- way near the curb line. We question if this is the appropriate location for these. What happens if the gates rise, but because of traffic on School Street, a car is not allowed to exit the ramp? Or the reverse, if there is an opening for more than one car to exit onto School Street, does each successive car have to wait for the gate to come down and then go back up? We believe it would be better for the gates to be located near the guardhouse, which is on school property and will allow some stacking in the driveway past the gates as cars wait • for an opening to exit onto School Street. O:\PROJ\813370j\0240\Ltr 02-14-01 Baker.doc 1326 Energy Park Drive • St. Paul, MN 55108 • 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389