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<br />Planning Commission Minutes <br />April 11 , 2006 <br /> <br />Page 6 <br /> <br />Mr. Powell stated they are closing the access due to safety concerns for customers and <br />employees. <br /> <br />There being no one else to speak to this issue, Chair Lemke closed the public hearing. <br /> <br />Commissioner Stevens thanked the applicant for a quality project. <br /> <br />MOVED BY COMMISSIONER STEVENS AND SECONDED BY <br />COMMISSIONER WESTGAARD TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE <br />LAND USE AMENDMENT FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO HIGHWAY <br />BUSINESS. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. <br /> <br />Chair Lemke opened the public hearing on the zone change. There being no one to speak to <br />this issue, Chair Lemke closed the public hearing. <br /> <br />MOVED BY COMMISSIONER STEVENS AND SECONDED BY <br />COMMISSIONER OFFERMAN TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE <br />ZONE CHANGE FROM HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL AND PLANNED UNIT <br />DEVELOPMENT TO HIGHWAY BUSINESS AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. <br />MOTION CARRIED 7-0. <br /> <br />Chair Lemke opened the public hearing for the preliminary plat ofJabez. There being no <br />one to speak to this issue, Chair Lemke closed the public hearing. <br /> <br />Commissioner Offerman expressed concern with Ford's driveway entrance on 171 st Avenue <br />being too close to TH 10. He stated this section would make sense for a Mn/DOT <br />interchange due to the Twin Lakes Road traffic coming down to TH 10. He felt the city <br />should be proactive in allowing for an interchange to develop at this location in order to <br />help the interchange come to this location and to save money in acquisitions in the long <br />term. He further stated concerns with traffic queuing. <br /> <br />Commissioner Stevens concurred with Commissioner Offerman. <br /> <br />Mr. Maurer stated that the Houle site would most likely develop before Mn/DOT has any <br />plans for an interchange. He reiterated where the driveway access would be proposed for <br />this site due to wetlands. He stated Ford volunteered to close their access offTH 10 and this <br />was a good compromise for a driveway access off 171 st Avenue in order to make it easy for <br />customers to locate the entrance. He further stated if development continues at its current <br />pace with the surrounding projects, the city may be required to take additional right-of-way <br />around the TH 10 intersection at 171 st Avenue. <br /> <br />Chair Lemke stated he concurred with Commissioner Offerman. He stated it makes sense <br />that if the city is going to get one interchange it would be where the Northstar Rail terminal <br />and Twin Lakes Road traffic is located. He questioned if the overpass were installed at 171 st <br />Avenue, if it would come down on the Ford driveway access. <br /> <br />Mr. Maurer disagreed that this would be the spot for a Mn/DOT interchange. He stated if <br />the interchange were considered for this location it would be very expensive for Mn/DOT <br />because they would have to acquire NAPA, Elk River Ford, and the Houle site. He stated <br />the interchange would most likely be near 165th Avenue with traffic using frontage/backage <br />roads to access the businesses at 171 st and 173rd Avenues. He stated the city has agreements <br />in place for frontage/backage roads. <br />