regarding the rezoning request and this year regarding the conditional land use request. |
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He cannot explain why some people may or may not have received a notice. There |
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have been some property turnovers in the neighborhood since they started the |
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rezoning applicant process. They have made a strong attempt to involve as many |
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people who were interested in the project. Regarding the removal of trees, |
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unfortunately most of the trees to be removed are strategically located in the center of |
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the site. They have tried to save as many trees as possible along North Lane that |
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would not infringe on the Fire Department's ability to access the building. The have |
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oversized the storm drains on the project to handle water runoff. Residents should |
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actually notice a reduction in the amount of runoff from the subject property. As a |
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matter of fact, the site rises to the east, and because they are installing pavement and |
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curbs and gutters, they will be interrupting the natural flow of the water to the existing |
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subdivision to the west and intercepting it and putting it into their storm system. They |
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are not using North Lane in any way whatsoever for ingress or egress. All traffic will |
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use the entrance that will be located on the north side of the site. The Fire Department |
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will use North Lane only if it is absolutely necessary to access the south side of the |
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proposed building. Mr. Kahm suspected that would never occur since the building |
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will be fully fire suppressed. The connection of water and sewer was requested by the |
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city in order to provide a looped water system for the proposed building. Regarding |
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property values, Mr. Kahm challenged anyone to check the property values of |
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subdivisions surrounding the existing Waltonwood facility on Walton Boulevard. He |
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has checked them, and they have increased commensurate with the rest of the |
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neighborhood. They did the maximum to screen residences from the building and they |
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have a very compatible, friendly relationship with the neighbors adjacent to that |
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facility. Since the average age of the residents of the proposed facility will be 85 |
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years, none of them are expected to drive and add to traffic congestion. The only |
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vehicles that will be utilizing the site will be those of the 15 to 20 employees per shift |
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and visitors. Any overflow connected with special events would utilize the adjacent |
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strip center under a cooperative agreement with the center. A sidewalk connecting |
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the strip center to the proposed site is included on the site plan to accommodate |
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visitors for that purpose. Regarding the Waltonwood vans, Mr. Kahm explained that |
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they have entered into a cooperative relationship with the Older Persons Commission. |
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Singh Development has donated those vans to the OPC which runs them through |
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their programs. As part of the donation they asked to have their name on the vans. |
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Mr. Kahm offered to discuss with the OPC residents' concerns about the vans driving |
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at high speeds through the neighborhood surrounding the subject site. After reaching |
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an agreement with Mr. Knapp to screen the kitchen area from his view, they have |
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moved the kitchen and associated deliveries to the northwest corner of the building. |
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Consequently, they shortened the retaining wall along North Lane in order to provide |
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the screening originally intended to screen the parking area. Mr. Kahm acknowledged |
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that the dumpster is right by that wall. The wall is nine feet high on the Waltonwood |
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side and six feet high on the residential side; the dumpster will not be visible. He |
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believed they have taken pains to insulate the dumpster from residents' view. He |
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would be happy to consider other ideas for screening. |
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