On the Agenda: Plan Commission Meeting (1/9)

The Plan Commission will meet tonight at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at , and here are some of the highlights from the proposed agenda:

• There will be a second public hearing regarding a potential new Walgreens location at 63rd and Woodward Avenue. This topic is being continued from the Dec. 5 meeting. Below is some “additional information submitted by the applicant” taken verbatim from the agenda:

1. Traffic on Woodward Avenue

The petitioner completed additional traffic studies for Woodward Avenue. The applicant's traffic engineer found that the existing traffic volumes on Woodward Avenue were consistent with what one would expect to see on a similar residential street adjacent to a commercial corridor and expressway. The expected traffic on Woodward Avenue generated from the proposed development in the peak hour would be less than 10% of the street s total traffic volume.

The petitioner provided traffic violation information for Woodward Avenue from the . The Village only has jurisdiction over the intersection of 63rd and Woodward. The number of accidents and violations at this intersection does not indicate that it is more or less dangerous than other signalized intersections within the .

To address concerns about speeding and traffic safety, the applicant submitted recommendations for pavement markings and traffic signage for Woodward Avenue. As a condition of the approval, the petitioner will have to install speed limit pavement markings north of 63rd Street and within the Village's jurisdiction (between 63rd Street and the property's northern boundary).

2. Provide a site distance study for the driveway access on Woodward Avenue

The petitioner provided an analysis of vision clearance from the site. The petitioners information indicates that the driveway access is located near the top of the crest in Woodward Avenue. As such, vehicles turning left from the site to Woodward Avenue have a clear site distance of 150 feet. A stopping distance of 143-155 feet is required for vehicles traveling uphill at 25 miles per hour (Woodward's posted speed limit). Staff believes the site lines from the site are appropriate for this development given the few left-turning movements from the site to Woodward Avenue.

3. Provide a comparison between the proposed Walgreens store and existing low-intensity office uses in the Village.

The petitioner provided traffic comparisons for three existing low-intensity office uses:

•Hospital Plaza Professional Building (outpatient medical use) 3800 Highland Avenue

•Fairview Medical Center (outpatient medical use) 412 63rd Street

•Office Building (professional office use) 6655 Main Street

The report offers several important findings. First, offices are employment generators. Therefore, trips to and from offices are classified as new traffic. Uses like the proposed Walgreens tend to siphon from existing traffic and generally do not create new traffic. In fact, it is acceptable practice to reduce expected trips generated by retail uses by up to 50% to account for this siphoning effect (known as pass-by trips). In this case, the applicant's traffic engineer did not account for these pass-by trips a conservative approach. The effect is to reduce 10 peak hour trips to just five new vehicles, as an example, in an hour a negligible increase.

Second, the report found that Walgreens tend to have lower traffic impacts than office uses in the morning and early afternoon hours, which coincides with opening and dismissal of the nearby . Low-intensity office uses tend to generate less traffic than a Walgreens would in the evening and on week-ends. Based on this analysis, the traffic for the proposed development would be similar to that generated by the uses recommended by the Comprehensive Plan.

4. Sound level for the drive-through at the north property line

The petitioner submitted documents demonstrating the sound system will not negatively affect adjacent residential property. A letter from the manufacturer of the drive-through sound system has been submitted with sound level measurements observed at similar Walgreens drive-through windows. The drive-through system proposed is telephone based where the pharmacy staff communicates with the drive-up customer using the telephone. The information indicates the drive-through speaker sound could not be detected above the surrounding ambient noise 30 feet from the speaker. The proposed drive-through window is located 42.5 feet from the north property line and 133 feet from nearest home. Additionally, there will be landscaping and a fence that will provide relief from any noise generated by the drive-through. As such, staff believes there will be no impacts on the adjacent neighbors.

5. Provide truck-access diagram

The petitioner provided a truck-access diagram indicating trucks entering and exiting the site via 63rd Street. The drawings indicate that the trucks will be able to navigate the site without using Woodward Avenue. Woodward Avenue has a weight restriction, which would not allow for delivery trucks to use the street. The applicant is proposing additional signs on the property to inform drivers of these restrictions. Several minor adjustments (change in curb radii, adjustments to drive aisles, etc.) may be required to allow for better site circulation. Staff believes the site design is sufficient to allow for truck circulation without using Woodward Avenue. Staff would also offer the current Walgreens site at the northwest corner of 63rd Street and Belmont Road is significantly smaller than the proposed site. Delivery trucks successfully navigate this site even with the smaller dimensions.

6. Driveway encroachment for the adjacent property at 6296 Woodward Avenue

The petitioner and neighbor at 6296 Woodward Avenue have come to an agreement regarding the driveway encroachment along the north property line. An 87-foot long by four-foot wide section will be sold to the neighbor. As such, the neighbor's existing driveway will not be relocated. The petitioner will reconstruct the driveway approach to avoid conflicts with the proposed Walgreen's access.

The proposed fence and landscaping will be still be installed along the north property line to screen the neighbor. However, they will not obstruct the use of the driveway or otherwise impede the access to the property. The plans have been revised to indicate the change in the north property line.

7. Provide the volume of the proposed underground detention facility

The detention will hold 13,293.3 cubic feet (0.31 Acre/Ft.) and meet all requirements of the Stormwater Ordinance. The proposed underground detention facility has been relocated to the west side of the site.

8. Provide justification for deviation from the Comprehensive Plan's recommendation for low-intensity office use for the subject property

The petitioner submitted a revised narrative comparing the proposed Walgreens store to a typical low-intensity office use. As noted above and below, staff concur with the applicant and believes that the proposed development is consistent with the goals and recommendations listed in the Comprehensive Plan.