Agenda Item Title:
Appeal of Denied Exception Request from KTM Design Solutions on Behalf of BH Capital 4, LLC to allow a landscaped median on an industrial classification roadway, proposed North Valley Drive. (City File 17EX190).
Origination Group:
Public Works Committee
Origination Meeting Date:
12/26/2017
City Council Hearing Date:
01/02/2018
Petitioner:
KTM Design Solutions on Behalf of BH Capital 4, LLC
Staff Contact:
Nicole Lecy, Project Engineer
Location:
Proposed North Valley Park Subdivision, East of North Creek Drive and South of Eglin Street, Located in Section 32, T2N, R8E, BHM, Rapid City, South Dakota.
Agenda Item Summary:
The petitioner applied for an exception request to allow a landscaped median on an industrial classification roadway, proposed North Valley Drive, of which was denied by Staff. The Infrastructure Design Criteria Manual (IDCM) Section 2.20.1.2 states “Center Street Islands and Boulevards maybe acceptable, when planned on Lane / Place, Local or Collector streets for speed control, when they encourage pedestrian safety and when they are designed to enhance the character and beauty of a development.” Staff does not believe that an industrial street is the appropriate location for landscaped medians. Industrial streets anticipate seeing a large amount of truck traffic. Please note that the center street landscape median is a desire of the developer and not a requirement of City criteria or standards. It should also be noted that there is no need for traffic calming at the locations of the proposed medians as traffic is entering/leaving an intersection. Also, the City’s Comprehensive Plan stresses that beatification including landscape medians/boulevards shall be emphasized in entrance corridors to the City. This area is not identified as an entrance corridor into the City by the Comprehensive Plan. The applicant has indicated they are working with the neighboring property owner to potentially realign the future collector street shown to the south to be in the location of proposed North Valley Drive, but at this time the City has not received concurrence from the neighboring property owner of the realignment. If the collector street is realigned to the proposed North Valley Drive location, then this exception would not be needed, as IDCM 2.20.1.2 allows islands within collector streets. It shall also be noted that if landscape medians are provided, the developer or adjacent property owners must be responsible for maintenance, as per IDCM 2.20.2. The City will not provide maintenance. It should also be noted that IDCM 2.20.2 requires a minimum pavement width of 20’ on each side of the landscape median, increasing the total minimum pavement width for an industrial street adjacent to the median from 26’ to 40’. The petitioner is appealing the Staff denial to the City Council. Please note that Staff did approve of four exception requests submitted to date for this proposed subdivision project and Staff denied three exception requests submitted to date for this proposed subdivision project.
Funding Source & Fiscal Impact (if applicable):
| Funding | Cost Center |
|---|---|
Recommendations:
Origination Recommendation Action:
Reject
Origination Recommendation Notes:
Staff recommends upholding the denial of the exception request.
City Council Options:
Uphold the denial, approve or amend the denial in whole or in part.