Planning Commission Agenda and Packet 2012 03 22

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes February 23, 2012 Page 5 of 12 Russ stated the Commission can place conditions of approval on the application but they should keep in mind the parking management plan does not give more parking spaces. Applicant Presentation: Jim Loftus, Loftus Development, Boulder, CO introduced the Project Team Members. He continued with a discussion and clarification of a misunderstanding the neighbors have regarding how the development will lower property values. He stated this is top notch development. The project is going to cost $32 million to construct and $31 million will be for the apartments. He acknowledged the current building property taxes have gone down 67% since 2008. Bill Fox, traffic engineer, explained the traffic analysis. He specifically addressed the concerns of the audience. Tengler asked if he was suggesting the traffic for the apartments, based on former Safeway use, is 40% the amount of the grocery store. Lipton asked if the traffic numbers were based on the peak use of Safeway. Fox stated they did not have the numbers from the peak use but they used an established document to measure the analysis. Moline stated he lives in the neighborhood and most of his neighbors do not remember when Safeway was vibrant. He stated he wants to know how this will impact the existing traffic. Fox stated the study does analysis the existing traffic conditions. Lipton stated the one conclusion is the apartment use could be half of what the site could perform if used as a grocery store. Fox described the background traffic. He stated people are still traveling to a grocery store so those numbers were included in the study. He said the analysis states the existing roadway capacity can support the proposed use. He spoke specifically to existing traffic concerns based on conversations he had with residents after the last meeting. He is committed to continue to determine how existing traffic concerns could be mitigated. Moline asked if they anticipate the neighborhood cutting through to the north. Fox stated no. Lipton asked if he could imagine any queuing of traffic that would extend to the railroad tracks if a train is present. Fox stated no. Lipton stated the train probably creates more traffic issues. Russell referenced page 4, December 2010 – June 2011 traffic counts. Is it normal for them to be 70% higher than the 2012 counts? Fox stated no but that is why they were included in the study.