01/10/1995 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

? developinent area or the uature aud quality of the proposed desigu would be for the Commission to recommend a variance to Council. Mr. Basalla stated that when tlus zoning was enacted, it was decided to apply the requirements of the Single Family "A" District for the minimum floor area, but cousidering the surrounding area they believed that the floor requirements of the Single Family "C" district would be more appropriate to the site; and also their buyers want soinetlung smaller thau what they had. If they conformed to the code, they would have the same number of units, but they would be larger, perhaps two stories. Mr. Wlutlatch stated that they give theu- customers a basic wut and then the custoiner can add to it, such as a room on the back or over a garage, but if all the units were larger, they could not offer as many choices to the buyer. Soine people, especially single people, do not want the additional space. Mr. Basalla stated that different buyers had different needs and they believe that 1,600 square feet is too large for the basic size. Two hundred square feet would add more than $13,000. Mr. Wlutlatch stated that their various optious would probably raise the price of a unit by about $10,000. to $15,000 and a one person household would not need it. Mr. Basalla stated that the first floor square footage is not a good iudication of the size of the 1-1/2 story unit since the steep sloped roof allows substantial amouut of floor space on the second floor. Regarding the front commercial property, they are reducing that area but there are no definite plans at this time. M-r. Mauning had a concern about the single access onto Lorain Road and questioned what kind of a traffic pattern there would be at 8:00 a.m. or 5:00 p.m. Mr-. Basalla could not answer that directly, but pointed out the traffic generation for this type of housing is about half of what would be generated by a Single Family community. He reiterated that about 60% of their residents are empty nesters or retirees. They do have a community similar to this one in Twinsburg which has a single entrance onto Darrell Road. The Strougsville community has 164 units, and is much more deuse. This one is inore cousisteut with what they have done in Twinsburg and accordiug to Mr. Whitlatch an excellent size community because residents know their community leaders but there are enough people to share in the costs. No recreatioual area is plauned, because they have found that their residents do not want them. Their residents want a nice quiet, well landscaped, well liglited environment with the gazebo over the mail boxes for protection. Iu other commuuities, they installed walking trails and paths, but those were eventually grassed over, and most people either walk the sidewalks or walk the streets in large groups which would be safe since they have no through traffic and the winding streets slow down the traffic. Mr. Whitlatch agreed to install sidewalks and would work them in with the landscape plan. Mr. Basalla reiterated that they intended to save a 20 to 25 foot strip of trees around the perimeter and some trees, possibly about 20%, would be maintained in the common areas. In response to questions, Assistant City Engineer McDerinott advised that there was a piped in ditch that crossed onto Sharon that their retention system would tie iuto. He clarified that the basins would be connected and the outflow would be onto Sharon Drive into the piping system which would flow northward. Mr. Basalla stated that they had submitted calculations that showed a 3 3 % reduction in the amount of runoff from the site at present. Mr. McDermott corrected that to 10% less runofl? but advised that this runoff would be controlled. Again Mr. Miller mentioned the possibility of silt build up wluch would occur after the developers had left, and would exceed what the residents ou a fixed income could afford, so the city would be forced to clean up the silt to avoid flooding in the adjacent neighborhoods. Mr. Basalla stated that the storm water would be retained above the normal water level so nothing below that would have a bearing on it. The drainage areas to the these ponds are so small and flat that the poteutial for silt build up would be negligible. N1r. McDermott stated that some maintenance would be required. Mr. Basalla clarified that the static water level is always there, and you could fill the poud with dirt and it would not effect the storage capacity. The storage capacity occurs from the static water level up to a predetermined 6