10/02/2007 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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fr ~= .~. ~ ,,~'3_' ` !T' ».~,. ~- _ ~- , .* i L ~ r ~ i ~ ~~, ~ , I ] ~' r f~ ~.. ~ fl ~ ~' ~i ~ ~ ~ j1 ~ ~~"' ~ ~ ~ L 1 ~" ~ ~ J °~? ~ ~ ~ C r -:, ,. r. t ~, - ;, f, Existing houses without adequate turn-around space (in orange) Stearns Road The Crocker Stearns Corridor requires the widening of Stearns Road Lorain Road and I-480 by approximately 15 feet in both directions. This additional 30 feet of roadway undermines the current single family use along the street. The new four-lane road will limit the ability of residents to back out of their drive- ways, while the added traffic will increase noise levels. Many of the houses in this area are already fairly close to the street. The road expansion will make them much closer to a much busier street. Several houses along this street will have a set- back of less than 40 feet. The expansion of the street has also required the removal of many street trees. There are strong feelings among the residents along Stearns Road regarding the roadway change. Many residents intend to move from their homes because of anticipated noise and traffic For residents who chose to stay, the noise concern can be addressed by the strategic planting of trees and shrubs between the houses and the roadway. If vegetation is increased, the noise levels will be reduced. Residents are also concerned about difficulties getting out of their driveways, especially if they have to back out into the street. This issue can be addressed by making sure that residents have the space needed for turning their vehicles around on their own property. 44 properties along the street already have paved turnarounds. For the remaining 11 properties which do not have adequate pavement to allow this, a new concrete pad could be poured to accommodate turning around. The bulk purchase of trees for screening and a reduced rate on concrete installation would be an option for reducing costs to individual homeowners. Based on community discussions, a significant number of Stearns Road residents plan to leave. Many are hoping a developer will buy their property as part of a larger development plan for the corridor. Since single-family housing is no longer the most viable use along Stearns Road, a new mix of uses needs to be determined that could accommodate a range of development alternatives. Near the intersection of Lorain Avenue and Stearns Road, a more dense mix of multi-family housing and retail uses would be appropriate, given the high visibility of the intersection and its proximity to public transit and existing retail areas along Lorain Avenue. In the short term, the middle segment of the street could become a flexible mixture of new and existing housing, ultimately transitioning to a mixture of new housing types, including townhouses, condominium buildings, and cluster homes, depending on market demand. The southern section of Steams could support larger offices, or possibly a hotel, based on proximity to 1-480. These possibilities are suggestions as to what could happen and make sense along the corridor; the actual uses along the wider Stearns will be strongly tied to market considerations. The goal is to create a zoning and land use plan that will accommodate this wide range of possibilities and allow them to successfully coexist. In conjunction with new, higher density residential development, a new green space could also be created along the corridor. This amenity could include landscaped areas and an extension of an existing bike path. The public green space could be created as part of new private development in the corridor, rather than with city funds. City of North Olmsted: Crocker-Stearns Corridor Home on Stearns with large tree buffer