| The
conceptual site plan illustrates the potential for
a combination of neighborhood level retail and community
neighborhood level retail shopping.
The
conceptual plan also illustrates how the site can
be developed with community and neighborhood level
retail uses on parcels under separate ownership. It
is the intent of the conceptual site plan to show
how the proposed shopping center and the freestanding
retail pads (State Trust Land parcel) can be developed
together or independently. Due to the legal responsibilities
assigned to the State Land Department for management
of the State Trust Land parcel, the State Trust Land
parcel needs to have the ability to develop as an
independent parcel. The State Trust Land parcel may
develop on its own or as part of the larger shopping
center shown on the Vestar parcel depending on the
needs of the Trust.
The
conceptual plan must take into consideration the topography
and washes that pass through the site. The site’s
topography and orientation to arterials creates the
need for a circulation system that: provides access
from perimeter streets into the shopping center; allows
circulation between retail components on both sides
of the wash; and allows access to freestanding retail
pads that are isolated from the shopping center by
the wash. The design challenge is to honor the City’s
access policies for Lake Pleasant Parkway but also
to provide access to all retail uses. The conceptual
circulation allows the State Trust Land parcel to
develop independently, or be integrated with the adjacent
commercial center on the Vestar parcel.
This
circulation system proposes a variety of access points
into the center and freestanding retail pads. A collector
street (Yearling Road) is proposed along the north
property line of the development. This collector street
allows northern access driveways into the shopping
center and retail pads. It also provides future access
to planned residential properties to the west. As
a collector street, Yearling Road intersects with
Lake Pleasant Parkway at one of the City’s planned
median break points. Major entrances to the shopping
center are designated off of Lake Pleasant Parkway
and off of Happy Valley Road.
The
shopping center site has a vehicular access easement
across the State Land parcel for direct access to
Lake Pleasant Parkway at a planned median break location.
The driveway entrances into the shopping center pull
traffic off the arterials into an internal circulation
system that allows access to all portions of the shopping
center and freestanding retail pads on both sides
of the wash. The internal circulation includes three
bridged crossings over the wash to connect the commercial
parcels. A series of smaller right-in and right-out
only access entry drives are added off of the north
collector street, Lake Pleasant Parkway and Happy
Valley Road to evenly disperse traffic flow into and
out of the shopping center and the freestanding retail
pads.
The
conceptual plan accommodates non-vehicular access
through the site per the policies in the General Plan.
An equestrian trail is planned through the site, in
the bottom of the wash, to allow equestrian access
to points north and south of the site. A multi-use
trail is planned through the site along the top of
the wash’s west back to allow pedestrian access
to points north and south of the site. Appropriate
pedestrian walkways will link retail components of
the shopping center, and provide walkways from parking
lots to major retail stores.
The
plan provides generous landscape setbacks along Lake
Pleasant Parkway and Happy Valley Road. There is a
planned 30-foot landscape buffer along Lake Pleasant
Parkway and a 30-foot landscape buffer along Happy
Valley Road. Additional design elements will be added
along the street frontages including appropriate landscape
berms and/or screen walls to hide parked vehicles
from visibility. Entrance drives will be improved
with enhanced decorative pavers.
The
conceptual plan illustrates there is significant potential
to provide landscaping along the perimeter of the
site, adjacent to the wash, in parking lots and adjacent
to retail buildings and shops. The property owners
for the commercial uses will maintain all on-site
landscaping including perimeters rights-of-way.
The
commercial uses on both parcels will be consistent
with the permitted, conditional and accessory uses
listed in the C-2 base-zoning district. The architecture
and design of the commercial buildings will comply
with the City’s Design Review Manual for Non-Residential
uses.
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