HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 - Planning And Zoning Board - Work PlanCommunity Development & Neighborhood Services
281 North College Avenue
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580
970.416.2740
970.224.6134- fax
fcgov.com
Planning, Development & Transportation Services
TO: Wanda Nelson, City Clerk
FROM: Andy Smith, Chair
Planning and Zoning Board
DATE: November 15, 2012
SUBJECT: Planning and Zoning Board Work Plan - 2013
During 2012, the Planning and Zoning Board saw an increase in the number of development
applications and has reviewed and approved some notable developments including Legacy
Senior Residences, Regency Lakeview, Link-n-Greens, and Bucking Horse. A number of
appeals were filed on projects approved during the year and included, The District at Campus
West, 1305 S. Shields, Remington Annex (705 – 715 Remington), Aspen Heights, and Regency
Lakeview. This trend toward appeals is expected to continue in 2013, given City Plan policies to
promote infill/redevelopment that may be in conflict with the expectations of neighborhood
property owners and residents.
The Board also reviewed and recommended approval of the Wild Plum Farm 1st & 2nd, Wood
Street, Forney, Kechter 1st & 2nd, and Kechter Crossing Annexations. A number of policy plans
were reviewed by the Board in 2012, including the Outdoor Vendor Study, Downtown Parking
Plan, Streetscape Standards, and Oil and Gas Standards. Land Use Code changes to medical
marijuana, appeal process, bicycle parking standards, and multi-family housing were also
reviewed by the Board.
Development applications increased through 2012 and are expected to continue to increase in
2013, based on recent trends in Conceptual Review requests and submittals, as well as phone
inquiries. Many of the anticipated projects will be on infill/redevelopment sites, so the Board will
be addressing compatibility issues in existing neighborhoods on these projects. Outreach to the
community on development proposals increased in 2012, with full Board packets being placed
on-line and the hiring of the City’s first Neighborhood Development Review Liaison, Sarah
Burnett.
Several key development proposals are anticipated during 2013 for the Board’s review and
include the Link-n-Greens PDP, Foothills Mall redevelopment and associated multi-family
housing, Pateros Creek PDP, and the Banner Health Medical Campus on Harmony Road. The
level of interest in developments that have either expired, or for which extensions are being
requested has also increased. These developments have been in a holding pattern for several
years and with the increased availability of investment money, projects that are already entitled
are very appealing to the development industry.
In addition to reviewing and evaluating development proposals, the Board will address important
land use policy issues during 2013, including:
2013 Planning and Zoning Board Work Plan
November 15, 2012
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Commercial and River Downtown Redevelopment District Architectural Design Standards -
This project was originally two separate projects that came out of the last City Plan update and
were merged due to having similar subject matter. The River Redevelopment District vision is
for redevelopment design to complement the existing historic structures and reflect the
agricultural-industrial aspects of the area’s history. The commercial development topic includes
issues of community identity, pedestrian orientation and visual quality of individual buildings and
developments and how those are brought together to shape streetscape, walkways, plazas and
other areas that adjoin the public right-of-way.
East Side/West Side Character Study – The East Side/West Side Character Study continued
through 2012 and has a November 27, 2012 work session scheduled with City Council. Staff
expects to bring recommendations to the Board in early 2013 in response to Council direction
given at the work session. The focus of this study is to identify the characteristics of these
neighborhoods that create their unique character and context and identify potential tools for
retaining and enhancing these features.
Harmony Corridor Plan Update/Gateway area – The Harmony Corridor Plan was adopted in
1991 and updated in 2003. In 2006, the Harmony Corridor Standards & Guidelines were
adopted. The update to this plan will focus on the Harmony Road gateway at I-25 and will
create design guidelines for future development in the gateway area.
Land Use Code Amendments – In 2013, there will continue to be a major effort to identify and
recommend code revisions to City Council to implement principles of Plan Fort Collins, as well
as other plans and policies. Council’s preference for important code changes is to bring
changes on an as-needed basis, rather than waiting for the annual update package. This will
result in the Board being asked more frequently to make recommendations to City Council on
code amendments, including the following items:
• Multi-family housing related code changes, as a result of the Student Housing Action
Plan;
• Urban Agricultural Land Use code changes – this effort has been an extension of the
2012 work program to ensure the Land Use Code supports the community’s desires in
relation to urban agriculture practices both when and where appropriate. This project
will resume in early 2013.
• Non-Native Trees – In October 2012, staff discussed whether or not the current
regulations related to non-native trees, specifically Siberian elm and Russian olives,
adequately addressed the ecological value these trees can provide. The proposed
changes to the Code will be brought to the Board in early 2013.
Lincoln Avenue Corridor Strategic Plan – This plan will provide a community-supported vision
and strategies to implement that vision for the corridor area. The project will explore how the
“Catalyst Project Area” concept can be achieved and provide a model for sustainability,
collaboration and partnerships, transportation and social connections, and implement a “great
green street” along with other unique ideas to strengthen existing area attributes.
Mason Street Corridor – The Choice Center (re-development of the Johnson Mobile Home Park
in 221 dwelling units/676 beds) is nearing completion. This project, along with the Mason
Corridor/MAX improvements may act as a catalyst for other redevelopment along the Corridor.
Future redevelopment proposals along the corridor may propose significant physical changes to
the existing urban form and could include increased building height, unique architectural design,
reduced vehicular parking spaces, and neighborhood compatibility issues.
2013 Planning and Zoning Board Work Plan
November 15, 2012
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Mid-town Urban Design Plan – This plan will guide the design of future redevelopment in the
Mid-town area, and identify opportunities to further enhance streetscapes and multi-modal
connectivity. It is expected to address connectivity along/across College Avenue, integrate the
Mason Trial and MAX stops with other ped connections, develop a parking strategy that
supports desired densities, provide guidelines for site planning, architecture, and massing of
buildings, identify catalyst sites, and provide way-finding and signage recommendations.
Construction of the new MAX guideway and stations along the Mason Corridor is tentatively
scheduled to be completed by winter of 2013.
Nature in the City Amenities in Mixed-Use Areas – This project was identified from the City Plan
update and is intended to encourage the integration of unique landscape features into the
design and architecture of development and capital projects. These features may range from
informal and naturalized, to highly structured and maintained features (i.e. trees groves within a
project, storm water facilities that become naturalized over time, walls with vines).
Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Regulations – Assuming that the proposed Oil and Gas
Regulations are adopted by City Council, the Board would receive memo-based updates once a
month on the issue in order to more quickly respond to the need to adapt the regulations.
Planning Development Overlay District (PDOD) – In 2012, the PDOD tool was refined by staff
and a six-month Pilot Project was proposed to confirm whether the tool would work as intended
and to assess interest from the development community. The pilot project was approved by the
Board in mid-2012 and staff is meeting with Council members to further understand Council’s
concerns about the Pilot Project. The Pilot Project is expected to be considered by City council
in early 2013 and the Board is expected to review the first PDOD project sometime in 2013,
depending on the level of interest from the development community.
Student Housing Action Plan – This joint effort between C.S.U., neighbors, developers and
other stakeholders to identity strategies to address the increasing need for student housing
within the context of the existing neighborhoods will continue into 2013 and may result in
additional Land Use Code changes for multi-family housing.
West Central Neighborhood Plan Update – The West Central Neighborhood Plan was adopted
in 1999 for the area that is generally bounded in an “L” shape by Mulberry Street on the north,
Shields Street, and the BNSF Rail line on the east, Drake Road on the south, and Taft Hill Road
on the west. in1999, issues have emerged that warrant a plan update. The update this plan will
begin in January 2013 and assess such things as student housing project impacts,
neighborhood compatibility of new development, land use/zoning, and impacts of traffic/parking
near CSU and adjoining neighborhoods.
cc: Planning and Zoning Board Members
Mayor Karen Weitkunat, Council Liaison
Karen Cumbo, PDT Director
Laurie Kadrich, CDNS Director