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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/22/2019 - HARMONY CORRIDOR PLAN UPDATE-GATEWAY AREADATE: STAFF: October 22, 2019 Cameron Gloss, Planning Manager Tom Leeson, Director, Comm Dev & Neighborhood Svrs WORK SESSION ITEM City Council SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION Harmony Corridor Plan Update – Gateway Area. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to provide Council an update on the main concepts proposed in an amendment to the Harmony Corridor Plan and corresponding Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines that pertains to the “Gateway Area” at I-25 and Harmony Road. The essential policy issue is a change in land use designation from “Basic Industrial Non-Retail Employment” to “Harmony Gateway”, which would allow a much wider mix of uses, in addition to employment uses. This shift in uses would be accompanied by new standards and guidelines for development in privately-owned portions of the area that help to create a distinct image at Fort Collins’ most prominent entry. The new standards would require development to form a compact, concentrated pedestrian- oriented district with extensive river valley landscaping and set design direction for landscaping, buildings, signs and public improvements throughout the area. GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED 1. Have the revised draft concepts captured City Council direction provided at the May 14 Work Session? BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION This item is a staff-proposed update of the 1991 Harmony Corridor Plan that provides specific direction on future private development standards and public investment within the “Gateway Area”. The “Gateway Area” is 420-acres located west of I-25, extending one mile north of Harmony Road and one-half mile to the south. At the previous City Council Work Session on this item, held on May 14, 2019, Council directed staff to incorporate the following additional comments into the public process and future drafts of the Harmony Corridor Plan Update for the ‘Gateway Area’: • Land Use Intensity: Staff was requested to further explore alternative land use and development pattern scenarios with lesser intensity. Each of the alternatives should consider impacts to transportation and natural features. The majority of Council expressed pursuit of a ‘middle pathway’ that would make the Gateway Area more inviting, but not too developed. • Design Character: While there was acknowledgement that proposed design standards include naturalistic elements based on the Poudre River valley character, it was suggested by some members that the design parameters do not fully take into account the existing open character of the area and that Natural Areas and Nature in the City concepts could be incorporated more clearly. Some elements of the design standards, particularly the I-25 and Harmony landscaped edges, regional trail, and sign limits, were viewed positively. • Review Process: General support was expressed for the Gateway Plan Update community engagement process used to date. It was suggested that more time and public discussion is needed to examine alternative scenarios, vet the ideas, and receive comments from the Transportation Advisory Board, Land Conservation and Stewardship Board and other related Boards and Commissions. October 22, 2019 Page 2 Alternative Land Use and Development Pattern Scenarios Staff has prepared four alternative future land use and development scenarios that are distinguished primarily by differences in density/intensity of development, mix of uses, and amount of open and undeveloped areas, as summarized below: (Attachment 1) Scenario A: Base-case (current BINREAC (Basic Industrial and Non-Residential Activity Center) Harmony Corridor Plan land use designation) • Mitigate floodplain impacts • Reflect continuation of the current Harmony Corridor Plan policies and HC zone district standards • Assumes at least 75% primary employment/industrial uses, with a maximum of 25% secondary (commercial/retail, housing, public) uses • 6 story non-residential and 3 story residential building height limit • 80-foot wide landscaped setback along Harmony Road and I-25 • Habitat buffer surrounding heron rookery Scenario B: Increased Commercial and Housing with Big Box • Mitigate floodplain impacts • Assumes a mixed-use employment district, with a greater retail and commercial (max 50%) and residential (min 25%) with a minimum of 20% primary employment/industrial uses • Provides limited big box retail (max cumulative 250,000 square feet) • Civic/community facilities are viewed independently and are not subject to the use proportions • Allows potential for drive-through restaurants if screened and in areas subordinate to pedestrian spaces and focal points • Average 140-190-foot-wide “naturalistic” landscaped setbacks along Harmony Road and I-25 • 6-story non-residential and 3-story residential building height limit • Regional trail corridor • Habitat buffer surrounding heron rookery Scenario C: Increased Commercial and Housing without Big Box • Same as Scenario B, but big box and drive through restaurants are prohibited Scenario D: Reduced Intensity • Mitigate floodplain impacts • Mix of concentrated uses with required open space to reduce development “footprint” of buildings and parking areas • “Naturalistic” Open land areas constitute at least 40% of the area south of Harmony, between I-25 and Strauss Cabin Road. • Assumes a mixed-use employment district, with a greater retail and commercial (max 50%) and residential (min 25%) with a minimum of 20% primary employment/industrial uses • Average 140-190-foot-wide “naturalistic” landscaped setback along Harmony Road. • Maximum height of 5 stories for commercial/retail and 3 for residential • Regional trail corridor located further from I-25 • Habitat buffer surrounding heron rookery All the scenarios reflect the removal of two of the three remaining open, unlined water ponds fed by groundwater. The ponds were created through the extraction of gravel which illegally exposed the groundwater. Under Colorado law, storing water in a pond requires a storage right unless the pond is included in a plan for augmentation or substitute water supply plan. The remaining pond area with legal rights for storage is located in the southeast corner of the “Gateway”, adjacent to which is a great blue heron nest site in a large Eastern Cottonwood tree near the southeast corner of the pond. October 22, 2019 Page 3 Scenario Analysis Metrics A range of metrics were used to evaluate each scenario in the areas identified below. These metrics include: • Transportation Impacts - trip generation and traffic patterns based on the mix and intensity of land uses. • Open Areas - Ratio of open, undeveloped area to developed area, amount of contiguous naturalistic landscape, and degree of landscape screening from adjacent roadways. • Placemaking - Mix of uses, potential for *”third places”, quantity of active public space, and degree that site and building design reflects a human scale. *“third places” = locations where people can readily connect with each other that are not their home (‘first’ place) or work (‘second’ place). Examples are restaurants, pubs, churches, recreation centers and parks, civic and cultural uses. Scenario A Base- Case Scenario B Increased Commercial and Housing with Big Box Scenario C Increased Commercial and Housing without Big Box Scenario D Reduced Intensity TRANSPORTATION Estimated Traffic Generated by Use Mix in addition to existing 40-50,000 Average Daily Trips within the Harmony ‘Gateway’ Area 25,000 Average Daily Trips 45,000 Average Daily Trips 22,000 Average Daily Trips 16,000 Average Daily Trips Traffic Patterns Residential uses generate traffic largely within peak hours (out in the morning and in during the evening); Employment uses also generate traffic primarily within the peak hour (in-commute in the morning and out-commute in the evening); and Commercial uses generate low volumes in the morning, higher mid-day and substantially more in the evening (equal in/out pattern). OPEN AREAS - SOUTH OF HARMONY/WEST OF I-25 Approximate Acreage of Naturalistic Landscape 20 Acres 45 Acres 46 Acres 57 Acres Percentage of Naturalistic Landscape 14% of area 32% of area 32% of area 40% of area Landscape Screening from Adjacent Roadways Moderate High High Very High PLACEMAKING Mix of Uses Low High High High Potential for Third Places Low Moderate High High Quantity of Active Public Spaces Low Moderate High High Human Scale Buildings and Site Design Moderate Moderate High High Community Engagement During September and early October, staff presented the draft scenarios and accompanying Plan Amendments, and Standards and Guidelines in work sessions to six advisory boards and commissions. These include the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board, Planning and Zoning Board, Natural Resources Advisory Board, Economic Advisory Commission and Water Board. Overall, each of the boards have expressed a preference for Scenario D or a derivation. More specific comments from members included: October 22, 2019 Page 4 • A request for clear delineation of areas required as a more naturalistic landscape versus more manicured landscaped areas. • Support for as much contiguous naturalistic landscape that can provide some degree of ‘community separation’, provide a community amenity and protect functional values of the River Valley, i.e.-water passage and recharge, and wildlife habitat). • Discussion of other possible public uses within the area, including an expanded/relocated Park-n-Ride facility, and purchase of public conservation easements or open space (Natural Areas). • Maximize investment in the regional trail system within the entire ‘Gateway’ area and locate the trail away from I-25, if possible, to enhance user experience and incorporate into urban uses. A facilitated public workshop about the future of Fort Collins’ I-25 Gateways will be held on October 21 that will focus primarily on the major gateway areas along I-25 including Harmony Road, Prospect, and Mulberry. City staff will showcase different future design options for these community gateways that promote attractive entries. The input received from the workshop will inform the development of a preferred direction of the Harmony “Gateway” and revised development standards and guidelines. Given the timing of the workshop relative to the Council work session, staff will provide a “read-before” memo summarizing the Gateway Workshop findings on Tuesday, October 22. Next Steps Public hearings with boards and commissions to prepare City Council recommendations: • Land Conservation and Stewardship Board-November 13, 2019 • Natural Resources Advisory Board, Economic Advisory Board and Transportation Board-November 20, 2019 • Water Board and Planning and Zoning Board-November 21, 2019 • City Council consideration of First Reading-December 17, 2019 ATTACHMENTS 1. Harmony Gateway Diagrams (PDF) 2. Powerpoint presentation (PDF) Scenario A: Base-case Retail/ Commercial Retail/ Commercial Arapaho Bend Natural Area 80’ + floodplain mitigation area as req’d Cottonwood Groves w/intermittent views Residential Residential Employment/ Industrial Employment/ Industrial Employment/ Industrial Harmony Road Strauss Cabin Rd. Interstate 25 80’ * 825’ heron rookery habitat buffer ATTACHMENT 1 Scenario B: Increased Commercial and Housing with Big Box 140 - 190’ + floodplain mitigation area as req’d Retail/ Commercial Retail/ Commercial Retail/ Commercial Trail Corridor Linking Poudre and Fossil Creek Trails Cottonwood Groves w/intermittent views Mixed Use/ Residential Residential Residential Employment/ Industrial Harmony Road Strauss Cabin Rd. Interstate 25 140 - 190’ * 825’ heron rookery habitat buffer Arapaho Bend Natural Area 140 - 190’ + floodplain mitigation area as req’d Retail/ Commercial Retail/ Commercial Retail/ Commercial Trail Corridor Linking Poudre and Fossil Creek Trails Cottonwood Groves w/intermittent views Residential Residential Residential Employment/ Industrial Harmony Road Strauss Cabin Rd. Interstate 25 140 - 190’ * 825’ heron rookery habitat buffer Arapaho Bend Natural Area Scenario C: Increased Commercial and Housing without Big Box 140 - 190’ + floodplain mitigation area as req’d Retail/ Commercial Retail/ Commercial Retail/ Commercial Trail Corridor Linking Poudre and Fossil Creek Trails Cottonwood Groves w/intermittent views Mixed Use/ Residential Residential Residential Employment/ Industrial Harmony Road Strauss Cabin Rd. Interstate 25 140 - 190’ * 825’ heron rookery habitat buffer Arapaho Bend Natural Area Scenario D: Reduced 6ntensity 1 Harmony Gateway Plan Update City Council Work Session 10-22-19 ATTACHMENT 2 2 Direction Sought Have the revised draft concepts captured City Council direction provided at the May 14 Work Session? 3 ABCD Base-case > Commercial/Housing with Big Box > Commercial/Housing Reduced Intensity Habitat Protection 5 Floodway (Dark Blue) Floodplain (Light Blue) North Floodplain Impacts Mitigated Naturalistic landscaping and grading for noise and visual control for Gateway Area appearance Buildings clustered internally to form a walkable Place within the area Framed views of buildings Scenarios B, C, D Naturalistic Landscape/Landscape Setbacks I-25 and Harmony Hidden Parking Lots Establish a new naturalistic landscape along Harmony to express river valley setting w/ a level of nature to complement north side of Harmony Whole new re-shaped and re-graded landscape setting Unified Harmony Road Streetscape and Landscape Setback Area Scenarios B, C, D Trail corridor south of Harmony connecting Poudre and Fossil Creek trails Establish and maintain naturalistic landscaping Buildings oriented internally and Juxtaposed with naturalistic landscape setting Regional Trail Corridor Scenarios B, C, D 9 Mixed - Use Employment 10 Gateway Plan Update Schedule 11 A – Base-case 75% Primary Use (Employment) minimum 25% Secondary Use (Commercial/Residential) maximum 80-foot landscape setbacks along Harmony & I-25 1. Transportation 25k ADT/ heavy peak hour 2. Open Areas 20 ac/14% naturalistic landscape 3. Placemaking Lowest rated 12 B – > Commercial/Housing with Big Box • 20% Employment minimum • 50% Commercial maximum • 25% Residential minimum • 250,000 sq. ft. Big Box maximum • Drive-through restaurants 1. Transportation 45k ADT 2. Open Areas 45 ac/32% naturalistic landscape 3. Placemaking Greater Opportunities 13 C – > Commercial/Housing • 20% Employment minimum • 50% Commercial maximum • 25% Residential minimum 1. Transportation 22k ADT 2. Open Areas 45 ac/32% naturalistic landscape 3. Placemaking Greater Opportunities 14 D – Reduced Intensity • 20% Employment minimum • 50% Commercial maximum • 25% Residential minimum • 1 story lower height for Commercial/mixed-use 1. Transportation 16k ADT 2. Open Areas 57 ac/40% naturalistic landscape 3. Placemaking Greater Opportunities Gateway Plan Update Schedule I-25 Gateways Public Workshop- October 21 City Council Work Session- October 22 Public Hearings/recommendations - LCSB– 11/13 - NRAB, EAC & Transportation Board – 11/20 - Water Board and P&Z– 11/21 City Council 1st Reading – December 17 15 16 Direction Sought Have the revised draft concepts captured City Council direction provided at the May 14 Work Session?