HomeMy WebLinkAboutFORT COLLINS HIGH SCHOOL 3400 LAMBKIN WAY - Filed CS-COMMENT SHEETS - 2008-03-03me,.. Services
Planning Department
City of Fort Collins
March 27, 1992
Mr. Bob Sutter
Architectural Horizons
4730 South College Avenue, Suite 206
Fort Collins, CO. 80525
Dear Bob:
I have taken the opportunity to summarize the notes from the
meeting of Wednesday, March 25, 1992 regarding the New High School.
The comments are as follows:
1. The Transportation Department recognizes the need for a
Timberline Road southbound left turn into the shopping center.
If this left turn is allowed, then the shopping center access
off Horsetooth could be restricted to a right-in/right-out.
More information would be needed on traffic volume at this
proposed curb cut, separation from Danfield, and whether left
turn stacking is sufficient.
2. Data from Rocky Mountain High School has been collected. The
school has 1,180 students and 90 faculty and staff. There are
about 724 parking spaces. The parking lot is never full,
spaces are available. Based on these ratios, and projected to
a student population of 1,800 and 250 faculty and staff, it is
estimated that the New H.S. will require about 1,060 spaces.
You are encouraged to look closely at the projected
faculty/staff ratio for the new school. It appears high.
3. Trip generation data from R.M.H.S. has also been obtained.
The A.M. peak is from 7:00 to 8:00 and there are approximately
600 inbound trips and 300 outbound trips. The P.M. peak is
from 3:00 to 4:00 and there are about 350 inbound trips and
400 outbound trips. These volumes will help project trip
generation for the new H.S.
4. The proposed double left turn for southbound Timberline to
eastbound Horsetooth may be a problem for the City in
obtaining extra right-of-way. It may be politically and
financially difficult to purchase the necessary land area from
the adjacent property owners to accommodate double left turns.
Double lefts would not be needed in the near term.
5. Left turn exits from Danfield/bus loop intersection with
Timberline may be very difficult given the fact that speeds
281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (303) 221-6750
will be 45 m.p.h. and volumes during peak hours may be heavy.
Volumes and background traffic will certainly increase in 1997
or 1998 when Timberline is extended over the Poudre River.
This intersection will be controlled by a stop sign and left
turns during peak times will be "self-regulating". Adding a
signal at this intersection is not planned.
6. Input from Poudre R-1 Transportation will be very useful in
evaluating the safety of buses exiting (left turns) onto to
Timberline (major arterial) during peak times without the
benefit of a signal. Perhaps this turn movement will be safe
for the short term, but probably not in the long run. The
architect and traffic engineer are encouraged to consider
Vermont as the primary access point for the bus loop, or, at
least, the primary exit point.
7. It is recommended that the westbound Horsetooth double left
turns are not needed, a single left should be sufficient.
8. The challenge on determining the number of parking spaces will
be to provide enough parking for 1,800 students and 250
faculty/staff, and yet still explore methods of reducing
parking lot demand. It is recognized that demand management
efforts are just underway. It is suggested that any progress
in this area be reported to the Planning and Zoning Board at
the hearing on April 27th. If, after the cooperative demand
management effort, it is discovered that there is too much
parking area, then these areas can be reduced.
9. It is encouraged that student parking be monitored so that the
commercial parking lot is not abused. This may require a
sticker system and an enforcement mechanism. School officials
are encouraged to promote the use of a car as a privilege, not
a right, subject to following rules and regulations on
parking.
10. The City and the District must continue to work together to
promote and encourage the use of off-street paths as an
alternative to the automobile. At present, there are gaps in
the path and sidewalk system that need to be completed. The
Parks and Recreation Department has investigated the concept
of providing a path along the Platte River Power Authority
easement that runs north and south, about 1,200 feet west of
Timberline Road. Another area that needs improvement is the
bottleneck at Drake and the U.P.R.R. tracks. It is
acknowledged that the City is a major participant in offsite
path connections.
11. The site plan does not indicate an area for bike racks or
other bicycle amenities. These elements should be considered
and included to encourage non -vehicular access.
12. The phasing of public improvements must be considered. While
detailed engineering plans do not have to be prepared, the
concepts should be presented to the Planning and Zoning Board.
In particular, the extent of improvements along Timberline and
Horsetooth should be resolved, in principle, at this time.
13. For storm drainage purposes, it will be important for school
improvements to not cut off the commercial area. Drainage is
from west to east. Storm flows from the commercial site must
be conveyed to the detention ponds indicated on the east side
of the site, west of the proposed street serving Pinecone
Farm.
14. The site is located in the Foothills Drainage Basin. Fees in
this basin are $5,024 per acre.
15. Downstream drainage facilities will be oversized by the City
as a capital improvement project. Therefore, it will not be
necessary to detain more than what is required.
16. The outfall from the proposed detention ponds leads into a 36
inch diameter storm pipe to be located under the proposed
street. This improvement must be completed as part of the
project and is eligible for repayment by the City Stormwater
Utility. I£ adjacent development is not imminent, then
temporary solutions may be considered.
17. It is recommended that an intergovernmental agreement be
entered into to coordinate the offsite drainage improvements
and the repay by the City to the District.
18. Any permanent irrigation pond should be designed with enough
freeboard to accommodate storm flows. It is anticipated that
the ponds will be wide and shallow since the entire area is
generally very flat.
19. It is recognized that detention will be shared by both the
park and school properties. School athletic fields are not
being planned to accommodate storm drainage. The Department
of Natural Resources and Stormwater Utility have
recommendations on suitable ground cover for detention areas.
20. The Parks and Recreation is concerned about the "spine"
element. This spine should not split the park in such a
manner as, to make it difficult to provide play fields. Also,
the spine should logically connect to a focal point that
naturally draws interest.
21. Parks and Rec typically does not plan for specific functions
in a neighborhood park until meetings are held with the
surrounding neighborhood. Since residential development has
not yet occurred, Parks and Rec must maintain some degree of
flexibility as to what will go into the park. Care should be
taken that the spine, or any other school improvements, do not
unnecessarily inhibit the park planning process.
22. Parks and Rec is sympathetic to the formal role of the spine
within the master plan objective. It is hoped that the spine
promotes dynamic pedestrian/bicycle flow between the
residential area and the school. Neighborhood access to the
park will. be important.
23. An idea for a focal point along the spine is to provide public
art, perhaps a sculpture, in the park. Such an element could
tie into the art department at the new school. You are
encouraged to contact Dave Siever, Director of Cultural
Services, for additional ideas.
24. Joint development of the open space and irrigation will
require an intergovernmental agreement between the City and
the District.
25. Staff is concerned about the large parking lots and how best
to mitigate expansive asphalt areas. Internal landscaping
within islands at the end of parking rows is strongly
encouraged. Six percent internal landscaping is a standard
for commercial projects. Perimeter buffering will be
necessary to define an edge. Such edges should be well-
defined but penetrable to allow pedestrian short-cuts.
26. Efforts should be made to design perimeter buffering so that
headlights and grills are screened. Berms are encouraged
where practical. Hedges and screen walls are also encouraged.
27. The parking lots should be illuminated with fixtures that do
not cast light offsite. Direct cut-off, down directional
fixtures are encouraged. Short poles (16 feet) are preferred
over tall. poles (33 feet) to promote pedestrian scale and to
protect adjacent residential development. A good example is
Pace Warehouse where short poles were used on the perimeter to
minimize the impact on residential properties.
28. The parking lots should have a distinct sense of entry. For
anyone not using the visitor parking at the front entry, the
parking lots will be the sole source of entry. Entry should
be defined with vertical landscape elements to mitigate the
horizontal plane of the parking surface. Directional signage
should be considered and not exceed four square feet.
29. Each parking lot should have an area designated for plowed
snow that will not cause a sight distance problem, has
southern exposure, and will drain without ponding and
freezing.
30. The parking lots should promote pedestrian safety with
crosswalks that are distinct from the parking lot surface.
31. Staff is concerned about the linkage between the plaza and the
adjacent residential area. The "service area" seems to
interrupt. the natural flow and should be screened and
mitigated to the maximum possible extent. The path should be
detached from the parking lot and separated by landscaping.
The two 45 degree bends should be softened by longer sweeps.
32. The plaza should not interface with Timberline Road. It is
suggested that landscaping be continued across the plaza to
protect pedestrian space from 45 m.p.h. "major arterial"
traffic.
33. The bus stop serving the school and commercial area will be
very important. This will be a "crossroads" for pedestrians
using either the school or commercial area. Every effort
should be made to make this space attractive, illuminated, and
protected from weather, in order to promote non -vehicular
transportation.
34. The design team is encouraged to use paver materials to
indicate pedestrian crossings. This may be especially
important at the entry and the visitor parking loop.
35. As presently indicated, the "parking lot for 250" only has one
access point. It is suggested that two points of access be
provided to minimize a potential bottleneck.
36. Staff applauds the general layout, the "spine" element, the
formal landscaping concept, and the plaza/commercial linkage.
The one :remaining concern, however, is the over -reliance to
penetrate the parking lots in order to access the front entry
of the school. (In the case of the north, two parking lots
must be negotiated, either by vehicle or by foot, to gain
access to the plaza entry.) It is recognized that the
surrounding streets are a major arterial and an arterial. If
the vehicle, entering from the arterials, is to be the primary
mode of transportation, then every effort should be made to
promote a strong linkage and dramatic sense of entry to the
plaza from the parking lots. The plaza entry should also
invite pedestrian access from nearby areas, and not cause
barriers that promote only vehicular usage.
37. There are areas where continued cooperation between the City
and District is vital. The process will continue long after
the Planning and Zoning Board review on April 27th. It is
suggested that a brief memo of understanding be drafted
outlining the areas that will need further refinement before
plans are in final form. This memo can then be presented to
the P & 7. Board as evidence of cooperative ongoing activity.
Areas to be addressed include, but are not limited to, offsite
non -vehicular connections, joint irrigation, demand management
techniques to reduce reliance on the single -occupant vehicle,
drafting a development agreement for public improvements,
offsite drainage improvements, and processing and review of
utility plans.
38. You are encouraged to continue discussions with Ken Kirchhoff,
Crime Prevention Officer, Community Affairs Division of Police
Services regarding exterior security lighting systems.
39. Similarly, you are encouraged to continue discussions with
Warren Jones, Fire Marshal, Fire Prevention Division, Poudre
Fire Authority regarding water supply and fire access issues.
40. The Water and Wastewater Utility is concerned about the
proximity of the proposed sewer line to the building. In
order to allow a structure this close to a sewer line, an
exclusive easement must be provided. The building should not
be closer than 15 feet from the main. A report from a
structural engineer may required stating that any repair work
to the sewer line will not impact the building foundation.
41. Please consider the location of handicap parking stalls and
handicap access ramps.
This concludes Staff comments at this time. Please be reminded
that the April 27th Planning and Zoning Board meeting requires the
following items to be made part of the review packet:
P.M.T.'s ( 8 1/2 x 11 reductions) of the site plan and the
elevations are due April 20, 1992.
10 prints (folded) are due April 20, 1992.
One colored set of drawings (unfolded) are due April 20, 1992.
Sincerely:
Ted Shepard
Senior Planner
xc: Sherry Albertson -Clark, Chief Planner
Mike Herzig, Development Engineering Manager