HomeMy WebLinkAboutMILESTONE APARTMENTS - Filed GC-GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE - 2016-09-12INORTHERN
ENGINEERING
ADDRESS: PHONE:970.221.4158 WEBSITE:
200 S. College Ave. Suite 10 www.northernenoneeflng.com
Fort Collins, CO 80524 FAX: 970.221.4159
Administrative Engineering Variance Request Letter
Date: February 11, 2014
Project: Milestone Apartments P No. 514-002
Fort Collins, Colorado Cos)
Attn: Mr. Andrew Gingerich O
Engineering Development Review
City of Fort Collins l�
281 North College Avenue I
Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
Dear Andrew:
Public safety and convenience, maintaining public use, and optimizing the use of limited physical capacity
of right-of-way are among the objectives of the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS) —
Repealed and Reenacted April 1, 2007. It is with those considerations in mind that this variance request
letter has been prepared. This letter is provided pursuant to Section 1.9.4 of LCUASS to document the
site condition proposed to deviate from the current standards.
The criterion in question is the width of Multi -Family dwelling unit driveways, as prescribed in Section
9.3.2.C. of LCUASS. Said section dictates that driveways serving 12 units or more shall have a minimum
width of 28 feet (this width may be reduced to 24 feet on low traffic volume streets) and a maximum
width of 36 feet. With an approved Project Development Plan (#PDP130028) consisting of 276 dwelling
units, Milestone Apartments clearly exceeds the 12 unit threshold. While the definition of "low traffic
volume streets" is lacking, the assumption is that this only applies to Residential Local Streets. Whereas
the proposed driveway onto Precision Drive could potentially fall into this category, the driveway onto Le
Fever Drive would not. Therefore, a variance is hereby requested to have both driveways be 24 feet in
width.
This variance is sought for multiple reasons. First, the existing apartment complex immediately south
(Terra Vida, aka, Presidio Apartments) has two driveways onto public streets, both at 24 feet in width. An
inquiry to the developer and owner/operator found no known issues with the existing driveways at the
current community. Second, the developer of Milestone Apartments prefers additional landscape area as
opposed to hard pavement. Not only does this have triple -bottom -line benefits regarding reduced runoff,
more infiltration, planted area, etc., but it also adds to the curb appeal and aesthetic as one enters the
driveways. It should also be pointed out that the plans for Le Fever Drive approved with the Banner
Health Medical Campus, and currently under construction, included a 24 foot wide driveway on the south
into the Milestone Apartment site.
1*
(NORTHERN
ENBINEERINO
Milestone Apartments I Variance Request 1 02.11.14
The variance requested in this letter will not have an adverse impact on the City's capital and maintenance
costs, nor is it expected to reduce the design life of the respective improvements. In fact, a minor
argument could be made that there will actually be less pavement for the City to maintain within the
public right-of-way by allowing 24 foot wide driveways.
The requested variance will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare. The driveways will
be striped to ensure that free ingress is maintained, thereby preventing backups on the public streets.
While the potential exists for occasional egress inconvenience on the private driveways, this is something
the developer is willing to accept, and has yet to experience at the existing apartment community.
Allowing 24 foot wide driveways for Milestone Apartments will create consistency with the driveways
already in place at Terra Vida to the south and per the approved Banner Health plans currently under
construction to the north.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
2'11.14.
Nicholas W7Raws, PE, LEED AP
cc: Ward Stanford - Fort Collins Traffic Operations
Ted Shepard - Fort Collins Chief Planner
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