HomeMy WebLinkAbout450 Linden Center Dr - Correspondence/Zoning - 04/02/2008Planning, Development and Transportation Services
Planning and Zoning
City of Fort Collins
April 2, 2008
Chris Macbeth
Solix Biofuels, Inc
430 N. College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Re: Usage of 450 Linden Center Drive
Dear Chris:
I have reviewed your April 1, 2008 letter regarding the proposed use of 450 Linden Center
Drive by Solix Biofuels. As described in the letter, Solix proposes to use this building as a
work area to perform some assembly and testing of your larger AGS components until such
time as your future Gemini site is operational at the New Belgium Brewery property. You
are anticipating that a ground breaking at the future Gemini site will occur sometime around
the first part of June, 2008.
The 450 Linden Center Drive property is located in the E (Employment) zoning district. This
zone does allow your proposed use. However, the use is considered to be a change of use
from the last authorized use of the property as a nightclub. The Land Use Code requires
that the change of use be processed as a minor amendment, and that the property must be
brought into compliance with the current provisions of the Code. This means that such
things as landscape, parking lot and sidewalk improvements might normally be required.
Since your proposed use of 450 Linden Center Drive is temporary, and since the parking lot
and landscaping are in substantial compliance with the current Code regulations, Solix will
be allowed to use the property for your stated purpose only until such time that your
permanent facility at New Belgium is operational. This approval is subject to the condition
that if you have not started construction on your permanent facility by July 1, 2008, a minor
amendment approval for 450 Linden Center Drive will be required, and any improvements
determined to be necessary to bring the property into compliance with current Code
provisions must be completed by October 1, 2008.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
/�� 13
Peter Barnes
Zoning Administrator
281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6750 • FAX (970) 416-2020
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SOLIX
Tuesday, 0 1 -APR-08
Peter Barnes
Zoning Administrator
Building & Zoning Department
281 North College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
(970) 416-2355
Re: Usage of 450 North Linden property
Solix Biofuels, Inc.
430 North College Avenue
Fort Collins. CO 80524
Peter,
As a follow-up to your voicemail, dated 01-APR-08, below is a description of Solix Biofuels' planned usage of the
building located at 450 North Linden, Fort Collins (formerly the Matrixx nightclub).
Some brief background:
Solix Biofuels' business is growth of algae to be used for biodiesel fuel. Solix does not convert algae to biodiesel,
rather we grow the feedstock to be used for biodiesel (we generate the biocrude). We are not competing in the
refining industry.
A main component of our process is the Algal Growth System (AGS), which is a complete structure and system used
for algae growth. We plan to use the building at 450 North Linden as a work area to perform some assembly and
testing of our larger AGS components.
Description and purpose of property use:
As you have seen at our 430 North College facility, the AGS consists of large tanks with floating bags, or panels, which
contain the growing algae. In order for us to construct and test these large panels we need an indoor area that is
comparative in size. The 450 North Linden property was offered to us as a work area, which will meet our needs
extremely well. The property is of adequate size, is ideally located, and has facilities that are more than sufficient for
ourusage.
The 450 North Linden property, owned by the Bohemian Companies, is complete with fully functional Men's and
Women's bathrooms, heat, lighting and fire suppression. My contact at Bohemian, Chuck Amburn, told me several
weeks ago that the PFA had inspected, and approved, the fire suppression/alarm system approximately one month
prior to my conversation with him (my guess is that the building was inspected by PFA in the February timeframe).
We expect to have -8 employees at the 450 North Linden location, with expected work hours of 7:00am through
5:00pm Monday through Friday. I can foresee occasional weekend work as well. We also expect to use this facility
until our future Gemini site (located at New Belgium Brewing) is fully operational. We hope to break ground at the
New Belgium site towards the first part of June, 2008.
Thank you, Peter, please let me know if you need further explanation of our plans at 450 North Linden.
Kind regards,
Chris Macbeth
Project Manager
Solix Biofuels, Inc.
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