HomeMy WebLinkAbout103 - 08/19/2003 - AMENDING THE HARMONY CORRIDOR STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES TO REGULATE AND GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LI ORDINANCE NO. 103, 2003
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AMENDING THE HARMONY CORRIDOR
STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES TO REGULATE AND
GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LIFESTYLE SHOPPING
CENTER IN THE HARMONY CORRIDOR
WHEREAS,by Resolution 2003-086 the City Council has amended the Harmony Corridor
Plan to allow for the potential development of a Lifestyle Shopping Center in the Harmony
Corridor; and
WHEREAS,if such Lifestyle Shopping Center is to be developed in the Harmony Corridor,
then the Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines are in need of amendment to better regulate
and guide such development; and
WHEREAS,the proposed amendments to the Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines
will promote the public welfare and will be consistent with the vision,goals,principles and policies
of City Plan and the elements thereof; and
WHEREAS, the Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines provisions pertaining to
"procedure" should be amended to make reference to the Land Use Code rather than to the now
obsolete Land Development Guidance System.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS that certain provisions of the Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines are hereby
amended to read as shown on Exhibit"A"attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
Introduced and considered favorably on first reading and order, published this 15th day of
July, A.D. 2003, and to be presented for final passage on the 19 of August, A�.D4003.
'Mayor
A�"I'ES
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading this 19th day of August, 'b. 2003.
s
Mayor
Al��L�k
City Clerk
Exhibit A
Proposed Amendments
to the Harmony Corridor
Standards and Guidelines
• Land Use Map with New Designation
• New Definition of Lifestyle Shopping Center
• New Standards and Guidelines for Lifestyle Shopping Center
• Miscellaneous References and Housekeeping
1
LAND USE NIAP-Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines,page 55,
Revise Land Use Map with Li(estvle Shopping Center Hatching and Label:
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DEFINITION-It a rmonv Corridor Standards and Guidelines Page 71,
new definition formatted to match other shopping center definitions found on pr) 65-71:
(the entire definition is new test)
LIFESTYLE SHOPPING CENTER
General Definition
Lifestyle Shopping Center(hereafter sometimes referred to as a"Center")shall
mean a shopping center which is planned and developed as a unit;and intended to
serve consumer demands from the community as a whole and the region,with the
primary offering consisting of a`mix of specialty retail stores.
The unique and high-quality site and building design of a Lifestyle Shopping
Center sets it apart from community shopping centers,outlet centers,power
centers,and many other regional shopping centers. Buildings and their entrances
are brought together along a sidewalk network in an open air setting,and the
Center includes a central gathering place for sitting outdoors,meeting,gathering,
and neighborhood and community activities.
As understood and defined by the commercial real estate industry, 1 a "Lifestyle
Shopping Center" is a relatively new format of shopping center that is not a
typical regional shopping center (e.g., a regional mall) or community shopping
center. Consistent with the majority of the Lifestyle Shopping Centers built in the
United States by year-end 2002, a Harmony Corridor Lifestyle Shopping Center
shall have the following defining characteristics:
'The definition of"Lifestyle Shopping Center".adopted in the Harmony Corridor Plan is
purposefully based on,and tied to,the commercial real estate industry's usage and:definition of
the term(a.k.a."Lifestyle:Center"). Port Collins intends to interpret and apply its definition in
ways that do not significantly depart from the definition and usage of the:term adopted by the
International Council of Shopping Centers in 2002. In addition,terms of art unique to the
commercial real estate industry used;throughout these Lifestyle.Shopping Center Provisions,such
as"inline tenants,""community center,"or"specialty retail,"shall be interpreted by the City in a
manner that is consistent with the common meaning and usage of the terms adopted by the
industry. Because hybrids of lifestyle shopping centers are certain to emerge in the years after the
effective date of this Plan amendment,Fort Collins intends that the term"Lifestyle Shopping
Center,"as applied in the Harmony Corridor,shall retain the industry's definition and
understanding of the term as it existed in 2002. Pertinent industry sources and explanations of the
term relied upon by Fort Collins in preparing this definition of"Lifestyle Shopping.Center"
include: `lifestyle Centers: A Defining Moment,"ICSC:Research Quarterly;Vol.8,.No.4
(winter 2001-2002);`lifestyle Centers Part 11: The Shopper's Verdict,"./CSC Research
Quarterly,Vol.9,No.4(Winter 2002 2003);and Gunter,Gregory R.,"Lifestyle Centers," Urban
Land(Urban Land Institute,Feb.2002).
3
Permitted Uses,Number of Uses,and Mix of Uses:
Permitted Uses--General. Subject to the limitations stated in this section below,
permitted uses shall be limited to retail stores,restaurants,grocery stores,
entertainment facilities and theaters. (+)
Retail Stores and Restaurants: A Center shall contain at least two types of uses,
those being retail stores and sit-down restaurants. (+)
Predominance and Mix of Retail Uses. Retail stores are predominate in the mix
of uses. The predominate type of retail stores is specialty;retailers such as
apparel,home fatnishings/accessories,books/music,bath body,sporting goods,
and grocery stores. (o)
The majority of retail stores shall be small or medium'-size retail stores,each
containing less than 20,000 square feet of gross floor area. The majority of these
stores will be the kind of retail stores which are typical inline occupants in
regional shopping centers and regional malls- (+)
A Center shall be permitted to have no more than nine larger stores,each
containing between 20,000 and,50,000 square feet of gross floor area. (+)
A Center shall also be permitted to have no more than two department stores,
each containing less than 110,000 square feet of ground floor gross floor area. (+)
Large Number of Retail Stores in a Center. The minimum number of individual
retail store uses(with,separate entrances)in a Center shall be twenty-five(25)
stores. (+)
Restaurants. A Center shall include at least two full-service(sit-down)
restaurants.2 Limited service restaurants3 may also be included in a Center's mix
of occupants,as well as snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars such as coffee
shops, ice cream/frozen custard/yogurt stores,cookie shops,bagel/doughnut
shops,and similar uses, (+)
z A full-service restaurant as defined by the National Restaurant Association,is an establishment
that provides waiter or waitress service,and patrons pay after they eat.
3 A limited-service restaurant,as defined by the National Restaurant:Association,is an
establishment that usually does not provide table service,patrons generally order at a cash register
or select food items from a food bar,and pay before they eat
4
Mixed-Use Dwellings. Mixed-use dwellings shall be permitted in conjunction
with the retail-based mix of uses in a Center. (+)
Other Complementary Uses Permitted As Part of a Center. In addition to the
predominant retail-based mix of uses,.a Center shall also be permitted to contain
other subsidiary,complementary uses including offices,financial services,and
clinics,civic or cultural facilities(e.g.,a branch library or museum),health/beauty
services(e.g.,day spas and athletic clubs),and uses of similar character. (+)
Scale:
• A Lifestyle Shopping Center shall be situated on forty (40) to eighty-five
(85)acres. (+)
• A Lifestyle Center shall contain 200,000 to 800,000 square feet of gross
floor area. (+)
5
NEW STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES-Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines
paee 50,add a whole new Section 4:(the entire section is new tevtl
4. LIFESTYLE SHOPPING CENTER
The unique and high-quality site and building design of Lifestyle Shopping
Center sets it apart from most community and regional shopping centers, outlet
centers, and power centers. These standards are intended to ensure that if a
lifestyle shopping center is developed, it fulfills the purposes of the land use
designation. The purposes include adding a significant and different new element
to the City's retail mix, thus adding to a diverse economy and enhancing the
City's fiscal health.
A. Framework of Streets,Drives,and Walkway Spines
Clear Continuous Pedestrian Network Building sites shall be formed by a
system of connecting walkways,plazas,and courtyards. These pedestrian
frontages shall form a continuous network and a clear,shared focus for building
orientation. Shoppers shall be able to directly access all buildings and central
features and gathering places of the center via the pedestrian network. (+)
Street-Like Drives and Parking Blocks Off-street surface parking shall be
configured as a combination of 1)street-like parking drives with angled or
parallel parking and tree-lined walkways;and 2)discernable parking blocks
bounded by streets;drives,or walkway spines,with tree-lined sidewalks. (+)
li
Street-like drives with convenient
parallel or angled parking along
building frontage can make the
pedestrian areas more active,calm
traffic,and impart a feeling of a town
center street as opposed to a typical
parking lot edge.
6
Shoppers will typically have the potential opportunity to park relatively close to
the front door of any store,and yet also conveniently walk from one store to
another. In other words,the layout of the center is conducive to both the
convenience shopper with a targeted destination,and to the browser shopper with
time to walk around the center or visit more stores. (o)
B. Grouping of Buildings Along Pedestrian Frontage
Non-Linear-Pedestrian-Friendly Site Plan. The site plan for a lifestyle center is
not a simple linear line-up of stores,as often found in a strip shopping center. A
site plan for a Center shall display creativity and flexibility in site layout to
achieve the following objectives:
• Buildings Clustered Along Walkways. Buildings shall be brought together to
form visually interesting pedestrian frontages that feature main entrances to
the buildings. To the maximum extent feasible,remote or independent pad
sites,separated by their own parking lots and service drives, shall be
minimized(single-tenant buildings on pad sites are allowed,but must be
brought together along pedestrian frontages in accordance with this standard).
• Multiple Buildings, The site plan shall create multiple corner(end-cap)sites,
by housing the Center's retail stores in more than one primary multi-store
building.(this does not include the separate,single-occupant buildings on pad
sites,which are often occupied by freestanding restaurants or theatres). (+)
C. Very High Architectural Program,Level of Finish and Detail
Variation and Quality. The architectural program for a lifestyle center shall
emphasize the individuality and unique storefront design of most of the stores in a
Center, giving the impression of a place built over time. The program shall
include varied building heights—often used as a means to differentiate individual
stores;high quality building materials(e.g.,natural or synthetic stone,brick,
tinted and textured concrete masonry units,stucco,high quality precast and
prestressed architectural concrete,water-managed EIFS,woodwork,architectural
metals;glass);and architectural lighting. (+)
*0M. Two examples of high quality
architecture setting the standard for
E overall design of Lifestyle Shopping
Center.
Mixed Use Buildings Lifestyle Shopping,Centers often include mixed-use
dwellings and other multi-story buildings,to add vitality to the center,add drama
and interest to the buildings,and reveal and capitalize on hidden markets for
office and residential products uncommon in suburban markets. (o)
is
Examples of mixed use buildings integrated into
Lifestyle Shopping Center settings,.along with
' other positive elements such as streets and street-
.a like drives with parking that lead into or through
the Centem
,4
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I
t
8
D. Very High Degree of Finish in Hardscape and Landscaping
Relatively Greater Amount of Landscaping and Pedestrian Enhancements.
A Center typically incorporates a significant amount of landscaping,community
amenities,and pedestrian enhancements that result in common areas considerably
more lavish than similar areas found in typical community and regional shopping
centers. (o)
Raised planters,sculptare,furnishings,paving,and plantings are all designed,built,and maintained with
a high degree of attention and quality.
Landscapinu. A Center shall incorporate substantial amounts of on-site
landscaping that exceed the minimum landscaping requirements of the Land Use
Code. On-site landscaping shall include landscaping along all walkways or
integrated into the walkway space with tree wells and raised planters;and in
conjunction with central features and gathering places,and both around and
within surface parking areas. In addition to such permanent on-site landscaping,a
substantial amount of seasonal plantings(e.g.,flowers in raised architectural
planters and containers)shall be incorporated in order to provide color and variety
to the grounds and enhance the pedestrian/shopper experience. (+)
Xeriscane Desien Principles/Re tonal Character. Landscaping should be
developed to express xeriscape principles and characteristics appropriate to the
North Front Range(this may include relatively lush plantings requiring significant
watering, such as flower beds and lawns,in appropriate high-use areas). (o)
Pedestrian Amenities and Enhancements. A Center shall,to the maximum extent
feasible,incorporate the following features to ensure a high level of ambience for
shoppers:
9
• Very wide(8 to 15-foot clear) sidewalks,particularly adjacent to buildings,
Incorporation of quality pavers and enhanced concrete treatments into
pedestrian areas,
• Street furnishings(e.g. benches and trash receptacles)
• Pedestrian-scale lighting along walkways and access drives
• Outdoor service or seating areas
• Gardens,container flowers,and other supplementary landscaping
• Fountains and other water features
• Sculpture,murals,and other public art
• Overhead weather protection elements(e.g. arcades, canopies,awnings,
umbrellas over seating, and double entries for stores)
• Full-time security during the center's operating hours (+)
E. Central Feature or Gathering Place
A Center shall contain facilities that establish a focus for the Center,and that can
also serve as a focal point for neighborhood and community activities,gatherings
and meetings,and passive recreation. Such facilities shall include a pedestrian
plaza,courtyard,or small park,containing at least 6,000 square feet,with such
features as seating,an information kiosk,a water feature,a clock-tower,,special
plantings,an outdoor playground area,a gazebo,an amphitheatre or performance
stage,or other similar features and amenities. Alternatively,this standard maybe
met by another such deliberately shaped area and/or a focal feature or amenity
that,in the judgment of the decision maker,adequately establishes a community
gathering space or facility and a focus for the Center. (+)
Such facilities shall be highly visible,secure settings formed by the framework of
streets,drives and walkway spines,with direct linkage and visibility to and from
primary buildings within the Center. (+)
Any such facilities shall be constructed of materials that are equal to or better than
the principal materials of the building and landscape. (+}
1 r✓
Example of a multi-purpose central feature/gathering place with landscape and hardscape
elements.
10
MISCELLANEOUS-Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines.Title Paee,
add date of this update:
HARMONY
CORRIDOR
Standards and Guidelines
Updated
March 1995
11
July 2003
MISCELLANEOUS-Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines,Table of Contents,
housekeeping to simplify the heading for Shopping Centers:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HARMONY OAKS CONCEPT.....................................................I
PROCEDURES........................................................................3
STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES................................................5
HARMONY ROAD SETBACK.............................................6
MEANDERING SIDEWALK................................................8
GRADING......................................................................8
WATER TRANSMISSION MAIN......................... ..............10
PLANT PALETTES.........................................................I 1
TREES/SHRUBS.............................................................14
WILDFLOWERS/TURF............................_..........._.........16
COLLECTOR/ARTERIAL STREETS.........._......._................20
PLANTING SPECIFICATIONS...........................................24
MAINTENANCE.............................................................25
RETAINING WALLS.......................................................26
FENCING......................................................................28
LIGHTING....................................................................29
BOARDWALK DRIVE TO COLLEGE AVENUE.....................30
LOCAL AND COLLECTOR STREETS.................................32
LOCAL/COLLECTOR PLANT PALETTE..............................33
MEDIAN PLANTING.......................................................34
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN..............................................35
PARKING AND SERVICE AREAS.......................................35
Deleted:NEIGHBORHOOD
SHOPPING CENTERS .........................................37 CONVENIENCE SHOPPING
CFNTERS_I
LAND USE AND LOCATIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE
STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES..............................51 (ENTERS.COMMUNTI Y11 j
SHOPPING CENTERS AND
FREESTANDING¶
APPENDIX A............................................................._..........57 RErnu.oevEEOPMENT
PLANT PALETTE SUMMARY
APPENDIX B..........................................................................63
SHOPPING CENTER DEFINITIONS
12
MISCELLANEOUS - Harmonv Corridor Standards and Guidelines, page 3, housekeepine
revision to refer to Land Use Code instead of LDGS:
PROCEDURE
The following standards and guidelines are intended to be used by developers
proposing projects in the Harmony Corridor and by the City staff and the
Planning and Zoning Beafd Decision Maker in their Land Use Code review
process. These standards and guidelines apply only to pfojeets located in th
Harmony Corridor which are processed aeeeftling to the criteria in thp, 1 6 N
DENIFLOPMENT GUIDANCE SYSTEM as Planned Unit Developrueftta�
subject to the "Site Plan Supplemental Review"provisions in Chapter 29, Article
111, Division 4, Subdivision 6 of the Code "Standards" denoted by (+) are
mandatory. "Guidelines" denoted by (o) are not mandatory, but are provided in
order to further educate planners, design consultants, developers and City staff
about the intent of the Harmony Corridor Plan. The guidelines describe a variety
of ways that individual projects can contribute to the Harmony Corridor Plan. In
addition, the guidelines will be used by City staff to guide the development of
public sector projects in the corridor.
The Planning and Zoning Board is empowered to grant variances modifications to
the mandatory(+) standards under the following circumstances:
I. The strict application of the standard would result in peculiar and
exceptional practical difficulties or exceptional and undue hardship
upon the owner of the affected property;
2. The alternative plan, as submitted, will protect the public interest
advanced by the standard for which the variance is requested equally
well or better than would compliance with such standard; and
3. In either of the foregoing circumstances, the variance may be granted
without substantial detriment to the public good.
13
MISCELLANEOUS-Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines,Page 37,housekeeping
to simplify/clarify the heading for Shopping Centers:
DEVELOPMENT;RETAIL
NEIGHBORHOOD CONVENIENCE
SHOPPING CENTERS-;
CENTERS;NEIGHBORHOOD SERN710E and
COMMUNITY SHOPPING CENTERS SHOPPING CENTERS
Ideally, retail development adds vitality and convenience to neighborhoods and
work places without introducing negative impacts that overwhelm the
surroundings. Achieving this in the Harmony Corridor is the purpose of these
Standards and Guidelines.
Design criteria cannot predict the unique potential and constraints for each site
and building. Thus, the following Standards and Guidelines are intended to
establish a direction and a basic level of quality for compatibility with
neighborhoods.
It is the City's hope that the mandatory standards do not limit creativity or reduce
a potentially better design, created by skillfid and sensitive architects and land
planners, to a level of minimum compliance.
This section should encourage those who are responsible for new development to
thoroughly consider the particular situation, including the surrounding context,
so that each new development complements the positive and unique character of
its neighborhood and the community.
This section focuses on three areas: (I) the function of buildings in defining a
neighborhood and the community; (2) site relationships to surrounding
neighborhoods and mitigation of negative impacts; and(3)the mixing of uses.
Fort Collins alreadti has a development review system that promotes solutions to
these general issues on a city-wide basis. The purpose of these Standards and
Guidelines is to augment those existing criteria with more specific interpretations
that apply to the Harmony Corridor.
* See Appendix B or definitions of these Shopping Centers.
14
MISCELLANEOUS- Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines, page 38, housekeeping
to add reference to a new Section 4:
ORGANIZATION OF THIS SECTION
1. BUILDINGS
A. Massing,Orientation, and Configuration on Site
B. Image, Detail Features, Fenestration, Entrances, Color and Materials
2. SITE RELATIONSHIP TO SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND
MITIGATION OF ADVERSE IMPACTS
A. Access and Circulation
B. Screening and Buffering of Service, Delivery and Loading Functions
C. Lighting
3. MIXED LAND USES
4. LIFESTYLE SHOPPING CENTERS
A. Framework of Streets,Drives,and Walkway Spines
B. Grouping of Buildings Along Pedestrian Frontage
C. Very High Architectural Program,Level of Finish and Detail
D. Very High Degree of Finish in Hardscape and Landscaping
E. Central Feature or Gathering Place
15
MISCELLANEOUS-Harmonv Corridor Standards and Guidelines,pave 51,housekeepine
for user-friendly reference:
LAND USE AND LOCATIONAL
STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES
The Harmony Corridor offers an opportunity for creating a major business and
industrial center in northern Colorado due to its desirable location, accessibility,
available infrastructure and land ownership pattern. Attracting desirable
industries and businesses into the community, and in particular the Harmony
Corridor, achieves an important public purpose because it promotes primary and
secondary jobs and generally enhances the local economy.
The focus of future development activity is planned to take place in two types of
major "activity centers" — the Basic Industrial and Non-Retail Employment
Activity Center and the Mixed-Use Activity Center. Basic Industrial and Non-
Retail Employment Activity Center are locations where either industrial uses,
and/or office or institutional type land uses are permitted to locate in planned
office (or business) park settings. Base industries arefirms that produce goods
and services which are produced for export outside of the city, and thereby import
income into the city. Mixed-Use Activity Centers permit a broader range of uses
including shopping centers. The distribution of these activity centers in the
corridor is shown on the Land Use Map. Different types of shopping centers are
defined in Appendix B.
The essence of both types of activity centers is a combination of different types of
land uses along with urban design elements that reduce the dependence on the
private automobile, encourage the utilization of alternative transportation modes,
and ensure an attractive appearance.
16
Land Use Code Article 5 Definition to Match Others in Article 5:
Lifestyle Shopping Center shall mean a shopping center which is planned and
developed as a unit, and intended to serve consumer demands from the
community as a whole and the region, with primary offerings of specialty retailers
such as apparel, home fumishings/accessories, books/music, bath/body, sporting
goods, and grocery stores. In addition, the center offers sit-down restaurants,
coffee shops, ice cream parlors, entertainment facilities and theatres, office uses,
and uses of similar character. Such a center is designed with architectural
distinction, individual identity for each store, and buildings which are brought
together along a sidewalk network in an open air setting, with a small park or
plaza,and a high level of amenity in landscaping and urban furnishings.
17