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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNORTH COLLEGE MARKETPLACE - MODIFICATIONS OF STANDARDS - 43-08 - REPORTS - MODIFICATION REQUEST (9)To enhance the pedestrian experience and sense of safety, the walks as proposed are set back from the drive aisle by 4' to allow for the provision of landscaping between the walk.and drive aisle. Do note that the major anchor is connected directly to Willox in accord with all city standards. We believe the proposed modification provided an equal or better condition than the City standard for the following reasons: A. Pleasant, safe pedestrian connectivity will be provided from North College to the Pad 1, shops "D", the wetlands path, and ultimately, the King Soopers. B. The driveway cuts allow for smaller groupings of parking directly adjacent to structures, thereby allowing consumers to access these retailers without crossing a major, drive aisle. C. The driveway cuts adjacent to and shops "D" provide for two smaller fields of parking as desired by the site design standards for big boxes. We propose that the Modification Request be approved based on the aforementioned. In addition to the entry boulevard and roundabout feature, the shops abutting East Willox Lane open up to a south -facing pedestrian plaza for outdoor dining and daily gathering. All buildings are connected internally, through the site via a series of walkways that ultimately tie to the major streets. The major building is oriented to screen the open space, canal and northeast neighboring residences from views to the parking lot. Finally, the open space will be designed to provide for water quality, detention and habitat. It will also feature a hiking and biking trail tying North College to East Willox. MODIFICATION Pad Building 1 and Shops D, at the north end of the site, open and directly face an internal private walkway/plaza area. This pedestrian connection will link shoppers to the other buildings within the site via walkways and striped crosswalks. Although Pad Building 1 and Shops D have direct access to this pedestrian walkway, they do not have direct access to the public street sidewalk on North College or ultimately Willox. Before the walkways, west and east of Pad Building 1 and Shops D, reach the public street sidewalk, they each cross driveways. Under the Terms and Definitions section of the LUC, a connecting walkway shall mean "(1) any street sidewalk, or (2) any walkway that directly connects a main entrance of a building to the street sidewalk without requiring pedestrian to walk across parking lots or driveways, around buildings or around parking lot outlines which are not aligned to a logical route." The request is for a modification to the connectivity standards for Building 1 and Shops D, at the north end of the site. JUSTIFICATION The breaks in the walkway connectivity are necessary to provide parking areas adjacent to buildings such that customers do not have to cross a major drive to access these buildings thereby creating a safer point of access for these consumers. In order to mitigate the breaks in the continuity of the walkways and protect the pedestrian, striped crosswalks have been incorporated and stop signs will be placed at this intersection for all southbound traffic from these parking areas. Further, at shops "D" this allows for 2 smaller fields of parking to serve the building which is a principle embraced by the big box site design guidelines. Modification Request North College Marketplace, Orientation to a connecting walkway March 25, 2009 This request is for a modification to the "orientation to a connecting walkway" requirements as outlined in the Fort Collins Land Use Code. The modification being requested is from section 3.5.3 (B), Relationship of Buildings to Streets, Walkways and Parking. This regulation reads that: "At least one main entrance of any commercial or mixed -use building shall face and open directly onto a connecting walkway with pedestrian frontage. " PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposed North College Marketplace seeks to develop the northeast corner of East Willox Lane and North College Avenue with a 150,000 s.f. commercial center anchored by a 123,000 s.f. supermarket. Site area totals approximately 26 acres and the overall FAR is .14. Parking of approximately 780 spaces is provided equating to a ratio of 5.00 sp/1000 s.f. The development is located in the southwest portion of the site maintaining approximately four acres at the north property line and two acres at the east property line for open space, trails, water quality and stormwater detention. Access is provided via a right-in/right-out at North College, and a full movement and one right-in/right-out at East Willox Lane. Site organization is straightforward with the supermarket paralleling the east property line facing west and pads and shops located at the corner at.the two streets. The access points lead to three major drives. Coming off North College the access is via a landscaped boulevard bringing one to a landscaped roundabout that allows access to a diagonal drive feeding the pads and grocery store as well as tying back to East Willox. A second drive comes off the roundabout and brings one to the front drive of the supermarket and the service drive behind the facility. At East Willox access from the major full movement intersection, aligned with that of Albertson's, brings one to the major diagonal drive. Finally, a second full movement brings service traffic to the service drive east of the supermarket.