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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNORTH COLLEGE MARKETPLACE - AMENDED ODP - 42-08 - CORRESPONDENCE - TRAFFIC STUDY (5)to : loc te'tu der sepanment` rrcct„ary Y Ir Use existing bridg tmetat&:- t - 46h Al.. A Lright- w ped bridge subject to of -way acquisition from L&W Ditch Company City F, 6rrt of developer should be required to contribute the URA funds designated for pedestrian connections towards a future pedestrian capital project along North College Avenue. This condition would require agreement from the URA (to determine if the developer can contribute URA funds to a City capital project) and Engineering (to develop a cost estimate and proportion share for the development). Transportation Planning will coordinate this effort prior to the Planning & Zoning Board hearing. Jeff and Mark, please let me know if this approach is acceptable. I will then coordinate with Current Planning to inform the developer and address the modification in their staff report to the Planning & Zoning Board. City of /,F m I"t Collins Planning, Development & Transportation Transportation Planning & Special Projects 250 North Mason Street P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 970.224.6058 970.221.6239 - fax fcgov. comRransportation Memorandum DATE: April 22, 2009 TO: Jeff Scheick, Planning, Development, and Transportation Director Mark Jackson, Transportation Group Director Steve Dush, Current Planning Director FROM: Matt Wempe, Transportation Planner THRU: Kathleen Bracke, Transportation Planning & Special Projects Director RE: North College Marketplace Pedestrian Level of Service Review The Larimer & Weld Ditch Company has refused to grant an easement for the planned pedestrian bridge as part of the North College Marketplace development. This includes the original location north of King Soopers and an alternative location adjacent to College Avenue. Ditch company staff has indicated their willingness to sell additional right-of-way to the City to accommodate the bridge along College Avenue. This would require board approval and no meeting date has been set. Transportation Planning has been asked to review how the developer could meet Pedestrian LOS requirements. This includes other locations for a pedestrian bridge, additional off -site improvements, and/or a modification to the requirement. Staff has identified a preliminary alternative route. Please see the attached map of the approved pedestrian connection and the proposed alternative. Engineering is developing a cost estimate for the alternative route. There are several outstanding issues with the alternative route. Timing: The Planning & Zoning Board will consider approval of the final development plan at their May 2009 meeting. It is unlikely that the necessary work to construct the pedestrian bridge could be completed by this time. The City could pursue the alternative route separately as a capital project with partial funding from the developer. Right -of -Way Acquisition: The City would need to purchase additional right-of-way from the ditch company. This would be located outside of the existing College Avenue right-of-way owned by CDOT. Engineering believes that the City would not need to involve CDOT in the acquisition process, though this has not been confirmed. Off -Site Improvements: The alternative route would need to cross both the Larimer & Weld ditch and a separate ditch. It may be possible to use existing bridge abutments to cross the second ditch. Two separate access easements would be required from the stone company and "for sale" property to accommodate the sidewalk. Based on these issues, Transportation Planning is recommending that a modification be granted for the pedestrian LOS standards. This is based on the inability of the developer to obtain the necessary easements to permit the construction of the bridge in a timely manner. As a condition of approval, the Page 1 of 1 Steve Olt - North College Marketplace memo re: Ped LOS From: Kathleen Bracke To: Steve Dush; Steve Olt Date: 4/27/2009 9:37 AM Subject: North College Marketplace memo re: Ped LOS CC: Jeff Scheick; Mark Jackson; Matt Baker; Matthew Wempe Hi, Steve & Steve. Here is the memo that Matt Wempe prepared last week regarding the North College Marketplace development project. Transportation Planning's recommendation is to modify the Ped LOS and request that the developer escrow the funds in lieu of being required to build the pedestrian connection improvements due to the difficulties arising from the Ditch Company. Here is an excerpt from Matt's memo: "Based on these issues, Transportation Planning is recommending that a modification be granted for the pedestrian LOS standards. This is based on the inability of the developer to obtain the necessary easements to permit the construction of the bridge in a timely manner. As a condition of approval, the developer should be required to contribute the URA funds designated for pedestrian connections towards a future pedestrian capital project along North College Avenue. This condition would require agreement from the URA (to determine if the developer can contribute URA funds to a City capital project) and Engineering (to develop a cost estimate and proportion share for the development). Transportation Planning will coordinate this effort prior to the Planning & Zoning Board hearing. Jeff and Mark, please let me know if this -approach is acceptable. I will then coordinate with Current Planning to inform the developer and address the modification in their staff report to the Planning & Zoning Board. " If you and Jeff and Mark are ok with Matt's recommendation, please let us know. Matt Wempe worked with Matt Baker from Engineering on this issue too so that we have a clear understanding and coordination about what is build -able by the developer and what is not at this time. Please let me know if you need any additional information on this. As I mentioned, Matt is out of the office until Thursday this week so let me know what I can do to help with this while he is out. Thanks, Kathleen x6140 file://CADocuments and Settings\solt\Local Settings\Temp\GW}00002.HTM 4/27/2009