HomeMy WebLinkAboutWATER'S EDGE @ RICHARD'S LAKE - MOD. OF STAND. - 58-86I - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUEST• The preferred plan presents front facades for each building directly adjacent to public
streets.
• The preferred plan optimizes visual presentation to surrounding neighbors
C) The plan as submitted will not diverge from the standards of the Land Use Code that are
authorized by the Division to be modified except in a nominal, inconsequential way when
considered from the perspective of the entire development plan, and will continue to advance
the purposes of the Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2.
We feel that the preferred plan presents a modification that is inconsequential and in fact advances
the purposes of the Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2. In this case, the area in question
is not bordered on all sides by public streets, with the south border defined by the future public
neighborhood park. By orienting a front fagade of the building in question, this would seem to
meet an implied intent of the Land Use Code, avoiding presentation of garage dominated facades
to public spaces.
Findings of Fact/Conclusidn
We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning Board must
make the following findings:
A. The request for this modification to Land Use Code Sections 3.5.2(C)(2) is subject to review by
the Planning and Zoning Board.
B. Granting the requested modification would neither be detrimental to the public good nor impair the
intent and purposes of this Land Use Code.
C. Granting the requested modification would allow the project to advance (1) in a way that promotes
the general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or better
than a plan which complies with the standard and (2) in a way that only diverges in a nominal,
inconsequential way when considered from the perspective of the entire development plan, and
will continue to advance the purposes of the Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2, as
follows:
• The preferred plan optimizes visual presentation to adjacent public streets and future public
neighborhood park by screening of garage dominated facades by building
placementlorientation.
• The preferred plan presents front facades to adjacent public areas for each building directly
adjacent to the future public neighborhood park.
• The preferred plan presents front facades to a public street for each building directly adjacent
to public streets.
• The preferred plan optimizes visual presentation to surrounding neighbors
• The area in question is physically limited in size and shape due to existing public streets,
future public neighborhood park, and existing oil well site.
We recommend approval of the Water's Edge at Richard's Lake Modification Request.
Water's Edge at Richard's Lake
Modifications of Standards Request 2/l/2006 3
Modification to development requirements
Code Section: 3.5.2(C)(2) Street -Facing Facades. Every building containing four (4) or more
dwelling units shall have at least one (1) building entry or doorway facing any
adjacent street that is smaller than a full arterial or has on -street parking.
Discussion: In the preferred plan, one of the six (6) proposed multi -family buildings (building E) does
not meet this requirement (Preferred Plan). This plan is preferred by the applicant
because it makes the most efficient usage of the area, with garage dominated fagades
inward facing optimizing views from the adjacent public streets and the future public
neighborhood park. Five (5) of the six (6) buildings satisfy the code requirement in this
plan.
This requirement could be met by reconfiguring the buildings to a north -south orientation
(Alternative Plan A). This plan results in less screening of the garage dominated fagades
from the adjacent public streets and the future public neighborhood park.
This requirement could be met by eliminating building E (Alternative Plan B).
Elimination of building E would remove the screening of the garage dominated fagade
facing the future public neighborhood park.
As a result, the applicant believes approval of the preferred plan with the requested
modification to standards is appropriate and justified.
Justification
We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning Board must
make the following findings:
A) The Planning and Zoning Board may grant a modification of standards only if it finds that
the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good.
We feel that the preferred plan allows the developer to optimize the development's visual
presentation to the adjacent public streets and the adjacent future public neighborhood park and is
not detrimental to the public good.
B) The plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the
modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the
standard for which a modification is requested.
LUC code section 3.5.2(C)(2) Street -Facing Facades. states: "Every building containing
four (4) or more dwelling units shall have at least one (1) building entry or doorway
facing any adjacent street that is smaller than a full arterial or has on -street parking. "
We feel that the preferred plan promotes the general purpose of the standard equally well or better
than a plan that satisfies the standard as follows:
The preferred plan optimizes visual presentation to adjacent public streets and future
public neighborhood park by screening of garage dominated fagades by building
placement/orientation.
The preferred plan presents front fagades for each building directly adjacent to the
future public neighborhood park.
Water's Edge at Richard's Lake
Modifications of Standards Request 2/l/2006
MODIFICATION REQUEST
WATER'S EDGE AT RICHARD9S LAKE
We are submitting this request for modification of standards for Water's Edge at Richard's Lake to address
the following item:
A. Modification of standards to Section 3.5.2(C)(2) of the LUC, accepting preferred plan in which
one eight unit multifamily building (building E) does not have at least one building entry or
doorway facing an adjacent street.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Water's Edge at Richard's Lake is a 108 acre residential development, bounded by Tumberry Road on the
east, Richards Lake PUD on the south, Hearthfire PUD on the west, and Serramonte Highlands to the north.
The site has 90.6 acres zoned Low Density Mixd Use (L-M-1) and 17.8 acres zoned Urban Estate (U-E).
The purpose of this modification request is to optimize the placement of multi -family buildings to
effectively utilize limited space in one particular area of the development and to orient the multi -family
buildings to face the future public neighborhood park with the garage dominated elevations internal to the
six building cluster.
The size and shape of the area containing the six multi -family buildings is constrained by the existing
Brightwater Drive to the west, the future public neighborhood park to the south, the existing oil well site to
the east, and the extension of Morningstar Drive to Tumberry Road to the north. The area approximates a
rectangular shape, roughly 200 feet from north to south and 550 feet from east to west. Due to the
constraints based on the area size and shape, combined with the project objectives to effectively utilize this
space and avoid garage dominated views form the public streets and future public neighborhood park,
placement of the buildings meeting the LUC requirements is not feasible and the applicant feels other
design options are more viable on this parcel of land.
The preferred plan being proposed by the applicant proposes forty-eight (48) multifamily attached units
contained in six (6) separate buildings in the defined area. The buildings are designed with primary
entries/doorways on multiple facades. Each building has at least one primary entry/doorway facing and
opening directly onto a street sidewalk or major walkway spine, per city code. The buildings are placed in
pairs, with the garages of each pair inward facing. This configuration screens the garage dominated facade
from both public streets and the future public neighborhood park.
The applicant has explored other alternatives to the preferred plan in this particular area. This work has not
resulted in a plan that would meet both the project objectives and code requirements. As a result the
applicant is requesting a modification to 3.5.2(C)(2) Street Facing Facades.
Water's Ec%e at Richard's Lake
Modifications of Standards Request 2/l /2006