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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLARIMER COUNTY MIDPOINT CAMPUS EXPANSION - SPAR - SPA110002 - MINUTES/NOTES - MINUTES/NOTESPlanning & Zoning Board July 21, 2011 Page 4 yes but not the trees at the end of the parking rows. Schmidt asked if this area was for impound vehicle parking. Mills said no, the lot will more likely be used by employees. Mills said they were initially planning 110 trees for the overall campus —there will be 7 less or 103 new trees planted. Member Carpenter asked the City Forester speak to the health of the Crack Willow tree. Will it be there for a while? Shepard said the Forester estimates this tree has at least 20 more years of very healthy life. Member Lingle asked Shepard with regard to his memo, how should the Board handle it in the context of a SPAR (Site Plan Advisory Review)? Lingle asked if the memo was to advise the Board of the discussion versus making it a condition of approval. Shepard said this is an advisory review under state statute —we technically don't have conditions of approval. Member Schmidt asked if the triangle on the south was for detention. Shepard said that was storm water detention. Deputy City Attorney Daggett said her suggestion regarding the Crack Willow issue is if the County is actually modifying its proposal, the Board could approve "as modified" by the County. Shepard said in terms of it happening, we have a commitment from the team that it will happen. While the Board does not have revised plans in front of them tonight; that's what staff would get with a subsequent submittal. Schmidt said we could consider it modified. Member Schmidt made a motion that the Planning & Zoning Board recommend approval of the modified Larimer County Midpoint Campus Expansion — New Alternative Sentencing Department Building, Sheriffs Office Addition, and Community Corrections Addition; Site Plan Advisory Review, #SPA110002, as referenced in the July 21, 2011 Willow Tree Preservation agreement memo and based on the Findings of Facts and Conclusions on page 7 of the staff report. Member Lingle seconded the motion. Member Lingle said he'd just like to thank the team for bringing forward a project that we can all support. He also wanted to thank the County for their willingness to go back and address the problems that predate everyone on this Board. He said he appreciates their efforts and looks forward to a continued working relationship with the County. The motion was passed 7:0. Project: 2011 Annual Revisions, Clarifications and Additions to the Land Use Code Project Description: This is a request for a Recommendation to City Council regarding the annual update to the Land Use Code. There are proposed revisions, clarifications and additions to the Code that address a variety of subject areas that have arisen since the last update in 2010 and the revisions related to Plan Fort Collins in March of 2011. Recommendation: Approval Hearing Testimony, Written Comments and Other Evidence Chief Planner Ted Shepard said there are 25 proposed items that change, clarify or add to the Land Use Code were brought to the Board at work sessions over the past several months. In the staff report, the revisions, by Article, are summarized as follows: Planning & Zoning Board July 21, 2011 Page 3 Shepard said at the work session last Friday, staff talked about the concern of the City Forester with regard to preserving the large Crack Willow Tree on the south end of the campus. He referred to a memo dated July 21 that speaks to resolution of that issue. He said they've reviewed the proposal with the consultants and the applicant and it seems to be moving forward very positively. He said they'll probably address it in their presentation tonight and the information is offered for the Board's consideration. Staff recommends approval of the Site Plan Advisory Review for the Larimer County Midpoint Campus. Expansion, New Alternative Sentencing Department Building, Sheriffs Office Addition and Community Corrections Addition, #SPA110002. Applicant's Presentation Carr Bieker said he is an architect with the Architects' Studio. Joining him are also Michael Kirk, head of Facilities for Larimer County; Paul Mills of Russell, Mills, landscape architecture; and Joe Delich, traffic consultant. Bieker described the master plan. He said the ASD (Alternative Sentencing Department) is the one new 50,000 plus square foot building. It's a non -secure facility that allows first time offenders (low security risks) to maintain a job in the work release program. He said most participants spend an average of two months there. Bieker said the program now operates Saturdays and Sundays and will also be moving to a Wednesdays and Thursdays schedule with this expansion. He said the participants come in Saturday to work, have dinner, and stay over one night. After their Sunday work day they go home. He said the program currently operates out of ASU (Alternative Sentencing Unit) which is north of the main jail. They're going to build the new ASD, move everyone from ASU to ASD and then renovate. Bieker said the Sheriffs addition is simply expanding the facility for needed offices and training rooms. He said Community Corrections is a small, 3,500 square foot addition to the office. Bieker said the County has agreed to add sidewalks along Midpoint —making it continuous. They used to be worried about security but the function makes more sense today. He said all has been carefully orchestrated with the belief the plan will work for 15 years. By building the ASD facility as a separate, self-contained facility; they can defer expansion of the main jail. Bieker said the County's goal from a master plan perspective is to locate parking where it's not likely to be built over. Bieker referred to the Crack Willow and the struggle they had with trying to work around it. He said they are in agreement with what's being proposed. Member Schmidt asked Bieker to speak to the County's need for parking and why they are unwilling at first to give up 7 parking spaces. She asked how the parking would be used. Bieker said there's a net gain of 75 cars. He said 40 of those parking spaces are for vehicles that have been impounded and could be there for extended periods of time. The remainder is for the increase in alternative program beds and for a number of Sheriffs Department cars, vans, and special vehicles that aren't used on a daily basis. He said they don't expect this mix to significantly increase traffic on Midpoint Drive. Public input None Member Schmidt asked Paul Mills to speak to the specifics of the compromise —where the Crack Willow is located and where seven parking spaces will be created. Mills indicated it was half way along and below the southern part of the new parking extension near the Sheriff's Building. He said the compromise is they will remove a number of trees in the medians within that parking area to create seven new parking spaces. Schmidt asked if the medians to the north would be going away. Mills said Planning & Zoning Board July 21, 2011 Page 2 sidewalks and enhancements to the water quality and stormwater system. The site is -zoned E, Employment, I, Industrial and T, Transition and contains 35.8 acres. There will be a total of 72,000 square feet of new building and additions and a total Of 8,500 square feet of remodeled floor area. .Recommendation: Approval Hearing Testimony, Written Comments and Other Evidence Chief Planner Ted Shepard, in his staff report, said since Larimer County is a political subdivision of the State, the project is governed by the Site Plan Advisory Review process in accordance with the pertinent State Statutes. The project's location, character and extent are found to be in compliance with the City's comprehensive plan. Colorado Revised Statutes provide two specific references which allow the City to review the planning and location of public facilities: A. Section 22-32-124, C.R.S., as amended, addresses the right of the C.S.U. to construct facilities within a municipality and the location or manner of construction of such schools. The statutes specifically limit the municipalities' participation in the process to a limited right of review and appeal to the C.S.U. Board of Governors. Section 31-23-209, C.R.S. provides that no public building shall be constructed or authorized in a city until the "location, character and extent thereof' has been submitted for approval by the Planning and Zoning Board. In the case of disapproval, the Planning and Zoning Board shall communicate its findings to the Board of County Commissioners. The disapproval of the Planning and Zoning Board may be overruled by the Board of County Commissioners by a vote of not less than two-thirds of its membership. Under Section 31-23-209, C.R.S., the Planning and Zoning Board should make a finding as to the location, character, and extent of the public building relative to the adopted Master Plan (City Plan) of the City. Such findings help ensure that the proposed project conforms to the adopted plan of the City of Fort Collins. Also in the staff report, Shepard said a Transportation Impact Memorandum was provided. The primary increases in traffic are related to an expanded video visitation system and an increase from 100 to 130 beds in the Alternative Sentencing Department. From a staffing perspective, the anticipated traffic impact would be comparable to the existing condition as no new employees are expected as a result of the campus expansion. In reviewing the request for the Larimer County Midpoint Campus Expansion Site Plan Advisory Review, Staff makes the following findings of fact: A. The Site Plan Advisory Review complies with State Statute Section 31-23-209, C.R.S., in that the location, character, and extent of the new public building, the two building additions and associated site improvements conform to the adopted Master Plan (City Plan) of the City of Fort Collins. B. The Site Plan Advisory Review complies with the applicable General Development Standards of Article Three and the zone district standards of Article Four. Chair Stockover called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. Roll Call: Campana, Carpenter, Hatfield, Lingle, Schmidt, Smith, and Stockover Staff Present: Dish, Daggett, Shepard, Virata, and Sanchez -Sprague Agenda Review Director Dish reviewed the agenda. Citizen participation: None Chair Stockover asked if the Board was ready to act on the Consent Agenda as proposed. Consent Agenda: 1. Minutes for the June 16, 2011 Planning & Zoning Board Hearings Member Smith made a motion to approve the June 16, 2011 Hearing minutes. Member Schmidt seconded the motion. The motion was approved 7:0. Discussion Agenda: 2. Larimer County Midpoint Campus Expansion —New Alternative Sentencing Department Building, Sheriffs Office Addition, and Community Corrections Addition; Site Plan Advisory Review, #SPA110002 3. 2011 Annual Revisions, Clarifications and Additions to the Land Use Code Project: Larimer County Midpoint Campus Expansion — New Alternative Sentencing Department Building, Sheriff's Office Addition, and Community Corrections Addition; Site Plan Advisory Review, #SPA110002 Project Description: This is a request to upgrade the existing Midpoint Campus by constructing a new, 53,500 square foot, and two-story building for the Alternative Sentencing Department. Also, the existing Sheriffs Administration Building will be expanded by 15,007 square feet, bringing the total up to 51,144 square feet. The existing Community Corrections building will also be expanded by 3,500 square feet, bringing the total up to 58,658 square feet. The existing Alternative Sentencing Unit building will be remodeled for new functions. Finally, improvements to the overall campus will include new parking spaces, new internal and external