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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCARRIAGE HOUSE APARTMENTS - PDP - PDP120035 - CORRESPONDENCE - CITIZEN COMMUNICATION (21)Lastly, I am concerned about the likelihood that each student will bring his or her own car. Yes, the apartment is close to the university but it is not close to the supermarket. I know it is a goal of Fort Collins to become a less car -focused community but until there are adequate bus routes, student who live off campus are bringing their cars. Given that Bennett Elementary is just one street away, we can't have our entire on street parking taken up with students who move their cars infrequently. Bennett Elementary has events most evenings and the streets are filled with lots of overflow vehicles. I would hate for this to become a problem and fewer people attend school functions for fear that they can't get a spot. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Sincerely, Margot Ganster On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 1:31 PM, Courtney Levingston <CLevingston(a)_fcgov.com> wrote: Hi Margot, I was unable to open your attachment. Are you able to PDF the file and re -attach? If not, could you put the text in the body of your e-mail perhaps please? Thanks, Courtney Levingston, AICP, LEED AP ND City Planner I City of Fort Collins 970.416.2283 -----Original Message ----- From: Margot Ganster[mailto:margot.ganster(aD-gmail.coml Sent: Friday, November 09, 2012 12:43 PM To: Courtney Levingston Subject: Apartments on Springfield Please see attached letter 2 Courtney Levingston From: Margot Ganster <margot.ganster@gmail. com> Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2012 9:54 AM To: Courtney Levingston Subject: Re: Apartments on Springfield November 9, 2012 Dear Ms. Levingston, I'd like to take this opportunity to explain my opposition to the apartment buildings being planned on Springfield by Mr. Bailey's development company. Living this close to the university, it is not surprising that an apartment complex is being considered. However, I think that the complex should add to our community and not be a constant source of tension and violation. It's important to me that those new buildings, if they are to be built, become an example of how infill projects can enhance the university community. To that end, I feel the buildings need to be limited to 2 stories above ground. In fact, assuming that he could provide adequate parking, it wouldn't even both me if he included some basement apartments. But to have apartments dwarf the surrounding houses has a real psychological impact on the neighborhood. It makes for an uncomfortable feeling for someone to be staring down at your house (and family). We already have a fair amount of petty crime in this neighborhood and the feeling that someone can peer out of his or her apartment and into a residential home is unsettling to say the least. I also think there should be onsite management; we already have parades of students who roam around these streets late at night. An onsite manager would help to keep that apartment at least somewhat under control. Basically, for infill projects to work, you need to minimize the down side for the surrounding neighbors. How this project is implemented has ramifications for Mr. Bailey's (and other developers) future development projects. If he handles this responsibly and keeps our neighbors happy, small apartment complexes could coexist in residential neighborhoods. Otherwise our city will end up with people campaigning for more acres filled with unsightly apartments on the edge of town. It's about the small things, the entrance to the complex can easily be moved to come in between buildings 2 and 3 so that the headlights of their cars don't wake up the families living close to the apartment. The trash receptacle (likely to be a huge/loud metal dumpster) should be positioned so that the smell of trash and the sound of trash trucks aren't a constant reminder to the neighborhood. The key is for the apartment to coexist with the neighborhood, to be unobtrusive and to be welcomed.