HomeMy WebLinkAboutLIBERTY COMMON HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION - SPAR - SPA110003 - P&Z PACKET - PLANNING OBJECTIVESy
Issues raised during the Concept Review Meeting have been addressed within this
drawing submittal. Additionally, the drawings should address major issues such as Fire
and other emergency access, circulation, landscape requirements, and bike and
pedestrian environment. The proposal integrates the existing building, landscape, and
site with enhancements in the same areas.
The student and staff populations at the school are;
Current number of students is 309. At phase 2 build out an additional 165 students can be
added for a total of 474.
Currently there are 32 full time staff members, with 8 new staff members at phase 2 build
out.
Sincerely,
I
Michael Chalona, RLA
Landscape Design Manager
3
sf building expansion occurring in phase 2. The phase 1 building will be a two story
addition to increase classroom space for the school. The phase 2 expansion will also
include additional classroom space, as well as a new gymnasium. Connections have been
provided to these additions from existing walks.
In phase 2 a new parking lot is planned for the northeast corner of the property. The
parking lot will add 63 spaces, including 3 accessible spaces. The new lot entries will align
with existing / proposed drives along Limon and Minnesota Drives. The existing
pedestrian. bridge will remain in its current location during phase 1, but will be relocated
in phase 2 to make a connection from the phase 2 parking lot to the phase 2 building
expansion. The streets immediately surrounding the school site, provides for 29
additional parking spaces. At build out, there will be 123 parking spaces on site and
immediately adjacent to the school. Landscape has been provided in accordance with
existing conditions.
The current pedestrian trail enters to site on the west from Kansas Drive. The trail
combines with the sidewalk and travels north for 60' and then makes a 90 degree turn,
transversing the site to Minnesota Drive. With the redesign of the detention pond in
phase 2, the trail should no longer be allowed to cross through the detention pond, thus
creating the need to relocate it to the outer edges of the pond. The trail currently divides
the site in half, introducing the public into the middle of the school's campus. The trail
stays out of the detention pond. The plans propose to continue the trail north along
Kansas drive in the current configuration of being attached to the sidewalk, make a large
sweeping curve to travel east along Limon Drive and before crossing the Phase 2 parking
drive, another sweeping curve, allowing the trail to smoothly flow along the curve of the
parking lot, but separated from it. During Phase 1 development, the new trail will connect
back to the existing trail near the current junction of the pedestrian bridge. This
connection will be modified during Phase 2 to attach to the phase 2 parking lot while
maintaining a connection to the existing trail. At this point, several trees will be added
along the path. The trail maintains its existing major connections at Minnesota Drive and
Kansas Drive.
In phase 2, a new athletic field is planned for the northwest corner of the property in an
upper shelf of the reconfigured detention pond. It will only be underwater in a 100 year
storm event. This new element to the campus will be available to the neighborhood for
their use. It also contributes to the need to relocate the neighborhood trail around the
outside of the field and detention pond.
2
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www.neenan.com
Ted Shepard
Chief Planner
City of Fort Collins Current Planning Department
Fort Collins, CO 80525
RE: Statement of Planning Objectives, Liberty Common Expansion
Mr. Shepard,
We are pleased to submit to the City an expansion plan for the Liberty Common School,
located at 2745 Minnesota Drive. The project is depicted with an overall master plan
design and a phase 1 design. We understand the review process to be the Site Plan
Advisory Review (SPAR). Under the SPAR, there are no planning and transportation review
fees, other than the vacation and dedication of the easements. The property is currently
owned by a private entity and Liberty Common School is in the process of negotiating to
purchase the property.
The project plan, for the expansion of Liberty Common School meets the guiding visions
of City Plan. The project will bring jobs to Fort Collins; expand high quality education for
our children; promote environmental health of the community; continue neighborhood
connectivity and livability; reinforce safety for the neighborhood and students; and
provide for new recreational opportunities. The school's expansion will contribute to a
high performing community and neighborhood that the residents have come to expect.
The property is 3.92 acres and contains an existing school building, 27,322 sf, in the south
west corner of the property. An existing parking lot, comprising of 31 parking spaces, is
located in the southeast corner of the property. Bisecting the property is the Rigden Farm
drainage pond. The drainage pond is linear in shape with an outlet pipe under Kansas
Drive on the west and an inlet pipe under Minnesota Drive on the east. A neighborhood
trail follows the drainage pond on the north side from Kansas Drive to Minnesota Drive. A
pedestrian bridge connects the trail to the developed portion of the property at a central
location. The north side of the property, between the drainage pond and Limon Drive, Na
consists of dryland seed.
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The proposal presented in the plans shows a building expansion of 30,213 sf in both
phases. Phase 1 building expansion will comprise of 12,028 sf with the remaining 18,185.
1620 E. Prospect Road, Suite 100 1 Fort Collins, CO 80525 1 970.493.8747 1 Fax: 970.493.5869 ��