HomeMy WebLinkAboutPENNY FLATS, LOT 1A, FIRST REPLAT - MAJOR AMEND. - MJA120001 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTB. The project results in an increase of two dwelling units which
exceeds one -percent of the total thus triggering a Major
Amendment.
C. The Major Amendment continues to comply with the applicable
standards of the Downtown zone, Civic Center sub -district as well
as the applicable General Development Standards.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of Penny Flats, Lot 1A, First Replat, Major
Amendment, #MJA120001.
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D. Section 3.5.3(G) — Height — Shadow Analysis
This standard requires that buildings over 40 feet do not cause a
substantial adverse impact on the distribution of natural and artificial light
on adjacent public and private property.
A shadow analysis was performed for the approved six -story building.
Since the proposed building is only four stories, any impact related to
shadowing is reduced.
E. Section 3.5.3 — Relationship of Buildings to Streets, Walkways and
Parking
This standard requires pedestrian orientation to a walkway or street.
The building continues to orient to the Civic Center major walkway spine.
F. Section 3.5.3 — Mixed -Use Buildings — Character and Image,
Facades, Entrances, Base and Top Treatments
This standard prescribes architectural standards.
The Major Amendment continues to provide facades that exceed the
minimum wall articulations. Walls have clearly defined bays, multiple
changes in plane, materials and texture, arcades, awnings and porticos.
All sides of the building have high quality materials consistent with the
front fagade. The building has been designed with appropriate base and
top treatments including brick and masonry cornices and split -face
concrete block at the base.
G. Transportation Level of Service Requirements
The Major Amendment adds two dwelling units. This increase does not
affect the levels of service along the surrounding public streets and
intersections.
S. Findings of Fact / Conclusion:
In evaluating Penny Flats, Lot 1A, First Replat, (Building Three), Major
Amendment, staff makes the following findings of fact:
A. Multi -family dwellings are permitted in the Downtown District, Civic
Center Subdistrict, subject to an Administrative Hearing.
The proposed building, as amended, will be similar in height, mass and
scale as the existing buildings. With the use of similar materials, the
proposed building will complement the overall Penny Flats project.
4. Compliance with Applicable General Development Standards:
A. Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(a)1 — Parking
Multi -family and mixed -use dwellings within the Transit -Oriented
Development (TOD) Overlay Zone have no minimum parking
requirements.
The project is located within the TOD Overlay zone. The existing seven
surface parking spaces will be removed. All parking will be located in the
existing underground garage.
B. Section 3.4.7 — Historic and Cultural Resources
The building is southeast of the historic Trolley Barn, a significant historic
building designated in 1992 as a Local Landmark and owned by the City
of Fort Collins. These standards require that the proposed development
protect and enhance the value of the adjacent historic resource.
The building is separated from the Trolley Barn by 125 feet. The existing
approved plan was carefully evaluated for compliance with this standard
and all buildings preserve the integrity of the Trolley Barn primarily by use
of brick and stone exterior materials and by stepping back the mass. The
subject amendment does not revise the relationship between the Trolley
Barn and Penny Flats.
C. Section 3.5.1— Architectural Character, Building Size, Mass and
Scale
This standard requires that the Major Amendment remain compatible with
the surrounding area, particularly the residential area to the west.
The Major Amendment allows Penny Flats to remain complementary with
the neighborhood and historic context of the surrounding area. The
project continues to provide a logical transition from the existing
neighborhood and Civic Center, both in terms of height and massing.
Along Mason Street, the building is comparable in size and scale with the
existing buildings and contributes to an urban context. The continued use
of brick with entrances along the major walkway spine promote
compatibility with the surrounding area.
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E. Section 4.16(D)(5)(b) — Building Character and Facades — Outdoor
Activity
This standard requires that buildings promote outdoor activity with
balconies, arcades, terraces, decks and courtyards to the extent
reasonably feasible.
The west elevation features balconies on the fourth floor. Along the spine
there are three entrances contributing to activity at the ground floor.
F. Section 4.16(D)(5)(e) — Building Character and Facades — Exterior
Fagade Materials
This standard requires that all street -facing facades shall be constructed
of high quality materials for the full height of the building.
The building maintains a combination of brick, stucco, split face concrete
block and metal siding for the full height of the structure.
G. Section 4.16(E)(a) — Parking Lots
This standard requires that parking lots not dominate street frontages.
There is no surface parking associated with the Major Amendment. The
existing parking lot is underground. In general, parking for the entire block
has been designed to avoid interrupting the pedestrian focus of the
project.
H. Section 4.16(E)(c) — Plazas and Section 4.16(F) — Special
Provisions — Civic Center Subdistrict
This standard requires the project to provide for the civic center spine.
The Major Amendment does not adjoin the civic center spine. This spine
is designed to ultimately connect Mason Street North and the Discovery
Science Museum to the City office building and Larimer County Justice
Center to the south. As part of this Major Amendment to Building Three,
the major walkway spine will be constructed north to Cherry Street.
I. Section 4.16(F)(4) — Incorporation of New Buildings
This standard requires that new buildings be designed in a manner that
establishes continuity and visual connection between new and existing
buildings.
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3. Compliance with Applicable Downtown District - Civic Center
Subdistrict Standards:
A. Section 4.16(D)(2) — Building Height
This standard establishes the maximum allowable building heights in the
Civic Center on a block -by -block basis.
The proposed building will decrease from six stories (65 feet) to four
stories (50 feet). The maximum allowable height on Block 33 is six stories
(85 feet). The Major Amendment, therefore, complies with this standard.
B. Section 4.16(D) (4) (b) 1. — Building Mass Reduction for Taller
Buildings - Base
This standard requires that buildings over three stories shall have base
that is differentiated from the remainder of the building.
The architectural elevations for Building Three do not significantly change
with the proposed Major Amendment. The base remains distinctive and
differentiated from the building fields for the three upper floors.
C. Section 4.16(D)(4)(b)2. — Building Mass Reduction for Taller
Buildings — Upper Floor Setbacks
This standard requires that upper portions of taller buildings shall be
further set back above the base in such a manner as to contribute to a
significant aspect of the building design.
The existing approved building contains six stories with the sixth story
being stepped back from the fifth story by a 45 degree angle. As
proposed, the building has been reduced to four stories. While the fourth
story is not stepped back by a significant angle, it is slightly stepped back
and there are exterior material changes, similar to the lower three stories
that were previously approved. This includes a cornice at the top of the
masonry and a change in material to the siding of the fourth story.
D. Section 4.16(D) (5) (a) — Building Character and Facades — Blank
Walls
This standard requires that no blank walls that face a public street, public
plaza or walkway shall exceed 50 feet in length.
There are no blank walls that exceed 50 feet in length.
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Development, Inc. which built the existing building at the immediate corner of
Mason and Maple Streets.
In October of 2011, Building Five caught fire and was destroyed. It is being
rebuilt. Building Four was heavily damaged and is being restored.
2. Differences Between Approved Plan and Proposed Amendment:
Proposed
Amendment
Previously
Approved
Amendment
Building Height, Stories
4
6
Building Hei ht, Feet
50'
65'
Floor Area Residential
16,602
21,313
Floor Area Commercial
0
0
Floor Area Common/Circulation
0
0
Floor Area Total
16,602
21,313
1 bedroom units
15
12
2 bedroom units
6
7
3 bedroom units
0
0
Total Bedroom Count
27
26/34
Total Unit Count
21
19
Surface Parking
0
7
Below Grade Parking
no change
no change
As can be seen by the table, the primary change is the increase in the number of
units from 21 to 19 and the lowering of the height from six to four stories.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The increase in the number of dwelling units constitutes a change of more than
one percent in the number of units thus triggering a Major Amendment. The
Amended plan complies with the development standards of the Downtown zone
as well as the applicable General Development Standards.
1. Background:
The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows:
N: D—Downtown District - Civic Center Subdistrict with LMN—Low
Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood (existing residential and a mixed -use
project);
NE: POL—Public Open Land — Discovery Science Museum;
E: D—Downtown District - Civic Center Subdistrict — vacant land and
abandoned tire shop and drive -through restaurant;
SE: D—Downtown District - Civic Center Subdistrict — existing Downtown
Transit Terminal and existing office, retail and mixed -use;
S: D—Downtown District - Civic Center Subdistrict — Existing office and
industrial (City office building and the former Haiston Oil Company),
with existing Larimer County government offices;
SW: D—Downtown District — Civic Center Subdistrict — Existing park and
municipal government offices;
W: D—Downtown District — Civic Center Subdistrict — Existing single family
residential and existing office with NCB —Neighborhood Conservation
Buffer District;
NW: NCB —Neighborhood Conservation Buffer District— Existing residential.
Block 33 is currently divided into three ownerships; Penny Flats LLC (Coburn
Development — Building Four), Brinkman Partners (Building Five) and the City of
Fort Collins. The historically significant Trolley Barn at the northwest corner of
the block will be retained in City ownership. The balance of the City -owned
parcels may ultimately be sold to a private developer in order to build out the
mostly residential mixed -use project. There are a few existing buildings on the
southwest quadrant of the block that will be demolished at the time of
redevelopment.
The redevelopment process began in July, 2004 when City Council passed
Resolution #2004-081which directed the City Manager to initiate a process for
disposition and appropriate development of Block 33. The City issued Request
For Proposal (RFP) #P955 in September, 2004 to seek a qualified development
team to purchase the property and develop it according to the Civic Center
Master Plan, adopted by the City Council in July 1996. The City chose Coburn
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MEETING DATE M*Jk / of ,
STAFF 7E0 .fAgkPAA0
HEARING OFFICER
PROJECT: Penny Flats, Lot 1A, First Replat, Major Amendment, #MJA-
12-0001
APPLICANT: Kevin Brinkman
Brinkman Partners
3003 Harmony Road, Suite 300
Fort Collins, CO 80528
OWNER: 210 Maple, LLC
3003 Harmony Road, Suite 300
Fort Collins, CO 80528
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This is a request to amend the approved plan for the proposed building (Building
Three) immediately north of the existing corner building (Building Five) and west
of the building under construction after the fire (Building Four) all located at the
northwest corner of Mason Street and Maple Street. As presently approved,
Building Three consists of six stories (65 feet), 19 dwelling units and 26
bedrooms. (Eight of these units included a den which could have been
converted to a bedroom for a potential total 34 bedrooms.)
As proposed, this amendment would lower the height to four stories (50 feet),
increase the number of dwelling units to 21 and increase the number of
bedrooms to 27. (None of the 21 units would include dens.)
As approved, Building Three contains 21,313 square feet. As proposed by the
Major Amendment, Building Three would contain 16,602 for a decrease of 4,711
square feet.
There would be a decrease of seven parking spaces which were located at -grade
below the second floor. There would be no change to the below -grade parking.
The parcel is zoned D, Downtown, Civic Center sub -district.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
Current Planning 281 N College Ave - PO Box 580 - Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
fcgov.com/currentplanning 970.221.6750