HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE GROVE AT FORT COLLINS - PDP - 16-10B - REPORTS - VARIANCE REQUEST (3)Fort Collins
intersection, it shall be verified that the intersection meets or exceeds the criteria for turning
movements and design vehicles as specified in Section 8.2.8 of LCUASS.
d. The variance request to use the parkways and/or bump out areas for rain gardens is a design
concept that Engineering is open to exploring. As this idea moves forward we would like to work
with you, your designers, and other City departments to determine a design that is acceptable to
the City and work through the maintenance requirements, schedule, and parameters that will need
to be placed in the Development Agreement outlining the Developer's obligation for maintenance
of this area. As identified in your letter, the City Utilities Department has agreed that if any rain
gardens in the parkways installed with this project fail despite proper maintenance by the property
owner, Stormwater will pay to remove and replace them with normal curb and gutter. Therefore
any design will need to accommodate this possibility of the rain gardens being removed.
e. Since several variances approved increased the width of the roadway cross section, the tract width
(for a Private Street) shall be increased to include the asphalt, curb, gutter, parkway, and sidewalk
width.
This request identified several proposed cross sections, and as identified above, the different aspects of
those sections were either approved, denied, or conditioned. The variance request did not cover and
provide for the actual plans showing the design and transitions between sections, transitions from existing
street widths, proposed striping, and length of each section. This information will still need to be provided
and it is expected that the details of the design will be reviewed and worked out through the development
review process.
This variance request does not set precedence or change the application of our design standards in other
situations. If you have any questions, please contact Sheri Langenberger at 221-6573.
Sincerely,
Sheri L. Langenberger—,P.E.
Attachments
cc: Helen Migchelbrink, City of Fort Collins
Joe Olson, City of Fort Collins
Ward Stanford, City of Fort Collins
Matthew Wempe, City of Fort Collins
Steve Olt, City of Fort Collins
file
Fort Collins
utilized, and how the striping and street curbing transition are installed, shall be further reviewed
and approved by the City.
f The variance request to utilize bump outs to narrow the street to a 32 ft flowline to flowline width
at these points (two 10 ft travel lanes and two 6 ft bike lanes) shall be allowed provided that in
any instance that a bump out is proposed at an intersection, it shall be verified that the intersection
meets or exceeds the criteria for turning movements and design vehicles as specified in Section
8.2.8 of LCUASS.
g. The variance request to use the parkways and/or bump out areas for rain gardens is a design
concept that Engineering is open to exploring. As this idea moves forward we would like to work
with you, your designers, and other City departments to determine a design that is acceptable to
the City and work through the maintenance requirements, schedule, and parameters that will need
to be placed in the Development Agreement outlining the Developer's obligation for maintenance
of this area. As identified in your letter, the City Utilities Department has agreed that if any rain
gardens in the parkways installed with this project fail despite proper maintenance by the property
owner, Stormwater will pay to remove and replace them with normal curb and gutter. Therefore
any design will need to accommodate this possibility of the rain gardens being removed.
Variance Request 2 —
Variances to Figure 7-6F and Table 7-1 for the design of a Commercial Local street
a. The variance request to reduce the standard travel lane width to 10 ft from 11 ft for a Commercial
Local cross section is granted.
b. The variance to reduce the right-of-way width to accommodate the approved section is approved.
Right-of-way shall be provided to accommodate the final street cross section, which shall include
the asphalt, curb, gutter, parkway, and sidewalk width.
c. The variance request to utilize bump outs to narrow the street to a 32 ft flowline to flowline width
at these points (two 10 ft travel lanes and two 6 ft bike lanes) shall be allowed provided that in
any instance that a bump out is proposed at an intersection, it shall be verified that the intersection
meets or exceeds the criteria for turning movements and design vehicles as specified in Section
8.2.8 of LCUASS.
d. The variance request to use the parkways and/or bump out areas for rain gardens is a design
concept that Engineering is open to exploring. As this idea moves forward we would like to work
with you, your designers, and other City departments to determine a design that is acceptable to
the City and work through the maintenance requirements, schedule, and parameters that will need
to be placed in the Development Agreement outlining the Developer's obligation for maintenance
of this area. As identified in your letter, the City Utilities Department has agreed that if any rain
gardens in the parkways installed with this project fail despite proper maintenance by the property
owner, Stormwater will pay to remove and replace them with normal curb and gutter. Therefore
any design will need to accommodate this possibility of the rain gardens being removed.
Variance Request 3 —
Variances to Figure 7-9F and Table 7-1 for the design of Local street
a. The variance request to increase the standard travel lane width to 18 ft from the standard 16 ft for
a Local street is granted. The additional width will enhance mobility for Emergency Services and
the public on the curved road.
b. The variance request to increase the sidewalk width along the west/north side of the roadway
from 4.5 ft to 8 ft is approved. It should be noted that this additional sidewalk width is not eligible
for Street Oversizing reimbursement.
c. The variance request to utilize bump outs to narrow the street to a 20 ft flowline to flowline width
at these points shall be allowed provided that in any instance that a bump out is proposed at an
City of
F6rt Collins
January 28, 2011
Nicolas W. Haws, PE, LEED AP
Northern Engineering Services, Inc.
200 South College Ave, Suite 100
Fort Collins, Co 80524
Re: The _Grove at Fort Collins = variance requests
Dear Nick,
Planning, Development & Transportation
Engineering Department
281 North College Avenue
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins. CO 80522.0580
970.221.6605
970.221 M78 - fax
fcgov. corn/engineering
This letter is in response to the variance request letter sent to me dated January 6, 2011, regarding several
variance requests to the Larimer County Urban. Area Street Standards (LCUASS) for the design of streets
within The Grove at Fort Collins development.
I will address each of the variance requests as I understand them to be.
Variance Request 1—
Variances to Figure 7-5F and Table 7-1 for the design of Rolland Moore Drive
a. The variance request to use a 30 mph (Connector Local) design criteria for the centerline radii,
minimum tangent between curves, and a posted speed of 25 mph versus a 40 mph (Collector)
design criteria is granted. The design of Rolland Moore Drive from the current west end to Centre
Avenue shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of Table 7-3 for a 30 mph design
and any additional signage or striping necessary due to the design speed shall be provided by the
developer of this project.
b. The variance request to reduce the standard travel lane width to 10 ft from 11 ft for a Collector
Local with parking cross section is granted for those areas that are travel lanes only and not a
combined travel and bike lane.
c. The variance request to reduce the parkway width to 6 ft from 8 ft when a grassy strip is provided
and to allow for an attached sidewalk with tree wells with a 5 ft versus the standard 8 ft hardscape
parkway adjacent to the buildings is denied. It was the position of City Planning that the
utilization of an attached wide urban sidewalk was acceptable with the prior proposal, given that
the buildings were proposed to be located very close to the street. The current proposed building
placement however, does not lend itself to the use of the urban function that a wide urban
attached sidewalk with tree wells is intended to provide. With the current proposed building
placement, the standard parkway width should be provided with the 5 ft detached walk in
accordance with the Collector Local standard.
d. The variance to reduce the right-of-way width to accommodate the approved section is approved.
Right-of-way shall be provided to accommodate the final street cross sections, which shall
include the asphalt, curb, gutter, parkway, and sidewalk width.
e. The variance to allow for the utilization of a 16 ft shared bike and travel lane at the intersection of
Rolland Moore Drive and Centre Ave, rather than an 11 ft travel lane and 8 ft bike lane per
standards, is granted with the condition that the length of the street in which this shared width is