HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE GROVE AT FORT COLLINS - PDP - 16-10B - REPORTS - CORRESPONDENCE-HEARING (19)use of rain gardens on Rolland Moore Drive
-Both the WCNP and City Plan recommend that any development in this area be compatible
th the surrounding neighborhood. The Grove achieves this compatibility in several ways:
it provides a generous buffer of a minimum of 300 feet between the Grove buildings and
the nearest neighborhood home. In addition there is a large wetland separating the Grove
from the residences to the north, 2) it is managed housing employing a management strategy
which includes trained on -site managers and a code of conduct which is stronger than the
CSU Student Conduct Code. It requires parents to sign the lease along with their student
dependent, 3) it incorporates landscape elements including detached sidewalks, tree -lined
streets, and maintained green spaces, 4) the configuration of buildings provides a
courtyard around outside activity areas to reduce offsite noise.
Campus Crest has met and often exceeded the City Requirements for such
a project as expressed in the Land Use Code. Campus Crest is proposing
to incorporate innovations such as LEED certification, designing the buildings for future
accommodation of solar energy use, innovative methods for addressing stormwater
management, and establishing ongoing linkages with CSU in management of the Grove. As a
former member of the P and Z board I've sat in your place and had to make decisions as
difficult as you face tonight. Consider that the applicant has met or exceeded all City
requirements, successfully achieved compatibility with the surrounding land uses, is
meeting the visions of the WCNP and City Plan and this project will serve the greater good
of Fort Collins.
Vote in favor of the Grove.
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• This suggests that there is an inadequate supply of such housing. The zoning not only
allows but requires that the site have a use as proposed by Campus Crest. This is to make
best use of the site for its proximity to CSU (the major activity enter and economic
--gine of our city -it accommodates over 27,000 students and provides employment for over
00 people. CSU has growth plans to increase its size in the future and will rely on
Lie community to house its students as it does not plan to accommodate this growth with
on -campus housing.
-The Grove will make the most efficient use of City
utilities, a requirement in the
Community and Neighborhood Livability principles of
site is centrally located within the City's infill
orderly development where infrastructure exists to
infrastructure -roads, bike paths,
City Plan. The
area. It meets logical criteria for
serve it.
- The West Central Neighborhoods Plan acknowledges the large role CSU plays in any
consideration of the "blueprint for the preferred future of the West Central
Neighborhoods". It envisions using the available land in the neighborhood more
effectively to accommodate the demands of CSU and the City, increasing the inventory of
affordable rental housing near campus for students, employees and others. WCNP
specifically recommends use of CSURF property for student housing. The Grove is providing
this type of housing for students and freeing single family housing for other segments of
the Fort Collins population that are also in need of affordable housing. The Grove
provides a solution to problems associated with short term tenancy, differing lifestyles
and overcrowded living conditions identified by WCNP. The Grove site is CSU land managed
through CSURF to among other goals serve the needs of the university. Through a long term
lease to Campus Crest, CSU retains the future possibility of using that site for other
university purposes.
-The proposed plan will complete a long planned street connection to improve traffic flow
in the area and articulated in the WCNP and the Transportation principles of City Plan.
Center Drive has been completed within memory of most of us in this room as an
implementation action item in the WCNP. It provides a connection greatly needed in this
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intense traffic due in large part to CSU. Augmenting the usefulness
of Center Drive will be the completion of Rolland Moore Drive to connect Shields and
Center Drive. The completion of Rolland Moore Drive will be
done by this project. However it will improve on the existing vision
expressed in the Street Master Plan through the route chosen by Campus Crest. The routing
proposed by Campus Crest will conform to the Environmental Heath and Community and
Neighborhood Livability principles of City Plan by locating the street on the far south
side of the site, away from the neighborhoods, the wetlands and Spring Creek Gardens.
-The Grove will conform to the WCNP and the City Plan principles regarding Environmental
Health, Community and Neighborhood Livability and Transportation through the encouragement
of the use of alternative
transportation. The Grove is located within convenient biking distance
of CSU and well connected to the network of bike paths and bide lanes.
Students tend to be among the heaviest users of our bike infrastructure averaging up to
15,000 bicyclists entering campus on a school day. The location of the Grove will add
more housing for a population that likely will use bicycles and not add to the auto
traffic and thereby reduce
auto emissions. Campus Crest is further enhancing and encouraging
bicycle use in several ways: 1) It is providing a network of bike lanes on site to
facilitate internal circulation and providing connections to the City bicycle
infrastructure; 2) it is providing bicycle facilities far in excess of City requirements.
For a project of this size, the City requires 25 bicycle parking spaces. Campus Crest is
providing close to 300; 3) it is providing an air station, space for bicycle repair and
secure storage of bicycles in the apartments. The Grove is also located on Transfort
routes and close to the proposed MAX bus route. It should be noted that these buses can
accommodate bicycles.
-he Grove is addressing the Environmental Health policies of City Plan as follows: 1)
ough street layout, a compact development footprint, preservation and enhancement of
wetlands including a buffer zone along the wetlands in excess of City requirements,
addition of native plants for a visual buffer and to enhance wildlife habitat, 2)
dedicating 12 acres of open space as drainage easements for addressing storm water
management needs, 3) demonstrating a new concept in managing street runoff through the
NJ
Steve Olt
m: Iloyd [Iloyd@engr.colostate.edu]
. ,dnt: Thursday, June 16, 2011 6:29 AM
To: Steve Olt
Subject: Grove Presentation Statement
Steve,
Please pass this Grove Presentation Statement
I reference very specific elements in the West
and I would like for the Board to have a copy
it as needed during their deliberations.
Thank You,
Lloyd Walker
Grove Presentation by Lloyd Walker
Members of the Planning and Zoning Board:
to the P and Z members.
Central Neighborhoods Plan and City Plan
of this statement so that they may refer to
I am a member of a group, Neighbors and Students United, formed to
provide support for the development project known as the Grove. Our
group is a coalition of representatives of two neighborhoods (Avery Park and Rolland Moore
West) and a representative of ASCSU (on behalf of CSU
students). All of the members of this group have been addressing the
issue of student housing for a long time. Some of us served on the committee formed in
1995 that prepared the West Central Neighborhoods Plan (WCNP) which was adopted by City
Council in 1999 as an element of City Plan, the City's Comprehensive Plan. The WCNP
tailors City Plan principles and policies to neighborhoods west and south of CSU.
engaged in the debate, beginning in 2003 on addressing the occupancy ordinance as one
method the City addresses student housing, affordable
housing and preservation of neighborhood character. We represent two
neighborhoods in close proximity to CSU which have first-hand experience
in matters around student housing. We bring the perspective of
students to this discussion through ASCSU which has long recognized the
need for housing to keep up with planned enrolment growth. ASCSU is an
advocate for alternative student housing close to campus.
Members of Neighbors and Students United participated in the review of City Plan which was
adopted by City Council in Feb of this year. One of our members served on the Housing
Committee of UniverCity Connections.
The vision articulated by WCNP is to maintain and enhance the diverse character of the
West Central Neighborhoods (WCN), strengthen the collaboration between the City, CSU ,
and WCN, continue to provide housing opportunities, infrastructure and lifestyle options
to meet the needs of the diverse group of neighborhoods, improve all transportation modes
and adapt to meet the needs of the dynamic and ever changing WCN.
We recommend you approve The Grove ODP and PDP as meeting the City goals and vision as
articulated in the West Central Neighborhoods Plan and City Plan and which will serve the
greater good of Fort Collins.
The Grove meets the City's goals as articulated in these plans and other elements of the
Land Use Code in the following ways:
-It conforms to the City vision as expressed in the zoning of this site and the
surrounding area. The zoning of the area encourages a mixed use mosaic. This is
nifested in the uses already built: commercial services, schools, employment centers,
i density housing, medium density housing, and senior housing and care facilities. The
Grove meets WCNP recommendations of creating development opportunities for higher density
housing on properties close to CSU, and maintaining a wide range of housing opportunities
and accommodate innovative housing solutions.
The need for such housing is evident in the low apartment vacancy rates and rising rents.
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