Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutGILLESPIE FARM - ODP - 29-00 - CORRESPONDENCE - CORRESPONDENCE-HEARINGSecond, we are concerned that we obtain your support for a bermed frontage road along NCR 11 consistent with the earlier agreement between the neighborhood and the developer of the Richard's Lake PUD. The frontage road would provide existing homes with limited, consolidated access to NCR 11 rather than having to back directly out onto the road. Further, the berming• would help maintain the quality of life in the neighborhood by mitigating road noise which will result from future, increased traffic on NCR 11. Safety on NCR 11 also remains a major concern which needs to be promptly addressed. In December 2000 there was a tragic accident at the intersection of NCR 11 and Country Club Road that resulted in two deaths. We seek your support in ensuring the earliest possible implementation of related plans for improvements to NCR 11 through both its interim widening and its eventual relocation to the right-of-way further east of NCR 11. Our neighborhood safety and quality of life will benefit by improving serious out of shape sight lines by the intersection where the accident took place, by reducing actual vehicle traffic speeds, and by providing generous -sized bike lanes for the large numbers of cyclists, runners, and walkers who now use NCR 11 on a daily basis. Third, we are concerned about the possible retention of the existing farmhouse and outbuildings which are now a neighborhood eyesore. We generally question the preservation of a decrepit, nondescript farmhouse and any outbuildings on what will be a non -working farm. Also, the farmhouse may be so close to NCR 11 as to either (1) occupy land necessary to provide a neighborhood frontage road and make improvements to NCR 11 as discussed above, or (2) be subject to adverse structural effects from heavy traffic. If demolition is precluded because the farmhouse must be retained on the development as a local landmark, we believe it should be moved and incorporated into the neighborhood center where it would be more centrally located for neighborhood use. We appreciate the opportunity to provide the Planning and Zoning Board with our initial, written comments on the proposed ODP. We also look forward to future opportunities to provide additional comments during the City of Fort Collins development review process. Please contact me at (970) 407-0531 for further explanations of out comments or to arrange follow-on meetings with neighborhood representatives. Sincerely, Joseph W. Bleicher Enclosure: Letter of September 5, 2000, Forwarding August 28, 2000, Letter with Supporting Signatures of Affected Property Owners/Neighborhood Residents cc: Mr. Brian Grubb: City Planner, City of Fort Collins Current Planning Department Mr. Thomas Dougherty: Tom Dougherty Construction Joseph and Sharon Byer 2509 N. Coumy Road 11 Fort Collins, CO 80524 Phone (970)407-0531 February 15, 2001 Mr. Jerry Gavaldon Chairman, Planning and Zoning Board City of Fort Collins 281 North College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80522 Dear Mr. Gavaldon: Thank you for the opportunity for my neighbors and me to provide our initial comments to the Planning and Zoning Board on the proposed project commonly known as the Gillespie Farm ODP - Type II (LUC), File # 29-00. Based on the neighborhood meeting on this proposed ODP which was held on August 23, 2000, we hand -carried an advance copy of our written comments to Mr. Tom Dougherty, the developer, on August 28, 2600. We subsequently circulated these comments for neighborhood signatures and forwarded this package (copy enclosed) to him on September 5, 2000. All of us on North County Road (NCR) 11 across from the ODP and many neighbors, especially on Richard's Lake Road and other nearby streets, expressed their support of our letter. We are pleased with Mr. Dougherty's efforts to obtain neighborhood input on the ODP, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with him in a cooperative manner. At this time, there are still three major areas of concern that have been raised and still need resolution (a revision was made to the ODP to satisfactorily address an earlier concern on the location of the multifamily area along NCR 11). We greatly appreciate the efforts of the Planning and Zoning Board to obtain neighborhood input on this proposal, and we look forward to your support in addressing our strong neighborhood concerns. First, we are concerned with maintaining the integrity and compatibility of our neighborhood which dates back to 1965. A major step would be maximizing the compatibility of the ODP's single-family lot sizes on NCR 11 with the 150 foot wide lots of the 16 existing single-family homes on NCR 11 between Country Club Road" and Richard's Lake Road. This would also be compatible with existing neighborhood homes further south on the west side of NCR 11 as well as homes on Richard's Lake Road, Country Club Road, Sherrel Drive, and other nearby streets. As .you know, the approved Richard's Lake PUD now calls for mirror -image 150 foot lot sizing to the existing neighborhood housing on the south side of Richard's Lake Road. We seek the support of the Planning and Zoning Board in obtaining a limited waiver on density that would give the developer more flexibility in addressing our concerns in maintaining the integrity and compatibility of our neighborhood.