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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWATER'S EDGE @ RICHARD'S LAKE - PDP - 58-86J - REPORTS - PLANNING OBJECTIVES0 5. Q. What was the previous plans total number of units? A. (Given by Scott Price, creator of previous subdivision plan). 700 units, including in phase of 186 homesites) - Approximately too more than currently proposed. 6. Q. Statement. Serramonte Highlands homeowner not happy with plan as depicted. Issue was with the size of lot sizes adjacent to them. A. None given. 7. Q. Is there adequate public facilities? Traffic impacts on Lemay? A. Answers will come with formal submittal and responses from various agencies. 8. Q. What are the impacts of this project on the schools? A. Answers will come with formal submittal and responses from various agencies. 9. Q. Describe "Lot A" Product. A. Description given by Vignette Studios to. Q. What are the plans for Turnberry Road? A. General description given by Terrence Hoaglund with Vignette Studios. tt. Q. Will residents of this proposal have access to lake? A. Yes (Given by Scott Price) 12. Q. Statement. The proposed recreational center is a far distance away from existing Richard's Lake residents. A. Acknowledged. 13. Q. Where are the equestrian trail locations? A. General discussion occurred regarding equestrian trails. 14. Q. Is there a median on Morningstar Road? A. A median is currently shown. 15. Q. Does this proposal have fire district support? A. Early discussions with fire district have been favorable. We will know more with formal submittal and agency response. 16. Q. What about the lighting? A. Standard city street lighting and more possibly around recreational center for security reasons. Anticipated Development Schedule Project Plan Approval June 20o6 Final Compliance Plan Approval December 2006 Start Land Development 2007 Start Home Construction 2007 Models Open, Start Sales 20o8 Project Complete 2007-2010 18 Water's Edge at Richard's Lake • Erect a vinyl silt fence and, where needed, straw bales or straw logs between the upland construction areas and the shoreline area of Richard's Lake, including the outer edge of the wooded fringe, to prevent waterborne transport of eroded soil into the habitat and to clearly demark areas to be protected from operation .of equipment or placement of material stockpiles or waste. The surrounding land uses are residential in nature. With exception of Serramonte Highlands community to the north, the adjacent residential densities are similar. A significant landscape buffer, which will be installed early in the development process, is provided to create a buffer to the Serramonte Highlands neighborhood. During development, the Developer will work with adjacent residents to mitigate concerns they may have. Neighborhood Meeting Response A neighborhood meeting was held September 29, 2005. Based on the comments received during the meeting, combined with comments received from two earlier informal neighborhood meetings the developer scheduled with the Serramonte Highlands community, the developer made the following commitments during the presentation: • Townhomes and "a" lot to have garages facing alley • Provide as many homes as possible pedestrian access to park and rec center The following two items were committed to, if the plan as depicted would be approved: • Limit the "C" lots along Serramonte Highlands to one-story homes • Construct berm and landscaping along Serramonte Highlands during early stages (when water line infrastructure is in and able to support landscaping) There were several general areas discussed during the meeting: • There was considerable concern expressed by the Serramonte Highlands residents in attendance regarding the planned density adjacent to the Serramonte Highlands' south property border. Following the initial neighborhood meeting, the plan has been modified to incorporate a substantial bermed / landscaped buffer on the north property boundary, in addition to the commitments listed above regarding installation time of the buffer and limitation to structure heights. • There were several questions regarding access to Richard's Lake shoreline. In response, the plan does provide walking access to the shoreline. Questions/Concerns raised with responses provided during Q&A 1. Q. What boat/vehicle access will be provided to lake? A. Was unaware of this request. Will look at this and coordinate with Water Supply Company. 2. Q. What price levels will the homes be? A. Best estimate at the present time is $300,000 plus for single family Homes and $200,000 plus for townhomes. 3.. Q. Isn't affordable housing required to build city park? A. No requirements — no correlation. 4. Q. What type of landscaping will be installed — natural or manicured? A. Both — specific areas for each type have not been decided to date. 17 Water's Edge at Richard's Lake 0 • Open space complemented with pedestrian connections dispersed throughout community, providing convenient pedestrian access to the various amenities within and adjacent to the community. Ownership and Maintenance The existing Richard's Lake Owners Association, Inc. (c/o Scott Price), established for Richard's Lake First Filing, is the homeowner's association for Water's Edge at Richard's Lake. The Richard's Lake Owners Association will own the following elements: • Recreation Center • Common open space elements • Private Alley Driveways The Richard's Lake Owners Association will maintain the following elements. • Recreation Center • Common open space elements • Traffic Circles • Private Alley Driveways • Identification Signs Planning Rationale and Assumptions Water's Edge at Richard's Lake is designed as a cohesive neighborhood with a variety of housing opportunities supporting a wide range of lifestyles. Accommodations are made for all modes of transit including bikeways, upgraded pedestrian amenities, integrated with significant open space area. Land Use Conflict Mitigation With exception of potential impact to use of the lake by water birds, Water's Edge at Richard's Lake does not support or contain native plant communities, wetlands, riparian habitats, other areas of mature trees, or geologic, topographic, or hydrologic features that warrant avoidance or mitigation. An Ecological Site Characterization Report was prepared with the following recommendations that will be adhered to by the developer: • If construction is scheduled to begin during the raptor nesting season (March i through July 15), conduct a raptor nesting survey along the adjacent wooded fringe. If an active raptor nest is found, avid the nest by 0.125 mile (Copper's or sharp -shinned hawk), 0.25 mile (Swainson's hawk) or 0.33 mile (red-tailed hawk) until after nesting is complete. If construction is ongoing prior to the start of the raptor nesting season, phase the construction so that work begins closest to the lake before the nesting season so that any raptors are likely to move to another area rather than choosing the site and being subject to later disturbance. • If a recreational trail is constructed around the reservoir, stay as far back from (i.e., outside) the wood fringe as practicable to minimize disturbance of nesting or migrant songbirds. • If feasible, prohibit residents of Water's Edge from allowing cats at -large and dogs at - large in the wooded fringe and shoreline areas of Richard's Lake. Enforce the restriction through the homeowners association in conjunction with Fort Collins animal control officers. No mitigation measures are recommended for the jurisdictional shoreline areas of Richard's Lake, because the project is not anticipated to impact the wetland or wooded fringe. To ensure that these sensitive areas are protected during construction in upland areas, the following best management practice (BMP) is proposed: 16 Water's Edge at Richard's Lake Policy LMN-2.2 Neighborhood Center. A neighborhood should be planned to include other neighborhood -serving uses and features in addition to residential uses. At a minimum, each neighborhood will include a Neighborhood Center that serves as a year- round gathering place accessible to all residents. A Neighborhood Center will be no larger than 7 acres, and will include some of the following: recreation facility; school; children's and adults' day care; place of assembly and worship; small civic facility; neighborhood - serving market, shops, small professional offices, clinics, or other small businesses. Any such uses should have limited needs for signage and limited traffic attraction into or through the neighborhood. The inclusion of rooms or indoor space for meetings and neighborhood functions is encouraged, as is a square, plaza, pavilion, or other outdoor space accessible to all residents. Policy LMN-2.3 Neighborhood Center Location. A Neighborhood Center should be encouraged to locate near the center of the neighborhood, but will be permitted to be located elsewhere such as on an edge. Policy LMN-2.4 Neighborhood Center Design. A Neighborhood Center should either be designed in collaboration with the residents, or otherwise be custom -designed by its developer to reinforce the positive identity, character, comfort and convenience of its surrounding neighborhood. Policy LMN-2.5 Neighborhood Center Access. Access for pedestrians and bicyclists should be a priority. Policy LMN-2.9 Outdoor Spaces. Small neighborhood parks, squares and other common outdoor spaces will be included within new neighborhoods. These spaces should be attractive settings, highly visible and easily observed from public streets. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake contains two zoning districts, one Urban Estate, the other Low Density Mixed Use. The L-M-N portion meets the minimum density of 5 dwelling units per acre by providing 5.o dwelling units per acre. This is achieved using a combination of single family detached, single family detached alley load units, single family attached alley load, and multifamily attached dwelling units. All homes either face a public street or are served by a private drive with direct access to a public street. A recreational center is included in the proposed design, offering recreational opportunities (pool and play area) and space for neighborhood meetings. The pedestrian network provides all residents access to the recreational center. The recreational center is located convenient to the future public neighborhood park. Landscape, Open Space and Non -vehicle Circulation Elements Water's Edge at Richard's Lake includes significant open space and landscape elements, including the following: • A neighborhood recreation center with various recreational amenities and open space area. • Is adjacent to a future public neighborhood park centrally located to community and easily accessible from the pedestrian walkways through the site. • Open space including a pedestrian walkway adjacent to Richard's Lake shore line. • Open space and landscape buffer provided adjacent to Serramonte Highlands neighborhood to the north. 15 Water's Edge at Richard's Lake • Policy AN-5.2 Alleys and Shared Driveways. Alleys and various forms of shared driveways are encouraged in order to improve the visual interest of neighborhood streets by reducing driveway curb cuts and street -facing garage doors. Such alleys and driveways can also serve as locations for ancillary buildings, utilities, service functions, and interior - block parking access. Policy AN-5.3 Street Vistas. If possible, the view down a street should be designed to terminate in a visually interesting feature, and not terminate directly in a garage door. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake is designed to provide diverse housing opportunities, with architecture that matches the overall theme of the project. Garage dominated streetscapes have been significantly reduced with a variety of techniques and housing types, including rear load garages, shared driveways set back from the public street, and orientation of lots adjacent to the central boulevard. There is a mix of architectural elevations to create diversity in the streetscape, with a total of five substantially different types of housing types distributed along the length of the central boulevard. PRINCIPLE LMN-1: Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhoods will have an overall minimum average density of five (5) dwelling units per acre, achieved with a mix of housing types. Policy LMN-1.1 Calculating the Density. In calculating the overall average density of a residential project, areas which are undevelopable will be excluded from the density calculation. Undevelopable areas means those areas of a project which are to be publicly owned and/or dedicated, and/or not available for development (such as major street rights -of -way, various open lands, areas of geologic hazard, alleys, natural areas and water bodies). Policy LMN-1.2 Mix of Housing Types and Lot Sizes. Builders and developers are encouraged to use their ingenuity to combine and distribute a variety of housing types to make an attractive, marketable neighborhood with housing for a diversity of people. At least two (2) housing types will be included in any residential project containing more than thirty (3o) acres. As the acreage of the residential project increases, so will increase the number of housing types. This can be achieved in various ways, with a variety of housing types, including the following: a. standard lot single-family houses (lots over 6,000 square feet) b. small lot single-family houses (lots 6,000 square feet, or less) c. duplex houses d. townhouses (attached housing) e. accessory dwelling units f. group homes g. multi -family housing (provided they are compatible in scale and character with other dwellings in the proposed neighborhood, and limited to a maximum of four to eight dwelling units in a building) h. manufactured housing and mobile homes PRINCIPLE LMN-2: The size, layout and design of a Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood should make it conducive to walking, with all the dwellings sharing the street and sidewalk system and a Neighborhood Center. Policy LMN-2.1 Size of Neighborhood. A typical neighborhood will be an area about one-half (1/2) mile across, subject to adjustment for site -specific or pre-existing conditions. 14 Water's Edge at Richard's Lake • Policy AN-3.1 Overall Coordination. Any development proposal should be required to show that it forms or contributes to a neighborhood. If applicable, a development must contribute to a Residential District in terms of interconnecting streets, schools, parks, Neighborhood Centers, Neighborhood Commercial Centers, and open space systems, to the extent possible. Policy AN-3.2 Street and Outdoor Spaces. Where a pattern of streets and outdoor spaces is already established, a development plan will continue and extend the pattern. In the case of previously unplanned areas, the development plan will provide for its own pattern being continued and extended in the future. Policy AN-3-3 Neighborhood Edges. The edges of a neighborhood should be formed by features shared with the adjoining neighborhoods, such as major streets, changes in street pattern, greenways, and other features such as rivers, streams and major irrigation ditches. Landscaped outdoor spaces and trails may be used to create an attractive environment at a neighborhood's edge. PRINCIPLE AN-d: Design policies for residential buildings are intended to emphasize creativity, diversity, and individuality. The following design policies are based on the premise that truly creative design is responsive to its context and the expressed preferences of citizens, and contributes to a comfortable, interesting community. Policy AN-4.1 Multiple -Family Housing Characteristics. All multiple -family buildings should be designed to reflect, to the extent possible, the characteristics and amenities typically associated with single-family detached houses. These characteristics and amenities include orientation of the front door to a neighborhood sidewalk and street, individual identity, private outdoor space, adequate parking and storage, access to sunlight, privacy, and security. Policy AN-4-3 Single -Family Housing Characteristics. Variation in house models in large developments should be encouraged, to avoid a monotonous streetscape, and eliminate the appearance of a standardized subdivision. Policy AN-4.4 Lot Variation. Lot width and depth, in conjunction with block size and shape, should be varied in order to reinforce variety in building mass, avoid a monotonous streetscape, and eliminate the appearance of a standardized subdivision. PRINCIPLE AN-S: All new residential buildings should be designed to emphasize the visually interesting features of the building, as seen from the public street and sidewalk. The visual.impact of garage doors, driveways, and other off-street parking will be minimized and mitigated. Policy AN-5.1 Garages and Driveways. To foster visual interest along a neighborhood street, the street frontage devoted to protruding garage doors and driveway curb crossings will be limited. Generally, garages should be recessed, or if feasible, tucked into side or rear yards, using variety and creativity to avoid a streetscape dominated by the repetition of garage doors. Locating garages further from the street can allow narrower driveway frontage at the curb, leaving more room for an attractive streetscape. It is recognized that there may be ways a residential property can be custom -designed to mitigate the view of a protruding garage opening. The intent of these policies is not to limit such custom -designed solutions when an individual homeowner has a need or preference for protruding garage openings. 13 Water's Edge at Richard's Lake n U u Access to the shore line is provided in a manner sensitive to the environment. Access to the shore line is restricted to pedestrian access. PRINCIPLE AN-i: New neighborhoods will be integral parts of the broader community structure. Policy AN-t.i Relationships to Residential Districts. A new neighborhood will be considered as part of a Residential District. In a Residential District, Low Density Mixed - Use Neighborhoods will be located around a Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood which has a Neighborhood Commercial Center or Community Commercial District as its core. This provides nearby access to most things a resident or household need on an everyday basis. Policy AN-1.2 Street Networks. Neighborhood streets and sidewalks will form an interconnected network, including automobile, bicycle and pedestrian routes within a neighborhood and between neighborhoods, knitting neighborhoods together and not forming barriers between them. Dead ends and cul-de-sacs should be avoided or minimized. Multiple streets and sidewalks will connect into and out of a neighborhood. Streets will converge upon or lead directly to the shared facilities in the neighborhood. Policy AN-1-3 Traffic Calming. For a network to provide a desirable residential environment, it must be designed to discourage excessive speeding and cut -through traffic. Street widths and corner curb radii should be as narrow as possible, while still providing safe access for emergency and service vehicles. Frequent, controlled intersections, raised and textured crosswalks, and various other specialized measures may be used to slow and channel traffic without unduly hampering convenient, direct access and mobility. Policy AN-i.4 Street Lighting. Outdoor lighting should be scaled for the comfort and interest of a pedestrian, providing the minimum level of illumination adequate for safety. Lighting should be designed to emphasize the desired effect and not the light source, avoiding sharp contrast between bright spots and shadows, spillover glare, or overhead sky glow. Policy AN-1.6 Pedestrian Network. A neighborhood should have a frequently connected network of walkways and bike paths, with small parks and outdoor spaces, benches, and other amenities as appropriate. On long blocks, intermediate connections in the pedestrian network should be provided, with a maximum distance of about 500 to 700 feet between walking connections. In particular, direct walkway and bikeway routes to schools should be provided. PRINCIPLE AN-2: A wide range of open lands, such as small parks, squares, greens, play fields, natural areas, orchards and gardens, greenways, and other outdoor spaces should be integrated into neighborhoods. Policy AN-2.1 Neighborhood Parks and Outdoor Spaces. Each neighborhood should have small parks or other outdoor spaces located within walking distance of all homes. Outdoor spaces should be designed in conjunction with streets and walkways, to be a formative, purposeful part of any land development, and not merely residual areas left over from site planning for other purposes. They should be mostly surrounded by streets or house fronts, to maintain safety and visibility. PRINCIPLE AN -.a: The City will require and assist coordinated neighborhood design efforts among separate development parcels. 12 Water's Edge at Richard's Lake n U 1J pedestrian pathways encourages pedestrian access to the many amenities available in this community. PRINCIPLE HSG-1: A variety of housing types and densities will be available throughout the urban area for all income levels. Policy HSG-i.i Land Use Patterns. The City will encourage a variety of housing types and densities, including mixed -used developments that are well -served by public transportation and close to employment centers, services, and amenities. In particular, the City will promote the siting of higher density housing near public transportation, shopping, and in designated neighborhoods and districts. Policy HSG-1.2 Housing Supply. The City will encourage public and private, for - profit and non-profit sectors to take actions to develop and maintain an adequate supply of single- and multiple -family housing, including mobile homes and manufactured housing that is proportionately balanced to the wages of our labor force. Policy HSG-IL.4 Land for Residential Development. The City will permit residential development in all neighborhoods and districts in order to maximize the potential land available for development of housing and thereby positively influence housing affordability. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake provides a variety of housing types including front load and alley load homes, single family attached and detached, and multifamily attached. The goal is to create a wide variety of housing to appeal to a wide range of buyers, and to create an interesting street scene. PRINCIPLE ENV-.c;: Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy resources will be encouraged, facilitated, and regulated in both the public and private sector through information and educational services, incentive programs, requirements, and enforcement of regulations such as the Energy Code. Policy ENV-5.1 Renewable Energy. The use of solar energy and other renewable resources are recommended energy sources. Policy ENV-5.2 Solar Access. The City will consider the use of solar energy systems and the protection of unobstructed sunlight to those systems resulting from proper planning, as contributing significantly to the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Fort Collins. PRINCIPLE ENV-6: Natural habitat/ecosystems (wildlife, wetlands, and riparian areas) will be protected and enhanced within the developed landscape of Fort Collins Policy ENV-6.1 Protection and Enhancement. The City's regulatory powers will be used to preserve, protect, and enhance the resources and values of natural areas by directing development away from sensitive natural features -- such as wetlands, riparian areas and wildlife habitat. When it is not possible to direct development away from natural areas, these areas will be protected in the developed landscape. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake provides residents opportunity to take advantage of solar energy sources. Richard's Lake shore line is located on the south and west portion of the community. u Water's Edge at Richard's Lake PRINCIPLE CAD-1: Each addition to the street system will be designed with consideration to the visual character and the experience of the citizens who will use the street system and the adjacent property. Together, the layout of the street network and the streets themselves will contribute to the character, form and scale of the City. Policy CAD-1.i Street Design Standards. All new public streets must conform to City street standards. Alternative street designs may be approved by the City where they are needed to accommodate unique situations, such as important landscape features or distinctive characteristics of a neighborhood or district, provided that they meet necessary safety, accessibility and maintenance requirements. Policy CAD-1.2 Street Layout. New streets will make development an integrated extension of the community. The street pattern will be simple, interconnected and direct, avoiding circuitous routes. Multiple routes should be provided between key destinations. Streets should be located to consider physical features, and to create views and prominent locations for civic landmarks such as parks, plazas and schools. Policy CAD-1.3 Streetscape Design. All new streets will be functional, safe and visually appealing. Shade trees, landscaped medians and parkways, public art, and other amenities will be included in the streetscape. Policy CAD-i.4 Street Tree Design. Street trees should be used in a formal architectural fashion to reinforce, define and connect the spaces and corridors created by buildings and other features along a street. Canopy shade trees will constitute the majority of tree plantings, and a mixture of tree types will be included, arranged to establish partial urban tree canopy cover. Existing trees will be preserved to the maximum extent feasible. PRINCIPLE CAD-2: Public spaces, such as plazas, civic buildings, outdoor spaces, parks, and gateway landscapes should be designed to be functional, accessible, attractive, safe and comfortable. Policy CAD-2.1 Civic Buildings and Grounds. Civic facilities -- such as community buildings, government offices, recreation centers, post offices, plazas, libraries and schools -- should be placed in central locations as highly visible focal points. The urban design and architectural quality should express permanence, importance, and respect for broad citizen preferences and community identity. Major public buildings should have a civic presence enhanced by their height, mass and materials. In addition, public buildings should: a. Be accessible by motorized vehicles, transit, bicycles and pedestrians. b. Be integrated into a setting that includes generous landscaping and/or public outdoor spaces. Policy CAD-2.2 Public Space Design. Mixed -use commercial and civic design proposals should incorporate one or several design components related to public outdoor space including pedestrian circulation, transit facilities, plazas, pocket parks, sitting areas, children's play areas and public art. The street system has been designed to meet or exceed the city's design standards. The design includes medians and a traffic circle along the main entry boulevard to the development, providing traffic calming and enhancement to the streetscape. A recreational center, serving the residents of this neighborhood and the neighborhood on the south, is located near the future public neighborhood park, creating a visual focal point for the community. The network of io Water's Edge at Richard's Lake 0 Policy T-5.4 Sidewalks. Sidewalks will be designed, constructed, and maintained to provide safety, comfort, and a "walkable" community. New development will follow adopted design standards for sidewalk design. Older, existing streets will be retrofitted to provide improved, widened, or detached sidewalks in conjunction with capital improvement or maintenance projects. Principle T-6: Street crossings will be developed to be safe, attractive, and easy to navigate. Policy T-6.1 Street Crossings. The City will design street crossings at intersections consistent with adopted standards with regard to crosswalks, lighting, median refuges, corner sidewalk widening, ramps, signs, signals, and landscaping. Crosswalks should be well marked and visible to motorists. They should be designed to fit and enhance the context and character of the area, and provide for safety for all age groups and ability groups. Principle T-: The City will encourage the development of attractive and easy to navigate pedestrian facilities to create an interesting pedestrian network. Policy T-7.1 Pedestrian Facilities. The City will encourage the provision of pedestrian scale improvements that fit the context of the area. The color, materials, and form of pedestrian facilities and features should be appropriate to their surroundings, as well as the functional unity of the pedestrian network, through means such as: a. Developing attractive improvements which enhance the character and pedestrian scale of the urban environment including streetscape design, vertical treatments, widened sidewalks, and furnishings. Principle T-8: The City will develop secure pedestrian settings by developing a well - lit inhabited pedestrian network and by mitigating the impacts of vehicles. Policy T-8.i Security. Clear and direct lines of sight in pedestrian settings should be provided to increase the perception of security. Streets should appear inhabited to the greatest extent possible. New development should accommodate human activity and pedestrian use. Pedestrian -oriented lighting should be incorporated into neighborhoods, streets and other public places to enhance safety and security. PRINCIPLE T-o: Private automobiles will continue to be an important means of transportation. Policy T-9.2 New and Existing Roadways. New streets will be designed and constructed to ensure an acceptable level of service. The City will maintain or enhance the quality of existing roadways. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake incorporates many of the transportation principles and polices. This project extends the existing roadway system that is present in the neighborhoods surrounding the site and coordinates the proposed boulevard with the new development to the east of the site. Included in the design are extensive pedestrian amenities, including well thought out pedestrian connections, pedestrian walkways, and landscaping complemented by generous open space to create a rich pleasing environment for the residents. Water's Edge includes direct roadway, bicycle and pedestrian connections to the recreational center and future public neighborhood park for the residents in this development and the surrounding neighborhoods. While public transit is currently not available in this area of town, we will work with the city to ensure that future transit stops are planned for in a logical manner. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake transit riders to shop, access local services, and travel to work. Transit stops should be provided no more than 1/4 mile walking distance of most residences to the extent feasible. The design and location of transit stops should function as an integral part of these destinations and provide adequate lighting, security, pedestrian amenities and weather protection. Policy T-2.3 Transit Route Design. The City will implement fixed -route transit services through a phased transition to a productivity -based system, where appropriate, consistent with the adopted transit plans. PRINCIPLE T-a: Bicycling will serve as a practical alternative to automobile use for all trip purposes. Policy T-4.1 Bicycle Facilities. The City will encourage bicycling for transportation through an urban growth pattern that places major activity centers and neighborhood destinations within a comfortable bicycling distance, that assures safe and convenient access by bicycle, and that reduces the prominence of motorized transportation in neighborhoods and other pedestrian and bicyclist -oriented districts. Facility design will also plan for: a. Continuous bicycle facilities that establish system continuity and consistency city-wide. Facility design will be incorporated into new development and street construction projects -- linking to adjacent facilities. b. Bicycle access should be improved to major activity centers, schools and neighborhoods, and barriers removed in these areas to improve circulation. PRINCIPLE T-s: The City will acknowledge pedestrian travel as a practical transportation mode and elevate it in importance to be in balance with all other modes. Direct pedestrian connections will be provided from places of residence to transit, schools, activity centers, work and public facilities. Policy T-5.1 Land Use. The City will promote a mix of land uses and activities that will maximize the potential for pedestrian mobility throughout the community. Policy T-5.2 Connections. Pedestrian connections will be clearly visible and accessible, incorporating markings, signage, lighting and paving materials. Other important pedestrian considerations include: a. Building entries as viewed from the street should be clearly marked. Buildings should be sited in ways to make their entries or intended uses clear to and convenient for pedestrians. b. The location and pattern of streets, buildings and open spaces must facilitate direct pedestrian access. c. Creating barriers which separate commercial developments from residential areas and transit should be avoided. Lot patterns should be provide safe and direct pedestrian connections from residential areas to schools, parks, transit, employment centers, and other neighborhood uses. d. Direct sidewalk access should be provided between cul-de-sacs and nearby transit facilities. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake Specific principles and policies of the Fort Collins City Plan that are addressed by the Water's Edge at Richard's Lake community are as follows: PRINCIPLE LU-1: Growth within the City will promote a compact development pattern within a well-defined boundary. Policy LU-i.i Compact Urban Form. The desired urban form will be achieved by directing future development to mixed -use neighborhoods and districts while reducing the potential for dispersed growth not conducive to pedestrian and transit use and cohesive community development. PRINCIPLE LU-2: The City will maintain and enhance its character and sense of place as defined by its neighborhoods, districts, corridors, and edges. Policy LU-2.1 City -Wide Structure. The City will adopt a city-wide structure of neighborhoods, districts, corridors, and edges as a means of creating identifiable places and achieving the goals of compact development that is well -served by all modes of travel. Policy LU-2.2 Urban Design. The design review process, supplemented by design standards and guidelines, will be used to promote new construction and redevelopment that contribute positively to the type of neighborhoods, districts, corridors and edges described herein while emphasizing the special identity of each area. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake supports the compact urban form by achieving a net density of 5.0 units per acre in the L-M-N zoned area, matching the minimum of five units per acre, and by providing a mix of residential product types throughout the community. The community is designed to maximize open space, with an extensive network of pedestrian walkways providing access to the open space amenities, the recreational center, and the adjacent future public neighborhood park. PRINCIPLE T-1: The physical organization of the city will be supported by a framework of transportation alternatives that balances access, mobility, safety, and emergency response throughout the city, while working toward reducing vehicle miles traveled and dependence upon the private automobile. Policy T-i.1 Land Use Patterns. The City will implement land use patterns, parking policies, and demand management plans that support effective transit, an efficient roadway system, and alternative transportation modes. Appropriate residential densities and non-residential land uses should be within walking distance of transit stops, permitting public transit to become a viable alternative to the automobile. Policy T-1.2 Multi -Modal Streets. Street corridors will provide for safe, convenient, and efficient use of all modes of travel, including motor vehicles, transit, bicycles, and pedestrians. PRINCIPLE T-2: Mass transit will be an integral part of the City's overall transportation system. Policy T-2.1 Transit System. The City s public transit system will be expanded in phases to provide integrated, high -frequency, productivity -based transit service along major transportation corridors, with feeder transit lines connecting all major district destinations, consistent with adopted transit plans. Policy T-2.2 Transit Stops. Transit stops will be integrated into existing and future business districts and Neighborhood Commercial Centers in a way that makes it easy for Water's Edge at Richard's Lake PLANNING OBJECTIVES Water's Edge at Richard's Lake is a io8± acre residential development incorporating the Principles and Policies of City Plan to create a cohesive neighborhood with a mix of residential uses. The Water's Edge at Richard's Lake provides an opportunity to explore many of the concepts of neotraditional planning principles, of which City Plan, in turn, embraces. The Water's Edge at Richard's Lake was planned with several design objectives: • Create a more attractive streetscape • Central boulevard to establish a formal entrance • Use multiple techniques, including rear loaded garages and off street common drives used where possible to avoid garage dominated streetscape along the boulevard and several minor streets • Create a color palette that is visually appealing and exciting • Creative streetscape design • Create a pedestrian friendly environment • Provide an extensive pedestrian network throughout development • Design direct pedestrian connections to activity points • Create a variety of recreational and open space opportunities • Adjacent to future public neighborhood park • Incorporate connection to existing trail systems • Provide ecological sensitive access to Richard's Lake shore line • Provide recreation center that includes pool and other amenities to service the residents of Water's Edge at Richard's Lake and Richard's Lake First Filing. • Use a variety of housing types • A mix of traditional front load and alley load homes • A mix of single family detached, ranging from patio homes to estate homes • A mix of single and multifamily attached, ranging from condominiums to town homes There will be a wide variety of architectural diversity within Water's Edge at Richard's Lake. There are a total of 8 lot types. Each lot type is planned to have a minimum of three floor plans available. In addition, each floor plan will have a minimum of two elevations. Water's Edge at Richard's Lake was planned with City Plan as its focus. As part of this plan, emphasis was placed upon enhancing the pedestrian environment while maintaining convenient vehicle circulation. Pedestrian connections and open space help to shape the pedestrian experience. In addition to the Recreational Center and the adjacent future public neighborhood park, the design maintains a fairly significant natural area adjacent to Richard's Lake shoreline and creates a fairly significant buffer adjacent to Serramonte Highlands neighborhood to the north, both that will be landscaped with dryland grasses and native trees and shrubs. As a result of these design objectives, Water's Edge at Richard's Lake is a well designed addition to the northeast quadrant of the City of Fort Collins, providing a mix of residential home types and recreation opportunities responsive to the needs of a diverse population, including future residents and the larger community. Principles and Policies Water's Edge at Richard's Lake