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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPURA VIDA PLACE - PDP - 4-11 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESWe look forward to reviewing our project development plan submittal in greater detail with you. In the meantime, if you have any questions or need additional information do not hesitate to contact me directly. Sincerely, Jerome `Otis' Odell, AIA, LEED AP Principal Odell Architects, PC architecture • planning • interiors 1024 cherokee street, suite 200 • cleaver, colorado 80204 • p. 303.670.5980 • f. 303.670.7162 Project Data: • Applicant: • Project Name: • Address: • Zoning: • Site Area: • Building Gross Area: Catamount Properties, Ltd 7302 Rozena Drive Longmont, CO 80503 Mr. Charles Bailey Pura Vida Place 518 West Laurel Street Ft. Collins, CO 80521 NCB Neighborhood Conservation Buffer District Within the TOD overlay zone 41,622 square feet (.96 Acres) 41,238 square feet .991 FAR • Rear Site (back 50%) Area: 5,664 square feet .136 FAR • Proposed Density: • Proposed Height • Building Setbacks 54 du/acre 3 stories with basement 40' maximum Front 17'-8" min. Side 16'-0" min. Rear 5'-0" min. • Proposed Building Coverage: 32.8% • Proposed Parking and Drives Coverage: 32.9% • Proposed Open Space/Landscape Coverage: 34.3% • Parking: 48 spaces including two ADA spaces 2 areas for motorcycles and scooters 3 areas for bicycles • No new streets are a part of this proposal • Open space is calculated as 34.3% of the site. • There are no wetlands or other natural features that are impacted by this development • The development will be maintained by the ownership group and a professional management company • No commercial use is proposed on the site architecture • planning • interiors 1024 cherokee street, suite 200 • deriver, colorado 80204 • p. 303.670.5980 • f. 303.670.7162 other site furnishings. The overall streetscape is enhanced through the use of appropriate plantings, building detailing at the pedestrian level and fagade articulation. The entry courtyards create gathering places and add visual interest to the pedestrian experience. Policy CAD-1.1 Street Tree Design We have preserved existing trees on the northwest corner of the site. The tree pattern at West Laurel Street conforms to City standards and provides shade. A variety of tree types have been included to add interest to the overall streetscape and reinforce the space between the public right of way and the building. Principle HSGl A variety of housing types and densities will be available throughout the urban area for all income levels. The development provides safe and quality housing for the student population at a density of fifty four (54) units to the acre adjacent to CSU and within walking distance to a major transit center. Policy HSG1.6 Basic Access The proposed development is fully accessible. Accessible ramps are provided for all entries into the building. All units are visitable and two (2) units are fully accessible. The building is planned to be served by an elevator to all levels and all units meet accessibility standards as defined by Fair Housing. Two accessible parking spaces are provided including one space for vans. Policy ENV-1.1 Air Quality Plan This develop proposal will result in fewer automobile trips than the use that is currently on the site as documented in the traffic study. The result is fewer emissions from vehicles. There are no wood burning stoves or fireplaces included in the building design. Policy ENV-4.3 Water Demand Management Policy The development shows a commitment to the efficient and wise use of water. Landscape materials are drought tolerant and a xeriscape concept is being implemented utilizing less water. Policy OL-3.2 Urban Public Space The entry walks that connect to the detached sidewalk are thoughtfully designed and extra wide. The entry walks connect to entry plazas where site furniture, seat walls and benches are incorporated into the landscape design. architecture • planning • interiors 1024 cherokee street, suite 200 • denver, colorado 80204 • p. 303.670.5980 • f. 303.670.7162 Principle LU-2 The City will maintain and enhance its character and sense of place, defined by neighborhoods, districts, corridors and edges. The Development is located directly adjacent to the University campus and presents a design solution that appropriately buffers the lower scale neighborhood to the north from the more active and dense University community. Due to the proximity to the campus the neighborhood context includes housing types and services well suited to students and student life. The architectural style is rich, articulated and captures the character of the original structures in the neighborhood. The building design uses materials and details that reflect those used on the campus as well creating the appropriate transition at the edge of campus. The sense of place is further reinforced through the streetscape, building facades and landscape treatments. Policy LU-4.7 Redevelopment/Infill The proposal is to redevelop an infill site with an appropriate use. Policy T-1.1 Land Use Patterns The development proposal places fifty two (52) units of student housing within one thousand feet (1,000') of a major transit hub (CSU Transit Center) at the Lory Student Center; reinforcing the notion that public transit is a viable alternative to the automobile. Policy T-1.2 Multi modal streets This development proposal promotes the use of bicycles, pedestrian movement and public transit as well as motor vehicles. The elimination of the existing curb cut on to West Laurel creates a much safer condition for all modes of travel. The detached sidewalk provides additional pedestrian safety. Principle T-4 Bicycling will serve as a practical alternative to automobile use for all trip purposes. The development proposal provides bicycle storage and parking for each resident promoting bicycling as a primary means of travel to and from the site. Policy T-5.1 Land Use The residential use of the site adjacent to the CSU campus maximizes the potential for pedestrian mobility. The location of sidewalks and connections to intersections where safe crossing can occur creates a safe path for pedestrians. Policy T-5.4 Sidewalks Adopted design standards for sidewalks have been followed and will create a safe, continuous and understandable connection for pedestrian movement. Policy T-7.1 Pedestrian Facilities The development proposal is very accommodating to pedestrians. The courtyard at the West Laurel Street entry includes human scaled elements such as seat walls, benches and architecture • planning • interiors 1024 cherokee street, suite 200 • deriver, colorado 80204 • p. 303.670.5980 • f. 303.670.7162 very low maintenance exterior. Overall the detailing respects what has been used on historic buildings in the area. Details recognize the historic context and are used in new ways without mimicking the existing surroundings. The neighborhood contains a mix of uses and structures including a commercial building directly adjacent to the subject property. There is no uniform or consistent character that would be impaired by the size, mass and scale of the proposed building. Neighborhood Concerns: On Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 a neighborhood meeting was conducted at the Mulberry Pool in Ft. Collins. The comments were positive about the look and character of the project. The two main concerns were that there was insufficient parking and that traffic would be exacerbated with the completion of the development. As previously stated, there is no specific parking requirement in the TOD overlay zone. The development offers forty eight (48) parking spaces for the fifty two (52) apartment homes in addition to motorcycle and bicycle parking. The developer has offered to collaborate with the neighbors and work together to manage the street parking in the neighborhood. With regard to the traffic congestion, the traffic report confirms that the proposed use will result in fewer average daily trips to and from the site than are generated by the current restaurant use. The students will primarily walk and use bicycles to get around campus and get to the required services typically used. Planning Objectives: This proposal does not require or request any modifications from the requirements of the current NCB zone district or City design criteria. We are proposing an approved use that conforms to the current zoning. Similarly we are not requesting any variances to any City engineering standard. The proposal is a redevelopment/infill providing much needed student housing directly across the street from the University campus. The traffic impact report included with this submittal verifies that the new use will reduce average daily trips to and from this site compared to the current restaurant use. Principle LU-1 Growth within the City will promote a compact development pattern within a well-defined boundary. This redevelopment/infill project is within a developed area and provides student housing at a proposed density of fifty four (54) units to the acre directly adjacent to the CSU campus. The proposal conforms to the surrounding land uses and developments creating a consistent pattern. The inclusion of student housing at this location will avoid sprawling growth in more remote locations and places higher density development in the appropriate location. Policy LU1.1 Compact Urban Form The proposal places a compatible residential use in a mixed use neighborhood with access to services and the university and promotes pedestrian, bicycle and transit use. The higher density supports the notion of compact development. The development provides additional housing options within the context of the existing neighborhood. architecture • planning • interiors 1024 Cherokee street, suite 200 • deriver, Colorado 80204 • p. 303.670.5980 • f. 303.670.7162 The site is located within the TOD overlay zone established by the City along the Mason corridor. Consequently, the minimum parking requirement is waived and no parking is specifically required. The site design does include forty eight (48) automobile parking spaces at the north portion of the site including sixteen (16) compact spaces, thirty (30) standard spaces and two (2) ADA spaces. Two areas are provided for motorcycle/scooter parking and three areas are provided for bicycle parking. The development will provide space for up to one hundred (100) bicycles between the areas designated on site and the basement storage area. Our site design places the building toward the front (south) of the site, which is consistent with the intent of the principles and policies outlined in the City Plan document to create a strong streetscape. The side yard setbacks shall be sixteen feet (16') minimum and the front setback shall be seventeen feet eight inches (17'-8") minimum. The building is "H" shaped which creates two (2) separate courtyards, one at the south entry facing Laurel Street and one at the north entry facing the parking lot. The courtyards enhance the entries and create pedestrian gathering areas with seat walls, site furnishings and softscape. The south courtyard establishes a strong and clear connection for pedestrians as well as bicyclists at the front door of the building facing the street. It will also serve as an informal meeting place for residents. The north courtyard creates the opportunity for connection from the parking area into the building as well as a place for residents to gather. Both north and south entries are served by an accessible ramp. The site plan respects the City standards regarding the streetscape including a detached walk and tree lawn along West Laurel Street. The landscape includes drought tolerant plant material, shade trees at the parking area and tree selections to enhance the architecture while providing appropriate screening at specific areas. We are intending to save and preserve the two existing evergreen trees on the northwest corner of the site. The site plan dedicates one foot (1') across the south frontage of the site for a total of one hundred ninety square feet (190sq. ft.) of additional ROW to West Laurel Street which leaves a net site area of 41,622 square feet. The NCB zone district does not include specific density requirements; however any development containing more than twenty four (24) units requires a type II review at Planning Commission. The zone district does limit the floor area ratio (FAR). The total gross building area cannot exceed the site area of 41,622 square feet (.96A). The building area for determining FAR is 41,238 square feet since the basement is not counted for the purposes of FAR. The overall density is 54.2 DU/Acre. The architecture is sensitive to the neighborhood context and all of the building exterior elevations are well articulated. A variety of materials further enhances the articulated fagades creating different textures within a well thought out composition. While the roof is predominantly flat, several gabled forms with cornice detailing and brackets further define the overall massing and create recognizable residential elements. Shading elements at selected window locations help to break the mass and create a human scale along the West Laurel Street elevation. Panels of stone and brick are used to respect the materials on the CSU campus and cementitious siding is sympathetic to the materials used on the smaller residential buildings in the neighborhood. Cement stucco is also used to further define building massing and create a architecture • planning • interiors 1024 cherokee street, suite 200 • deriver, colorado 80204 • p. 303.670.5980 • f. 303.670.7162 a m n February 4 b, 2011 Mr. Ted Shepard City Planner Community Development and Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Re: Pura Vida Place Student Apartment Community, Statement of Planning Objectives Dear Ted: We are pleased to submit the Project Development Plan for Pura Vida Place, a proposed student apartment community. At the conceptual review on December 6[l', 2010 this project was referred to as "Laurel Street Apartments". The development is located at 518 West Laurel Street at the site of the existing Woody's Pizza Restaurant in the middle of the block between Sherwood Street and Whitcomb St. directly across from the Colorado State University campus. The property is currently zoned NCB — Neighborhood Conservation, Buffer District and is within the TOD overlay zone established by the City of Ft. Collins. To the east of the site is Atrium Suites, an existing, twenty four (24) home multi -family development, and to the west is Laurel Street Station. The neighborhood character includes multi -family apartment buildings, single family homes, single family rentals and limited commercial uses. The property is currently occupied by Woody's Pizza Restaurant, a 6,500 square foot one story wood structure, and its related parking lot and site improvements. The proposal includes demolition of existing improvements to make way for the new apartment community and related site work. An existing curb cut off West Laurel Street will be eliminated as a part of this redevelopment. Our proposal includes a single, multi -family apartment building with fifty two (52) apartment homes broken out as follows: • (6) Studios none in the basement (14) 1 bedrooms (2) in the basement • (16) 2 bedrooms (4) in the basement • (16) 3 bedrooms (4) in the basement The new building will be three (3) stories over a basement and will be fully accessible. The building may include an elevator accessing all levels and would therefore meet the accessibility requirements as defined by Fair Housing criteria. Two units are fully accessible and the remaining fifty units are visitable. In addition to apartment homes, the basement level includes opportunities for tenant storage, maintenance and equipment rooms. architecture • planning • interiors 1024 cherokee street, suite 200 • deriver, colorado 80204 • p. 303.670.5980 • f. 303.670.7162