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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY AND SHIELDS REZONING - 1-06 - CORRESPONDENCE - CORRESPONDENCE-HEARINGResidents living adjacent to the subject property have expressed reasonable concerns regarding the proposed development. These concerns can be addressed by using open space tax money to purchase the open space shown colored GREEN on Exhibit C. This open space would preserve the ecological values currently existing in this area (including the irrigation ditch) and would buffer the existing residents from many developmental impacts. If we can justify spending open space tax money on the border or Wyoming, we should be able to justify an expenditure of that money on the border of this development. The Exhibit C plan was not proposed by the Developer and was not approved by the Planning Commission. For those reasons, the Council cannot consider nor even discuss this plan. What the Council can do is recognize the horrific student/shopper conflicts that will be created if the proposed change of zone is approved by the Council. The Council can further recognize that the Developer does indeed have a development option that is superior to the existing proposal. I urge the Council to reject the proposed change of zone and then to encourage the Developer to return with a more suitable proposal. Enclosures cc: Ben Manvel, District 1 Karen Weitkunat, District 2 Diggs Brown, District 3 Kurt Kastein, District 4 Kelly Ohlson, District 5 David Roy, District 6 Cameron Gloss Michael Markel Thank you, GLEN J. KROH 3 aq Diverting traffic onto Seneca Street is a far more serious matter. Located on the west side of Seneca are two (2) public schools, a public park, and a public swimming pool. Webber Junior High School has an enrollment of 850 students. Johnson Elementary School has an enrollment of 500 students. Mixing more than thirteen hundred (1,300) students with vehicles driving to or from the shopping center is a prescription for serious injury or death. The City Council has the power to avoid this conflict between students and shoppers. One alternative is to deny the request for a change of zone and require the Developer to proceed with the existing zoning as shown in Exhibit B. This plan insulates the schools from the shopping traffic and thus eliminates the student/shopper conflict. There is just one problem. This plan is not practical. The Developer's "need" for a comer is not satisfied. Closing Wakerobin Lane near Westbrooke Court will inconvenience existing residents and those traveling to and from the schools. Creating a major intersection near Deer Creeke Lane will require difficult and costly construction. A traffic signal at Deer Creeke may interfere with the existing traffic signal at Harmony. Is there another alternative? Yes there is. The Developer can voluntarily submit a revised request that addresses all of the issues described above. For example, the commercial (NC) zone and the proposed new traffic signal could be moved north to Troutman Parkway as shown in Exhibit C. The Shields/Troutman intersection (including left turn lanes) is already constructed and ready for immediate use. Completion of Troutman Parkway west of the intersection would provide the Developer with two (2) very attractive corner development sites. The site north of Troutman has an additional benefit of having unrestricted visibility for nearly 800 feet to the north. The proposed Troutman traffic signal would allow the Developer to capture market share in the neighborhoods located east of Shields that the existing plan largely ignores. This plan also provides benefits for the surrounding community. Wakerobin Lane could remain open for use by both existing and future residents. Troutman Parkway would provide more direct and convenient access to the schools. Existing stop signs and the 20 mph school zone should encourage shoppers to use Shields rather than Seneca. The proposed Troutman traffic signal will eliminate the need for the existing pedestrian signal located at Wabash Street. The proposed Troutman signal is also much closer to the schools than the signal at Wabash. R P.O. Box 271190 Fort Collins, CO 80527 April 13, 2006 City of Fort Collins �. Attn: Mayor Doug Hutchinson 300 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80521 Dear Mayor Hutchinson: Planning Case No.1-06 involves a fifty-eight (58) acre property located northwest of Harmony - Road and Shields Street. A portion of the property is zoned (NC) for commercial use, while the remainder is zoned (MMN) for multiple family use. The Council is being asked to relocate the eighteen (18) acre commercial zone as shown on Exhibit A. The Developer asserts that this change is needed to attract a grocery store anchor, and that such an anchor is needed before development of the property can proceed. I support development of the property because it will create new jobs and new tax revenues. I am, however, adamantly opposed to the requested change of zone. The explanation for this apparent contradiction is as follows. The City will soon reconstruct the Harmony/Shields intersection to improve traffic flow and safety. This project reportedly includes the construction of a median within Shields up to and including Wakerobin Lane. A similar median is anticipated for Harmony. These medians will . prevent shoppers from making left turns into or out of the proposed shopping center. In an effort to avoid these medians and the high-speed traffic on Harmony and Shields, shoppers will seek another way into and out of the shopping center. There are only two (2) options: 1. Wakerobin via Regency Drive, or 2. Wakerobin via Regecy Drive and Seneca Street. These streets are shown colored RED on Exhibit A. The intersection of Harmony and Regency is not served with a traffic signal and probably never will be. Why? Because a new traffic signal was just recently installed nearby at Harmony and Seneca. Diverting traffic to the Harmony/Regency intersection will make congestion at that location worse and increase the likelihood of major auto accidents, serious injuries or deaths.