HomeMy WebLinkAbout210-212 W. MAGNOLIA ST., URBAN LIVING LOFTS - PDP - 24-05 - CORRESPONDENCE - VARIANCE REQUESTTransportauon Services
Engineering Department
City of Fort Collins
July 15, 2005
Development Review Engineering
Ms. Patricia Kroetch, PE
North Star Design Inc.
700 Automation Drive, Unit 1
Windsor, CO 80550
Re: Variance request for driveway width for 210 212 West Magnolia Street, Urban Living Lofts at
Magnolia
Dear Ms. Kroetch,
This letter is in response to your request for a variance to the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards
(LCUASS) for minimum driveway width for a multifamily project with 16 dwelling units. The variance
request to reduce the minimum width of the driveway from 28 feet to 16 feet has been denied.
The minimum width set forth for a driveway for this intensity of use is 28 feet for a distance of 20-25 feet
from the back of curb on the street. This width is required to accommodate a larger volume of traffic than
is encountered with single-family or small multi -family developments, to allow room for cars entering and
exiting the street to easily pass each other on the drive approach to the street, in order to prevent conflicts
created by vehicles waiting in the street for vehicles to exit the driveway.
The argument in the variance request that there will be little traffic on the private drive is incongruous with
the number of units taking access off the drive. Stating that the narrowness of the drive should not pose
any "dramatic" conflicts in the public right-of-way also goes against the requirement for variances to not
pose any detriment to public health, safety, and welfare. In order to approve a variance request, the City
needs to. know that the approved variance will not cause any problems or need monitoring by public or
private parties.
The possibility for reducing the driveway width below the standard of 28 feet is still open, but a new
variance request for a less extreme reduction with appropriate justification will need to be submitted.
Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact this office.
Sinc rely,
Katie Moore
Project Engineer
City of Fort Collins
cc: file
Anne Aspen
281 North College Avenue e P.O. Box 580 e Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 e (970) 221-6605 e FAX (970) 221-6378
www.fcgov.corn