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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSUNRISE RIDGE, 2ND FILING - PDP - 13-05D - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTK J(/!)oe!Je" /e /v 6E c AAA A'le- G / "W/v iwi cr 7'*C /1-T(✓E 'L1E/f.Cin/ 6 M4*tC& at, Z o.7 f / G .4v 411 NAAr 00 x tiE-z-7 ADQ4t ESJ SIDI S Ce7 r�/1_ir�S Sz-2,-7 d r,r-7" Z-c� 7 C. A Request for Modification of Standard to Section 4.2(D)(2)(a) to reduce the minimum lot size from 100 to 70 feet has been evaluated. D. Staff finds that the.Request for Modification is justified based on the following: (1.) The granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good, and that (2.) The plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested. E. The P.D.P. complies with the applicable General Development Standards of Article Three. F. A Condition of Approval is recommended to emphasize that compliance with the requirements of the City Forester for tree mitigation must be part of the submittal for Final Compliance. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of: A. Request of Modification of Standard to Section 4.2(D)(2)(a) to reduce the minimum lot width from 100 feet to 70 feet. B. Sunrise Ridge, Second Filing, P.D.P., #13-05D, subject to the following condition: At the time of submittal for Final Compliance, the Landscape Plan shall demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the City Forester for tree mitigation as per Section 3.2.1(F) of the Land Use Code. 8 D. Findings Staff is required to demonstrate compliance with the two aforementioned standards by offering specific findings showing how the plan, as submitted, meets the requirements and criteria contained in the standards. (1.) Staff finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good. (2.) Staff finds that the plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested. This is because a minimum lot width reduction from 100 to 70 feet will not be perceptible to the public, especially as viewed from the abutting collector and minor arterial roadways. All houses will still significantly exceed the minimum front yard depth of 30 feet. If the minimum lot width of 100 feet were implemented, then such a development pattern would result in driveway lengths ranging from 70 to 96 and thus appear very unusual and uncharacteristic for a residential neighborhood. 5. Neighborhood Compatibility: A neighborhood meeting is not required for a P.D.P. subject to administrative review. There remains neighborhood opposition, however, due to this parcel abutting an existing rural residential property in unincorporated Larimer County. The issue is the transition between the City's Urban Estate density and the County's FA-1 density. Staff has met with Mr. and Mrs. Ken and Ethel Ashley, the abutting property owner with one house on five acres. The Ashley's are concerned about the transition and have asked for mitigation. In response, the applicant has provided additional trees along the shared property line and is investigating reduced public roadway lighting on Sunglow Court. 6. Findings of Fact/Conclusion: In evaluating the request for Sunrise Ridge First Filing P.D.P., Staff makes the following findings of fact: A. The land use, single family detached dwelling is permitted in the Urban Estate zone subject to administrative review. B. The P.D.P. complies with the land use standards and development standards of the Urban Estate zone district with one exception. FH Briefly, the applicant states that 100 foot minimum lot width would result in houses set so far back behind the front property line that excessive driveways would result. In addition, when combined with the minimum side and rear setbacks, the result would be significantly diminished potential building envelopes. C. Evaluation of the Request The Land Use Code requires two standards to be met in consideration of a Request for Modification: (1.) The decision maker may grant a modification of standards only if it finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good, and that (2.) The plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested. There are two factors that contribute to the narrowness of the four affected lots. First, a 20-foot wide drainage tract has been dedicated between Lots 1 and 2. This separate tract is required by the Stormwater Utility to be placed outside the boundaries of the individual lots to prevent private encroachments such as sheds, garages and the like. Second, the Poudre Fire Authority requires that the cul-de-sac maintain a diameter of 120 feet for maneuvering large fire equipment. Combined, these two improvements, on a five acre parcel served by a cul-de-sac, result in narrow lot frontages. Staff contends that the 100-foot minimum lot width would result in driveways of unusual length uncharacteristic of a residential subdivision. Driveways of such length are inefficient use of land and an unnecessary increase in impervious surface requiring additional stormwater management. Long driveways are resisted by builders and homebuyers due to long term maintenance and snow removal. Staff also contends that while there is an approved Urban Estate subdivision to the north (Sunrise Ridge First Filing), there is no clearly established development pattern or character that would be impacted by reducing the minimum lot width on the four affected lots. The future homes on Sunglow Court will be internally oriented towards the cul-de- sac, not Rock Creek Drive (collector) or Strauss Cabin Road (minor arterial). 6 • Facilities for pedestrians and bikes will be constructed with the proposed street improvements and tie into existing improvements to the west in Observatory Village. 4. Request for Modification — Section 4.2(D)(2)(a) — Minimum Lot Width From 100 Feet to 70 Feet: A. Applicable Standards Section 4.2(13i)(2)(a) states: "Minimum lot width shall be 100 feet, except that the minimum lot width for a single family dwelling on a lot located in a subdivision that was developed pursuant to the R-L District standards prior to March 28, 1997, shall be 60 feet." Section 5.1.2 provides the following definitions: Lot width shall mean the horizontal (plan view) distance between the side lot lines as measured along a straight line parallel to the front lot line or the chord thereof. The minimum lot width shall be measured between the side lot lines along a line that is parallel to the front lot line and located at the minimum front setback distance from the front lot line. In the case of cul- de-sac lots, the minimum lot width may be measured between the side lot lines along a line that is parallel to the front lot line and located at the actual front building line. Width of lot shall mean the distance parallel to the front lot line, measured between side lot lines through that part of the building or structure where the lot is narrowest. Based on the standard and the definitions, for pie -shaped cul-de-sac lots, the minimum lot width is measured at the point behind the sidewalk where the minimum lot width is achieved. This is also closest point to the front property line where a house may be placed. B. Applicant's Justification As mentioned, Lots 2,35 and 6 have narrow street frontages due to their pie - shape relationship to the Sunglow Court cul-de-sac. The applicant has provided a written request seeking a Modification to reduce the minimum lot width, on these four lots only, from 100 feet to 70 feet. 5 (2) Garage doors may be located on another side of the dwelling ("side- or rear -loaded') provided that the side of the garage facing the front street has windows or other architectural details that mimic the features of the living portion of the dwelling. (3) Garage doors shall not comprise more than fifty (50) percent of the ground floor street -facing linear building frontage. Alleys and corner lots are exempt from this standard." These standards will be enforced at the time of building permit review for each individual lot. In order to promote public awareness, all three standards will be indicated on the Site Plan. B. Section 3.6.3 — Street Pattern and Connectivity Standards "The local street system of any proposed development shall be designed to be safe, efficient, convenient and attractive, considering use by all modes of transportation that will use the system (including, without limitation, cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, pedestrians and emergency vehicles." Sunglow is classified as a local street. Rock Creek Drive is an extension of a collector street. Strauss Cabin Road is classified as a minor arterial street. All three streets will be improved to their respective levels of classification. For an Urban Estate project, the proposed street system offers a high degree of connectivity. C. Section 3.6.4 — Transportation Level of Service Requirements "All development plans shall adequately provide vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle facilities necessary to maintain the adopted transportation Level of Service standards for the following modes of travel., motor vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian." The City's Traffic Operations Engineer waived the requirement for a Transportation Memorandum. Based on the number units, however, the City estimates that: • The proposal is feasible from a traffic engineering standpoint. Only 70 total daily trips will be generated. • The addition of the proposed traffic will have an insignificant impact on the transportation network. 4 All lot sizes meet or exceed one-half acre in size which is the required minimum lot size for dwellings that are not clustered in accordance with the standards associated with Site Design for Residential Cluster Development. D. Dimensional Standards The only applicable dimensional standard at the P.D.P. stage is minimum lot width of 100 feet. While all seven lots are able to meet this standard, the result is excessively long driveways and significantly reduced building envelopes. Normally, at the time of a building permit application, this standard is reviewed and applied such that the front building line of the house must be setback from the front property line the required distance to achieve 100 feet of lot width. The narrow street frontages of the seven cul-de-sac lots means that the 100 foot lot width is not achieved until a depth ranging from 30 feet (which is the required minimum front yard depth) to 96 feet. This creates long driveways and diminished building envelopes. The applicant has requested a Modification of Standard to reduce the minimum lot width to shorten the driveway length and create practical building envelopes. This Modification is described and evaluated in a subsequent section. All other dimensional standards relating to minimum depth of front yard (30 feet), minimum depth of rear yard (25 feet) and minimum side yard width (20 feet) will be evaluated and enforced at the time of building permit application and review. These are the critical dimensions that, along with the minimum lot width, determine the potential building envelope. E. Development Standard — Street Connectivity and Design The P.D.P. complies with this standard by participating in the extension of Rock Creek Drive from its interim terminus at the west property line. This extension will be easterly to intersect with Strauss Cabin Road. This extension will continue a collector roadway and complies with the Master Street Plan and will serve both Sunrise Ridge First and Second Filings. 3. Compliance with Article Three General Development Standards: A. Section 3.5.2(E) — Garage Doors (1) Street -facing garage doors must be recessed behind either the front facade of the ground floor living area portion of the dwelling or a covered porch (measuring at least six [6] feet by eight [8] feet) by at least four (4) feet. Any street -facing garage doors complying with this standard shall not protrude forward from the front facade of the living area portion of the dwelling by more than eight (8) feet. 3 C. A Modification is Standard is requested to Section 4.2(13)(2)(a) to allow a reduction in the minimum lot width from 100 feet to 70 feet. D. The P.D.P. complies with the applicable General Development Standards of Article Three. E. A condition of approval is recommended to ensure compliance with Section 3.2.1(F) and the recommendations of the City Forester for tree mitigation. COMMENTS: 1. Background: The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: U-E; Approved for 12 lots (seven single family detached and five duplexes) S: FA-1 (County); Existing large -lot, semi -rural single family detached residential E: FA-1 (County); Vacant— Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Ditch W: L-M-N; Existing Single Family Attached (Willowbrook Subdivision — marketed as Observatory Village). Originally part of a large farm, the seven lots that front on the section line road (now named Strauss Cabin Road) were split off from the original farm approximately 25 years ago. All seven lots were included in the boundary area of the Fossil Creek Reservoir Area Plan jointly adopted by the City and Larimer County in 1999. The property was annexed and zoned Urban Estate in March of 2006. 2. Compliance with Article Four — Urban Estate Zone District Standards: A. Land Use The proposed land use, single family detached dwelling, is a permitted use, subject to administrative review. B. Land Use Standards - Density The overall average density is 1.38 dwelling units per net acre which does not exceed the allowable maximum of 2.0 dwellings units per net acre. C. Minimum Lot Size PA ITEM NO. 3 MEETING DATE I -O% STAFF%ED J'H".AjtD City of Fort Collins HEARING OFFICER STAFF REPORT PROJECT: Sunrise Ridge, Second Filing, P.D.P., #13-05D APPLICANTS: Mr. and Mrs. Kelly and Theresa Smith Mr. and Mrs. Lee and Debi Reep 5101 Strauss Cabin Road Fort Collins, CO 80528 OWNERS: Mr. and Mrs. William and Ann Standerfer 5221 Strauss Cabin Road Fort Collins, CO 80528 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for seven lots all of which are a minimum of one-half acre in size and designated for single family detached dwellings. The site contains 5.04 acres and is located at 5221 Strauss Cabin Road, approximately one-half mile south of East Harmony Road on the west side of Strauss Cabin Road. The parcel is zoned U-E, Urban Estate. The applicant is requesting one Modification of Standard to allow a decrease in the minimum lot width, as measured at the front building line, from the required 100 feet to 70 feet for four of the seven lots. This request is primarily due to the lots being served by a cul-de-sac and, as a result, being pie -shaped and having a narrow lot frontage at the street. RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A. The land use, single family detached dwellings is permitted in the Urban Estate zone subject to administrative review. B. The P.D.P. complies with the land use standards and development standards of the Urban Estate zone district with one exception. COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO.80522-0580 (970) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT