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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBELLWETHER FARM - PDP - 46-04 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - CORRESPONDENCE-CONCEPTUAL REVIEWMr. Moore stated that neither an Ecological Characterization Study nor a sensitive plant species study would be required for this project. Additionally, a 50-foot buffer as measured from the top of the bank for New Mercer Ditch is not required on the north side of the ditch where there will be a 20-foot ditch maintenance road between the developed area and the ditch bank. Attached is a copy of applicant's October 8, 2004 letter to Mr. Moore as a follow-up to these conversations and explaining the understanding between the Mr. Moore and the applicant in greater detail. 31. Comment: A sensitive plant species study may need to be submitted for the Ute Ladies Tresses Orchid. Response: See Response No. 29. 32. Comment: A wetland delineation study will need to be submitted. Please contact Doug Moore, Natural Resources Planner, 221-6600, for further information or to scope any of the aforementioned studies. Response: No development is proposed in the floodplain south of the ditch. Mr. Moore has indicated to the applicant that a wetland delineation study is not necessary. 33. Comment: A Fugitive Dust Permit must be filed with Larimer County .Department of Health Response: When? 34. Comment: (Presented as duplicate No. 33). A neighborhood information meeting is required. The Current Planning Department will prepare the notification map. The applicant is responsible for providing the mailing list, plus a $.50 cents per name mailing fee. The project planner will facilitate the meeting. Response: A neighborhood meeting was conducted August 31, 2004. The P.D.P. submission is substantially consistent with the concept presented at that meeting. On behalf of the applicant and the consultants for this project, we look forward to working with staff towards the approval of this infill project. Sincerely, . Lester M. Ka an, Pres. 0 25. Comment: The drainage design needs to demonstrate how the system built for this project can then be made compatible with the ultimate improvements made by the City for the Central Vine Channel. An escrow or contribution -in -aid may be needed to retrofit Bellwether improvements with future basin improvements. Response: Understood. A detention area providing another 100 percent of typical detention for a project this size is shown between the south side of the ditch and the eventual channel. With the construction of the adjoining ultimate channel, this supplemental detention can be substantially modified. 26. Comment: Most of the southern portion of the site is in the 100-uear West Vine Drainage Basin floodplain. In addition, this area is classified as a "no -rise" floodplain which means that if development is proposed within this floodplain, a HEC-2 model would need to be prepared to show "no -rise" in the base flood elevation. Please contact Susan Hayes, 416-2233, at the Stormwater Utility for further information. Response: Understood. The P.D.P. submittal proposes no development south of the ditch and sets the stage for the City to install a regional stormwater channel. 27. Comment: The dwelling units will be assessed a Capital Expansion Fee based on the size of the units. The fee is collected at the time of building permit issuance. Please note that the fee is adjusted annually based on the Denver -Boulder consumer price index. Please check with Felix Lee, 2216760. to see if the fee will be increased in 2004. Response: Understood. 28. Comment: If there are any existing trees, they should be evaluated by Tim Buchanan, City Forester. If the tree are deemed significant, and allowed to be removed, then mitigation trees will be necessary. Response: Understood. However, the only trees above a 3- inch caliber appear to be Austrian elm. 29. Nothing stated due to mis-numbering. 30. Comment: Since the ditch is classified by the Department of Natural Resources as a wildlife movement corridor, an Ecological Characterization Study will be needed. In addition, a 50-foot buffer is needed as measured from the top of the bank. Any conflicts or encroachments along the ditch corridor will need to be mitigated. Any non-native vegetation along this corridor will need to be removed and restored with native vegetation. Response: This seems to be a boilerplate comment. During conversations between the applicant and Doug Moore occurring August 10 and October 8, 2004, 22. Comment: This site is in the West Vine drainage basin where the new development fee is $7,004/acre, subject to the runoff coefficient. The standard drainage and erosion control report and construction plans are required and they must be prepared by a professional engineer registered in Colorado. The site is located on the Stormwater Inventory Map 3F available at the Stormwater Utility at 700 Wood Street. Response: Understood. 23. Comment: The West Vine Drainage Master Plan calls out a channel to be parallel to the south property line from the New Mercer Ditch to Taft Hill. The preliminary sizing indicates it needs to have a 25-foot bottom width with four -to - one side.slopes. This would need to be designed to the extent of a preliminary level of detail to show -that the channel can be constructed at a later date. The Stormwater Utility would like to work with the developer on the purchase of the land needed for the channel improvements. Response: The applicant and J.R. Engineering have met with the Stormwater Utility and the Transportation Department to assure that the eventual design for this channel can be accommodated and to coordinate channel placement with the sidewalk/pedestrian trail. The preferred engineering design for this channel and the most expedient arrangement for the City to acquire the necessary easement involve locating the entire channel on the applicant's property. The City cannot require that the applicant's property bear the entire burden of an easement for this regional improvement. Additionally, locating only one-half the easement along the south property line in anticipation of the other half coming from the adjoining property owner is impractical in light. of the existing east to west 8 inch sewer line easement on the north side of the property line. The applicant is willing to cooperate with the City in achieving the entire easement for this regional storm drainage channel improvement on the applicant's property and has outlined a cooperative approach in a September 14, 2004 letter to Susan Joy (copy attached). 24. Comment: Onsite detention would need to be sized using the SWMM but the balance of the onsite facilities could be sized using the Rational Method. The detention would need to be twice the developed volume and either gravity drained or pumped into the New Mercer Ditch after a storm when the ditch flow has receded. The area to the south of the ditch can drain into the Larimer Number Two Canal. Stormwater needs to know what entity will be responsible for operation of this system. Response: Understood. In the course of preparing the P.D.P. submission, J.R. Engineering has met extensively with both the Storm Water Utility as well as representatives from the New Mercer Ditch and Larimer Canal No. 2. The applicant believes that the submitted plan is consistent with the requirements of both. F 16. Comment: The New Mercer Ditch Company will be a signatory to both plat and Utility Plans. Response: Understood. 17. Comment: The vacation of New Mercer Drive can occur only after the plat is recorded and requires action by the City Council. Response: Please confirm that City records show a New Mercer Drive right-of- way on the property. 18. Comment: The median in Briarwood would require a variance from Engineering and may also require additional right-of-way. Response: The submitted plan shows a revised median and awaits staff comments 19. Comment: A public street "eyebrow" would be needed to differentiate the public local street, at the curve, from the private driveway that would serve Lots 13 and 14. Response: The submitted site plan obviates this concern. 20. Comment: The sidewalk out to Taft Hill Road needs to tie into Cherry Street in a more direct fashion rather than going back through the neighborhood. Transportation Planning suggests that the walk remain outside the neighborhood and could be placed along the ditch, perhaps in the ditch rider's road. This walk is in lieu of a public street and should be placed within a dedicated access easement. For further information, please contact Dave Averill at 416-2643. Response: On the submitted plan, this pedestrian/ bike trail is entirely outside the neighborhood and south of the ditch. The location of the trail is partially incorporated into the existing sanitary sewer easement along the south property line and in the County's Cherry Street extended right-of-way in order to avoid conflict with the eventual storm drainage channel and to provide easy connection by the property to the south. 21. Comment: A Development Agreement will be required prior to recording of the plans. For further information, please contact Susan Joy, Development Review Engineer, 221-6605. When the Development Agreement, Utility Plans, and Planning documents (site plan, landscape plan, architectural elevations and lighting plan) are all signed and recorded, the project is entitled to proceed with construction. Response: Understood. 11. Comment: The Street Oversizing Fee will be based on square footage of the dwelling units. The City also collects the Larimer County Road Impact Fee. Please contact Matt Baker, 221-6605, for an estimate of these fees which are payable at the time of building permit issuance. Please note that the fees are adjusted annually based on the Denver -Boulder consumer price index and that there may be increases in 2004 independent of the C.P.I. (There is information on the Street Oversizing Fee on the City's web site at www.fcgov.com.l Response: Understood 12. Comment: Additional right-of-way may be needed along Taft Hill Road. As an arterial, the total right-of-way requirement is 115 feet, unless deemed by Engineering to be a "constrained" arterial, in which case the right-of-way requirement may be reduced. The plat must dedicate one-half of the total right-of- way along the street frontage as measured from the centerline of the roadway. The construction of the street improvement along Taft Hill Road may be satisfied by a contribution -in -aid to the Engineering Department rather than actual construction of a short segment of roadway. Response: The applicant will dedicate on this property 100 percent of the required right -of --way for the eventual widening of Taft Hill Road. In return, the applicant understands from Susan Joy that Matt Baker will require neither the improvement nor a contribution -in -aid for this 145 foot frontage. 13. Comment: The public improvements along Taft Hill Road must be designed to a preliminary level of detail for a distance of 1,000 feet in both directions. Response: On August 9, 2004 the applicant and J.R Engineering met with Cam McNair to discuss this requirement. Cam agreed that in return for the applicant agreeing to dedication the maximum right-of-way width along his property on the west side of Taft Hill Road for the widening of this road, that this design requirement would be unnecessary. 14. Comment: The private drive connection over Cherry Street, which will include a bicycldpedestrian trail, must be dedicated on the plat as an emergency and bicycle and pedestrian access easement. Response: Understood. (Also, refer to Response No. 8). 15. Comment: In addition, the proposed "Y" turn -around must be approved by P.F.A. and also secured within a dedicated emergency access easement. Response: In that the "Y" turn -around is no longer needed for emergency access, and with the concurrence of Ron Gonzolas, the "Y" been eliminated. W Rights (or cash -in -lieu) will be due at the time of building permit issuance. Please note that there is a separate water and sewer plan check fee. For further information, please contact Roger Buffington, 221-6681. For an estimate of the water and sewer fees, please contact Mary Young, 221-6681. Response: Roger Buffington has suggested to the applicant that the 20-inch water main may be relocated for a portion of the site in order to eliminate potential conflicts with the placement of lots. The proposed plan relocates the majority of this water main into public street right-of-way and takes direct service to lots adjoining this relocated line. Please note that 221-6681 is no longer in service. 8. Comment: All buildings must be within 300 feet of a fire hydrant. All portions of a building's exterior must be within 150 feet of a public roadway or a designated fire access lane but there may be some latitude if automatic residential fire sprinkler systems are provided. Addresses must be visible from the street with minimum of six-inch high numbers on contrasting background. Addressing for lots 13 and 14 may warrant special consideration since they may be served by a private drive. Be sure that the barricade proposed for the Chevy Street connection complies with the requirements of the Poudre Fire Authority. For further information, please contact Ron Gonzolas, 221-6570. Response: Understood. On the submittal, only lot 12 is served by a private drive/ fire lane. This fire lane will be posted "Fire Lane, No Parking" at its intersection with the public street. At a December 3, 2004 meeting between the applicant and Ron Gonzolas, Mr. Gonzolas agreed that flexible bollards are acceptable for the fire lane. Flexible bollards will be placed just south of the private drivelfire lane's frontage to Lot 12. Flexible bollards will also be placed on the property in the fire lane and visible from the Chevy Street/ Impala Drive intersection. Due to storm water conveyance requirements in the Cherry Street extended right-of-way, the bike lane would share the fire lane for approximately 150 feet. Where this shared use begins, a sign will be posted, "Entering Fire Lane", to alert bicyclist and pedestrians. 9. Comment: The property will need to be platted. Response: And the world is round. 10. Comment: A Transportation Impact Study will be required. To determine the scope of this study, and which intersections to analyze, please contact either Eric Bracke or Ward Sanford, 221-6630. Keep in mind that all modes of travel must be analyzed, not just vehicles. The T.I.S. should address the issue of the proposed variance for the local street curve radii. Response: The submission includes a T.I. S. from Matt Delich, Consulting Traffic Engineer for the applicant. The street configuration has been modified from Conceptual Review and does not require a variance for street curve radii. 4 4. Comment: The site will be served electricity by the City of Fort Collins Light and Power Department. Electrical power is stubbed to the present termination of Briarwood Drive. Normal electrical charges will apply. For an estimate of the 2004 charges, please contact Light and Power for their handout. Response: Understood. 5. Comment: There is an existing overhead power line along the west property line. Light and Power is planning on removing this line at their expense. They estimate that such removal will be no later than the end of 2005. Until this line is removed. - it must be shown within a ten -foot easement. (It may or may not be located within an easement at this time. If not, the easement may be considered prescriptive. If the line is located on the property line, then five feet must be dedicated on each side of the property line.) Such easement may be vacated upon the line's removal. One alternative is to dedicate the new easement by separate document so the future easement vacation would not need -to cross over the 20-inch water line. There is a concern that this water may be shallow so it may need to be located in the field ("potholed") prior to underground utility installation. For further information, please contact Bruce Vogel, 221-6700. Response: Based upon research and a survey by the applicant, there is an existing easement for these power poles at the rears of the lots fronting on Impala Drive. However; it appears that some of the poles along the north portion of the property line are as much as 1.6 feet outside this easement and inside the property. According to Janet McTague with Light and Power, the City currently shares these poles with Public Service. After the City removes its power, the poles may temporarily remain in use by Public Service. Ms. McNabb has indicated that a 5 foot easement is "more than adequate" for the 1.6 foot encroachment. This would be a shared easement, covering both the pole encroachment as well as future rear lot underground utilities associated with the development. 6. Comment: The site would be served by the City of Fort Collins Water and Wastewater Department. As mentioned, there is an existing 20-inch diameter water main that runs northeast to southwest and bisects the property. In addition, there is a six-inch diameter water line in Briarwood that is stubbed to the property. There is an eight -inch diameter sanitary sewer line also located in Briarwood that is stubbed to the property. All lines are available to serve the site. Response: Understood; however, the 20-inch diameter water main runs northwest to southeast. 7. Comment: The water distribution system must be looped through the site with multiple connections. This can be done by tapping into both the 20-inch and six- inch water mains. The 20-inch water line must be retained within the 20-foot easement. Driveways and underground irrigation systems may encroach into this easement but no permanent structures or trees. Plant investment Fees and Water 3 the Ditch and approximately 5.0 acres in the City's 100- year floodplain south of the Ditch. This south portion has 145 feet of frontage along Taft Hill Road. A 20- inch City water line runs northwest to southeast through the site, and an 8-inch City Sanitary sewer runs east to west along the south property line. There are also water and sanitary sewer utilities in Briarwood stubbed to the property. The Conceptual Plan presented at the August 9, 2004 Conceptual Review meeting consisted of 42 detached single-family lots north of the Ditch and accessed from a looped public street extension of North Briarwood Drive. The lot configuration attempted to work around the existing 20-inch water line. Minimum lot width was 46 feet. The proposed site plan relocates the major portion of this water line into the proposed public street. By reducing design restraints, the lot width minimum has been increased to 50 feet and the number of lots to 44. An 8-foot bicycle/ pedestrian public trail connecting Taft Hill Road and the Cherry Street/ Impala Drive intersection is shown south of the Ditch, with a bridge crossing at the west end of the property. Other than this trail, the area south of the Ditch remains vacant and could potentially be conveyed to the City to accommodate a major storm drainage channel desired by the City as part of the regional storm drainage master plan for northwest Fort Collins. CITY COMMENTS AND APPLICANT RESPONSES: 1. Comment: Since the site is less than 20 acres, and located within the infill area, the minimum required density in the L -M-N zone of five dwelling units per net acre does not apply. At least three housing models are required. Lots must be a minimum of 50 feet in width, as measured 15 feet from back of property line. This standard includes an alternative compliance provision which may be reviewed at the staff level. The land use and density are permitted, subject to a P.D.P. being considered by the Hearing Officer (Type One Review). Response: At least three housing models are to be included. All lots are a minimum of 50 feet in width, as measured 15 feet from back of property line. 2. Comment: For each single family detached dwelling, there must be a minimum of one parking space on lots with greater than 40 feet of street frontage, and two spaces on lots with 40 feet or less street frontage. Response: Understood. 3. Comment: Street trees on 30 to 40 foot intervals are required in a parkway strip along the public street. A utility coordination meeting may be necessary to allow for proper separation for driveways, utilities and street trees. Response: Understood. Imago Enterprises, Inc. 140 Palmer Drive • Fort Collins • Colorado 80525 Phone: (970) 226-6819 Fax: (970) 207-9256 Email: lesterkaplan@comcast.net December 21, 2004 Ted Shepard, Current Planning Planning and Community Development 281 North College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80524 Re: Bellwether Farms (Infill Project) Response to Staff Comments August 9, 2004 Conceptual Review Dear Ted: The following is an overview of the Preliminary Development Plan submission to the City of Fort Collins and responses to staff comments pursuant to the August 9, 2004 Conceptual Review meeting: BACKGROUND: Applicant: Imago Enterprises, Inc. c/o Les Kaplan, President 140 Palmer Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525 Site Design: V-F Ripley c/o Linda Ripley and Associates 401 W. Mountain Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80521 Engineering: JR- Engineering c/o Lee Watkins 2620 East Prospect Road, Suite 190 Fort Collins, CO 80525 This infill site consists of 14.3 vacant acres west of Taft Hill Road and south Vine Drive and less than one-third mile from Irish Elementary School. Public access is provided by the southerly extension of North Briarwood Drive. Secondary access is via a fire lane at the southwest comer of the site, utilizing the existing County right-of-way for the extension of Cherry Street, and connecting a public street in the project to the intersection of Cherry Street and Impala Drive. The New Mercer Ditch bisects the property into approximately 9.3 acres for development north of