HomeMy WebLinkAboutBELLWETHER FARM - PDP - 46-04 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTBellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 10
D. Access from New Mercer Drive
There was a concern that access to the property would be from New Mercer
Drive.
In response, there will be no public access via New Mercer Drive. The ditch
access road will be reserved but gated for the ditch rider access only.
In summary, Staff finds that the P.D.P. features single family detached dwelling
units and is compatible with the density in the surrounding area. The access is
from North Briarwood Drive only, not Impala Drive and not New Mercer Drive.
The drainage impacts from developing this parcel will be mitigated in accordance
with the City of Fort Collins Stormwater Utility design criteria.
7. Findings of Fact/Conclusion:
In evaluating the Bellwether P.D.P., Staff makes the following findings of fact:
A. The site is in the boundary area of the Northwest Sub -Area Plan. This
planning process is expected to take up to 18 months to complete. There
is no moratorium on land development during this planning process.
B. The land use, single family detached homes, at a gross density of 3.05
dwelling units per acre, complies with the requirements of the L-M-N zone
district.
C. The P.D.P. complies with the zone district requirements for Mix of Housing
and Small Neighborhood Park.
D. The P.D.P. complies with the applicable General Development Standards.
E. A neighborhood information meeting was held on August 31, 2004. The
P.D.P. is found to be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04.
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 9
In response, the parcel is zone L-M-N and the density is 3.10 dwelling units per
net acre which matches the density of the surrounding area. Since the site is
located within the Infill Area, there is no required minimum density. As a point of
reference, the adjacent Adrian P.D.P., which is zoned R-L, has a minimum lot
size requirement of 6,000 square feet.
B. Traffic on North Briarwood Road
There was a concern that project would increase traffic on North Briarwood
Road. Traffic should be diverted to Impala via the Cherry Street connection in
the southwest corner or out to Taft Hill Road.
In response, the connection to Cherry Street will be for secondary emergency
access only. This is the area where stormwater from upstream in the West Vine
Drainage Basin collects and moves east. A full public street and bridge would
interfere with the future drainage improvements.
The 20-foot wide asphalt drive will be feature protective bollards to block traffic.
It will be dedicated as a public access easement, however, because it will double
as a bicycle/pedestrian connection, especially for students of Irish Elementary
School.
C. Drainage Improvements
There was a concern that the project will exacerbate the flooding putting existing
properties at risk.
In response, the project creates opportunities for the City's Stormwater Utility to
construct stormwater detention improvements that will benefit the regional West
Vine Drainage Basin. For example, Cherry Street will not extend east to Taft Hill
Road as once envisioned. Instead, the entire area south of the ditch will be
dedicated for storm drainage improvements. These improvements will be
constructed in phases. The first phase will capture and detain the storm flows
from the project.
The second phase will include facilities that capture, detain and convey storm
flows from the upstream area of the basin. Finally, the fact that the area south of
the ditch can be counted on for a portion of the basin -wide improvements has
enabled the Utility to begin negotiations with downstream property owners to
acquire land in order to implement the overall design of capturing, detaining and
channeling the 100-year storm all the way to the Poudre River.
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 8
of Bellwether Farm, and a 2% annual increase in background traffic, these two
intersections will operate acceptably with existing stop sign control.
The level of service for pedestrian, bicycle, and transit modes based upon the
measures in the multi -modal transportation guidelines cannot be achieved for all
measures. This is typical in older, established areas of the City due to existing
deficiencies.
A ten -foot wide, concrete bicycle/pedestrian trail will be constructed along the
New Mercer Ditch. This will connect Taft Hill Road to Cherry Street. From the
terminus at Cherry Street, it is one block to Irish Elementary School. (The trail
will be widened to 20 feet at Cherry Street to allow for a second point of access
for emergency equipment.)
Interim improvements along West Vine Drive, from Impala Drive to the
intersection with Taft Hill Road will be constructed in conjunction with the
developer of the Adrian P.D.P. These interim improvements include street
widening to 36 feet. This will allow two six-foot wide on -street bicycle lanes.
Existing right-of-way is in place to accommodate these improvements.
In summary, the P.D.P. adequately provides vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle
facilities necessary to maintain the adopted transportation Level of Service
standards contained in Part II of the City of Fort Collins Multi -modal
Transportation Level of Service Manual for the following modes of travel: motor
vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian. Currently, and in the short range future, the key
intersections will operate acceptably.
6. Neighborhood Compatibility:
A neighborhood meeting was held August 31, 2004. The issues identified at this
meeting, and their resolution, are as follows:
A. Density
There was concern about the density of the project and that it appeared to be
more dense than Adrian P.D.P., a pending project at the southeast corner of
West Vine Drive and Impala Drive. Bellwether also appears more dense than the
existing surrounding neighborhoods. If the lots were larger, the project would be
more compatible, there would less traffic and the developer would still turn a
profit.
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 7
(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."
There is a combination of street -facing -front loaded and street -facing -side -
mounted (corner lots) garages within the P.D.P. Where garages are street -
facing, they are recessed behind front facades or porches by the requisite
minimum of four feet. Side -mounted garages feature windows facing the street.
Where garages face the street, the garage doors do not comprise more than
50% ground floor street -facing linear frontage.
E. 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."
All internal streets within the P.D.P. are local public streets. North Briarwood
Road, a local street, connects the P.D.P. to West Vine Drive. The new internal
local streets will feature detached sidewalks, on -street parking on both sides, and
two travel lanes. There are no new collector streets associated with the P.D.P.
F. 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."
An intermediate, short-range (2007) Transportation Impact Study was prepared
in conjunction with the P.D.P.
There are.two key intersections: West Vine Drive/North Briarwood Road; and
West Vine Drive/ North Taft Hill Road. In the short range, given full development
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 6
B. Section 3.5.2(B) — Housing Model Variety
(1) "Any development of one hundred (100) or more single-family detached,
single-family attached in groups of two (2), or two-family detached
dwelling units shall have at least four (4) different types of housing
models. The applicant shall include in the application for approval of the
project development plan documentation showing how the development
will comply with the foregoing requirement.
(2) Each housing model shall have at least three (3) characteristics which
clearly and obviously distinguish it from the other housing models,
including different floor plans, exterior materials, roof lines, garage
placement, placement of the footprint on the lot, and/or building face."
The standard will be evaluated for compliance in accordance with Section 3.8.15
which requires each building permit to be accompanied by an affidavit that
affirms that the dwelling does not adjoin a lot with the same housing model.
C. Section 3.5.2(D)(4) — Minimum Lot Width
"A minimum lot width of 50 feet shall be required for any single family
detached dwelling if the garage and/or driveway is served by access from
the abutting street, unless such lot also adjoins an alley or is located at the
corner of two public streets."
According to the definition of Lot Width, the line is measured at the location of the
minimum front setback distance from the front lot line. There are 17 lots that
have a curved front lot line that are not corner lots. All of these lots are 50 feet
wide as measured 20 feet back from front property line.
D. Section 3.5.2(E) — Garage Doors
"To prevent residential streetscapes from being dominated by protruding
garage doors, and to allow the active, visually interesting features of the
house to dominate the streetscape, the following standards shall apply:
(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.
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 5
The most remote lot, Lot 40, is 1,565 feet from Irish Elementary School, as
measured along public streets and the emergency access easement. This is
less than one-third of a mile (1,758 feet) as required. Therefore, at least 90% of
the dwelling units are within one-third of a mile of Irish Elementary School. This
public neighborhood school contains 8.8 total acres and 5.04 acres of ball fields,
playgrounds, and maintained irrigated turf.
The outdoor recreational area associated with Irish Elementary School complies
with the standard for a small neighborhood park in the following manner:
• The area is highly visible and formed by Irish Drive and Cherry
Street. Since only one side is bordered by rear yards, this area is
easily observable from the two public streets. No more than 50% of
the perimeter borders these private backyards.
• The Irish recreation facilities are easily accessible. The P.D.P. will
provide 24-foot wide emergency access drive that will be blocked
off from daily traffic. This access drive will double as a bicycle and
pedestrian access to Cherry Street. It is only one block from
Bellwether to Irish Elementary School.
• The Irish outside area consists of an outdoor basketball court,
multiple -use turf areas, walking paths and playground.
• Although this area is maintained by neither the City of Fort Collins
or the developer, it is maintained to a high level (irrigation and
mowing) by the Poudre School District.
• There is no storm drainage facility associated with the Irish outdoor
play area.
5. Compliance with Applicable General Development Standards:
A. Section 3.2.3 — Solar Access, Orientation, Shading
"At least 6591d'of the lots less than 15,000 square feet in area in single and
two family residential developments must conform to the definition of a
"solar -oriented lot" in order to preserve the potential for solar energy
usage."
Of the 44 lots, 37 or 84%, comply with the solar orientation requirement.
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 4
Single family detached dwellings are permitted subject to administrative review.
The 44 units on 14.41 gross acres equal 3.05 dwelling units per acre. Normally,
L-M-N projects are required to provide an overall minimum average density of
five dwelling units per net acre of residential land.
According to Section 4.4(D)(1)(a), however, projects containing 20 acres or less
and located in the area defined as "infill area" need not comply with this
requirement. Since the site is indeed located within the infill area, there is no
required overall minimum average density.
B. Mix of Housing
Section 4.4(D)(2)(d) requires that:
A single housing type shall not constitute more than 90% of the total
number of dwelling units. If single-family detached dwellings are the only
housing types included in the mix, then the difference between the
average lot size for each type of single-family detached dwelling shall be
at least 2,000 square feet.
There are 44 single family detached dwellings and they are the only housing
type. For 90% of the dwellings (39 lots), the average lot size is 5,497 square
feet. For the remaining 10% (5 lots), all lot sizes exceed 7,497 square feet which
exceeds the average by the required minimum of 2,000 square feet.
Lot 6
11,389 sq. ft.
Lot 13
7,500 sq. ft.
Lot 22
7,500 sq. ft.
Lot 36
7,507 sq. ft.
Lot 37
8,684 sq. ft.
C. Small Neighborhood Parks
Section 4.4(D)(7) requires that:
Either a neighborhood park or a privately owned park, that is at least one (1) acre
in size, shall be located within a maximum of one-third (113) mile of at least ninety
(90) percent of the dwellings in any development project of ten (10) acres or
larger as measured along street frontage. Such parks shall meet five criteria
relating to location, access, facilities, ownership and maintenance, and storm
drainage.
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 3
• The east one-half of the section includes both Irish Elementary and
Poudre High School. In addition, this area includes the Poudre
School District Administrative Offices, transportation center (bus
garage, bus wash, and dispatch office) and all other trade services
including miscellaneous outdoor storage of equipment and
maintenance vehicles.
• The mix of housing is characterized by a 1970's student housing
complex, an affordable housing complex and two small City
subdivisions. The predominant housing type is a single family
detached home on a lot platted in a variety of rectangular shapes
with direct frontage off the section line road. This latter pattern pre-
dates World War Two.
• There are a variety of larger acreage parcels that may or may not
still engage in productive agriculture. A network of ditches and
laterals serve these parcels along with their access roads. Various
outbuildings associated with semi -rural and agricultural activities
dot the area. (In fact, the subject site is a former small truck farm
and greenhouse.)
• In contrast with other newer developed areas in the City, the
established street pattern is discontinuous. While LaPorte Avenue
acts as an efficient east -west street, it remains the only one. There
is no internal collector street network that ties the area in all four
directions. To some, this results in the semi -rural charm of an area
of the City that has been the least impacted by new growth and
development. To others, this lack of a collector network is seen as
inefficient forcing internal traffic out to the perimeter arterials.
3. Pending Northwest Sub -Area Plan:
The site is located within the study boundary for the Northwest Sub -Area Plan.
This planning effort is in the initial scoping stages and is expected to take
approximately 18 months to complete. As with most other sub -area plans, there
is no moratorium on land development during this planning process.
4. Compliance with the L-M-N District Standards:
A. Land Use and Density
Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04
April 6, 2005 Administrative Hearing
Page 2
COMMENTS
1. Background:
The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows:
N:L-M-N; Existing Subdivision (Poudre Plains)
S: County: FA: Vacant
S: L-M-N; Semi -Rural Residential with Pasture
E: County: FA; Existing Rural Residential
W: County: FA; Existing County Subdivision (Green Acres)
The property was annexed in 1982 as part of the Vine -LaPorte -Taft Second
Annexation. The Poudre Plains subdivision is part of this annexation.
Historically, the site was a farm and included a large greenhouse that was
damaged in the blizzard of 2003.
2. Context Within the Section:
The area bounded by West Mulberry Street, Overland Trail, West Vine Drive and
Taft Hill Road defies a simplistic description but warrants a thorough discussion.
The character ranges from small farms to urban subdivisions. There is an
eclectic mix land uses on both large and small lots that have been developing
and evolving for the last 50 to 75 years. Consider the following:
• LaPorte Avenue is unique in that it is not a section line road but
practically bisects the section. It acts as a main street that ties the
area directly to downtown to the east and the C.S.U. Foothills
Research Campus to the west. Transit is provided on LaPorte
Avenue by routes 4 and 9 which serve Poudre High School and
Lincoln Junior High School (which includes the Boys and Girls
Club).
• The west one-half of the section remains in unincorporated Larimer
County. This area was platted in the 1930's with narrow public
streets, and no sidewalks, curb or gutter. There is minimal street
lighting. Electrical and telephone utilities are still overhead. Lots
sizes are typically long with narrow street frontages. This area is
prone to flooding which prompted the formation of the West Vine
Drainage Basin.
ITEM NO.
MEETING DATE
STAFF%J>
City of Fort Collins HEARING OFFICER
STAFF REPORT
PROJECT: Bellwether Farm P.D.P., #46-04 P4
W� N
APPLICANT: Imago Enterprises, Inc.
c/o V-F Ripley
401 West Mountain Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80521
OWNER: Mr. Les Kaplan
Imago Enterprises, Inc.
140 Palmer Drive
Fort Collins. CO 8052-r
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This is a request for 44 single family detached dwelling units on 14.3 acres. The
site is located west of Taft Hill Road and south of West Vine Drive. Primary
access is gained via North Briarwood Road. The New Mercer Ditch bisects the
property. The area southeast of the ditch, approximately five acres, will remain
open for stormwater drainage facilities and a bicycle/pedestrian trail. The parcel
is zoned L-M-N, Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The site is in the boundary area of the Northwest Sub -Area Plan. There is no
moratorium on land development during this planning process. The land use,
single family detached homes, at a gross density of 3.05 dwelling units per acre,
complies with the requirements of the L-M-N zone district. The P.D.P. complies
with the zone district requirements for Mix of Housing and Small Neighborhood
Park. The P.D.P. complies with the applicable General Development Standards.
A neighborhood information meeting was held on August 31, 2004. The P.D.P.
is found to be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins-, CO 80522-0580 (970) 221-6750
PLANNING DEPARTMENT