HomeMy WebLinkAbout325 CHERRY STREET - MODIFICATION OF STANDARDS - 29-03 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUESTr
325 Cherry Parking
RF c4WK &. s .
FW+a ROM WTI
I.
r____
I�+
I w
I
I
�s
i
8
Option D — Diagonal and Parallel
Diagonal on Meldrum and
Parallel on Cherry
Rw CORNO LOT e, eloac ,
Ow of FORt c�uns.l
room NO. 4 ROM wTR NO
\
I I
I I
I I
I I
�I I
I I
I � I
I I
I I
I I .
I I
.00' (Ri
I
'I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
325 Cherry Parking
Option C — Parallel
Meldrum and Cherry
E
CHERRY
3 I 5 (1w, RICH
- ® NW CORNER LO' r
MTV OF FORT K
FOWO N0
WT
NE caa:ER d e�, -
- - -
i
I
I � �
I
I 2 0
e 4
I W
I
u Li
N 9070AW,
N 0OW'00' E 1VO.Op' (R)
for 10
I
J
' I�w
I
I
I
I
I
I 1 SIN PLW
I
i
Nw CORNER LOT a. aloe« w.
OTT OF FORT CO S,1
FOND W. ♦ RERM NTH NO CO. \
I I
I I
I I
I
�I
"
gl I
I I
I I
_ _
I I
I I
I I
_ 40.00' (R)
J-
325 Cherry Parking
Option B — Diagonal
Meldrum and Cherry
CAMRRY STREET
(IDW RWWT-M-WAY)
D SIIE PLW
f-V-r
NW CORNER L07 B. BLOCN 43.
CITY OF FORT CODUN5.1
FOUND NO. 4 REHM WTN NO CAP. \
I I
.41
I I
I I
I I
�I I
RI
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
'I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I �
I I
I
NE Wand ULM%. 5"
T.. f(A1NN NWAR WT1 CAS.
I
[j
I
I �
i
�s
325 Cherry Parking
Option A — Reverse Diagonal
Cherry Street
CHERRY STREET
(I00' WCAT-OF WAY)
G)lAAB11
r.wa
NW C ER LOT S. W" O,
OTY Or FORT COLL S,1
FW NO. a REBAR WTN NO OM. \
I I
I �
I I
I I
al I
gl a„ I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
0.00' (R)
/ I
/ I
I I
I �
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
The Solution Options. The applicant with city staff help has worked up 4 possible
parking solutions for this most complex site and parking situation. None of the 4
proposed solutions would place an over burden of on street parking onto the Martinez
Park Community. The city traffic safety engineer stated that there is more than enough
under utilized parking in this area and that with the proposed creation of diagonal parking
on Meldrum between Cherry and Maple Street. Parking would be plentiful. Option A
(see diagram) would create and count 12- 9'by 21 foot reverse diagonal parking spaces
along Cherry Street that extend beyond the present curbing and up to the property line of
the applicant building. These spaces would include 1 handicapped 13' by 21 foot parking
space and allow for the sidewalk to be built closer to the building on private property.
The reverse diagonal parking along Cherry Street would be a new parking concept for
Fort Collins residents, but has a long history in the Seattle, Washington as a safe and
friendly way to park in complex downtown areas. This solution would allow for cars to
back into a space out of the flow of traffic, due to the wide 100' foot right-of-way on
Cherry St., and creates a recognized bicycle friendly traffic re-entry pattern. Option B
(see diagram) would create and count 12 diagonal spaces along Cherry Street and 3
diagonal on Meldrum for a total of 15 spaces 3 more spaces than required. The diagonal
along Cherry Street would extend into the remaining right-of-way as described above
allowing cars to pull directly into space and back out again without entering the flow of
traffic, while allowing site improvements to meet compliance on the private property.
The Meldrum Street diagonal would create bonus parking next to the west side of
building and allow for the sidewalk to continue around the corner to meet site compliance
and neighborhood conformity. Option C (see diagram) would create and count 8 parallel
spaces on Cherry Street and 2 parallel parking spaces on Meldrum Street for a total of 10
spaces 2 less than the required amount. This option would remove the 4 driveways into
the applicant property on Cherry Street and extend the established parallel parking on
Cherry and Meldrum This Option would also allow for the creation of a site that meets
compliance. Option D (see diagram) would utilize 8 parallel parking spaces on Cherry
Street as described above, but would add 4 diagonal spaces on Meldrum for a total of 12
spaces meeting the requirement standard number. According to the applicant and staff
conversations on this complex parking issue everyone agrees that this would be an
acceptable solution to the problem. The applicant would canvas the Meldrum neighbors
for support of the establishment of new diagonal on Meldrum adding a total of 43 net
new spaces in the block between Cherry and Maple Street.
Modification Request. The applicant at 325 Cherry is asking for a modification to
parking standards, allowing applicant to count the off site parking spaces in front of and
along side of applicant building to meet the required parking amount of 12 spaces. The
applicant and staff agree that this would not create an undue hardship to the Martinez
Park Neighborhood parking situation due to an abundance of unused on street parking
that exist today. The applicant would also ask that the requirement of 1.5 spaces per I
bedroom dwelling unit be reduced to a 1 space per I bedroom unit requirement.
Conclusion. The applicant needs the help of the Planning and Zoning Board to
redevelop a building that has lived past its initial intended use and would bring 8 much
needed affordable hosing units and artistic studios to this Downtown neighborhood.
3
residential units above artistic studios below will be sold to qualified affordable housing
buyers that will have private decks in the rear and a shared ground level courtyard in
building front. The Spanish style courtyard will become an outdoor space that connects
the new users to each other and to the larger community of Martinez Park.
Parking Requirements. Under the Land Use Code Section 3.2.2 Access, Circulation and
Parking the required minimal parking spaces for 8 one bedroom residential units is 12
parking spaces (1.5 spaces per dwelling unit). The commercial offices/ artistic studios
below have only maximum requirements, leaving the project minimal parking total at 12
spaces.
The Situation. Under the Land Use Code for a requirement of 12 parking spaces the
applicant would need an area on site that would measure at least 96' by 21' to park these
potential 12 residential automobiles. The problem is that we have 4 driveways that block
what would be a public sidewalk, if we were not a by -right nonconforming user, that
leads to a building that has only 11 feet 4 inches of property depth facing the street. This
is not enough remaining lot depth to park one car 18 to 21 feet long much less 11 more.
We realize that it is the requirement of the project to meet the established parking
standards and we have been working for weeks with city staff to come to some solution
to meet those requirements. We believe that we have been able to reach a solution that
satisfies the planning staff needs the transportation safety engineers, the development
team and hopefully the P&Z board modification requirements.
Modification of Standards. It has been explained to us at 325 Cherry that under the
Land Use Code Section 2.8.2(H) for modification to general development standards we
must meet one of the three established criteria to apply for modification. We believe that
325 Cherry meets or exceeds all three criteria. This modification would meet
requirement Section 2.8.2 (h)(1) by allowing the applicant room to create and enhance a
sidewalk, landscape and curb system that is the remaining holdout for neighborhood
conformity. This compliance to the established neighborhood model would complete a
safer walking path, would remove the current wood storage area and the dust collection
system from in front of building and bring the site into complete compliance. The
modification from standard under Section 2.8.2 (h)(2) would be realized as the applicant
meets the stated policy and address an important community need for affordable housing,
redevelopment of this site and the creation of a new -urban, mixed -use project expressly
defined in City Plan, The Downtown Civic Center Master Plan, The City Affordable
Housing Needs and Strategy and the Downtown Strategic Plan. To enforce a strict
application of such standard would in fact render this project infeasible to do anything but
keep it as is by -right nonconforming use or convert it all to commercial office minus the
needed affordable housing residential units. To deny a modification of standard for
reason of exceptional physical hardship and strict application of the standard would result
in unusual and exceptional practical difficulties and hardship to the owner. The applicant
only seeks to bring this building and site into compliance and appropriate use as stated in
its zoning designation of Downtown and the established policy and needs of the city.
August 5, 2003
City of Fort Collins
Planning and Zoning Board &
Current Planning Department
281 North College Avenue
Fort Collins, Colorado 80521
XYLEM DESIGN,
?lie Relentless Pursuit
Subject: Request for Modification from parking Standards for a mixed -use Of Excellence
Development Infill project at 325 Cherry Street
Dear Board Members and Planning Staff,
The proposed mixed -use redevelopment project located at 325 Cherry Street owned by
Xylem Design Inc. and formally called Dienes Doors Building is requesting a
modification of standards for the residential require parking.
Background. The project history is that of a building of approximately 5000 sq/ft that
was constructed, over 40 years ago, as a wood shop in a light industrial zone. Through
the years the zoning evolved to commercial and then finally into the current zoning of
Downtown District sub -District Civic Center. The building that once was in compliance
for it's original use as an industrial property had grown into a by -right nonconforming
use. The current owner and user Xylem Design Inc. a artistic easel design, manufacturer
and warehouse could continue on at this site under the protection as a by -right
nonconforming use and would never be required to bring this site into compliance with
curbs, landscape and sidewalks. The good news is that Xylem Design Inc., with its 18
years of Fort Collins history, is a good community member and when 1 /3 of this building,
1584 sq/ft, completely collapsed under the snow load of this years spring snow storm
they realized that this was an opportunity to redevelop this site into a mixed -use project
and move Xylem's easel operation to a more appropriately zoned area of town. The
benefit to the neighborhood would be realized as this site is brought into compliance and
more housing stock and commercial space was developed as intended by what is already
a stated policy of the City Plan, The Downtown Civic Center Master Plan, The City
Affordable Housing Needs and Strategy and the Downtown Strategic Plan. A mixed -use
redevelopment project that would create small artesian spaces below with 8 affordable
one bedroom residential lofts above. The only problem was that the building 143 feet by
35 feet sits on most of the 149 by 49-foot lot size, not leaving any space to park cars on
the site.
The Project. This project is simply being called 325 Cherry, referring to its known
downtown neighborhood address. The project team and partners are Greg Glebe owner of
Xylem Design and Mickey Willis of Paradigm Realty & Development Company. The
purpose of the this infill redevelopment project is to take a building that is currently in a
nonconforming use and create a artist studio / affordable housing mixed use project that
is more appropriate to this Historic Martinez Park Neighborhood. The 8 one bedroom
325 CHERRY STREET • FORT COLLINS, COLORADO 80521
970-493-7458 • 1-800-333-9953 • FAX 970-493-7468 • www.xylemdesign.com