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HomeMy WebLinkAbout317 & 325 CHERRY ST., CHERRY STREET LOFTS - PDP - 29-03B - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT317 & 325 Cherry St., Cherry Street Lofts PDP — Filing #29-0313 October 18, 2004 Administrative Hearing Page 6 5) Orientation to Build -to Lines for Streetfront Buildings: The building is approximately aligned with existing buildings. A plaza has been designed for the corner of Meldrum and Cherry. Patios are provided along the Cherry St. fagade of the mixed -use building with low walls and planting areas. All of these site amenities enhance the pedestrian interest, comfort and visual continuity of the site. 6) Entrances: The entrances of the mixed -use building have metal canopies for shade and shelter. 7) Base and Top Treatments: The mixed -use building has an integrally colored siding base along the commercial fronts and colored EIFS above. There are planters along the front fagade to reinforce the base. The brick mass of the mixed -use building has integral shadow band courses in the brick to create a base. The top of the brick mass is a cast -stone cornice. The other masses have sloping roofs with gable end projections, dormers and metal railings that altogether read like stepped parapets. 4. Findings Of Fact / Conclusion: A. Mixed -use dwellings are permitted in the D, Downtown —Civic Center Subdistrict, subject to administrative review. B. This PDP complies with the General Development Standards as well as the applicable District Standards. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the 317 & 325 Cherry Street, Cherry Street Lofts PDP — Type I (#29-03B). 317 & 325 Cherry St., Cherry Street Lofts PDP — Filing #29-03B October 18, 2004 Administrative Hearing Page 5 3. Compliance with General Development Standards Applicable General Development Standards: A. 3.2 Site Planning and Design Standards 1) Landscaping and Tree Protection: The PDP provides full tree stocking on the street frontages and landscaping throughout the project. 2) Landscape Buffering between Incompatible Uses and Activities: The PDP provides ivy vines growing from planters in the ground around the perimeter of the mixed -use building to subdue the differences in architecture and bulk between the mixed -use building and surrounding residential buildings. 3) Site Amenities: This PDP includes parking facilities for bicyclists, enhanced amenities for pedestrians, and ramps and walkways for clear and direct access to all entrances and garages. B. 3.5 Building Standards for Mixed -Use, Institutional and Commercial Buildings 1) Building and Project Compatibility. The architecture of this project is compatible with the existing buildings to the extent possible and sets an enhanced standard of quality for redevelopment in the area. The mixed -use building is articulated by variations in color and massing that are proportional to the massing and scale of nearby structures. 2) Building Color. The colors chosen for the project are within the realm of the colors of existing houses in the area. The colors unify the project. 3) Land Use Transition: This PDP has, to the maximum extent feasible, achieved compatibility with adjacent properties through compliance with the standards set forth in the Building Standards Division of the Land Use Code regarding scale, form, materials, and colors. Operational standards will be addressed in the Development Agreement during Final Compliance including limits on hours of operation of the commercial condos, lighting, placement of noise generating activities, etc. 4) Outdoor Storage Areas/Mechanical Equipment This PDP proposes a unique trash enclosure. Because the site is small and there is no ideal place to locate a trash enclosure, the project will have a subterranean dumpster enclosure with a hydraulic lift, located more than 20 feet from the ROW in the driveway of the single family house. 317 & 325 Cherry St., Cherry Street Lofts PDP — Filing #29-03B October 18, 2004 Administrative Hearing Page 4 2. Compliance with Applicable Downtown District Standards A. Permitted Land Use: Mixed -use dwellings are permitted in the Downtown District —Civic Center Subdisrict. B. Applicable Standards of the Downtown District -Civic Center Subdistrict: 1) Dimensional standards: The project meets the minimum lot width of 40 feet. The project meets the maximum building coverage standard of 75%. The total area of the property is 11,050sf. The total area of the three building footprints is 7538.5sf, or 68% of the property. The project meets the Maximum FAR standard. The project meets the front yard setback as laid out in 4.12(E)(1)(a). And finally, the project meets the height restriction. The maximum height of the project is 38'9" in the mixed -use building, less than the 168' maximum and fewer than the 4 stories or 56' that would require a Planning and Zoning Board Review. 2) Facades: There are no blank walls that span more than 50 feet. Storefronts have been integrally designed with the upper floors of the building and are compatible with the entire fagade character. The materials, colors details signage and lighting fixtures have been tastefully combined into a cohesive whole. The buildings encourage outdoor use with balconies and courtyards. The pedestrian area in front of the building will be paved with brick and decorative pavers. Low walls will be provided around the planting areas in the front and will likely become casual seating which will promote interaction between residents, commercial tenants and neighbors. The rooflines echo the surrounding residential buildings. Though this is a very different type and scale of building than others on the surrounding blocks, the architect has broken down the mass of the mixed -use building with sensitive, residential -type roof massing on a 22 foot bay module, roughly echoing the neighboring homes. Windows all have mullions, lintels and trim which casts shadow lines. Ground floor windows and glass doors are large for display purposes. Windows on the ground floor do not exceed 75% of the wall surface. 3) Site Design: There are no parking lots. If a restaurant business occupied one of the ground floor commercial condos, outdoor cafe areas would be permitted and enhanced by the design. Restaurant management would need to abide by the provisions in 4.12(E)(3)(b)1-6. Outdoor spaces have been provided all along the frontage of the mixed -use building, especially at the corner. 317 & 325 Cherry St., Cherry Street Lofts PDP — Filing #29-03B October 18, 2004 Administrative Hearing Page 3 A second modification was requested after the property owner purchased the adjacent lot at 317 Cherry Street. This modification was needed to clarify the addition of the 317 property to the PDP and also to propose an improved parking situation. With the addition of this property, the owner plans to provide 5 new garage spaces behind -the existing house. There is one existing surface space alongside the house that will remain. Based on the following parking table for multi -family dwellings from Land Use Code 3.2.2.(K)(1)(a), the first arrangement would have required a total of 14 spaces for 9 one bedroom units. Number of Bedrooms/Dwelling Unit Parking Spaces Per Dwelling Unit* One or less Two 1.5 1.75 Three 2.0 Four and above—'-- — 2.5 The second modification requested that all but 6 off-street parking spaces for 9 two bedroom units and a one bedroom single family house (with more than 40 feet of street frontage, which requires 1 space) be waived. The total parking space requirement for the new arrangement is 17 spaces. Off-street parking will account for 6 of those spaces, leaving 10 which will need to be available on street, a net decrease of on -street parking needed of 4 spaces from the originally approved modification. dification request was approved by the Planning and Zoning Board August 26�', 2004 It replaces the first modification. The affordable housing component remains as a condition of approval of the second modification. There are 10 units in this PDP, including the existing single-family house at 317 Cherry Street. It is intended to locate the affordable housing unit in the existing single-family detached house at 317 Cherry Street. Incidentally, it was discovered that the house at 317 Cherry Street is eligible for local landmark designation; therefore, the owner plans to preserve and rehabilitate the existing house. 317 & 325 Cherry St., Cherry Street Lofts PDP — Filing #29-03B October 18, 2004 Administrative Hearing Page 2 COMMENTS 1. Background The surrounding zoning and land used are as follows: N: NCB — Neighborhood Conservation, Buffer District --Existing residential (Martinez Park Neighborhood) with LMN & POL beyond; NW: NCM—Neighborhood Conservation, Medium Density District - Existing residential (Martinez Park Neighborhood); W: NCB — Neighborhood Conservation, Buffer District --Existing residential (Martinez Park Neighborhood) with NCM beyond; S: D—Downtown District (Civic Center Subdistrict) — Existing residential (Martinez Park Neighborhood), with existing auto repair shop, existing municipal government offices, etc. beyond; E D—Downtown District (Civic Center Subdistrict) — Existing (Martinez Park Neighborhood) with historic trolley barn, municipal fleet parking lot beyond. The property at 325 Cherry Street contains a 5000 square foot structure that was constructed over 40 years ago as a wood shop in what was then a Light Industrial zone. Through the years the zoning evolved to Commercial and then finally to the current zoning of Downtown District, Civic Center Sub -district. The building that once was in compliance is now a legal, nonconforming use. The current owner and user, Xylem Design Inc, an artistic easel design company, manufacturer and warehouse, could continue at this site as a legal, non -conforming use and would not be required to bring this site into compliance with current curb, landscaping, and sidewalk standards. When approximately.1/3 of the building collapsed under the snow load in March of 2003, the owner of Xylem Design realized this was an opportunity to relocate this light industrial use to a more appropriate part of town and redevelop the site to a mixed -use residential use, in alignment with its current zoning and the vision for the City as set out in City Plan. On September 4, 2003, the Planning and Zoning Board granted a modification to Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(a) of the Land Use Code for the site at 325 Cherry Street. The modification (#29-03) waived the requirement for all of the 14 required off-street parking spaces for the property (at that time only 325 Cherry Street) under two conditions: • that the future PDP qualify as "affordable housing" as determined by Advance Planning staff, and that • on -street parking on Meldrum Street be successfully converted from parallel to diagonal parking. Meldrum Street was subsequently converted to diagonal parking adjacent to the site. ITEM NO. 4/1- MEETING DATE i0 0 STAFF. DCJI) Citv of Fort Collins HEARING OFFICER STAFF REPORT PROJECT: 317 & 325 Cherry St., Cherry Street Lofts PDP-Type I - #29-0313 APPLICANT: Troy Jones M. Torgerson Architects, PC 223 N. College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80524 OWNER: Gregory Glebe Xylem Design, Inc. 325 Cherry St. Fort Collins, CO 80521 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The owner of the existing light industrial building at 325 Cherry Street requests to redevelop his .25 acre site into a 7,276 square foot mixed -use project and to rehabilitate the neighboring lot at 317 Cherry into a single family detached affordable unit. The properties are located on the south side of Cherry St. just east of Meldrum. They are in the D - Downtown District, Civic Center Subdistrict. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the PDP. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Mixed -use dwelling units are permitted in the Downtown District, Civic Center Subdistrict subject to an Administrative Hearing. This PDP complies with the applicable General Development standards and the standards of the Downtown District, Civic Center Subdistrict. A non -mandatory neighborhood meeting was held on October 4th, 2004. COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 (970) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT