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Home My WebLink AboutSINCLAIR REDEVELOPMENT, COLLEGE & DRAKE - MOD - 25-03A - CORRESPONDENCE - VARIANCE REQUESTIV, PROPOSED PROJECT TRAFFIC ' Trip Generation Standard traffic generation characteristics compiled by the institute of Transportation Engineers in their report entitled Trip Generation, updated in 2003, were applied to the ' proposed land use in order to estimate the daily and peak hour vehicle trips for the site. A vehicle trip is defined as a one-way vehicle movement from a point of origin to a point of destination. Table 3 illustrates the projected daily, AM, and PM peak hour traffic volumes generated by the proposed project. TABLE 3 TRIP GENERATION SUMMARY ITE CODE LAND USE TRIP GENERATION RATES 24 HOUR AM PEAK HOUR PM PEAK HOUR ENTER EXIT TOTAL ENTER EXIT TOTAL 932 High -Turnover. Restaurant 127.15 5.99 5.53 11.52 6.66 4.26 10.92 ITE CODE LAND USE SIZE TOTAL TRIPS GENERATED 24 AM PEAK HOUR PM PEAK HOUR HOUR ENTER EXIT TOTAL ENTER EXIT TOTAL 932 High -Turnover Restaurant 3.5 KSF 445 21 19 40 23 15 38 Key: KSF = Thousand Square Feet Gross Floor Area Adjustments to Trip Generation Rates Oftentimes, the total number of trips generated by a site is different from the amount of new traffic added to the street system by the site. However, no trip adjustment factors were applied so as to provide a conservative analysis. Trip Distribution The overall directional distribution of the site -generated traffic was based primarily on the previously approved distributions from the Traffic Impact Studies in this vicinity and the proposed land use. The overall trip distribution used in the analysis of this report is shown on Figure 5. Project Trip Assignment Traffic assignment is how the generated and distributed trips are expected to be loaded on the roadway network. The site -generated trip assignments are shown on Figure 6. -------------- Z uj EASTDRAKE ROAD EXISTING ELOWLINE _ uj W EXISTING iLOWLINE •tTL^^— V/ AT7AOMe0 NCRe7aeMEWALI( ; }} 589'44'54'W 124.0B M1 1 Le. I TOTAL BLDG. q I s 3,454 G.S.F. w k lr4P IT V ea / a i I 5' 66 4 t 77 SPACES PROVIDED „1 } Y AODESSAELE = J20 TOTAL UJI I PROVIDED PACES LU T7 m � e 4 W I� a �L.e. i I 0 Q Io I I I II �I I e I w. Ilol � L.B. 0 III �� LB ° . Li c i I IINI 6 / INLET L / 4AEP C II I I III i/ z IIIIII [CLLo O SITE PLAN 1p Mr. Eric Bracke. PE, PTOE City of Fort Collins Traffic Engineer 11/1/2005 Page 3 The proposed variance will not reduce the design life of Drake Road nor will it cause the City of Fort Collins additional maintenance costs. No negative impacts to the safety or operation of Drake Road are anticipated with the development of this site and the proposed 50 foot setback. Additional maintenance costs are not anticipated as the improvements that will be constructed will be better than the existing conditions and per City of Fort Collins code. In addition, it should be noted that the projected traffic volumes that are being utilized to determine the minimum setback are based on the worst -case scenario of proposed land uses - a high -turnover sit-down restaurant. Even with the worst -case scenario of traffic volumes, our projected volume is only 12 vehicles higher than the volume that would require a 50-foot setback instead of a 75-foot setback. I believe that this letter accompanied with the attached site plan and Traffic Impact Study addresses all of the requirements for a variance request to the City of Fort Collins. I respectfully request approval of this variance request to reduce the minimum off-street parking setback distance from 75 feet to the proposed 50 feet If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at (303) 756-8332. Sincerely, �<j A', - Ann T. Bowers, PE, PTOE REG/ O gOWfp•°•�F� Cc: Mr. Ted Shepard, Chief Planner, City of Fort Collins Mr. Jon Hauser, Drake Real Estate Services "/;- 1 L- Mr. Andrew Lemmer, Design Edge Architecture OIL ••••••N••• V FSS/O N A� �� Mr. Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE City of Fort coiiins Traffic Engineer 11/1/2005 Page 2 It should be noted that under the land use category of Specialty Retail, the daily traffic volume would only be 155 trips with only 39 trips projected to utilize the Drake Road access. Determination of Setback Distance The minimum setback is determined in accordance with LCUASS Figure 19-6. Two factors are utilized to determine the minimum setback. These factors are the daily volume of traffic in the parking lot and the street classification of the adjacent street. Drake Road is classified as an arterial roadway. The parking lot volume, according to Ward Stanford of your department, is the volume of daily traffic projected to utilize the access to the adjacent roadway - the 111 vehicles identified above. According to Figure 19-6, the minimum setback from an arterial roadway with a parking lot volume between 100 and 750 requires a minimum setback of 75 feet. Proposed Design The attached site plan shows the proposed layout of the site with the 50-foot setback from Drake Road. As is visible from the proposed site plan, any additional setback from Drake Road would have a significant impact on the number of parking stalls and the location of those stalls in relation to the proposed building. Justification for Variance Request Based on my professional judgment, the proposed variance of a 50-foot setback rather than a 75-foot setback is justified for a number of reasons. The redevelopment of this site will result in significant transportation benefits. Currently, access to this site is via a right- in/right-out access to College Avenue and a right-in/right-out access to Drake Road. In redeveloping this site, Drake Real Estate Services has agreed to close the existing right- in/right-out access to College Avenue. Access to College Avenue will be through the Walgreen's site to the south to Thunderbird Drive. The removal of the College Avenue access will provide for safer and more efficient operation of the College Avenue/Drake Road intersection. Redevelopment of this site does not require additional access to College Avenue. Access to College will be via the existing intersection of College Avenue and Thunderbird Drive and through the Walgreen's site. As is shown in the Traffic Impact Study, the intersection of College Avenue and Thunderbird Drive will continue to operate acceptably with the addition of this projects traffic. The variance request for a 50-foot setback will not prove detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare. The 50-foot setback will provide enough distance from Drake Road to accommodate vehicle stacking both inbound and outbound without interfering with the operation and safety on Drake Road. The volume of traffic projected to utilize this access is low and is not anticipated to cause vehicles backing out into Drake Road. Ann Bowers & Associates LLC TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS November 1, 2005' Mr. Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE City Traffic Engineer City of Fort Collins 626 Linden Street Fort Collins, Colorado 80524 PH. (970) 224-6062 RE: Variance Request for Off -Street Parking Setback Distance — Drake Real Estate Development — Southeast Comer of College Avenue and Drake Road Dear Mr. Brac ke: This letter serves to request a variance regarding the Off -Street Parking Setback Distance from Drake Road for the Drake Real Estate Development located on the southeast comer of College Avenue and Drake Road. According to Chapter 19, Section 19.3, Standard 19.3.1 of the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS), the minimum setback distance from the Drake Road street curb face to the nearest parking space for the proposed development is required to be 75 feet. We are requesting that a 50-foot setback be approved. The required 75-foot setback would prohibit the development of this constrained site, as proposed. This site is constrained in north/south depth as the frontage along Drake Road was apparently reduced when roadway and intersection improvements were completed. The following provides our methodology and documentation to support the variance. Proposed Project The Drake Real Estate Development proposes to redevelop this site by constructing 3,500 square -foot building. The specific user has not been identified but could include typical specialty retail users or a high turnover sit-down restaurant. When the slope of the Traffic Impact Study was discussed with you, it was agreed that the Traffic Impact Study should address the land use that would represent the highest volume of traffic — the high turnover sit-down restaurant. As is shown on Table 3 Trip Generation Summary in the enclosed Traffic Impact Study, a high -turnover sit-down restaurant is projected to generate approximately 445 daily trips. These trips were assumed to be distributed among the two access points to the site. The two access points include the existing right-in/right-out access to Drake Road and the access via College Avenue and Thunderbird Drive through the Walgreen's site to the south. 300 S. Jackson Street Suite 100 Denver, CO 80209 PH 303-756-8332 FX 303-756-8362 anntbowers@comcast.net Ann Bowers & Associates LLC TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS TRANSMITTAL To: Mr. Ted Shepard, Chief Planner City of Fort Collins Current Planning Department 281 North College Avenue Fort Collins, Colorado 80522-0580 PH: (970) 221-6750 FAX: (970) 41p6(�-'22020 Froee Ann Bowers, PE, PTOE CC: Mr. Eric Bracke, PE, PTOE, City,Traffic Engineer Darr~ November 1, 2005 Re: Variance Request — Drake Real Estate Development — SE Comer of College Avenue and Drake Road Mr. Shepard, Enclosed please find three copies of a variance request and three copies of the accompanying Traffic Impact Study for the Drake Real Estate site on College Avenue and Drake Road. I have sent a cops to Eric Bracke, City Traffic Engineer, as well. I understand this request and the Traffic Impact Study needed to reach your office before noon on Wednesday, November 2, 2005 to be considered at a meeting on Thursday, November 3, 2005. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Ann Bowers 300 S. Jackson St, Suite 100 Denver, Colorado 80209 PH. (303) 756-8332 FAX (303) 756-8362