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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSINCLAIR REDEVELOPMENT, COLLEGE & DRAKE - MOD - 25-03A - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTC. For these reasons, Staff finds that plan as proposed with the Modification will not be detrimental to the public good and will perform in a manner that is equal to or better than a plan that would otherwise meet the standard. D. When viewed from the broader context of the South College Avenue commercial district, the extra 13 spaces, as indicated on the pending P.D.P., will result in a plan that does not diverge from the standard except in a nominal, inconsequential way, and will continue to advance the purposes of the Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2 RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the Request for Modification to Section 3.2.2(K)(2)(a) for Drake Shops, #25-03A, subject to the following condition: The pending P.D.P, submitted in conjunction with this Request for Modification, shall be made a part of the official record of this action. Any subsequent application for P.D.P. that utilizes this Modification shall substantially incorporate all relevant design features indicated on the pending P.D.P, including, but not limited to access, building orientation, architectural character and the amount and quality of landscape materials. 3 station was an "island," the new retail store will comply with the build -to lines for a corner lot. Thus, the streetscape is improved aesthetically and pedestrian access and safety is vastly improved. As required by the Transportation Service Area, the pending P.D.P. will close the South College Avenue access. Instead, access to and from the south will be via the existing public frontage road west of Walgreen's that leads to the Thunderbird/South College intersection. This curb cut closure will improve traffic flow on South College Avenue. Matching the architectural form, materials, colors and accent features of the Walgreen's is positive. Walgreen's is an attractive commercial building that features facade articulation, varying roofline, and a distinguishable base, middle and top. The entrance is prominent yet not overstated. The materials include brick and masonry and building conveys a solid, permanent impression. By matching Walgreen's, the sense of a planned center is replaced by the typical chaotic mix found along most commercial strips. The landscape plan for the pending P.D.P. indicates that the plant material is maximized effectively. The quantity of plant material significantly exceeds the standard. The orientation of the building is such that the extra 13 parking spaces will be located as far from the intersection as possible. The building will contribute to the screening of these spaces. The site is only .47 acre in size. There are significantly larger sites with corresponding larger parking lots located along both sides of South College Avenue throughout the entire zone district. Further, the South College corridor is characterized by auto dealerships with display vehicles located directly behind the property line facing the street resembling large parking lots. The 13 extra spaces, when viewed from the broader context of the Commercial zone, represent an insignificant impact on visual aesthetics of the streetscape. 6. Finding of Facts and Conclusions: In evaluating the Modification Request, and in compliance with Section 2.8.2(H), Staff makes the following findings of fact and conclusions: A. The pending P.D.P. indicates significant upgrades from the standards relating to architectural compatibility and landscaping. B. The extra 13 spaces will be effectively screened by the additional plant material as well as the building orientation. 5 i Restaurants a. Fast Food 1511000 sq.ft. b. Standard 10/1000 sq.ft. The fast food restaurant would allow a maximum of 51 spaces and a standard restaurant would allow a maximum of 34 spaces. The applicant has forthrightly made it clear that the pending P.D.P. is for a retail tenant. The future conversion to a restaurant, however, should not be dismissed given the cyclical nature of the retail trends. In fact, the applicant plans on installing a grease interceptor just in case a restaurant user takes occupancy. • The architecture of the building will be four-sided with no obvious back side. The form, materials, color and accent features will closely resemble Walgreen's retail store to the south. While not technically part of a center, these efforts will lend the appearance of a unified design between the two buildings. • The amount of landscaping will exceed the standard. Trees will be placed along the perimeter at more frequent intervals than required. The parking lot perimeter will screened with continuous rows of shrubs. The parking lot interior will significantly exceed the required minimum of 6%. 5. Staff Evaluation and Analysis : It is important to review the purpose statement of the Commercial zone district: (A) Purpose. The Commercial District is intended to be a setting for development, redevelopment and infill of a wide range of community and regional retail uses, offices and personal and business services. Secondarily, it can accommodate a wide range of other uses including creative forms of housing. While some Commercial District areas may continue to meet the need for auto -related and other auto -oriented uses, it is the city's intent that the Commercial District emphasize safe and convenient personal mobility in many forms, with planning and design that accommodates pedestrians. The purpose statement clearly envisions redevelopment of parcels along South College Avenue. The demolition of a gas station in favor of a retail store represents an infill and redevelopment project that removes an obsolete auto - related use at the corner of two arterial streets. Further, where the existing gas 4 allowed may be increased by twenty (20) percent, provided that the amount of parking lot landscaping is also increased by twenty (20) percent. (This twenty -percent increase shall not apply to the "general office" use category.) Restaurants a. Fast Food 15/1000 sq.ft. b. Standard 10/1000 sq.ft. I General Retail 4/1000 sq.ft. 3. Description of the Modification: The standard allows a maximum of 14 spaces. With the 20% bonus allowed for not being able to share parking with other abutting users, the standard would allow a maximum of 16 spaces. The applicant is proposing to provide 29 spaces. The divergence from standard is 13 spaces. 4. Summary of the Applicant's Justification: The applicant has submitted written justification for this Modification which is attached. The applicant states that the pending P.D.P., as Modified, would not be detrimental to the public good and continue to comply with the standard equally well or better than a plan that would otherwise comply. Briefly, the applicant contends that standard is met due to significant upgrades that exceed baseline standards. Although the pending P.D.P. calls for a retail store, there is the potential for a restaurant tenant at some point in the future. The nature of the retail business is cyclical and the building's lifespan could outlast the retailer's needs. Since the location is highly visible and attractive to potential future restaurant tenants, the parking maximum allowed parking should be flexible to provide for such a conversion. The maximum allowable parking for a fast food or standard restaurant is as follows: 3 COMMENTS: Background: The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: R-L; Existing Bank with Drive-thru Facilities (Wells Fargo) S: C; Existing Retail Store with Drive-thru Facilities (Walgreens) E: C; Existing Multi -tenant Retail/Service Building W: C; Existing Auto Sales and Leasing (Spradley-Barr) The Sinclair gasoline station was the first building constructed in the Thunderbird Commercial Plaza which was platted and developed in 1963. The first tenants were located along East Drake Road. These were Sinclair on the corner, the City's first 7-Eleven convenience store in the middle and a multi -tenant medical building on the east. Of these three buildings, the middle one was demolished as part of the Eckerd/Walgreen's project. The Thunderbird motel was constructed in phases. The first phase was constructed in 1964 and consisted of the south -facing wing of the motel, the detached office and the pool. The second phase was the west -facing wing and constructed in 1976. This motel was also demolished as part of the Eckerd/Walgreen's project. The Moot House restaurant was constructed in 1972 and it will remain. The underground gasoline storage tanks were replaced in 1991. The aforementioned Eckerd/Walgreen's project was approved by the Hearing Officer on December 5, 2003. This project involved the demolition of the Thunderbird Motel and the old 7-Eleven building and replacement by a 13,824 square foot retail store with a drive-thru facility. 2. The Standard at Issue: Section 3.2.2(K) of the Code describes the maximum amount of parking allowed per non-residential land use. The standard reads as follows: (2) Nonresidential Parking Requirements: Nonresidential uses will be limited to a maximum number of parking spaces as defined by the standards defined below. (a) The table below sets forth the number of allowed parking spaces based on the square footage of the gross leasable area and of the occupancy of specified uses. In the event that on -street or shared parking is not available on land adjacent to the use, then the maximum parking 2 ITEM NO. 02 MEETING DATE ` STAFF %D S/fEI�A R O Citv of Fort Collins HEARING OFFICER STAFF REPORT PROECT: Drake Shops Request for Modification, #25-03A APPLICANT: Drake Real Estate Services c/o Mr. Andrew Lemmer Design Edge 1820-B Fifteenth Street Denver, CO 80202 OWNER: Sinclair Oil Corporation 333 W. Hampden Avenue #906 Englewood, CO 80110 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a Request for a Modification of a Standard and is made prior to and in conjunction with a larger project. This larger project is the demolition of the vacant Sinclair gasoline station at the southeast corner of South College Avenue and Drake Road so that a new retail building could be built. The standard that is being requested to be modified is the maximum parking standard as stated in Section 3.2.2(K)(2)(a). This standard requires that a general retail building containing 3,454 square feet not exceed a maximum of 16 parking spaces. The applicant is seeking 29 spaces. The site is .47 acre in size and located at the southeast corner of South College Avenue and Drake Road. The parcel is zoned C, Commercial. RECOMMENDATION: Approval with Condition EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This is a stand-alone Modification Request to the maximum parking standard. The request complies with the standards of Section 2.8. The condition of approval pertains to the incorporating the relevant design features of the pending P.D.P. into the subsequent complete submittal for a P.D.P. COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO80522-0580 (970) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT