Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLARIMER COUNTY COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS FACILITY ADDITION, PHASE II - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - 19-03A - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTLarimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition, Phase II, Site Plan Advisory Review - #19-03A, Planning and Zoning Board Meeting January 19, 2005 Page 5 CONCLUSIONS After reviewing the Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition, Phase II, Site Plan Advisory Review - #19-03A, staff offers the following conclusions: The location of the proposed Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition is appropriate because the application includes the clarification that the school grounds and sidewalks adjacent to Liberty Common School and Rivendell School be declared off-limits to residents, and the existing facility has adhered to these regulations. 2. The character of the proposed Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition is compatible with its surroundings and the existing building. 3. The extent of the proposed Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition is appropriate because it will have minimal impact on the transportation system due to future Timberline and Prospect Road improvements, and because the residents will not be permitted to approach or enter the nearby Liberty Common and Rivendell Schools. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Planning and Zoning Board approve the Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition, Phase II, Site Plan Advisory Review - #19- 03A. Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition, Phase II, Site Plan Advisory Review - #19-03A, Planning and Zoning Board Meeting January 19, 2005 Page 4 entrance for a total of 326 bicycle parking spaces. The proposed exterior building materials will match the existing building — split face block veneer and horizontal metal siding. The addition is intended to appear seamless with the existing building and the massing will be consistent with the surrounding buildings. The addition's building setback matches that of the existing facility and those of other buildings in the vicinity. The trash enclosure will be relocated out of prominent view and will be adequately screened. Finally, the applicant intends to follow the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) approach to minimize waste impacts, maximize energy efficiency and increase workplace comfort. Staff finds that the character of the proposed Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition is compatible with its surroundings and the existing building. C. Extent — According to the Transportation Impact Study, the existing Larimer County Community Corrections Facility generates 480-662 motor vehicle trip ends per day. It is estimated that the expanded facility will generate 594-776 daily trip ends per day. These trip end calculations are for visitors, staff members and a few clients only, due to the fact that the residents generate no motor vehicle trips, and many of the clients (as many as 75%) have lost their drivers licenses. While the increase in site generated traffic is 15-20 percent higher than the existing site traffic, the increase in traffic at the key access intersections will be less than 5 percent. Additionally, the increase in traffic will be less than 1 percent at the Prospect and Timberline intersection. Moreover, the City of Fort Collins will be improving Timberline Road south of Prospect Road (including the Timberline/Prospect intersection) within the next year as a result of funding recently approved by voters through the Building on Basics (BOB) ballot measure. This capital improvement project will eliminate the issue of adequate public facilities (APF) that had previously limited the amount of traffic that could be introduced into this intersection. With this capital improvement project, both sidewalks and bike lanes will be enhanced/added and will connect with the existing sidewalks and bike lanes in the area. Transfort does not currently service the area, though the Fort Collins Transit Plan indicates that future service will be provided along Prospect and Timberline Roads. The existing schools in the area (Liberty Common and Rivendell) and their adjacent sidewalks will continue to be off-limits to residents of the facility, and residents must travel on the opposite sides of the street when walking or biking past existing schools on their way to and from the facility. Staff finds that the extent of the proposed Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition is appropriate because it will have minimal impact on the transportation system due to the capital improvement project along Timberline, and because the residents will not be permitted to approach or enter the nearby Liberty Common and Rivendell School grounds. Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition, Phase Il, Site Plan Advisory Review - #19-03A, Planning and Zoning Board Meeting January 19, 2005 Page 3 corrections facility located at 2255 Midpoint Drive. This facility is adjacent to the existing Larimer County Detention Center complex. Neighboring land uses include primarily office, commercial and employment uses. However, Liberty Common School is within 1,000 feet of the site, and Rivendell School is approximately 'h mile away at the northeast corner of Riverside Avenue and Prospect Road. Seven Oaks Academy was located less than 750 feet from the original corrections facility addition, but it has since moved to a location that is not affected by this corrections facility addition. The applicant has stated that impacts to school safety will not increase, and that the location of the facility has proven its safety record. The previous application to construct the facility declared that these school grounds and adjacent walks are off-limits to residents of the facility. The addition will continue this restriction to residents. Seven Oaks Academy was also included on the original list of off-limits schools, but it has since moved to a location not affected by this development. Staff finds that the location of the proposed Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition is appropriate because the application includes the clarification that the school grounds and sidewalks adjacent to Liberty Common School and Rivendell School continue to be off-limits to residents, and that the existing facility has successfully adhered to these regulations. B. Character — The addition will house an additional 151 residents, and will contain 23,240 square feet of floor area including additional bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry facilities, mechanical spaces, storage, resident multipurpose areas and offices. The first floor of the three-story addition will be separated from the rest of the building with its own entrance, lobby, check -in, and visitation areas for the women's program. The second and third stories will increase capacity to the existing facility's men's programs. Combined with the existing 32,400 square foot facility, the new facility will total 55,640 square feet and house 327 residents. No additional kitchen, outdoor areas, or loading areas are proposed because the original building was designed to accommodate this addition. While State Statute does not require the Site Plan Review application to follow municipal Land Use Code standards, this project satisfies the basic requirements of the Fort Collins Land Use Code. The street trees along Midpoint Drive in the parkway strip between the sidewalk and curb will remain undisturbed. Foundation plantings will be provided along all facades to match those of the existing facility, and the existing trees that are located within the addition area will be relocated on the site. No changes to the parking lots are proposed at this time, though the applicant has stated intent to modify the plans to provide additional parking. The current parking lots are adequately landscaped and oriented behind the building. The parking spaces meet minimum parking space dimensions and handicap spaces are provided conveniently next to the main building entry. A new sidewalk will connect the street sidewalk with the main building entrance. An additional 150 bicycle parking spaces are proposed near the building Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition, Phase II, Site Plan Advisory Review - #19-03A, Planning and Zoning Board Meeting January 19, 2005 Page 2 COMMENTS: 1. Background The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: E (Employment District) — Midpoint Drive, Spring Creek Center (commercial and retail uses), Prospect Road E: E (Employment District) — Larimer County Detention Center, Midpoint Drive, Advance Energy, Liberty Common School S: T (Transitional District) — Vacant land, Great Western Railroad Tracks, I (Industrial District) & LMN (Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood District) — Sidehill Overall Development Plan W: E (Employment District) — Existing warehouse building, new Centerpoint Plaza office building and Project Development Plan, Timberline Road The property was annexed in September 1973 as part of the East Prospect First Annexation. The Larimer County Corrections Facility on Midpoint Drive was disapproved by the Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Board on July 17, 2003. However, the Board of County commissioners overturned the disapproval on July 22, 2003 and the project was subsequently approved by the County Planning Department and constructed. Excerpts from the July 17, 2003 Planning and Zoning Board meeting minutes are attached. 2. Process The City of Fort Collins has agreed with Larimer County to process this review under Section 31-23-209, Colorado Revised Statutes, which states: "When the commission (Planning and Zoning Board) has adopted the master plan of the municipality or of one or more major sections or districts thereof, no street, square, park or other public way, ground or open space, public building or structure, or publicly or privately owned public utility shall be constructed or authorized in the municipality or in such planned section and district until the location, character, and extent thereof has been submitted for approval by the commission." Under the statute, if the Planning and Zoning Board disapproves the site plan, such disapproval may be overturned by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Commissioners. 3. Location, Character and Extent: A. Location — The proposed community corrections facility addition will add 23,240 square feet to the west end of the existing 32,400 square foot ITEM NO. 4 MEETING DAT11/19/06 &MM STAFF Shelby Sommer Citv of Fort Collins PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD STAFF REPORT PROJECT: Larimer County Community Corrections Facility Addition, Phase II, Site Plan Advisory Review - #19-03A APPLICANT/ OWNER: Larimer County Facilities Department 2555 Midpoint Drive, Suite D Fort Collins, CO 80525, PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Larimer County requests a Site Plan Advisory Review to construct a three-story building addition to the existing Community Corrections Facility located at 2255 Midpoint Drive. The 24,240 square foot proposed addition will house an additional 151 residents and will continue to serve as an alternative sentencing unit or "halfway house." In combination with the existing facility, which contains 32,400 square feet, the expanded facility will total 55,640 square feet and house 327 residents. The first floor of the new addition will be dedicated for a women's program and will be separated from the rest of the building with its own entrance, lobby, check -in core, and visitation areas. The second and third floors will be used to increase capacity for the existing men's programs. The original building was designed to accommodate future expansion, so many of the facilities including kitchen, outdoor areas and loading areas will not change with this expansion. The property is zoned E — Employment District. RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This request for review from Larimer County is submitted to the Planning and Zoning Board as a Site Plan Advisory Review pursuant to State Statute Section 31-23-209, which limits the City's review to the location, character and extent of the proposal. COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box580 Fort Collins, CO80522-0580 (970)221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT