HomeMy WebLinkAboutHOWES/CANYON MIXED-USE (CORTINA) - MAJOR AMENDMENT - 45-02 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTCanyon/Howes, Project Development Plan #45-02
Type II Planning and Zoning Board Review
Page 4
2. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable district
standards of Section 4.12 of the Land Use Code, Downtown Zone District.
3. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable development
standards contained within Article 3 of the Land Use Code.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Planning and Zoning Board approve
the Canyon/Howes Project Development Plan, Major Amendment, File #45-02, by
removing the following condition from the original approval:
1. Grading shall be limited to within 7 feet of the center of the trunk of
existing mature trees to remain on the site.
Canyon/Howes, Project Development Plan #45-02
Type II Planning and Zoning Board Review
Page 3
W: D — Office, Restaurant
The property was annexed in February 1873 with the original incorporation of the
City of Fort Collins. The Planning and Zoning Board approved the
Canyon/Howes PDP on May 15, 2003.
3. Article 3 of the Land Use Code — General Development Standards
The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable General Development
Standards as follows:
A. Division 3.2.1 Site Planning and Design Standards
1. Section 3.2.1(F), Tree Protection and Replacement
Existing significant trees within a project shall be preserved to the
extent reasonably feasible.
Where it is not feasible to protect and retain significant trees, the
applicant shall replace such trees on site or to the closest available
site within 1,320 feet of the development site. The number of trees
required as part of the mitigation is determined by the City Forester,
who evaluates the value of the tree and recommends replacement
trees consistent with the lost value from the removal of the tree.
The City Forester has evaluated the trees to be removed. Two
would be transplanted, which would be replaced upon completion
of the project. The third, would be cut down. The replacement value
of this tree would require three, 3" caliper trees to offset the lost
value of this tree. One would be located where the tree would be
removed, the other two would be planted off -site, near the project.
5. Neighborhood Information Meeting
A neighborhood meeting was not held for the proposed
modification. A neighborhood meeting was held previously for the
original project.
FINDINGS OF FACT/CONCLUSIONS
After reviewing the Canyon/Howes Project Development Plan, Major Amendment #45-
02, staff makes the following findings of fact and conclusions:
1. The proposed land uses are permitted in the Downtown, Canyon Avenue
Subdistrict.
Canyon/Howes, Project Development Plan #45-02
Type II Planning and Zoning Board Review
Page 2
third tree, a 12" diameter ash tree, is too large to be transplanted, and would have to be
cut down.
The City Forester has reviewed the proposed removal of the trees. The two smaller
trees would be transplanted within the area, possibly next to the new Larimer County
Courthouse Offices, or elsewhere along Howes Street. These two trees would be
replaced on the project as part of the final landscaping. The larger ash tree is
considered a significant tree and would require mitigation for its removal. The City
Forester recommends that three additional trees be planted as mitigation. One would be
planted where the existing tree is now, the other two trees planted off -site, also along
Howes Street or Oak Street. The attached landscape plan shows the trees to be
removed. The remaining trees on the site will not be effected by the removal of the
condition and will be preserved.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This project has been reviewed in accordance with the applicable requirements of the
Land Use Code (LUC) and was found to be in substantial compliance with the following:
Major Amendment:
A. Review Process
Section 2.2.10 allows for an approved Project Development Plan to be amended.
A change is considered major if it results in a change in character of the
development. The removal of a mature tree from the site plan has been
determined by staff to be a change in character from the original approval.
Major amendments are processed in the same manner as required for the
original development plan. The original project was processed as a Type Two
(Planning and Zoning Board) review since multi -family residential is a Type II use
within the Downtown Zone District. A request for modification also accompanied
the project.
FINDINGS and ANLYSIS:
1. Background
The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows:
N: D —Office, Financial
S: D — Office
E: D —Office, Financial
ITEM NO. 8
MEETING DATE 1/15/04
STAFF Bob Barkeen—
Citv of Fort Collins PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD
STAFF REPORT
PROJECT: Canyon Howes
Project Development Plan Major Amendment - #45-02
[Type II Planning and Zoning Board Review]
OWNER: Howes/Canyon, LLC
C/o Bill Coulson
510 West Magnolia Street
Fort Collins, CO 80521
APPLICANT VF Ripley Associates
401 West Mountain Avenue, Suite 201
Fort Collins, CO 80521
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Canyon/Howes is a major amendment to the approved Project Development Plan. This
PDP proposes a six story, mixed use building at the southeast corner of Howes Street
and Canyon Avenue, was approved by the Planning and Zoning Board on May 15,
2003. The nature of the amendment is to remove a condition of approval placed on the
PDP by the Planning and Zoning Board. The condition states that "Grading shall be
limited to within 7 feet of the center of the trunk of existing mature trees to remain on the
site." The condition was recommended by staff to ensure that excavation of the building
foundation would not harm the existing trees, particularly the large mature ash and elm
street trees along Canyon Avenue and Howes Street. Since the adoption of the project
by the P&Z Board, the applicant has finalized the building plans. Requirements by
OSHA dictate that excavation walls for the building foundation be stepped back in four
foot intervals (dig down four feet, then dig back four feet) to prevent cave-ins while the
foundation walls are being built. This excavation will encroach within three of the
existing trees intended to be preserved as part of the project; two trees along Howes
Street, and one tree along Canyon Avenue. As an alternative to sloping back the
excavation cut, the method of "sheeting" the excavation walls can be used. This
technique drives steel pylons into the ground at close intervals to shore the remaining
dirt. This technique will add approximately $275,000 to the cost of the project. Even with
this process, the steel would have to be driven to within three feet of the trunks of the
existing trees, jeopardizing their health. The applicant is proposing to remove the three
trees that would fall within the excavation of the foundation. Two of the trees, an oak
and a hackberry, are small, and could easily be transplanted to another location. The
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