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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIN-SITU - MODIFICATION OF STANDARDS - 46-02 - REPORTS - MODIFICATION REQUEST (3)• The site plan and the architectural design of the building work together to create a strong and attractive visual appearance from both the Poudre River Trail and Lincoln Avenue. • Being a water testing and monitoring company, In -Situ wants to demonstrate responsible environmentally sensitive design and development. They view this site as an opportunity to demonstrate that development can be environmentally sensitive by creating an environment that improves wildlife habitat and enhances the Poudre River Corridor. • By utilizing sensitive site -planning and creative architecture, the Poudre River Corridor can be buffered from vehicular impacts of Lincoln Avenue as well as from the parking lot associated with this project. • By locating adjacent to the river, In -Situ can monitor water quality in the river utilizing their equipment and make this information available to the City. Regarding the "Frequent view/access." requirement: • In-Situ's operational structure requires a building footprint that accommodates 41,625 square feet on the ground floor for the light assembly operations. The primary reasons for a ground floor facility is that it allows greater flexibility of equipment locations, manufacturing and general operations between departments on one level and also benefits the assembly and flow of materials. While it is anticipated that the first phase of the building will be approximately 25,000 square feet, the site needs to accommodate the full 41,625 square feet. Designing a building that was only 125 feet wide parallel to the river would require the building to encroach into the buffer even further (see graphic A attached). • The south side of the building will face the Poudre River Corridor and connect to the Poudre River Trail, providing a strong bike /pedestrian connection linking this employment use with Old Town and the City's larger recreational/commuter trail system. • Parking located adjacent to the buffer will be well screened with screen walls and plant material. As proposed, the design of the project would not degrade the existing ecological character, which is very poor. A primary goal of the project is to upgrade the ecological character and enhance wildlife use. (t) The project shall be designed to integrate with and otherwise preserve existing site topography, including but not limited to such characteristics as steepness of slopes, existing drainage features, rock outcroppings, river and stream terraces, valley walls, ridgelines and scenic topographic features. The developable site is flat and featureless. (g) The project shall be designed to enhance the natural ecological characteristics of the site. If existing landscaping within the buffer zone is determined by the decision maker to be incompatible with the purposes of the buffer zone, then the applicant shall undertake restoration and mitigation measures such as regrading and/or the replanting of native vegetation. Replacing the existing non-native and weedy species with native trees, shrubs and groundcovers is a project objective. (h) The project shall be designed to provide appropriate human access to natural habitats and features and their associated buffer zones to provide for passive recreational uses such as hiking, fishing, photography, nature observation and environmental education consistent with the goals and objectives of the Natural Areas Policy Plan and the General Management Guidelines for City -Owned Natural Areas and Open Spaces, provided that such access is compatible with the ecological character and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature. The project will include a trail connection between the Poudre River trail and the building. In summary: Regarding encroachment into the buffer zone: • The applicant proposes to create a native landscape and wildlife habitat where currently none exist. Utilizing a variety of plant material species including trees, shrubs and groundcovers, the applicant will significantly enhance this section of the Poudre River Corridor over what exists today. rA By planting trees and shrubs on the southern half of the site, the existing wildlife corridor along the River will be more buffered from automobile impacts and other human disturbances than it is today. (c) The project shall be designed to preserve significant existing trees and other significant existing vegetation on the site. Two existing cottonwood trees are within the buffer zone which will require evaluation from the City Forester and may not be necessarily removed. ( See Preliminary Ecological Characterization letter from Cedar Creek Associates attached). (d) The project shall be designed to protect from adverse impact species utilizing special habitat features such as key raptor habitat features, including nest sites, night roosts and key feeding areas as identified by the Colorado Division of Wildlife or in the Fort Collins Natural Areas Policy Plan (NAPP); key production areas, wintering areas and migratory feeding areas for waterfowl; key use areas for wading birds and shorebirds; key use areas for migrant songbirds; key nesting areas for grassland birds; fox and coyote dens; mule deer winter concentration areas as identified by the Colorado Division of Wildlife or NAPP; prairie dog colonies over fifty (50) acres in size as included on the Natural Habitats and Features Inventory Map; key areas for rare, migrant or resident butterflies as identified in the NAPP; areas of high terrestrial or aquatic insect diversity as identified in the NAPP; remnant native prairie habitat; mixed foothill shrub land; foothill ponderosa pine forest; plains cottonwood riparian woodlands; and any wetland greater than one -quarter (114) acre in size. There are no key habitat areas associated with the site. The applicant, however, is committed to developing a wetland area that would increase wildlife habitat potential and demonstrate responsible, ecologically sensitive development. A wetland habitat would also provide the company with an opportunity to demonstrate their water monitoring equipment. (e) The project shall be designed so that the character of the proposed development in terms of use, density, traffic generation, quality of runoff water, noise, lighting and similar potential development impacts shall minimize the degradation of the ecological character or wildlife use of the affected natural habitats or features. 11 JUSTIFICATION The primary justification for this proposal relating to the Modification Criteria Section 2.8.2(H)(1) is that the proposed plan will serve the standard equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard. We believe that the proposed project meets this criterion in the following ways: Regarding encroachment into the 300-foot buffer and the view access requirements: The Land Use Code provides guidance regarding under what circumstances buffer zones can or should be modified. The buffer zone performance standards are described below: (1) Buffer Zone Performance Standards. The decision maker shall approve buffer zones for each natural habitat or feature contained in the project site. The buffer zones may, be multiple and non-contiguous. The general buffer zone distance shall be established according to the criteria contained in the table below (in this case 300 feet), but the decision maker may modify any portion of the general buffer zone distance provided that the performance standards set forth below are achieved. This may result in buffer zones of either greater or lesser distance than those specified in the table below. The decision maker may also modify such buffer zone distance if the strict application of this subsection will impose an exceptional and undue hardship upon the property owner or developer. The buffer zone performance standards are as follows: (a) The project shall be designed to preserve or enhance the ecological character or function and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature and minimize or adequately mitigate the foreseeable impacts of development. The ecological character of the buffer zone will be greatly enhanced over what exists today. The non-native and annual weedy species will be replaced with a variety of native trees, shrubs and groundcovers that will not only buffer the river corridor, but create wildlife habitat where currently none exists. The applicant commits to working closely with City Staff on this enhancement program. (b) The project shall be designed to preserve or enhance the existence of wildlife movement corridors between natural features, both within and adjacent to the site. 5 Preliminary concept sketches for the new facility indicate that development may encroach into the 300-foot buffer zone by as much as 30-45%. It is clear that the site cannot accommodate the facility and proposed expansion without encroaching more than the 20% allowed by Code. Despite this stumbling block, the owners believe their project and this site are compatible because of the reasons stated above. Initial conversations with the Division of Natural Resources and Planning have been positive. In discussions with City staff, alternative conceptual site plans were evaluated. The Natural Resource Staff stated a strong preference for a building orientation that would buffer the Poudre River Corridor from the disturbances associated with the parking areas and traffic on Lincoln Avenue. These disturbances associated with vehicles and automobile emissions were cited as concerns that prompted staff to encourage a building orientation that buffers the Corridor from the negative impact of automobiles. Representatives from both Current and Advanced Planning departments pointed out that the Zoning District requires view/access corridors along the river and requires parking to be located to the interior of a project or in side yards. The current concept places the building in the northeast corner of the site with the parking predominantly in the front and west sides of the building. However the building axis parallel to the river is wider than the maximum 125 feet allowed by Code without a Modification. The requests are for: (1) A modification to allow disturbance or construction activity within the 300- feet buffer zone, as defined in Section 3.4.1 (E)(2). (2) A modification to allow the building along the axis of the river from the 125 feet wide allowed by Code to a maximum of 255 feet wide, leaving a view / access corridor of approximately 115 feet. 4 VF RIPLEY ASSOCIATES INC. Landscape Architecture Urban Desien Plannino 401 West Mountain Avenue Suite 201 Fort Collins. CO 80521 2604 December 4, 2002 PHONE (970) 224-5828 FAX (970) 224-1662 Modification Requests In -Situ Inc. — Proposed New Office/ Light Industrial Building on Lincoln Avenue Modification Request No. 1: This request is for a modification to the " Buffer Zone Performance Standards" requirements as outlined in the Fort Collins Land Use Code under section 3.4.1 (E). The modification being specifically requested is from section 3.4.1 (E). (2) Development Activities Within the Buffer Zone. This regulation reads that: "No disturbance shall occur within any buffer zone and no person shall engage in any activity that will disturb, remove, fill, dredge, clear, destroy or alter any area, including vegetation within natural habitats or features including without limitation lakes, ponds, stream corridors and wetlands... " And is further defined as: "If the development causes any disturbance within the buffer zone, whether by approval of the decision maker or otherwise, the applicant shall undertake restoration and mitigation measures within the buffer zone such as regrading and/or the replanting of native vegetation. The applicant shall undertake mitigation measures to restore any damaged or lost natural resource either on -site or off -site at the discretion of the decision maker. Any such mitigation or restoration shall be at least equal in ecological value to the