HomeMy WebLinkAboutSMITH INVESTMENTS, LUC TEXT AMENDMENT REQUEST - CCN ZONE DISTRICT - 32-02 - CORRESPONDENCE - APPLICANT COMMUNICATIONthus providing a tax increment pool of money available to spend on much needed
infrastructure and river improvements.
It is no coincidence that retail uses have not been proposed and built on the two
C-C-N zoned areas adjacent to North College. Assemblage of property is an absolute
necessity in this area, but it is also a difficult and expensive proposition. Because of the
lack of infrastructure, any significant retail user would also need to have sufficiently deep
pockets to fund the improvements necessary to meet the City's level of service standards,
as well as the very stringent architectural and landscaping requirements. A major user,
such as a supermarket, has the possibility of being able to do those things. A small retail
user — especially a "grocery store" use of 25,000 square feet or less which is rarely even
being seen in the new store market — is not likely going to be financially feasible in these
two areas.
If it is to realize its potential, North College desperately needs a catalyst which a
major new supermarket could provide in a variety of ways in partnership with the City. It
is my hope that the City Council will have the vision and leadership to seriously rethink
the C-C-N Zone supermarket/grocery store issue and to seize the opportunity to explore
options which will greatly benefit the North College Corridor and the City as a whole.
The time is right.
4
While it is true that the Land Use Code would permit supermarkets to be located
in other areas of North Fort Collins, none of them are located in the North College
Corridor and to the best of the undersigned's knowledge, no supermarket proposals have
been submitted or are being contemplated in those areas because of lack of major
infrastructure and lack of needed access and visibility to service supermarket needs. A
major supermarket is interested in locating on North College Avenue in the C-C-N Zone
because of its proximity to Albertson's and because of the access and visibility of North
College.
(5) Land use planners of note have realized that some of the assumptions about
retail uses have not been borne out and that land use regulations to be effective must
reflect the real world and adapt to changing market conditions. For example, a very
recent New Urban News article had this to say about Peter Calthorpe, the guru of New
Urbanism and a consultant to the City during development of the Land Use Code:
"Calthorpe, the Berkeley architect who made his name advocating
transit -oriented development, come at the issue from another direction —
watching retailing fail to thrive in new town centers that are not adjacent
to high -volume roads.
A broad spectrum of ideas about shopping that some new urbanists
have been promoting in the past 10 to 15 years is seen by Calthorpe as
wishful thinking:
• Mom-and-pop shops? "That didn't really happen," he says.
• Stores placed within a quarter -mile of residents homes? "Retailers
didn't cooperate," he points out.
• Subsidizing local retailing as an amenity for the neighborhood? "That
doesn't have legs," he says.
"Retail wants to live out on the major roads, where it's more
convenient and accessible," Calthorpe maintains. "Retailers want to be at
intersections where 30,000 vehicles a day pass by."
Consequently, he now proposes that newly developing areas be laid out
with a grid of arterial roads carrying enough customer traffic to support a
series of "village centers." The village center, in his terminology, is a
retail cluster that contains 100,000 square feet of retail, including a
50,000-square-foot supermarket. To be economically viable, a village
center needs a customer territory of two to four square miles (a minimum
of 10,000 people), he calculates." 3 (Emphasis added.)
(6) Locating a new shopping center with a supermarket in the C-C-N Zone on
North College would provide a tremendous economic boost to this area, helping to spur
quality redevelopment — a consistent long-time goal of the City's various master plans —
and potentially help fund major infrastructure needs in North Fort Collins by serving as a
catalyst for the creation of an urban renewal authority for the North College Corridor and
See Volume 7 -Number 5 of the July/August 2002 New Urban News.
3
(2) The trend towards larger supermarkets is evident in Fort Collins. See The
Northern Colorado Business Report, "Chains out to bag new stores in FC", Volume 7,
No. 26, Sept. 6-19, 2002 (three new large supermarkets are proposed in Fort Collins, all
over 50,000 square feet), and The Fort Collins Coloradoan, Baskin Robbins to close",
September 24, 2002 (closure to accommodate Safeway expansion to 56,000 square feet).
Please also note that within the last few years the primary local grocery provider, Steel's
Market, filed for bankruptcy protection, while there have been a number of supermarkets
(but no grocery stores) built: Wal-Mart Supercenter at Mulberry/Lemay, King Soopers
and Safeway on Harmony Road, and Albertson's on North College. In addition, there is
the possibility of new supermarkets locating within the Shenandoah PUD at
College/Highway 287, the Timan property on South College that was just rezoned to
accommodate a supermarket, and in the old Steel's Market building on West Drake Road.
In addition please fine enclosed summary of Front Range trends in grocery retail
prepared by King Soopers, Denver Real Estate Division.
(3) Allowing a supermarket use in the C-C-N Zone benefits the residents of
North Fort Collins and North Larimer County by providing supermarket alternatives,
more convenience in grocery shopping and more competitive prices as the supermarkets
clustered in a given area vie for market share.
(4) The northern market is underserved with grocery stores and without this text
amendment is likely to remain underserved for a considerable period of time.
Currently there are five supermarkets north of Prospect, while south of Prospect
there are seven existing supermarkets and six others either being actively planned or
under serious discussion. Z
Although at first blush it may appear that the population to the south is greater
and thus such an unbalance may be justified, in fact supermarkets in the north area serve
a very large population in North Fort Collins and North Latimer County with virtually no
other supermarket alternatives in the area. It is much different to the south where other
supermarkets in Windsor, Loveland and surrounding areas provide alternatives to
residents of Southern Larimer County.
North of Prospect:
Existing Supermarkets - King Soopers at Taft/Elizabeth, Albertson's at College/Willox, Wal-Mart at
Mulberry/Lemay, Safeway at College/Mulberry and Albertson's at Lemay/Riverside.
South of Prospect:
Existing Supermarkets — King Soopers at College/Harmony, Safeway at Drake/Taft Hill, Safeway at
Harmony Road, Albertson's at College/Horsetooth, Sam's at Harmony, and Toddy's at Lemay/Drake.
Proposed — Albertson's at Harmony School Shops; King Soopers near Drake/Timberline and Safeway
expansion at Drake/Taft Hill.
Under Discussion — Shenandoah PUD at College/Hwy 287, The Timan property on South College, and the
old Steel's Market building on West Drake Road.
2
JUSTICICATION FOR LAND USE CODE
TEXT AMENDMENT
Currently the C-C-N Zone allows grocery stores defined as:
"Grocery store shall mean a retail establishment which primarily sells food, but
also may sell other convenience and household goods, and which occupies a
space of at least five thousand (5,000) square feet but not more than twenty-five
thousand (25,000) square feet."
The applicant's request is to add a "Supermarket" to the list of permitted uses in
the Community Commercial — North College District (C-C-N). This request affects only
two areas within the City, both located in the North College Corridor. A supermarket is
defined in the Land Use Code as follows:
"Supermarket shall mean a retail establishment primarily selling food, as well as
other convenience and household goods, which occupies a space of not less than
twenty-five thousand one (25,001) square feet."
The difference of course is only one of size. The problem is that, with the
exception of certain specialty markets, usually of long standing and in well-defined and
thriving urban areas, almost no one is building retail food outlets of 25,000 square feet or
less. This is true on a national, regional and local level. In other words, the permitted
grocery store use, particularly in the North College area, is a use which is highly unlikely
to ever materialize.
Unlike quasi-judicial rezonings, which must meet a number of very specific
mandatory legal requirements, a text amendment is a legislative matter subject to the
legislative discretion of the City Council and, as noted in the LUC, "not controlled by any
one (1) factor," meaning the City Council may take into account a broad variety of
factors which may support the text amendment.
The applicant submits that the Council should consider the following factors as
justification for approval of the requested text amendment:
(1) Smaller grocery stores are closing, existing supermarkets are expanding and
new supermarkets have significantly greater square footage needs — all a result of
changing consumer desires and practices dictating a very different market in the last
twelve years. Throughout most of the 1990's, annual increases in median
supermarket/grocery store size ranged from 1.6 percent to 6.4 percent, but from 1998 to
1999 surged to a 10.7 percent increase. Median total size of existing supermarket/grocery
stores increased from 31,000 square feet in 1990 to 44,843 square feet in 1999. New
grocery store/supermarket size (vs. median size) rose from 51,550 square feet in 1999 to
56,225 square feet in 2000.1
1 See Supermarkets Beefing up Store Size by Michael Tubridy, July 28, 2000.
• 2; u- riff, 13. on :rids bearn�,
heav'• a -ou.^.dacout. -arc
is.de:as'ac s ::r.:e halt ae time that
traIfc -1:' 7 o , : c cr a 1-real signal-
tzed intense_non. accordin•S to
:althcrt:e. Rcurdabouts give nse V.
'halt :he lurncer of ac- denrs car
regtarar'.-:ems -ins. he adds.
• 1aSVralc_nneMrsttee^.which
angle ou"m ar:=mthe tillagecenters
into "te L-' ;u .dirsg meendalneigl;-
bordtcoy's.: ro%-dhtg �on%v timt actiti s
! for an. `�i -, c :;�, and pedestrians.
! Caithcr_e sacs his urban network
idea iris ee-al - e-coiating for about rive
years. It esponds, he says, to a critical
need — ensr:r.^g +',at :vaikable :ter; :
bcrheods _t irm a :egrenat gird. "ver-
sions of '.Lie idea iave been incorpo-
rated _r s h151--r-t. For
Chicago Me^cpciis _0Z0, a private re-
gicnal piannine effort. Caithorpe -
sociates 4eveloced an urban nenvork
pmpos l aimed at iMani.-zt i; gowth
in alas outside (=-acaetr.
In .an _:iiu. Cartner^e = iarred for
the !ntersecta-un of ,ou: ane-wav
streets at a villa-ze green..At Issaquah
iiighdartds. east of _earfe. a =ian by
Calthe a includes a 'town center.-
whic_h in his tort tinuioYv means a
center containing higher -density
housing, azure retail. anal a .oncentra-
tion of offices. That cenrer is to be at
the intersection of an areral (even-
haally traveled by _u) 000 vehicles a
day) and the entrance to a community
that ill :'cave 33110 housing --tits.
C*ve-all. Calthcr,_e'i ut; an network
does prorde an aite--nacve o whathe
des—ibes as "the slow. jve_•-;c:led in-
tersecticns of our startdar::. si=aiL-ed
arte_rais." :h_: u er..a . e Is
sufficiently indmare n ecaie to srark
widespread enthusiasm among Zew
uzbanists-en-nains to ce _eon. •
TND law compliance picks up
L. WARD LYL=S
�sconsin s smart growth law
required, among other provi-
cities and villages with popula-
tions above :? CC to adopt a model tra-
ditional nerghborhood development
(TND) ordinance by January 2W2. Tne
idea behind he starewide model ordi-
nance —a unique concept — was tore -
move a big '-amer to developers to pro-
posing TNCs. Se cause holding land be-
fore it de•:eioced is one of the
biggestcos z� or _eveiopers, few would
take a c:,ar.:e cn..rocosirg a TtiT) if
the local ,; :cce did not allow it
Ceve!cct:r: :re :e!uctant to fight city
hail over ^ges :o lot sue, building
setbac:ci, s•r 2t:dhs, ar.d other de -
tarns. C.:r% • 4uburbarl develcp-
rrent ..mcst prcrtabre
mute. 7 .. - is chat if :orttr,.ur.,
1 nes ..^•a ^anC^s. more iuiz,
prejet:i .. _ - -rueOwd.
So. �w• _. _ '•',iscansin communi-
ties doing w ;Jr n adopting the new
ordinar.css' 1j1CC Friends of Wiscon-
sin, a dnzen Troup chat conceived and
i advoc_rcd ',.r :^_• model TND ordi-
c?ravismn. 1ccided to follow up
with e.icn • pr nc• ,:mmunities. The re-
f suits 'n•Ir•: nt r:r:•;rnK but more
work needs to be .lone.
Twenty-two communities (39 per-
cent) of the 57 communities required
to have a TN-D ordinance enacted one
or have made changes to their exist-
ing code to facilitate T Ds. (However,
it should be noted that many of :here
ordinances simply reier to the model
TND ordinance as a guide.) an addi-
tional 17 communities 130 percent) are
in the development process. The other
IS communities reported no progress
to 1000 Friends c; Wisconsin, which
conducted the sun: ev in June. x02.
COMMUNITIES DESERVE
SPECIAL ATTENTICN
• River Falls passed an ordinance,
complete with color photos and :llus-
trations, tai!cred :o -t its needs. R.ver
Falls has ait�o :r-ared ar. -asiiv
sible,'ne
ordinance and the prtnc:pies rind oo-
jectives of TND, as well as the text of
the ordinance itself, available on the
web. See ww,v.rfdri.or;/comdev/
eomdev / zuning/ mcl.httrt.
• Milwaukee made revisions
throughout its entire zoning rude to
comply with the TND provision of
smart Srow th !a'.v. Milwaukee 's ininI
1 proves that 71t^, :r inarces are
for ommurtt:es:h.tt'.v:il ex:ererce
inriil ieve!opmenc :n :he Z:rure as
well as '.' u e that are - ressmg out into
the neighcorng countryside.
• although Kenosha has not vet
passed its irdinanc_.:ts DredmXary
draft :vriI :ncerurate scme of the
most :nnuva¢ve asrec-s Jf \en
banism planing and design.
• In Dane Count•. Fitchburg,
Madison, Middleton and Sun Prai-
rie, the four communities recIuired to
pass an ordinance. are working to-
gether :nth ather.etr - it es to �e
velop identical or yen: similar urdr-
nances ,hroughuut : e-,_1=c: Nota-
biv, Sun Prairie was work. ,g on a
i\D ordinance :eiere :!^e state :nan.-
dared one. anal Wount Horeb,
is net required by law `.o deve!cc a
T%iD. is doing 3o or. its Jwn actor:.
Shnuicant DLO, -less on TNl) ordi-
nances has gee.^, made :::he !ast %:ear.
and',Vlscoruir, cor:u.-.;:rit-'-es will con-
tinue to stove ;cr:vard :n rhis evoiv-
ing process. For more information, see
the web site w-.vw.lktriertds.org.
L. Ward limes s a research &tarn with
1000 Friends of Wisconsirt. Prof. Brian
Ohm, Lisa .VfacKinnon, Nick Le!ack and .
Dave Cieslewic_ contriout_d.
Wisconsin TND Ordinance:
Municipal Performance
Complied
Plan in
No reported
(22)
progress (17)
progress (11)
Adoieton
3rcaxN!c
Asnwauoenen
Beloit
C. seem; ills
Seaver Carn
Eau Carre
c,:cany
Fond oil lac
Gernan;e•:m
Greenfale
Franklin,
ititli 3a'r
`de:ucn
Glendale
❑c:varo
'leenan
Greenfield,
<encsra
"easarr P•ame
Mannewcc
'_j ^.5 se
s•'ore•wcoc
Monona
vamson
-no.Arvers
Menomonee =vls
'. af'_If l�
Niuwalosa
Menorrion:e
,sc_r nRarca
Mrtwau■ee
MUoeeva
of
Cax ';eex
trace::
Onatasxa
,yea Au•;
Osnkosn
Nmrewafer
RaVnr
R'rier Fads
stevtns 7drnl'
Wausau
'Mist Send'
sourcer000ioenUl of;mConvo communamvrar
reef •e IDI mIdel 1101nance .: a ''on ♦•C:uLH
;u,deoaor. • • e."mmv ;,-of
JUI.t • ♦ucu7* 1002
local .irer%,:; s ; e rui^-sane .ra.is
that =r:tt r.:r a parr at parallel one -
war roads set a biotic aran) when
Mel_ error a �illac'e utter. The chief
virtue .�i Mr-e "one-way couplets- is
that d:ev an- nat-cwer dtan a conven-
tional : u: u.: an antral and easie► rcr
pedestnan, v cross. They make it
possible :o c—eate a _:rid of r ejestzan-
scale scws xt :he commercial center:
A ccnver.-onal arterial is so wide
that stcres on one side of he arterial
feel as if they're in a different world
than those on the other side. Calthorpe
says, drawing on his observation of
unwall a6ie suburbs in California and
much of he `Xest. One-way couplets
car. ;en 2-zte _ .rcre mcimate scale of
deveiop-nen:. with pavement as nar-
row as _S ieet. Traffic on he couples
would move slowly — probably at'_5
mph rather :han the 4= mph that's
common on a wide arterial. Because
the cou,iet would be narrow, the
buildaags lining it could define the
.•rent ivace. making :t :eel more Like
an ,1utd�xir roan.
Calthorpe's presentation of the ur
"_,an network at C`Z K stirred strong
ociections. t-ran designer Andy
Kunz said one-way streets that pro-
r,ei tame voiumes of o amc duough
communities like Alexandria. �'ir-
-nia. are 'not livable' — thew repel
pedestrians and residents by generat-
ing too much noise, fumes. and dirt
Calthorpe replied that unlike the
hard -charging three -lane one-way
streets in Alexandria. his couples
would be limited to Iwo lanes of t•ar-
tic and :would ave neck-dou s. Lim-
ited lane widt:s. and nvo lanes of on-
st.eer parkin; to iurher tame tht. e ai-
fic. If three lanes of moving t:amc are
proposed or if paraIlei parking isn't
allowed. "don't do it,"'he advised.
CONCERNS ABOUT RETAIL
Peter Katz, author of --he 1994 book
Tire Neu, Urbanism, ar-
gued that split -
A Calthorpe road diagram shows transit boulevards and local arterials with one-way
couplets going through town centers.
414
117
tint a \ :llage �ommet::ai ; nrer :nto
two parallel ore -way <r'•eers
of them with 'iusinesse. an it —
'spreads out the retain and -eau es :5
ritalitv.' Cal thor -e 14erend&d --ke Xn-
cept by stiruiat:ni: :hat :.e coupies
wouid:eshcrt. hetr:ent:th 'procer-
tional -o he su_-e or :.he _en -en
Others wondered whether
Calthorre's :urban nen.•ork unvise;v
accepts current standard's of anass -e-
Wling and traffic movement that have
madesuburban California a sterile er-
vironment by comparson co some .; f
the less cookie -cinder ie•: elermen,
other pars of he cu:tcy. 3v ac.;uc-
escng ro wart ar.d :eraiiing :onven-
ticns, the urban ,ens orK mac• ^e Z.-
Ina, up he runda.;.entai new
goal of cease --eat ^ aces. =ome is
CNu Y made :t ricot hat :., e%-think,
such a comrro:nise ,vitn' Xnven:icr.
is not worth embracing.
Gilt^,are cited he San Ehjc r-UL:
School in San Marcos. California, as evi-
dence that his concept in fact forte-s
cohesive community desior. The
school, he pointed out, will be built
close to a one-way couplet, whereas
schools rarely come close to nvical ar-
terials.
One of the interesting points made
by Calthorpe is that traffic moves
faster on a one-way 25 mph couplet
(which perntis left and right turns
without complications) than it does
on a 43-mph four -lane, two-wav arte-
rial where there are traffic signals that
stop traffic for 90 seconds at a time.
The con.entional arterial has traf c
signals that halt through traffic in or-
der to accommodate left hums. "Port-
land s all one-wav, and ey_•r:bed:
raves about For -land,•' he said.
Calthorpe's urban network fea-
tures these addi .cmai :omnonens:
• Transit s. T::ese rut
mass crarsih n :❑ �r,:tie:ac
right-oi-Way. Caiti"c7e'a"s the com-
mon practice of running. ail transit on
a route not shared with autu and pe-
destrian circulation :s a .T.Istake. "Put
pedestrians, vehicles, and transit all
together," he advises. "It makes bet-
ter urbanism."
• Through wa.•a, which carry trick
traffic and icrve :ndu;tr:�l arms and
"nunwalkible u;cs."
J."Y •4"17 3o02
7
Human -scale
\Or •ftzr :
the knd ;^at `e au, ocates is Srs^.n-
t ing to ac^aeve wits. hedted Ment-
Somery Ccunn% 3larelard. near he
nation's cacital. i-e smart growth
strategy or Cc.: ?zr s Glende-ting s
spurn rg .:one.^.Cai reinvestrnent in
Silver=er-mg, according to the LLI
senior :esrarch feilow. That "older
suburban dow;itow•n." where stain
streets gradually evolved into auto -
oriented strips. "is densifying and be-
cominz more --nixed-use.'•
The shL-t:oward a more mixed -use
and cedes': an-rrendly format is
likely :e :h:ouamhout -."e ':S,
Beyard celiaves. "We're moving b-
warc a re_,r:e- aticn of :erailu:g back
into `.4e cct-:nu-.i-.:.fitter .t7 years of
shopping ce:r:, sealed into an indoor
environrten! cerird vast panting lots,
we're mop-- g -in :.e occosite direc-
tion, toward a much more mature
form or de%: elecment."
At least :hree different constituen-
have reason to challenge the sta-
tus quo, according :o Beyard. Devel-
opers and owners of retail properties
want to protect their investments
from hastened obseiescence. Govern-
ments want :o vrctect their tax base.
And residers " don't like what's hap-
pening to -."e stores they've been go-
ing to. It affec-s their own property
values" as %% eil as taking a toll on he
Uvabilit•:.)i he:: Communities.Over-
all, he sav,. "%:ere s a confluence of
the public:he prvate senor,
and reside s : iuvrort of the idea
that sorra:c:r.g -as -o ce done."
CALTHC?PT'S PLAN
C3itnor7 •... = Berkeiev arcraec-
who r^. It- :ma ac -cures ; 73n•
the rc:n^cr-irecnur. —
watchi ; r ....... ; -a:i :o tt•.::va s .^.ew
town center', -hat are not adjacent to t
high-volurr_ rc ds.
A bread ire•. -:um of ideas about
cirl :'a! ,orr.e new urbanists I }
' e bt:cn �)rnr^orr.i4 in the p ast 12
to 3 vtar ••en cv Calthorye as
• �I..'_--',: r!,rp ,how,, .T'iat a'
Downtown Silver Sort:y- ai:in, ?ocve',
includes the grocer: s:cre :•_:_r=c :eiow.
• _rr r _tact: '.•
:.r cc �:ter.^.:� :-.•r^r�' _:z!ali_rr-
.:r ::ycr^ce.' hr n•tr.c cut.
• 71:: �:�.�St� .CC-1 Y1111;I1� 1� att
:r..a^!tt• rcr _ e ^r!_i•:c•: r..�titi' "';at
Ratan ,. anti t :i� a cut cn :he
arrr ra is. .whererya-
^tent anu ac,es_icir.' Cai:ner:e
:raintairs. -Re ailers w ar.r :e ce at n-
ren<ec^cns :where =0 'CO C2.^.:C3r5 a
day :,ass cv."
Ccrsecuent:v, he new v-ccuse��
;,at newiv deveioctn'z areas ':e `.aid
it a::enal SaC6 _ar-
7Cr: a _ene5 Or 'v!La B" ;--n-ers. ! ne 1
retail 'ttt_:e^
3.alare Ceti? JC
?l.'.•�LQ-ti::are-i"'.. icCd �•�`•
ecz�normacaw %:a C;e. a :ad_'e Zen:er
reeds a c ter e :Lerner-; .or .vo :e
tour scuare rn;les 'a ::,:-,.:Lunt X
l0.1 CO peociej, he :atcuiares.
C31ti"ore"s �cr,ce_ n.w hic:'t he :gas
ducced d-,e "ur:ar, network," c3iis rcr
San Elijo Town Canter. curr!rt!y under construction, amploys the one-way couplets concept
promoted by architect Peter aitharpe.
CANADIAIN
EEWAYS.
VOLUMC 7 • NUhiOCR 3 JULY:AUGUST 2002
Human -scale shopping still
elusive in the suburbs; Calthorpe
and BeyTard propose solutions
PHIL LANGOON
ne stores arc =;.Cccin,a ce-n.te s on.Amenca's roadsides are being abandoned
50 _': �" 2r::ilers :hat residents of ne'_rbv netgnpornccds are T: JtY�J?7
alarmed. Nleanwt ,i:e, a rave Llte newurbanist vision of shoccing — the idea or
tuckir; cornmercal areas Lio he centers of waikabie new suburban deveiep-
ments — is=rovinz difficult :o car^: out.
Cerse�:;zntly, `N' X r Miami Beach broughr an explosion of ideas about
how to or.za ize :cads and shopping into a forrn that's both humanly appeal-
ing and ec.ror:ic_L'•v realise c. Rezional thinker Peter Caithc re and Urban
Land Insrn:re retail expert Michael Bevard approached the problem of roads
and reraiiin frcm, differing perspectives.
Bevard :ees the spreading deterioration of existing shopping facilities as one
dav's Most ds'lurbing retail trends. Enclosed malls, strip centers, big boxes,
hale boxes — all of :hose are facing destructive threats from new competitors
opening elsewhere along the road.
Bevard's :esponse to the escalating vacancy and decay is to urge govern-
ments to "e: lne'.ack retail -zoned !and" and "limit the extension of infrastrsc-
ture." if iess :and were zoned for retail use, fewer existing shopping areas would
be losing heir tenants and :heir customers, he reasons. He argues that public
investment .rust :e focused on locations that make sense from both a retailing
and a comet unit: point of view.
"Use key .ritenec ions to create walkable centers," he urges. "Pulse the de-
velopmert" Instead of allowing low -density development to spread continu-
ously. � cn `;e-:; "r; an Ness asked Bevard where a "rational" public policy of
CONTINUED ON PAGE S
The first large :pale tradifional neighborhood development with modular housing is under
construction ;n ;,tasks. Minnesota. These homes, affordable for their market, are built in
Wisconsin, tn7!:pared in modules. and assembled an site. See article on page 10.
At issue: how to
make the New
Urbanism grotiz
Tte 7ior--.e= nee:5 'rice_'
de:eio.rers, .7rore r.asearc'!..rr..:
s:rony stansars. iome.
he �l_�est :.nail tO New U.-
banism 's how rO eXcand :t we]
beyond its rent .:.:nor sere if `. e
(S deveiocmenr ma:.<et.
That's theconclus'cn haremerged
from a :vide -ran- ng paneland audi-
ence discussion of the nirure of New
Urbanism at the cor.c'-usien of CNT:
X June 16 in Miami Beach.
New ur5an develoement's;zrow-
irg, but not rapidly enough, most
agreed. "Two or three years ago I
thought we were on the cusp or a
steep climb in entry into the market-
place," said 'hank Dittmar, president
CONTINUED ON PAGE J
Commentary, •.Ge 2
Milwaukee freeway, ..ac 3
Wisc. TNT) Ordinances, ..Ge 7
Garrison Woods, ..Gee a-, o
Factory -built nci;hnarhood.
•.Goa • :-, , . , �
Status of ?OGs, •.:cs I. 3
j Health professionals, ,.Ge 13
Tampa projects, -.Gee is -la
iMiami Beach park in8garages,
1 P.Ges 17. 1 a
The forecourt, -.cc 17
Departments, •.aes A. 1e-22. 24
Events, ..ae 2+
i
Tt is also important to note that prior to 19% there were seven super cent= and twelve
club stones along Colorado's From Range. Since 1997 sevmteen additional super centers
and six club stores have opened. Typical super center retailers include Wal-mart super
Center. Super gmart, and Target Super Center. Club stores include Sam's Club and
Costco. These outlets range in size from a typical Target Super Center at 165,000 square
feet to a typical Wal-mart Super Center topping out at 220,000 square feet These super
centers and chubs offer low priced goods, bulk items, and the convenience of one -stop
shopping.
Today's grocer must be able to provide a wide variety of goods at competitive prices, the
specialty departments and services shoppers demand, and ample space to provide third
party services today's customers have come to expect It is easily concluded from the
above information that a non -typical 20,000 to 30,000 square foot grocery store would
not be able to compete in tday's market
Below is a table summarizing the above information.
Average New Store Size
Prior to 1991 1"1-1996 1997 - 2002
Albertson's/GW
411700
47,200
53,400
Safeway
46,600
53,500
54,600
Cub Foods
64.300
64,900
65,000
King Soopers
53,000
67,400
66,700
Market Average
48,600
569800
599000
TOTPL P.03
Real Estate
thwaer UHNI nods • r.o. lc 5W, uwaer. MWM em7
IL t I " .,. tamwral tgnn i IN I I w • 46 Tat" $L. flowm. owwarw am
(303) 718a748 • Fa (aa) 7'1s4S&6
DATE: September 25, 2002
TO: To Whom it May Concern
FROM: Joel Starbuck
Real Fsta ept., King Soopers
RE: Brief Summary of Store Sizes of Traditional Grocers
In the year 1991 there were 125 conventional retail grocery outlets along the front range
of Colorado. Typical grocers included King Soopers, Safeway, Albertson's (or Grocery
Warehouse), and Cub Foods. The average square footage of a typical store in 1991 was
48,600 square feet. At the time, Cub Foods averaged in size 64,300 square feet, King
Soopers 53,000, Safeway 46,600, and Albertson's and Grocery Warehouse 41,700 square
feet.
From 1991 to 1996 forty-four new stores were constructed or old stores were expanded
and remodeled. The fourteen Albertson's/Grocery Warehouse projects averaged 47,200
square feet. The thirteen Safeway stores average 53,500. The two Cub Foods averaged
64,900. The fifteen King Soopers projects averaged 67,400 square feet in size. From
1991 the conventional grocer had increased average new store size from 48,600 to
56,800.
From 1997 to the present, an additional eighty-five conventional grocery stores have been
constructed or expanded from Fort Collins to Pueblo. Albertson's/Grocery Warehouse
has seventeen new or acquired outlets averaging 53,400 square feet. Safeway has
completed thirty-five new or expanded stores averaging 54,600 square feet. Cub Foods
constructed four new store averaging 65,000 square feet. King Soopers completed
twenty-nine projects averaging 66,723 square feet. The average size of a new store in the
market had increased from 56,800 during the years 1991 to 1996 to 59,000 square feet
over the last several years. Grocery stores were increasing in size to offer their customers
more variety, more self-service, more specialty departments, and a large array of third
parry services including banks, coffee shops, fully prepared take-home meals, and other
amenities.
em AftW C041PAlOES
Mneee m RcxyererJp ,
Dow fts&q IM AMO
roan tttrn mats mtm
=.GE
***-4
D6
Tuesday, Septerttber 24, 2002
E-mail: BusinessNews;a�colondoan.com
Baskin
Robbins
'to close
Ice cream shop a casualty
of Safeway's expansion
By PAT FERRIER
Patrernb *cal.oiwjn.carn
All that stands between
Baskin, j/ Robbins,
Safeway and a S2.9 mil-
Ice Crr=i&lbRrtrt
lion expansion at the
Drake Crossing Shopping
comment.
Center is an ice cream
The ice cream store fa -
hat doesn't want to
mous for its R flavors
budgp e'
opened at the Drake ;.
Baskin Robbins Ice
Crossing Shopping Cerr,
Cream will close its doors
ter in May 1994 and did
next month rather than
i",000 in sales last year,
move to the southwest
Baker said.
side of the plazas at 2160
'This has been a very
W. Drake Road.
good location for us" Baker
Safeway had asked
said. "1 don't want people
Baskin Robbins. Subway
to think Cm closing be -
and Yung's Recipes to
cause I couldn't make it
move next to Papa John's,
here."
Pisa to clear the way for
Baskin Robbins' deci-
the 10,000-square-foot ex-
sion to close coincides :
pansion
with other delays in Sale-
Yung's moved next
way's expansion plans
door to Papa John's in Au-
The grocery store orig-
gust Subway will reopen
inally planned to start its
in its new spot next to
expansion in August and
Yung's on Wednesday.
finish by the end of the
Baskin Robbins, the
year.
shop directly east of Safe-
Those plans have been
way, has stayed put
delaved until February,
A representative of 7 iT
Stroh uirL so they don't
Croup, which manages
interfere with holiday
the shopping center. said
shopping.
there was a pmhlem with
Baskin Robbins' he^i-
Baskin Robbins' parent
fancy to move was not the
company. Allied Domecq
reason .ror he delay, he
Quick Service Restau-
said.
rants baud :n Randolph.
'We didn't see a way to
Mass, which also owns
finish what we needed to
Dunkin Nnuts :rod Tor
arr heiitre :ne holiday,,
go'&
which is out peak selling
Company officials did
season" Stroh said.
not return phone calls
When the expansir n
Monday seeking com•
and renovaunn a -
ment
Ished e
Legally. Baskin Robbins
60 n alnnrr feet rind
must be uut of its current
take on a more Conterr
location by the end of the
rary, rem v Mr t, indIUL
year, Safeway spoknmwn
m • t ar oc — t.uU^e
Jeff Stroh+aid.
u"L4 w;; ",,4-
If it won't move. that
deli_._,
only leaves one option:
Plan, fur the Peke
Close its dtgtr,.
Cros+utg Shopping - :cn-
Store ..wrier Sherry
ter .tkt) ,ill n•r , new
Rakereon firmed the store
10410 :wi a,11.1ti. fwv
would,hut ,town to Octo-
Stji-dmf'.\'.JcrceM PI DIP'
her but ctid her lawyer
middle t the %hopping
had advised her nut to
.rntcr proiti•rty.
vnuVlLn i, ......I
I `_ue�-hat these
ref -A 'Paco•), but ,%e ,yrn,'I ix' Icnsfog
th,sc until Iver, s:vd firer Itet•nv, dirvc-
tor •,f deNQu .oul enotlement for Miller
Weingancn.
i.ikeb ten:,llr, RETAIL
include .1 li, uor
sr„n•, hair salon
and a saldaiell
dl. q,. S ■
"The "andard
oonccilirua". o"....' -- ----
saiJ
president of \lilla•r T✓
WeinOrtcn. ".lust
like um- developer. we're ... making
mane efforts to attract some interesting
local noon-:me'-pl,lr-tyf,e ten:mts.-'
Loss estimates file investment in file
*uvs are sayintg is,
g . 1
to win ;hare back.
thev've sotto
provide more
collvenlellce —
more stores.
— Jonathan Ziegler.
stock analyst
entire projeer at S14 million. flowerer.
.\lix-rr.onl pl:lvs ra Illlr' It. ""fill" I"elt
If the three sron•s all Jc, else,
front tile dclrk,per.
Fart 1:alhtls ,t'alll,I ll:l1'e I ` �Ill,t'r-
"\Cc 'I :1 net 1111'l'.r1Ileft[ "I
markets. including rile 11'.11 \!arc
nr SI(I illi"
million." Gas said.
Super(:QIIt,r Another ernlpelir,r I.
Milli r
Miller 1\'cingarrcu:% project rnul'1
possible Af %irket I:cnrrv. �n W.
binl;'c an nc� city:. willingness ro sligho
Drake IGmd. (he sire ,I nt. "1 Ih,•
Iv hynd development ,(:I... hrds lirr tire
former Steele., }I:,rkers. The 'Iwn,•r
f lnn,umy/:orridar. `chick limitsgn,een
of nc, pmpa'rty VislI.Fineb C." Iris
%lore, to a,l (n11) .(flare feet Mjlhill
❑o[ disclosed plans for the vacant
nciOiN,rluwwl centers. Tire Fort Collins
I,III I,h tl g,
The
14a11ninG :11,11 laving Board was .,Oiled-
%ndden surgv of vimin
,led to hear \Ijllur R'ci
Ofnrth enufll !,e tied n, the t 4olbcr
re•, uesr'
tin ,r uuliricatian ort hursda.
Noll aneninc of W-11-Marrs Super.
after this edifion nt
Cenwr sore in Fort Collins. W.A MmI
IC or tent
f;olnrnrla Rusme:%s Report wcor to
tinperCenters include full grocery
carer if,f
prr:.s.
Miller Wcingertcn cmrcnt1v has nil
16-acre site under contract and wit
close tin the purchase once it's g:line,
approvals from the city. The currcil
owner is Western Property Advisors, a
real estate investment firm.
The shnpphlt;-center alCSigln calls for
a "village--sn•le layout, in which build-
in4c will face inward..\ similar project
bs• Miller Wcing:lrteo is the SMIMIne
Shopping (:enter in Parker. which is
:mchnred by a King Snopers store.
Beery mid.
Wft Soopers wards Rigdem Fa In
K�MIpers Is a ❑cj de ri ��tNiu
se uare-k,nt stare Vicar (he southeest
rioter of I1ra a an inn x•r ins roads.
adjacent to the 1.IOr)-hunt% lijg, en
Farm subdivision.
I jcnver developer Kornfuld Kosloskv
Properties has presented plans for
a1 IYIal(f-square-f,wrr shopping center
— including nce King ti(wri,crs store —
at a neiglihorh(nkl nmeting. Fort Collins
efly planners czlx-ct a formal sahmi rral
„f the plan before the end of .svptenllrc r.
If so. the project could begin cluf-
stnlction by summer of ZIll1.1.
Aafewav's interest lies south of
I larmony Road.
The (:alifornm-h:lscd chain hopes to
claim the southwest corner of Skvwev
Drive and South College .\venue.
Ikevelopers are in the early stages of
gaining zoning approval for 'file IN-;icrc
titre, which would he the southernmost
grmery store In the city,
In addition to the chain stores, the
former owners n ' ' c's Market In Fort
1 bL)H re close: to op tin, : se c, -
nwn p cery frxuNing nn pens Via n e
I s. to proposed 3lecle's Fresh
Market Is planned for the llarnumv
Market, IIx)I H. Ilarmony Itmul.
`dlcele's cloned Its (wo Fort Collins
supermarkets last rear after he com-
pany couldn't emerge from bankrupt-
lny.
e .isr-`prcmfiiiC a,nrcpr has
made the discount giant file nmicn'c \'o,
1 Qmcen• retailer.
"Gencralh'. there's a cmv-,rn Ga' hao'
much Market share 11':d-\lore's going I,,
t take w'jth its SuperCcnrers - said
.Jonathan 7-ic4ier, a food and rctlil an:l-
Iyst for Deutsche Banff% in Ssn
Francisco. " 1 guess what ncvsc cues :Ire
s:n'jtt� is. to ,yin sharc hack, fire\ to c..,
in provide ,lore ollIenlcIle, -- nunr
stores."
\.%Bailor cHcor is evident in I rrcclVy,
where 11'•nl-\I', rt srl r • I 1 ynlctinn
e , •,y
S1lWrLQ1UQL-Itcvclr1pers are ncgotat.
ind with Safcwav sod one unnslneJ gro-
cen. chain to build new srnres bl the
city.
The result. hicglcr Ix•licccs. is pros
sure an prices.
-Th- C•y
share." 11� %nisL_LL I've,I=s ldud_aL:,
c1eTe. I,vt,s %ay Kiuy_So I!CV-, ns
tole. tjls'rLSa.i,-n.ii.m►.',>_• d-111ucrtslut:.
11 c_:cSidL'llls of Forr
Collins."
THE NORTHERN COLORADO
"{{���_ •t•tU•-' ':Utfr11M;E1FD DR
n'•F'% �:'-'1_LINP CO cL15�6—_1�
BUSINESSREPORT
52
Volume 7• No, 26 Serving Northern Colorado. Cheyenne and Laramie Sept. C-19. 2002
Chains out to bag, new stores in FC
13r Robes Baton
The Bntinest Reparf,
FORT COLLINS—'rhrcc snpernmr-
ket gl:uns are sizing up new Creations in
Fort 0,11i n. feeding sry'cul:niou of a
uew grtlecry war in the cite.
.\Ihcrisnn•s. King tioorcrs and
Safcw:ry have each started planning Grr
etnres that wnWd pmhahly Ire built in
late 2tn1,1 or early J'nN7. In each case.
Analyst: Mal-,llart success stirs groceg mpansion
the store would be the cliain's fourth in
Fort Oillins.
Allrcrtson's appears to be the first in
line.
'rile Idahu-based �raca•r has agreed to
huild n store m file Ilarntooe School
tihnps, n proposed nci�hhnrhood shnp-
ping center at the northeast atmcr
Ilarmnne and llmlkvhne mods.
If citt officials :iprrme the prmec�,
.\Ihcrts+rds wmdhc -Utw 2 1I
UIrt 11_•-lont More It, nitellnr the
Ilannom' �,chnnl Sh-gts. NlillLr
11'cingarfcn ReAll\'. the Itcuvcr-hascd
n•al o>teR• Ivxtlolvr ilmi's ImiNuin, site
shappin: ccntcr. has pr-,I .Kvd a
In�,nrnr.,,la:nc41�11` c ,let 1111JI161
to rgvn ill calk NOW
11w Impring tt•ut•:r ;,I nl< include
la non ..,piarc feet 4•r nu>ttll:otants
n•r:ul y.,,•_ nxtd pad mite, i.•rr
011•I10- ;.air, mill rqn resrntranu.
' l\'-' -: h:l,l .r lot of mtcrca tin the
See CROCIM. 29A
store size. ,:onstructicn and equipment costs for'he retail industrv..ndicates that new
store size rose from 51.550 sq. ft. in its 1999 .-eccrt 'o 6.225 sq. tt.:his year.
Second, the numcer of items n a sueermarket also comes ;nto plav_ in 1999. this
number averaged-40.»33. up -rem _30.,000 *,he rncr year. accereing 7 c.-N11. anv or the
new items are vanations on current Imes. wrtn it ,event favors. scents. or pacxage sizes
The factors that are driving supermarkets to increase size. including diversificaticn and
expansion or product lines. are also being reflected in other segments of retail. Chain
yore Ages Hhysicai aupperts Census snows that new -store size gains were also on the
rise among department stores. home centers and specialty apparel stores.
The question of supermarket departments that are contributing to the space surge can
best be answered by analyzing food and non-food departments.
Larger supermarkets enable chains 'a'ure customers -with, treater varieties of `red as
they rend off competition *,rem other retail tvpes—supercanters• warenouse clubs.
drugstores, convenience stores, category :killers such as pet stores. and the much -
ballyhooed online groceries. Store -prepared meals. for instance. allow supermarkets to
step onto the home turf of restaurants. while such fare as soy -bases desserts, fresh
soups, and herbal drinks equip them to contend with such specialty store types as
greengrocers, butcher shoos, and gourmet boutiques for high -quality, fresh food. (For an
analysis of the boom in organic foods in supermarkets, please see the Research
Express article "A Hot Consumer Trend: Organic Food Goes Mainstream.'
http:!/www.icsc.ora/rsrch/researchexoress/06302000.html). These additions may call for
more than just expanded shelf space; they may also necessitate more room for such
support operations as more checkout lanes, new kitchens, even in-store restaurants and
In other cases, expanded supermarket space results from non-food departments, such
as ATMs and in-store banks, video rentals, and childcare seriices. In one of the more
unusual examples of this tendency, many supermarkets —notably Jewel Food Stores, a
unit of Albertson's—are providing on -site gas pumps.
However, supermarket size may be approaching an upper limit as a result of two factors.
First, supermarket chains are still not sure how'arge they can build stores before
shoppers tire of long walks down many aisles. Major chains such as Royal Ahold and
Grand Union are concentrating on the 60,000-80,000 sq. ft. range in the belief that sizes
larger than this may require time -pressured s" topers to spend more than an ricur in the
store. Second, sales productivity weighs heavily in the plans of chains, as they try to
calarce the spacicus. pleasant atmcsphere created by wide aisles and attractively
-laced assorted gccds against the reed to maximize sales per square 'cot.
n ccnclus+cr. -,rcwth in sueermarket size accelerated from 1998 to '999 st a rate nct
'seen cefcre in the •7ecade. T hat increase Tay ce the result rf an excerimental pvase.
:een not .:niy m supermarkets cut aisr, r. er'}pes retail estaciishments :hat are
seeking to stay alive in a far more competitive environment. Diversified and expanded
lroduct lines in bath feed and non-fcrd departments have been essential pars rf the
experimentation in supermarkets. It will bear watcrnng whether the same magnitude of
innovation continues over the next year or two.
28 July 2000 Vciume t Number 2C
Supermarkets Beefing UP Store Size
By Michael Tubridy
Over the last decade, larger supermarkets nave redrawn the °ardscape of U.S. stnp
centers. As anchors of neighborhood aro community centers, sucennarkets nave
impacted the size of these Centers oecause of their own need for mere space. With more
than 40.000 out of J-1,000 snooping centers throughout :he U.S.. neighborhood and
community centersin turn are a major part of retail development.
With this in mind. ICSC examined the topic of changing sizes in supermarkets. We
asked several questions: Has this trend accelerated or decelerated more recently? What
factors might be behind this direction? Are any particular store departments
contributing?
Data from the Food Marketing Institute (FIMI) annual publication. Food Marketing
'ndusUy Speaks. disc!cse a -evealing patter aCout .r,dustr; store size
(h_ttp://www.fmi.org/facts_Tigs,,kevfacts/s,,cresize.nim).:Nledian total size of existi
esta
to
W
Annual increases throughout most of the 1990s ranged from 1.6% to 06.4°5. Then, from
1998 to 1999, median store size advanced by 10.7%. (Please see Chart 1 below.)
Chart 1
50
40
30
20
10
MEDIAN TOTAL SIZE OF A SUPERMARKET,
1990-1999 (in thousands of sq. ft.)
J'
Ila
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
SOURCE: rCCO MARKE i,NG !N0US7RY SPEAKS. !99t-_C00 ;FCCD MARKETING INSTITUTE".
`his trend might be explained by other statistics. = rst, there is a strong likelihood that
much of the increase comes from new stores being built rather than old stores being
expanded. From 1989 to 1999, toe numoer of stores ooeratec by chain supermarkets
:rew by 19 57; vPi filet .cse coeratec ov ,r: ecer•;ent supermarkets -Gained by !?,7',;
i :cording tO Progrr;Ssiye Gr, cer .Llagaz:ne ; ;ee :re!r annual rec crs :)f the grocer/
,ndustry published :n the April 1989 and April 1959 issues.) Chain supermarkets are
more likely than independents to be larger. As the older, smaller stores close, new,
iarger ones appear to be filling the void. The Physical Supports Census" published in
Chain Store Age's July 2000 issue (http:/iltrN'N.chainstoreage.com), which examines
PROPOSED LAND USE CODE TEXT ADMENDNIENT
DIVISION 4.15 COMMUN rY CONEMERCIAL — NORTH COLLEGE DISTRICT (C-C-N)
(B) Permitted Uses
(3) The following uses are permitted in the C-C-N District. subject to
review by the Planning and Zoning Board:
(c) CommerciaMetail Uses:
1. Convenience retail stores with fuel sales. provided
that they are at least three thousand nine hundred
sixty (3960) feet (3/4 mile) from the nearest
convenience shopping center and/or convenience
retail store.
2. Unlimited indoor recreational uses and facilities.
3. Day shelters, provided they do not exceed ten
thousand (10,000) square feet and are located within
one thousand three hundred twenty (1.320) feet (one -
quarter [1/4] mile) of a Transfort route.
4. Supermarkets.
FAN 1'C.LAL\SMrm INVESTMLNTS%PROPOSED LAND USE CODE TEx'r ADNIENUMEXLdoe
Cameron Gloss
September 30, 2002
Page 2
Please call if you have any questions or need additional information to process this
request.
Sincerely,
SMITH INVESTMENTS L.L.C.
By:
mes R. Smith
Enclosures: Request (9 copies)
Proposed Text (original + 9 copies)
Justification (original + 9 copies)
PC: Mark Driscoll, First National Bank
Jim Smith
Elizabeth Parker
SMITH INVESTMENTS L.L.C.
P.O. Box 1028
Fort Collins, CO 80522-1028
September 30, 2002
Cameron Gloss VIA HAND DELIVERY
Director of Current Planning
City of Fort Collins
281 N. College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Re: Request for Land Use Code Text Amendment
Dear Cameron:
The undersigned is the applicant on the Smith Rezoning application filed July 12, 2002.
As residents of Fort Collins and owners of real property located in the Fort Collins municipal
boundaries, the applicant, together with Jim Smith and First National Bank (the "Applicants"),
request that the pending rezoning application be converted to a request for a Land Use Code
Text Amendment pursuant to Land Use Code Section 2.9.3(B).
In support of the request, the, Applicants submit ten (10) copies of proposed_ text
amendments to Land Use Code Division 4.15 Community Commercial — North College
District (C-C-N), with the proposed language underlined, and ten (10) copies the justification
for the proposed amendment.
Please refer this request to the Planning and Zoning Board for their consideration on
October:17, 2002 prior to its referral to the City Council.
Y:
The Applicants request that the $200 fee for this request be paid from the fees submitted
with the Smith Rezoning application and that the balance, including the sign fee and mailing
costs be refunded to Smith Investments, L.L.C.