HomeMy WebLinkAboutCARIBOU APARTMENTS - MODIFICATION OF STANDARD - 18-02 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSIlk
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#18-02 Caribou Apartments
Modification of Standards
Type 11 (LUC)
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Caribou Apartments, Modification of Standard, File #18-02
May 2, 2002 Planning & Zoning Board Meeting
Page 5
The purpose of the Employment Zone District is to provide locations for a variety of
workplaces including light industrial, research and development activities, offices
and institutions. This District is also is intended to accommodate secondary uses
that complement or support the primary workplace, such as hotels, restaurants,
convenience shopping and housing. In order to preserve the purpose of the
Employment zone district, secondary uses are limited to 25 percent of the gross
area of a development plan. Land areas included within the contiguous parcels
zoned E (excluding rights -of -ways and public detention ponds) totaled 118 acres.
Secondary uses within this area zoned Employment, including the mini -storage
facility, two indoor recreation facilities, a fire station, a public park, single and multi
family residential and the approved retail buildings, were also totaled and divided
into the -total land area. The secondary uses that are either built or approved include
18% of the Employment zone. The additional 8.2 acres of land (there is an existing
house on a portion of the property) will increase this percentage to 25, the
maximum for the district.
Based on the criteria in Section 2.8.2(H)(1) and 2.8.2(H)(2), the applicant has
demonstrated the general purpose of the Employment Zone will be maintained and
that granting the modification promotes an important community need that has been
specifically expressed in the City's Comprehensive Plan and adopted policy.
The granting of this modification in no way grants approval for a multi -family
residential project which must be approved through a project development
plan.
5. FINDINGS OF FACT/CONCLUSION:
A. The request for a modification to the Land Use Code are subject to review by the
Planning and Zoning Board.
B. Granting the requested modification to Section 4.22(D)(2) will promote the
general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested for,
since the secondary uses within this are zoned Employment will not exceed 25
percent of the land area.
C. Granting of the modification would substantially address an important community
need expressly defined in the City's Comprehensive Plan and adopted policy by
providing a residential affordable housing project.
6. RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the modification request to Section 4.22(D)(2) of the
LUC for the Caribou Apartments, File #18-02.
Caribou Apartments, Modification of Standard, File #18-02
May 2, 2002 Planning & Zoning Board Meeting
Page 5
The purpose of the Employment Zone District is to provide locations for a variety of
workplaces including light industrial, research and development activities, offices
and institutions. This District is also is intended to accommodate secondary uses
that complement or support the primary workplace, such as hotels, restaurants,
convenience shopping and housing. In order to preserve the purpose of the
Employment zone district, secondary uses are limited to 25 percent of the gross
area of a development plan. Land areas included within the contiguous parcels
zoned E (excluding rights -of -ways and public detention ponds) totaled 118 acres.
Secondary uses within this area zoned Employment, including the mini -storage
facility, two indoor recreation facilities, a fire station, a public park, single and multi
family residential and the approved retail buildings, were also totaled and divided
into the total land area. The secondary uses that are either built or approved include
18% of the Employment zone. The additional 8.2 acres of land (there is an existing
house on a portion of the property) will increase this percentage to 25, the
maximum for the district.
Based on the criteria in Section 2.8.2(H)(1) and 2.8.2(H)(2), the applicant has
demonstrated the general purpose of the Employment Zone will be maintained and
that granting the modification promotes an important community need that has been
specifically expressed in the City's Comprehensive Plan and adopted policy.
The granting of this modification in no way grants approval for a multi -family
residential project which must be approved through a project development
plan.
5. FINDINGS OF FACT/CONCLUSION:
A. The granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good.
B. The request for a modification to the Land Use Code are subject to review by
the Planning and Zoning Board.
C. Granting the requested modification to Section 4.22(D)(2) will promote the
general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested
equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard
because the secondary uses within this are zoned Employment will not
exceed 25 percent of the land area.
D. Granting of the modification would substantially address an important
community need expressly defined in the City's Comprehensive Plan and
adopted policy by providing a residential affordable housing project.
Caribou Apartments, Modification of Standard, File #18-02
May 2, 2002 Planning & Zoning Board Meeting
Page 4
d. Development Practices, Policy HSG 2.3 — The City will seek opportunities to
modify land use regulations and permit processes that make project approval
timelines, achievable densities, and mitigation costs more practical.
Additional City Policies that will be supported by this modification are included
within the report, Priority Affordable Housing Needs and Strategies. This report
concluded the need for additional affordable housing units for low-income family
households, first time homebuyers and the identification of regulations which
create barriers for the implementation of affordable housing units.
2. Promote the General Purpose of the Standard.
An analysis of the existing land uses was conducted within the parcels zoned
Employment in the area considered for the modification. This is generally the
area west of Timberline Road to the railroad tracks, between Vermont Drive to
the north and the regional detention pond to the south. With the Caribou
Apartments, the amount of land area dedicated to secondary uses will not
exceed 25 percent. The Employment Zone District has a minimum land area
coverage of 75 percent for primary uses, the goal of the Employment zone
district. This project will still maintain the intent of the Secondary Use limitations
for this zoning district.
4. EVALUATION OF MODIFICATION REQUEST
A. Staff's Evaluation of 4.22(D)(2)
(1) Substantial Benefit to the City.
Staff has reviewed the materials submitted as part of the modification request. The
policies within City Plan do promote the addition of affordable housing stock within
the City of Fort Collins. The plan also recommends that if there are specific
regulations, which are hindering the implementation of these policies that, the City
consider granting such modifications necessary to fulfill the intent of City Plan.
The Priority Affordable Housing Needs and Strategies report adopted by the City
Council identifies a number of affordable housing needs for all segments of the
population. This report also states the need for the continued support of efforts to
add affordable housing stock to the City of Fort Collins.
(2) Promote the General Purpose of the Standard;
A modification may be granted if a "plan as submitted will promote the general
purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or
better than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification
is requested".
Caribou Apartments, Modification of Standard, File #18-02
May 2, 2002 Planning & Zoning Board Meeting
Page 3
existing, defined and described problem of city-wide concern or would result in a
substantial benefit to the city by reason of the fact that the proposed project
would substantially address an important community need specifically and
expressly defined and described in the City's Comprehensive Plan, adopted policy,
ordinance or resolution of the City Council, and the strict application of such a
standard would render the project practically infeasible; or
By reason of exceptional physical conditions or other extraordinary and exceptional
situations, unique to such property, including , but not limited to, physical conditions
such as exceptional narrowness, shallowness or topography, or physical conditions
which hinder the owner's ability to install a solar energy system, the strict application
of the standard sought to be modified would result in unusual and exceptional
practical difficulties, or exceptional or undue hardship upon the owner of such
property, provided that such difficulties or hardship are not caused by the act or
omission of the applicant."
3. APPLICANT'S REQUEST
A. Applicant's Justification for 4.22(D)(2)
Substantial benefit to the City. The applicant has already received Private
Activity Bonds for this project, which have been allocated from the Affordable
Housing Board. These bonds can be used by the applicant to assist in the
development of this project for affordable housing. The project has been
approved by the City of Fort Collins Advanced Planning Department as meeting
the criteria for an affordable housing project. The following City Plan Principles
will be supported by this modification:
a. Housing Supply, Policy HSG 1.2 — The City will encourage public and
private, for profit and non-profit sectors to take actions to develop and
maintain an adequate supply of single and multiple family housing, including
mobile homes and manufactured housing, that is proportionally balanced to
the wages of the labor force.
b. Land for Residential Development, Policy HSG 1.4 — The City will permit
residential development in all neighborhoods and districts in order to
maximize the potential land available for development of housing and
thereby positively influence housing availability.
c. Incentives, Policy HSG 2.2 — The City will support and encourage the private
development of affordable housing by offering incentives and reducing local
government barriers to the construction of additional units.
Caribou Apartments, Modification of Standard, File #18-02
May 2, 2002 Planning & Zoning Board Meeting
Page 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The applicant is requesting a modification to Section 4.22(D)(2), Secondary Uses, of the
Fort Collins Land Use Code. This section requires that all secondary uses within the
Employment zone district be incorporated both in function and appearance into a larger
employment district development plan that emphasizes primary uses, and together, shall
occupy no more than 25 percent of the total gross area of the development plan.
Residential uses are included as a secondary use in the employment zone district. The
applicant is proposing a residential project that will encompass 100% of the total land area
of the project development plan.
FINDINGS and ANALYSIS
1. BACKGROUND
The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows:
N: E — vacant;
E: RL — Single family residential;
S: E — Open space/regional detention pond;
W: E - Mini -storage.
The property was annexed into the City as part of the Harmony Annexation No. 2 in
September, 1977.
2. MODIFICATION REQUEST
Division 2.8 MODIFICATION OF STANDARDS
As specified in the LUC Section 2.8.2 Modification Review Procedures (H) (Standards), the
Planning and Zoning Board shall review, consider, and approve, approve with conditions,
or deny an application for a modification based upon:
:.. granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good, and
that:
the plan as submitted will advance or protect the public interests and purposes of
the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or better than
would a plan which complies with the standard for . which a modification is
requested, or
The granting of a modification from the strict application of any standard would, without
impairing the intent and purpose of this Land Use Code, substantially alleviate an
ITEM NO, F
MEETING DATE 2
STAFFB„h�Tpelcl
City of Fort Collins PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD
STAFF REPORT
PROJECT: Caribou Apartments —Modification of Standard - File #18-02
OWNER: Hendricks Communities, LLC
1165 South Pennsylvania Street, Suite 200
Denver, CO 80210
APPLICANT VF Ripley Associates
401 West Mountain Avenue, Suite 201
Fort Collins, CO 80521
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This is a request for a modification to Section 4.22(D)(2) of the Land Use Code to permit a
secondary use within the Employment Zone District to occupy 100 percent of the land area
within a development plan, in excess of the 25 percent permitted. The proposed project
incorporates ten acres of land located at the southwest corner of Timberline Road and
Caribou Drive. The proposed development plan includes 192 multi -family residential units,
included within 6 buildings. It is the applicant's goal to provide a combination of market and
income restricted units within the project. There is currently a single-family residential
house on the site.
This request is limited to a modification to the secondary use standard within the E —
Employment zone district. The applicant will be submitting a Project Development Plan,
which will be reviewed as a Type ll, Planning and Zoning Board Review.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 (970) 221-6750
PLANNING DEPARTMENT