HomeMy WebLinkAboutEAST ELIZABETH STREET REZONING - 2-02 - CORRESPONDENCE -Page 2 East Elizabeth Street Rezoning Petition
The reason that the petition is being made at this time is that we as owners must make
some changes in our lives and these properties are a large part of that (in golf terms, we
have all reached the age of "Super" seniors and beyond). Mr. and Mrs. Hyder (1008)
hired a professional appraiser to evaluate their property, and both their yard and home
are in excellent condition, but the value of their property was discounted 20% because
the Appraiser said their home could no longer be considered as being in a "Single
Family residential neighborhood". No one has or would propose to build a single family
detached home on the vacant lot (1004), nor would any Lender approve a loan for that
purpose. It is really not possible to start any kind of reasonable planning for this lot at
this time under the present zoning.
We Owners realize that we have been "passed over" during this time of change in the
Zoning and use of the Properties around us. Our petition is not so much to change
Zoning, but to correct it. It is our understanding that the Zoning on the Property
adjoining to the East (1040 E Elizabeth) is to be corrected to NCB (Buffer). In studying
the requirements and purpose of the NCB Zoning in the Land Use Code, it is proper and
reasonable for this location and situation. Bob Conlon lives at 725 East Elizabeth and I
lived at 704 Garfield Street (behind him), so we both recognize what a really fine
residential neighborhood is to the West of these properties, and the need of a "Buffer
Zone'. This NCB Zoning would also be consistent and compatible with the NCB
Zone buffering the West side of the Commercial property adjoining our property.
Our purpose for this Zoning is that we can move forward with the planning to become a
useful part of our neighborhood and community. We appreciate your consideration of
this matter so important to us.
Sincerely,
Paul F. Harder
EAST ELIZABETH STREET REZONING PETITION
February 8, 2002
TO: Fort Collins City Staff, Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Board,
Fort Collins City Council and other interested parties.
FROM: Paul F Harder, Owner and Representative for the Properties.
Phone # (970) 223-2408
SUBJECT: Rezoning of 1004 and 1008 East Elizabeth Street to NCB (Buffer). This
Property is located at the very eastern edge of the "East Side Neighborhood" and is
impacted by the Riverside-Lemay Shopping Center to the North, and the Poudre Valley
Hospital Area Medical, Office, Business, and Apartment development to the East and
South. All of the Property on this Eastern Edge is Zoned Commercial (NC) or
Employment (E), which is essentially business; except for a small "finger" of property on
the North side of East Elizabeth Street (zoned NCL residential). This is where our
property (1004 and 1008) is located, completely "sandwiched" and surrounded by
commercial and business development.
In section 3 (Buffer Areas) of the East Side Neighborhood Plan the statement is made
that "the close proximity to the more intense Fringe Areas tends to make many sites less
desirable for most single family residential uses". It then states "a wider range of land
uses is appropriate in these areas" and goes on to explain these low intensity Buffer
uses. Certainly, our property qualifies as being in such a "more intense Fringe Area".
These properties have been owned for (1004) thirty years and (1008) forty years.
During this time we have experienced all this planning and growth with the necessary
changes in zoning encircling and even jumping over the top of our property. In recent
history, the Hospital purchased the Commercial Building adjoining our property to the
North, changing it into a Medical Center. They then acquired land to the West and
developed it into a Parking Lot. The zoning for this Parking Lot development is
designated as NCL (residential), but this, of course, is not correct. By constructing this
Parking area, the complete West side of the Commercial Shopping Center is effectively
NCB (Buffer) Zoning. Actually some of the Hospital employees from this development
walk across our property as a short cut to the Hospital and a restaurant and businesses
to the South.
Not only have we experienced all the building around our property, we have also seen
the expansion of utilities, streets (especially Lemay), transportation (city bus stops right
in front of 1008), and a Neighborhood Park. All of this has of course changed the nature
of our "immediate" Neighborhood and the practical use of the Property.