HomeMy WebLinkAboutRIVERBEND PDP - MODIFICATION OF STANDARDS - 39-01A - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTModification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
Page 10
exceptional practical difficulties, or exceptional or undue hardship upon the owner of
such property.
E. This request is only for a modification of a specific standard in Subsection 3.5.2(C)(1)
the LUC. The applicant has submitted a Project Development Plan package for an
administrative (Type 1) review by the City. The PDP must be approved prior to the
applicant being able to receive building permits and construct the project.
6. RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Modification of the Standard in Subsection 3.5.2(C)(1)
of the Land Use Code for the Riverbend Project Development Plan - #39-01A.
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
Page 9
* 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.
The proposed project is on a reasonably small infill site that is approximately
1 acre in size. It is bordered to the north by the Countryside Gardens
Nursery, to the east by the existing Countryside single family neighborhood,
to the south by the City -owned Riverbend Ponds Natural Area, and to the
west by Countryside Drive and the natural area parking lot. There is only 100'
of street frontage on Countryside Drive associated with this property. The
existing configuration of the site and the nature of the surrounding land uses
make it difficult and unreasonable for the property owner to meet the strict
application of the "connecting walkway" standard for all of the dwelling units.
5. FINDINGS OF FACT/CONCLUSION:
A. The requested Modification of the Standard in Subsection 3.5.2(C)(1) of the Land Use
Code for the Riverbend PDP is subject to review by the Planning and Zoning Board.
B. Granting the requested modification would not be detrimental to the public good nor
would it impair the intent and purposes of the Land Use Code.
C. Considering the configuration of the proposed development site and the nature of the
existing surrounding land uses, the Preferred Option, Plan A, as submitted will protect
the public interests and purposes of the standard for which the modification is
requested equally well than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a
modification is requested. The development plan will provide enhanced pedestrian
walks and emphasize the pedestrian in locations where they must interface with
vehicular movement.
D. The existing physical conditions of the site and the nature of the existing land use make
it difficult and unreasonable for the property owner to meet the strict application of the
"connecting walkway" standard for all the dwelling units. The proposed project is on a
reasonably small infill site that is approximately 1 acre in size. It is bordered to the north
by the Countryside Gardens Nursery, to the east by the existing Countryside single
family neighborhood, to the south by the City -owned Riverbend Ponds Natural Area,
and to the west by Countryside Drive and the natural area parking lot. There is only
100' of street frontage on Countryside Drive associated with this property. Therefore,
the strict application of the standard sought to be modified would result in unusual and
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
Page 8
c. the modification would result in a substantial benefit to the city; or
d. 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 the property.
Subsection 3.5.2(C)(1) of the LUC sets forth the requirement that every front fagade with a
primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face the adjacent street (to the extent feasible). It
goes on to stipulate that every front fagade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall
face a connecting walkway with no primary entrance more than 200' from a street
sidewalk.
Staff has determined that:
* Granting the requested modification would not be detrimental to the public
good and would not impair the intent and purposes of the Land Use Code.
* The plan as submitted will advance or protect the public interests and purposes of
the standard for which the modification is requested equally well than would a plan
which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested.
The Applicant's Preferred Option, Plan A, proposes 3 separate buildings
containing 8 dwelling units. There is one building oriented to Countryside
Drive that contains 2 dwelling units, both having direct pedestrian access to
the public street sidewalk. There is a 4-plex building oriented to the internal
private drive containing 1 dwelling unit that has direct pedestrian access to
the public street sidewalk and 3 dwelling units that have direct access to an
enhanced pedestrian walkway that connects to the public street sidewalk.
The latter 3 dwelling units have entries that are no more than 150' from the
public street sidewalk. There is a 2-plex building located near the southeast
corner of the proposed 1 acre development site. Both dwelling units have
direct access to an enhanced pedestrian walkway that connects to the public
street sidewalk and their entries are no more than 200' from the public
sidewalk. The development plan will provide enhanced pedestrian walks and
emphasize the pedestrian in locations where they must interface with
vehicular movement. Also, this site layout provides for a good building
orientation to the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area. Considering the
configuration of the development site and the surrounding land uses, the
Preferred Option Site Plan as submitted will protect the public interests and
purposes of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well
than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification
is requested.
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
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Findings of Fact/Conclusion
We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning
Board must make the following findings:
A. The request for a modification to Land Use Code Section 3.5.2(C)(1) is subject to
review by the Planning and Zoning Board.
A. Granting the requested modification would neither be detrimental to the public good
nor impair the intent and purposes of this Land Use Code.
B. Granting the requested modification would allow the project to advance the public
interests and purposes of the standard equally well or better than a plan that
satisfies the standard as follows:
• The proposed site plan promotes greater visual interest within and outside of
the site with a greater variety of building massing.
• Keeping circulation internal to the site better enhances the natural area
buffer, and
• The plan as proposed provides a unique site design, an enhanced vehicular
and pedestrian use area, a strong visual connection between units, and easy
pedestrian access to the off-street parking, the individual units, and the
adjacent street.
We recommend approval of the Riverbend Modification Request.
4. STAFF'S ANALYSIS OF MODIFICATION REQUEST
In reviewing the proposed alternative plan for purposes of determining whether it
accomplishes the purposes of this section as required, the Planning and Zoning Board
shall take into account whether the proposed plan demonstrates innovative design and
best meets the intent of the Land Use Code.
Section 2.8.2(H) of the LUC specifies that the Planning and Zoning Board shall only grant
a modification for the following reasons:
a. granting a modification of standard would neither be detrimental to the public good
nor impair the intent and purposes of the Land Use Code; and
b. the modification would result in the project addressing the purposes of the standard
equally well or better than a plan that complies with the standard; or
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
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This is a unique site, small in size, adjacent to the Riverbend Ponds
Natural Area, and with limited street frontage and no on -street parking.
With these amenities and restrictions, the site design places all the
active circulation components into the interior of the site, with the more
passive patio uses to the exterior of the site, providing a visual buffer
to both the natural area and to Countryside Drive.
Justification
We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning
Board must make the following findings:
A) The Planning and Zoning Board may grant a modification of standards only if
it finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the
public good;
We feel that the proposed design allows the pedestrian to interact with the vehicle in
a safe and convenient manner, provides visual separation between the pedestrian
and vehicular, provides better visual massing to the adjacent natural area, and is
not detrimental to the public good.
B) The 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;
The purpose of the LUC code section 3.5.2(C)(1) "are intended to promote variety,
visual interest and pedestrian -oriented streets in residential development."
We feel that the proposed plan promotes the general purpose of the standard
equally well or better than a plan that satisfies the standard as follows:
• This site has limited street frontage;
• Creating a courtyard plaza provides for a visual separation between the
pedestrian and vehicular uses with a change of paving, and planter beds.
• Internalizing the circulation systems reduces and/or eliminates the impact on
the natural area and the natural area buffer.
• The preferred plan provides a greater variety in building types, and a greater
variety in the visual interest from the natural area.
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
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Discussion: At Riverbend, street frontage is very limited, with frontage on only a
small section of Countryside Drive to the west, the Riverbend Ponds
Natural Area to the south, the existing Countryside development to the
east, and the Country Gardens Nursery to the north. Due to this,
providing public street frontage for all the units was not a feasible
option. As a result, the applicant has elected to internalize the
circulation system, and orienting the private living areas of the units to
the adjacent natural area or public street. This effectively screens the
vehicular circulation from public view, and also provides a good buffer
and transition to the natural area.
For Riverbend, we are requesting to modify the code requirement by
providing an alternative means of providing pedestrian access to units
7 and 8. Two options are illustrated and discussed below:
Option A (preferred Option)
o This option creates a courtyard plaza that is shared by both
vehicles and pedestrians.
o Pedestrian areas are visually separated from vehicular areas by
the use of colored scored concrete, and by using raised planting
beds where possible.
o There are only eight units within the project, providing limited
vehicular movements and traffic.
o Three of the eight units have direct pedestrian access to a public
street.
o Public on -street parking will not be allowed on Countryside Drive
and the department of natural resources prefers a design, which
discourages overflow parking at the natural area.
o This design option provides greater visual interest in building
variety and massing from the natural areas, with a total of six end
units. This allows greater livability for the majority of the units.
Option B (plan meeting code)
o This option creates a single six unit building against the natural
area.
o Per the land use code, only one of the units is required to meet the
connectivity requirements with multi -family buildings, which is
provided.
o Less diversity in units.
o Less variety in building types.
o Greater massing and visual intrusion on the Natural Area.
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
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3. APPLICANT'S REQUEST
Riverbend is a small infill housing site located along Countryside Drive, west of Timberline,
immediately north of the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area. This site is one acre in size. The
applicant is proposing eight townhome style multifamily units on the site placed in three
separate buildings. Two of the buildings face south, with the other facing onto Countryside
Drive. The buildings are oriented around a central courtyard drive, which provides access
to the garages, off-street parking, as well as the public entrances of the units.
The issue is providing a pedestrian connection to the east side two unit building, units 7
and 8. The applicant prefers a two building configuration with a four unit and a two unit
building. The code could easily be met by construction one six unit building. We have
worked with staff on a variety of options, outlined below, one meeting the code
requirements, and the preferred option which does not.
As a result, the applicant is requesting a modification to 3.5.2(C)(1), Orientation to a
Connecting Walkway.
Modifications to setback requirements
Code Sections: 3.5.2(C)(1) Orientation to a connecting walkway. Every front
facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face the
adjacent street to the extent reasonably feasible. Every front
facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face a
connecting walkway with no primary entrance more than two
hundred (200) feet from a street sidewalk. The following
exceptions to this standard are permitted:
(b) A primary entrance may be up to three hundred fifty
(350) feet from a street sidewalk if the primary entrance
faces and opens directly onto a connecting walkway that
qualifies as a major walkway spine.
(c) If a multifamily building has more than one (1) front
facade, and if one (1) of the front facades faces and
opens directly onto a street sidewalk, the primary
entrances located on the other front facade(s) need not
face a street sidewalk or connecting walkway.
Purpose: These standards are intended to promote variety, visual interest and
pedestrian -oriented streets in residential development.
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
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Based on the layout of the Riverbend PDP, only 3 of the proposed 8 dwelling units face the
adjacent street (Countryside Drive) and only those same 3 dwelling units' primary
entrances face a true connecting walkway to the public street sidewalk. None of the 3
aforementioned exceptions apply to any of the dwelling units, however.
As specified in 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:
"... the granting of the modification would neither be detrimental to the public good nor
impair the intent and purposes of this Land Use Code; and that:
(1) 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
(2) the granting of a modification from the strict application of any standard
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 (such as, by way of example
only, affordable housing or historic preservation) or would substantially
alleviate an existing, defined and described problem of city-wide concem
(such as, by way of example only, traffic congestion or urban blight), and the
strict application of such a standard would render the project practically
infeasible; or
(3) 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."
The applicant has proposed that the modification of the standard would not be detrimental
to the public good and that it meets the requirements of Section 2.8.2(H)(1) of the LUC.
Modification — Riverbend Project Development Plan — Filing #39-01A
September 5, 2002 P & Z Meeting
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COMMENTS
1. BACKGROUND
The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows:
N: FA in Larimer County; existing commercial (Country Gardens Nursery)
E: M1 in Larimer County; existing single family residential
S: POL; existing City natural area
W: C; existing Timberline Road
The property was annexed as the Riverbend Third Annexation in August, 2000.
The property has not previously been subdivided.
The Riverbend PDP (Type I, LUC) development request was submitted to the City on
September 19, 2001, and is currently in the City's development review process. The
proposal is for 8 townhomes in 3 separate buildings (two-family and multi -family
residential) on approximately 1.0 acres.
2. MODIFICATION REQUEST — PERTINENT CODE SECTIONS
This request is for modification to a standard in the following section of the LUC:
Section 3.5.2(C) Relationship of Dwellings to Streets and Parking, Subsection
3.5.2(C)(1) Orientation to a Connecting Walkway states:
"Every front facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face the adjacent
street to the extent reasonably feasible. Every front facade with a primary entrance
to a dwelling unit shall face a connecting walkway with no primary entrance more
than two hundred (200) feet from a street sidewalk. The following exceptions to this
standard are permitted:
(a) Up to two (2) single-family detached dwellings on an individual lot that has
frontage on either a public or private street.
(b) A primary entrance may be up to three hundred fifty (350) feet from a street
sidewalk if the primary entrance faces and opens directly onto a connecting
walkway that qualifies as a major walkway spine.
(c) If a multifamily building has more than one (1) front facade, and if one (1) of
the front fagades faces and opens directly onto a street sidewalk, the primary
entrances located on the other front fagade(s) need not face a street
sidewalk or connecting walkway."
ITEM NO. 4
MEETING DATE 9/5/02
STAFF Steve Olt
Citv of Fort Collins PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD
STAFF REPORT
PROJECT: Modification of Standard in Subsection 3.5.2(C)(1) of the Land Use
Code for the Riverbend Project Development Plan (PDP) - #39-01A
APPLICANT: Vignette Studios
c/o Terence Hoaglund
144 North Mason Street, Suite 2
Fort Collins, CO 80524
OWNER: Hooraz, LLC
1218 West Ash, Suite A
Windsor, CO. 80550
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This is a request for a modification of Section 3.5.2(C) Relationship of Dwellings to
Streets and Parking of the Land Use Code (LUC), more specifically Subsection
3.5.2(C)(1) Orientation to a Connecting Walkway. The property is located on Countryside
Road, on the south side of East Mulberry Street, just east of Timberline Road, and is north
of and adjacent to the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area. It is in the LMN — Low Density
Mixed -Use Neighborhood Zoning District.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The applicant has submitted an application with a request for a modification of a standard
as set forth in Section 3.5.2(C) Relationship of Dwellings to Streets and Parking,
Subsection 3.5.2(C)(1) Orientation to a Connecting Walkway of the LUC. This subsection
sets forth the requirement that every front fagade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit
shall face the adjacent street (to the extent feasible). It goes on to stipulate that every front
fagade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face a connecting walkway with no
primary entrance more than 200' from a street sidewalk.
This application for a modification of the standard requests that the Planning and Zoning
Board determine if the modification request meets the intent of the LUC. This request is
only for a modification of the specific standard in Subsection 3.5.2(C)(1) the LUC. The
applicant has submitted a Project Development Plan package for an administrative (Type
1) review by the City. The PDP must be approved prior to the applicant being able to
receive building permits and construct the project.
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. PO. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 (970) 221-6750
PLANNING DEPARTMENT