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CSU Parking Lot #SPA150002
Planning & Zoning Hearing
Page 9
E. The proposal is in conformance with the existing CSURF Centre for Advanced
Technology Overall Development Plan (ODP).
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the CSU Parking Lot, Site Plan Advisory Review
#SPA 150002.
Attachments:
Vicinity Map
Aerial Map
Project Narrative
Site and Landscape Plan
CSURF Centre for Advanced Technology Overall Development Plan
Traffic Impact Study?
CSU Parking Lot #SPA150002
Planning & Zoning Hearing
Page 8
The general response from CSU staff was that parking spaces
would be incorporated into the lot for the tennis courts and that
these spaces would be open to the public and metered. The
number of metered spaces will be based on demand.
• Concern with potential light pollution, preference for less light.
CSU staff explained that the light poles used for the parking lot
will likely be their first use of LED parking lights, that the lights will
be shielded, and that the illumination levels will likely be less than
the levels required by City standards.
• Concern with parking overflow into neighborhoods and a preference that
the south campus be internally parked.
CSU staff explained that that the new parking lot may help
mitigate parking overflow in surrounding neighborhoods.
• Concern with existing on -street parking on Research Blvd. and cars
parked in close proximity to the entrance drives along the west side of
Research.
City staff has discussed this concern and is evaluating the impact.
Currently "no parking" signs are in place at these drive entrances.
Additional options such as marking the drive entrance curbs with
red paint are being evaluated.
6. Findings of Fact/Conclusions:
A. The CSU Parking Lot SPAR is subject to evaluation by the Planning and
Zoning Board, pursuant to State Statute Section 31-23-209, C.R.S. and Fort
Collins Land Use Code Section 2.16.
B. The location of the CSU Parking Lot is consistent with the permitted uses
described in the City's Structure Plan Map, an element of the City's
Comprehensive Plan.
C. The character of the CSU Parking Lot conforms to the landscape and other
design standards and guidelines adopted by CSU.
D. The extent of the proposed CSU Parking Lot is integrated into the surrounding
context though the use of naturalized drainage features, onsite and perimeter
landscaping, adequate pedestrian circulation, acceptable integration with
existing transit routes, and the construction of a new dedicated right -turn lane
on West Drake Road.
CSU Parking Lot #SPA150002
Planning & Zoning Hearing
Page 7
A neighborhood information meeting was held on April 1, 2015. In general, the focus
of the discussion centered on issues related to potential traffic and air quality impacts
in the immediate vicinity of the proposed parking lot.
The issues and CSU responses from the neighborhood meeting are summarized as
follows:
• Preference for new parking to occur on campus, in parking garages or
under buildings if possible.
CSU acknowledged that this would be a more efficient use of
space, but due to ground water typically present at 12 feet below
surface elevations, and the high cost of underground parking
(typically $30,000 per parking space underground and $15,000
per parking space in structured parking), the surface spaces
proposed are the most feasible option.
• Concern with the impacts on air quality in the immediate vicinity of the
proposed parking lot, and will there be monitoring of air quality at the
parking lot.
CSU staff did not comment specifically on whether the proposal
would affect air quality in the area, but did explain that the parking
provided is intended to replace parking lost on campus, due to
CSU losing +/-2000 parking spaces with future campus
improvements.
• Concern with solar heat gain and preference for light colored asphalt or
concrete.
Costs were discussed as a concern with providing an all -concrete
parking lot.
• Concerns with the increase in bus traffic and automobile traffic on
Centre, Research and Drake.
Generally the discussion on this topic acknowledged that there
would be an increase in vehicular traffic and that the multiple
access points into the parking lot helped to mitigate these
impacts.
• Preference for a traffic signal or round -about at the Research / Centre
intersection was expressed.
The general discussion on this topic was that neither of these
options was warranted by the traffic analysis.
• Continued accommodation of parking for the tennis courts was
requested.
CSU Parking Lot #SPA150002
Planning & Zoning Hearing
Page 6
which will use this parking lot on game day. If possible, intersection
improvements could include shortening the existing median on Research
and reconfiguring the intersection to incorporate permanent dual lefts. If
not feasible, the dual left movement may be incorporated operationally
with temporary traffic control on game days, without permanent dual left
turns lanes.
3) CSU is working with the City to ensure adequate operations and sight
distance for the access points to the parking lot.
Drainage Features:
4) Based on discussions with City staff, the main drainage area west and
north of the parking lot has been updated to incorporate current City
drainage and landscape practices. Updates incorporated into the SPAR
plan include:
a. Removing the proposed concrete drain pan along Research and
providing a more naturalized bio-swale drainage feature.
b. Providing a more naturalized landscaping theme to complement
the bio-swale design.
c. Partnering with City utilities to provide interpretive signage along
the drainage area.
d. Providing more varied grading/landform patterns in the detention
area.
e. Providing a more varied detention system that includes a series of
excavated drywells, in tandem with naturalized landscaping, to
create a series of water infiltration galleries that mimic natural
systems.
f. Providing flush landscape islands in some areas of the parking lot
(with no curb and gutter), to provide additional alternative water
quality treatment.
Other Considerations:
5) Incorporating an additional perimeter sidewalk along the western edge of
the parking lot to provide additional connectivity to the bus stop on
Centre Avenue and other destinations.
6) Incorporation of an enhanced bus stop within the parking lot.
7) Preserving the existing trees along Centre and Research.
5. Neighborhood Meeting:
CSU Parking Lot #SPA150002
Planning & Zoning Hearing
Page 5
Veterinary Facility. The proposal provides perimeter sidewalks for access to
two Transfort bus routes that currently serve the area in 15 minute intervals
(Routes 7 and 34).
The parking lot layout is similar to the City's parking lot layout dimensional
standards, providing stall widths of 8.5 feet, lane widths of 24 feet and
landscape island widths of 9 feet.
The parking lot's perimeter and interior are adequately landscaped. Perimeter
landscaping along the Research and Centre frontages is enhanced, serving to
both soften views of the parking and provide a naturalized buffer into the
drainage and detention areas to the west and north. This perimeter buffer is a
minimum of 40 feet along Research and Centre with a deeper buffer on the
project site at the southeast corner of this intersection. The existing trees along
this perimeter are proposed to remain and be incorporated into the perimeter
landscape buffer. All lighting provided will be fully shielded and down -directional
in conformance with CSU standards.
CSU Facilities staff is also coordinating with city staff to meet the City's
detention pond and bio-swale landscaping standards by providing enhanced,
naturalized landscaping and water infiltration methods.
C. Extent (Criterion 3)
The primary focus has been to mitigate the proposal's functional and visual
impacts to surrounding transportation infrastructure and utility services.
The impacts were evaluated by staff and the following measures were identified
and incorporated into the final plans:
Traffic Operations:
Colorado State University provided a Traffic Impact Study (TIS) that
evaluated the impact of the parking lot on a daily basis (different from the
Stadium study that evaluated the parking lot function on game days).
1) The TIS identified westbound right turn volumes at Drake/Research well
in excess of the volume standards in LCUASS. The daily parking lot
traffic will add to this movement. CSU will construct a new westbound
right turn lane on the north side of Drake Road at the Drake/Research
intersection.
2) CSU and City staff will continue to evaluate options for improving the
southbound left turn movement from Research onto Drake. Dual lefts at
this location are identified as needed with the proposed CSU Stadium,
CSU Parking Lot #SPA150002
Planning & Zoning Hearing
Page 4
3. Site Plan Advisory Review Procedures:
The processing and evaluation of Site Plan Advisory Review applications is governed
by Division 2.16 or Article 2 of the Fort Collins Land Use Code. The section further
defines the evaluation criteria for the "location, character and extent" of Site Plan
Advisory Review applications.
Evaluation criteria:
(1) The site location for the proposed use shall be consistent with the land use
designation described by the City Structure Plan Map, which is an element of
the City's Comprehensive Plan.
(2) The site development plan shall conform to architectural, landscape and
other design standards and guidelines adopted by the applicant's governing
body. Absent adopted design standards and guidelines, the design character of
the site development plan shall be consistent with the stated purpose of the
respective land use designation as set forth in the City's Comprehensive Plan.
(3) The site development plan shall identify the level of functional and visual
impacts to public rights -of -way, facilities and abutting private land caused by
the development, including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalks, utilities,
lighting, screening and noise, and shall mitigate such impacts to the extent
reasonably feasible.
4. Evaluation
A. Location (Criterion 1)
The proposed site meets this requirement with a proposed use that is
consistent with the City's land use designation. The site is within the
Employment District, and Parking Lots are listed as a permitted principal Type 1
use in this district.
B. Character (Criterion 2)
The proposed parking lot meets this requirement by conforming to the
landscape and other design standards established by the Colorado State
University Aesthetic Guideline and CSU Facilities Construction Standards
Manual.
The site layout contains four access points — one from Centre Avenue, two from
Research Boulevard, and one from Gillette Drive — in order to provide
acceptable traffic patterns into and out of the site and improve access to the
CSU Parking Lot #SPA150002
Planning & Zoning Hearing
Page 3
COMMENTS:
1. Background:
The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows:
Direction
Zone District
Existing Land Uses
North
CSU
Natural Resources Research Center
(NRRC)
South
Employment (E)
Offices
East
CSU
Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CSU South
Campus)
West
Employment (E)
Existing Offices; Undeveloped Parcel B of
the CSURF Centre for Advanced
Technology Overall Development Plan
In 1965, the parcel was included in the Fourth College Annexation.
In 1988, the parcel was first included in the Centre for Advanced Technology Master
Plan, which received numerous revisions from 1988 to 2012 as the Centre for
Advanced Technology Overall Development Plan.
2. Right of Advisory Review:
Colorado Revised Statutes provide two specific references which allow the City to
review the planning and location of public facilities:
Section 31-23-209, C.R.S. provides that no public building shall be constructed or
authorized in a city until the "location, character and extent thereof" has been
submitted for approval by the Planning and Zoning Board. In the case of disapproval,
the Planning and Zoning Board shall communicate its findings to the applicant's
governing body. The disapproval of the Planning and Zoning Board may be overruled
by the Colorado State University Board of Governors by a vote of not less than two-
thirds of its membership.
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ITEM NO 12,
MEETING DATE 61(4-1SC11*
STAFF S t4pu,Des�
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD
PROJECT: CSU Parking Lot, 2400 Research Boulevard, Site Plan Advisory
Review #SPA150002.
APPLICANT:
David Hansen
Colorado State University Landscape Architect
Facilities Management
6030 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523
OWNER: Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System
01 Administration Building
Fort Collins, CO 80523
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This a request for a Site Plan Advisory Review (SPAR) by Colorado State University
to construct a new surface parking lot at 2400 Research Boulevard (parcel #'s
9723400906 and 9723300901). The parking lot will contain approximately 900 parking
stalls, with access points on Research Boulevard, Centre Avenue and Gillette Drive.
One parcel is located in the Employment (E) zone district while the other parcel is on
the CSU south campus, with a total project area of approximately 11 acres. The
parcel in the Employment zone is a part of the CSURF Centre for Advanced
Technology Overall Development Plan (ODP). A copy of this ODP is attached with this
staff report.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Site Plan Advisory Review complies with Land Use Code Section 2.16, Site Plan
Advisory Review.
Planning Services 281 N College Ave - PO Box 580 - Fort Collins, CO 80522
fcgov.com/developmentreview/
970.221.6750