HomeMy WebLinkAboutSWIFT ADDITION TO FOSSIL LAKE P.U.D. - COUNTY REFERRAL - 33-01(I) - CORRESPONDENCE - REVISIONS (5)City Comment 11: Park Planning - Show the trail on the site plan.
Response 11: The trail is shown on the site plan.
City Comment 12: Park Planning — When the trail approaches Lake Ranch Road from the west,
it should not cross at mid block, but rather cross at the intersection of Shallow Pond Drive
and Lake Ranch Road. Otherwise if the trail goes through the open space tracts along the
western edge of the property, the design looks fine. See the purple line on the redlined
plans.
Response 12: The trail has a crossing proposed mid block across Lake Ranch Road. It is our
opinion that this mid -block crossing is safer than crossing at the intersection of -Shallow
Pond Drive and Lake Ranch Road. If the trail crosses at the intersection the tendency is to
cross the intersection diagonally, which would be much more unsafe than the mid block
intersection.
City Comment 13: Please see the attached comment sheets from Shallow Pond Drive and Lake
Ranch Road:
Response 13: The comments from Shallow Pond Drive and Lake Ranch Road have been
addressed by this letter or by revisions to the plan.
City Comment 14: 1 have not received any comments from Stormwater or Natural Resources. If
and when I do, I'll forward them on. I recommend that the applicant call Basil Hamdan and
Doug Moore directly to discuss.
Matt, based upon our interpretation of the Supplemental Regulations to the Larimer County Land
Use Code there is not a need for any Alternative Compliance requests or Modifications to the
Code. It is our position that the revised plan meets or exceeds all of the standards. It is also our
position that the revised plan adheres more closely with the Supplemental Regulations than the
approved plan.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information.
Sincerely,
Jim Birdsall
Planner/Landscape Architect
does not satisfy this requirement for the Swift Addition because this park is too far away to
satisfy the requirement that 90% of the units be within a third of a mile from the "small
neighborhood park."
Response 8: The requirement that 90% of the units be within one third of a mile from a
neighborhood park or privately owned park has been met. The park that is part of Fossil
Lake PUD First Filing on the north side of Trilby Road in addition to the proposed City Park
located south of Kechter Road are within one-third of a mile of 91 % of the lots in the revised
plan.
City Comment 9: Current/Advance Planning — For clarification, the Fort Collins Land Use
Code defines "lot width" as follows: "Lot width shall mean the horizontal (plan view)
distance between the side lot lines as measured along a straight line parallel to the front lot
line or the chord thereof. The minimum lot width shall be measured between the side lot
lines along a line that is parallel to the front lot line and located at the minimum front
setback distance from the front lot line. In the case of cul-de-sac lots, the minimum lot
width may be measured between the side lot lines along a line that is parallel to the front lot
line and located at the actual front building line." Please use this definition when reviewing
the minimum lot width of 100 feet that is required in the Urban Estate Area. On wedge
shaped lots, this will require the building to be set back quite a ways from the street.
Response 9: The estate lots meet the lot width requirement as defined above. The few cul-de-
sac lots that are narrower than 100 feet have a larger front yard setback that varies in depth
as required to meet the 100' lot width requirement.
City Comment 10: Current/Advance Planning — The configuration of Tract H seems to
encourage pedestrian access between the backs of the residential lots and the Resource
Management Area. The whole intent of the Resource Management Area is to provide an
area for wildlife undisturbed from human activity. Have the applicant talk to Doug Moore
about this issue. A substantial fence that is extremely difficult (or impossible) for a person
to cross needs to be located between tract H and the Resource Recovery Area with this
proposed configuration. It would help if tract H was designed in such a way that a solid row
of lots were provided in a configuration that wouldn't physically give any opportunities for
pedestrians to get into the tract.
Response 10: This open space area is part of the stormwater drainage system for the
neighborhood. This space is required to accommodate the swales and water quality ponds
required for the drainage. These structures were placed in an on -lot easement in the
approved plan. Based upon comments from the stormwater department on this project as
well as other projects it was determined that placing this storm drainage into a tract is much
more desirable from a long term maintenance standpoint.
Access to this open space tract will be restricted with fencing and signage. Access to the
resource management area will be restricted in a way very similar to the methods used for
Fossil Lake PUD - First Filing. These methods are further described in our Resource
Management Plan.
It is our position that the proposed reconfiguration of the PUD does satisfy the standards
and would not require a Modification of Standards or Alternative Compliance.
City Comment 6: Current/Advance Planning — If the land to the east and south of this
property gets restricted from development through the provision of a conservation
easement, then the stubs at the southeast corner of the project can be eliminated.
Otherwise, the connections must remain.
Response 6: The land to the south of this property will be restricted from development through
the provision of a conservation easement. Therefore, a connection to the south would not
be required. Furthermore, even if this property was not restricted, a connection to the south
would strongly imply future development in the Resource Management Area which is
contrary to the protection of this area.
The property owner to the east is currently considering placing a conservation easement on
the property, which would eliminate the need for the street connection to the east.
However, because this easement has not been completed, an access easement has been
created with this subdivision, which would allow access to this property to the east if the
conservation easement were not completed.
City Comment 7: Current/Advance Planning — Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental
Regulations I.F.5.a(2) states that "if any block face is over 700 feet long, then walkways
connecting to other streets shall be provided at approximately mid -block or at intervals of at
least every 650 feet, whichever is less." The northern block face of Green Spring Drive
is required to have an additional mid -block pedestrian connection to satisfy this
requirement. It looks like the most appropriate location for this would be along the west
side of lot 8, connecting all the way down to Shallow Pond Drive.
Response 7: Several mid -block connections have been added to the revised plan to
accommodate this requirement. The revised plan meets or exceeds this requirement.
City Comment 8: Current/Advance Planning — Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental
Regulations I.F.4.f. requires that 90% of the dwellings in this project be located within a
maximum of one-third mile of a one acre public or privately owned park. Such park must
meet the design criteria required in I.F.4.f (1)-(5). The most recent approved preliminary
layout shows a 1.6 acre park at the northeast corner of Lake Ranch Road and
Shallow Pond Drive. This park is necessary in order to satisfy this standard, and
must not be removed. It does not appear that the neighborhood center west of this site
has any component that would satisfy this "small neighborhood park" criteria specified in
I.F.4.f (1), which states the following: "Location. Such parks shall be highly visible, secure
settings formed by the street layout and pattern of lots and easily observed from streets.
Rear facades and rear yards of dwellings shall not abut more than two (2) sides or more
than fifty (50) percent of the perimeter frontage of the park." The neighborhood center's
garden area to the southeast of the pool complex is not formed by the street layout, is not
easily observed from streets, and is abutted by rear facades and rear yards on more than 2
sides and more than 50% of the perimeter frontage of the park. If my memory serves me
correct, there is an area across the street to the west of the neighborhood center in the
Fossil Lake PUD that may possibly qualify as this small neighborhood park. If so, it still
process spelled out in Section 4.2.1.H of the Larimer County Land Use Code or Alternative
Compliance as specified in the Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental Regulations
II.B.8.
Response 4: The revised street network provides connections that are a more direct connection to
the future school site and park north of the site than the connections proposed with the
approved preliminary plat. The revised plan complies with the intent of the Fossil Creek
Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental Regulations and so a Modification of Standards and/or
Alternative Compliance is not required. It appears that the preference for a 'grid -like' street
layout is based upon personal preference instead of the regulations and standards that are
required for this project. The revised plan complies with the requirements.
City Comment 5: Current/Advance Planning — Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental
Regulations II.B.2 goes on to state the following: "Local streets must provide for both intra-
and inter -neighborhood connections to knit developments together, rather than forming
barriers between them. The street configuration within each parcel must contribute to the
street system of the neighborhood." The proposed new configuration does not provide
adequate intra-neighborhood connections that allow the neighborhood to knit
together, but rather proposes a local street system that forms barriers in the
connectivity within the neighborhood itself. The cul-de-sac at the southern end of
Green Spring Drive unnecessarily dead -ends with it could easily be connected with Rocky
Stream Drive, therefore creating and unnecessary barrier to the connectivity of the local
street network within the neighborhood. The design of the two cul-de-sacs that are part of
Southview Court limit the street connectivity of lots 3 thru 18 to one point of connection with
the remainder of the neighborhood, thereby creating another unnecessary barrier rather
than the required intra-neighborhood local street connections. We would like to reiterate
that the approved Preliminary PUD is fine with regard to this standard, however the
proposed reconfiguration of the PUD does not satisfy the standards. Such a deviation of
the requirements would require either a Modification of Standards in accordance with the
process spelled out in Section 4.2.1.H of the Larimer County Land Use Code or Alternative
Compliance as specified in the Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental Regulations
II.B.8.
Response 5: The revised street design does provide intra- and inter -neighborhood connections.
The revised street design knits this neighborhood to adjacent neighborhoods with the same
street connections as the approved preliminary plat, as well as additional connections. The
revised intra-neighborhood connections create better connectivity through the subdivision
than the approved plan. The revised plan is equally porous if not more porous to vehicular
as well as pedestrian modes of transportation.
Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental Regulations II.B.2 also states: "the local
street system of any proposed development shall be designed to be safe, efficient,
convenient and attractive, considering use by all modes of transportation that will use the
system." The revised plan allows for much of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic to utilize off-
street trails which connect to the regional trail system that runs through the neighborhood.
These off-street trails will be a safer, more efficient, more convenient, and more attractive
mode of transportation than the on street sidewalks or the narrow 'alley -like' pedestrian
connections as proposed on the approved plan.
City Comment 2: Current/Advance Planning — Please clarify where the trails and pedestrian
paths are on the site plan.
Response 2: The trails and pedestrian paths are shown on the site plan.
City Comment 3: Current/Advance Planning — Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental
Regulations II.B.1 defines "local street system" as " the interconnected system of
collector, connector, and local streets providing access to development from an arterial
street." This term is used in many of the following comments.
Response 3: In our opinion the revised Swift plan meets the requirements of a "local street
system". The revised street system is an interconnected system of connector and local
streets providing access to the development from an arterial street. The proposed street
system is direct, safe, efficient, convenient, and attractive for automobiles and transit, and is
especially efficient and attractive for pedestrians and bicyclists. The revised plan achieves
this purpose equally or better than the original approved plan.
The City of Fort Collins Traffic Operations department had "No traffic or layout concerns."
Matt Delich, P.E., Traffic & Transportation Engineering reviewed the revised plan and has
written: "the traffic on individual local or connector streets will be similar to that forecasted in
a previous traffic analysis... traffic volumes on some streets may, in fact, decrease." The
City requested an analysis of the pedestrian level of service of the revised plan in
comparison to the approved plan. Matt Delich offers this analysis: "The pedestrian level of
service will be acceptable under either street system configuration. In fact, the level of
service will be the same." "Pedestrian travel distance will not be significantly different than
that achieved with a grid street system. In some cases, the proposed street configuration,
with the proposed pedestrian 'short-cuts' will provide shorter travel distances than that
achieved with a standard grid street system."
City Comment 4: Current/Advance Planning — Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplemental
Regulations II.B.2 requires that "the local street system shall provide multiple direct
connections to and between local destinations such as parks, schools, shopping." The
approved Preliminary PUD has a configuration of it's local street system in a manner that
does in fact have streets and blocks that provide multiple direct connections between the
lots .in the neighborhood and the two streets that connect to the north of the site, where the
future school and public park sites. These connections (from the approved Preliminary
PUD) qualify as direct connections as a result of a grid -like network of streets that channel
traffic toward either of the two connections. The grid street pattern typifies the ideal system
of directness where one can go north or south, east or west to easily get to one's
destination. The problem we see with curvilinear residential configurations with a
predominance of cul-de-sacs is that the local street connections are forced to follow a
circuitous route, which is the opposite of directness. The proposed new configuration of
Green Spring Drive and North Shore Lane changes the approved grid -like nature of the
layout so that the local street network provides a circuitous connection rather than the
required direct connection between the lots in the neighborhood and the two streets that
connect to the future school and park north of the site. Such a deviation of the
requirements would require either a Modification of Standards in accordance with the
VWIES
October 22, 2001
Matt Lafferty
Larimer County Planning Department
P.O. Box 1190
Fort Collins, CO 80522
Re: Responses to City of Fort Collins Staff Comments Dated September 28, 2001 on the
revised Swift Addition to Fossil Lake PUD Preliminary Plat.
Dear Matt,
These comments from the City of Fort Collins are in response to our site plan submittal for the
Swift Addition to Fossil Lake PUD. Although the submittal was not required, our intent was to show
the proposed site plan changes to Larimer County and City of Fort Collins staff to see if there were
any technical issues that needed to be addressed prior to submitting a final plat.
Based upon comments from the City and County the preliminary plat has been revised and , in our
opinion, now meets or exceeds every requirement of the Fossil Creek Reservoir Area Plan as well
as the Supplemental Regulations to the Larimer County Land Use Code.
It is our position that the revised preliminary plat incorporates much better planning than the
approved preliminary plat. This plan meets the intent of the Fossil Creek Reservoir Area Plan and
the Supplemental Regulations more closely than the approved preliminary plat.
This letter outlines each of the City comments, and a response to each comment.
City Comment 1: Current/Advance Planning — We strongly feel that the proposed change in
the configuration to the approved Preliminary Fossil Lake PUD — Swift Addition is a
substantial change to the approved plans and should be treated as a new project
with full review and a full schedule of hearings. We feel the new configuration does not
meet the Fossil Creek Reservoir Sub -area Supplement Regulations in several fundamental
ways, and therefore needs revisions bringing it up to standards or Alternative Compliance
requests and/or Modifications to the standards. We would like to reiterate that this project
will be annexed very soon after approval, so we feel very strongly that our interpretations of
the language in the Fossil Creek Sub -area Supplemental Regulations be enforced during
review of this project.
Response 1: Our interpretation of the language in the Fossil Creek Sub -area Supplemental
Regulations indicate that we meet or exceed every standard. In our opinion, there is no
need for revisions, Alternative Compliance requests and/or Modifications to the standards.
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