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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREDTAIL RESIDENTIAL - PDP - 26-01 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - PLANNING OBJECTIVES (9)Rationale Behind Assumptions and Choices 1. Although the existing residential is located a considerable distance to the west and is totally blocked from this project by a 200-foot railroad track embankment / buffer, it is nevertheless desirable to provide a thoughtful and sensitive transition between this proposed project and the existing residential, as well as the existing warehouse and office uses on College, Cameron Drive, Coronado Court and Fossil Boulevard. 2. Given the zoning of this property (Commercial C) and its market value, it is a challenge to create a transitional use, which is mostly residential, and still achieve the objectives of economic feasibility and edifying aesthetics, as well as the many LUC goals. These goals can be realized with development comprised of 32% affordable townhome and carriage house units and 68% condominium units. These innovative, different and complementary types of houses have been carefully planned to enjoy but respect the projectisprivate open space including three ponds and associated wetlands and wildlife. 3. This project provides four types of housing at the south end of town proximate to and with easements providing for connection to the Mason Transportation Corridor trail. This will permit residents of this project to make use of convenient public transportation to commute to thousands of employers located near and along the entire length of College Avenue. Also, public transit provides transportation to major employers located east on Harmony Road. Providing attractive housing convenient to public transportation achieves the goals of reducing reliance on motor vehicles, encouraging the use of bikes, and enhancing residents' and employees' overall quality of life. VI. Land Use Conflicts and Natural Area Disturbances There are no Land Use conflicts. The plan has been sensitively designed to concentrate housing on the top of a small mesa well above and well set back from the naturalized detention ponds to the east and north. In the buffer areas, the existing topographic characteristics and native uplands vegetation are maintained, except where necessary to improve the existing access road which provides access to the project from the Conejos Road cul-de-sac. VII. Name of Project Redtail FDP This falls well within staff's authority to modify performance standard distances down to 80%, and we have requested that staff do so for the reasons that a) the Redtail Grove Natural Area has rolling hills which block the view to the south proceeding toward Fossil Creek and the Red-tailed hawk nest sites, b) the Red-tailed hawks have thrived at this location notwithstanding the fact that their nest sites are located 600 feet or less from heavy traffic on College Avenue, and furthermore are located in a "natural amphitheater' relative to College Avenue, and c) it would cause an undue hardship and eviscerate the proposed project to require an additional 71 feet of setback from these Red-tailed hawk nests. The City Council Ordinance 48, 1998, granting a storm drainage easement across the 38 acres of Redtail Grove Natural Area to the south has been negotiated and recorded. Four of the condominium buildings at the west buffer the balance of the project and the open space from the railroad tracks and embankment to the west. The private parks and project, connecting sidewalks and landscaping create a pedestrian -friendly environment. Furthermore these features contribute to sense of community and enhance quality of life. The project is designed so that pedestrian, bike and vehicle traffic within the project proceed safely along walkways, and very -low -traffic public streets as residents circulate between buildings, garages, natural area / open spaces and the parks with plazas, and mail kiosks. The project has 79% (7.26 acres) private open space and landscaped areas, which elements soften the feel of the buildings, screen parking, and provide a sensitive transition between the residential neighborhoods and adjacent uses. IV. Ownership and Maintenance of Public and Private Open Space The townhome and condominium -carriage house neighborhoods will each have their own Home Owners Association and Covenants. They will be separate, autonomous entities, neighborhoods, albeit complementary and symbiotic. All public and private open space will be owned and maintained by the HOA's. All residential front yards, backyards, side yards, sidewalks, private drive, courtyard, and detention pond natural area / open space will be maintained by the HOA's. All private natural areas / open space and landscaped around the Conejos Road and Fossil Boulevard cul-de-sacs, as well as the landscaped island within Conejos Road cul-de- sac, will also be maintained by the HOA's. V. All of the condominium units back up to open space. These active living spaces create the opportunity for a vibrant community with interactions between neighbors, sense of neighborhood and quality of life. 7. Pedestrian Oriented Streetscaoes and Variety and Visual Interest in Exterior Design The relatively smaller scale, mass and height of the buildings plus landscaped setback, step-down roofs, varied roof design elements, and varied siding materials provide for an interesting pedestrian streetscape, as well as variety and visual interest in exterior design. Furthermore, the central mail kiosks, private parks, and the varied architectural elements enhance the overall character of this project. III. Open Space, Buffering, Landscaping, Circulation, Natural Areas 79% of the project (7.26 acres) is landscaped area and private open space. The private open space is comprised of the three naturalized detention ponds and their associated buffer areas, which are a central amenity of the project. Most of the residential building sites are ten to twenty feet higher than the naturalized detention ponds, which enhance the buffer by creating this "elevation separation" aspect of the buffer. Furthermore, the condominiums are adjacent to and overlook the 38 acres of the City -owned Redtail Grove Natural Area to the south, but the view is largely blocked by a hill. Natural Resources Department has, at our request, reviewed natural area considerations related to this project, and has determined that the appropriate buffer for these naturalized storm drainage detention ponds and related wetlands is 50 feet. The average buffer distance from these natural features and habitat to the project development lots is 55.6 feet. The only disturbance and construction activity within the buffer zone that will occur will be a) construction activity related to improving the existing access drive into the project from Cameron Drive, b) construction activity relating to extending Conejos Road over the northem-most naturalized detention pond, c) utility main installations (sewer main is already installed), d) restoration of areas which we disturb, e) previously disturbed areas which we restore, and f) naturalized detention ponds mitigation. The buffer between this project and the Red-tailed hawk nest sites is 1,056 feet with a staff -approved reduction based on performance standards. The residential project is located 1,250 feet from a Red-tailed hawk's nest, which is 94.6% of the preferred buffer. N providing connectivity to central park with plazas, mail kiosks, tot lots and benches for informal socializing, and 79% (7.26 acres) private open space and landscaped area. 4. Access The access to Redtail is from both intersections of College Avenue and Cameron Drive and from College Avenue and Fairway Lane. The College Avenue and Cameron Drive intersection is controlled with a stoplight and is very safe for bicycles and pedestrians as well as vehicles. Following Cameron Drive to the south portion of the project, it intersects Conejos Road which connects to Fossil Boulevard to the north. This provides very safe connectivity for vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles. The South College Avenue Access Plan has a signalized intersection at College Avenue and Fairway Lane scheduled in the near future to also create a second safe intersection for the residents of Redtail. Redtail Townhouses are easily accessed from Fossil Boulevard which has been extended south and east into this portion of the project. Buildings G and 1 and 2 can also be accessed from Fossil Boulevard. Proceeding north on College Avenue provides access to virtually all of Fort Collins' retail outlets and employers. Proceeding east on Harmony Road provides access to retail, high-tech employers and Interstate-25. Proceeding south on College Avenue / Highway 287 provides access to Loveland, Windsor and alternative Interstate-25 access points. There is easy access to schools and parks proceeding east on Fossil Creek Parkway, west on Harmony Road as well as via the Fossil Creek pedestrian / bike trail when completed. Also, Harmony Road provides access to the south branch of the library and Front Range Community College. In addition, residents have immediate access to 7.26 acres of private open space and landscaped as well as 38 acres of the City -owned Redtail Grove Natural Area. Furthermore, the public sidewalks within the project will provide for future connectivity to the Fossil Creek trail and the Mason Transportation Corridor south terminus. Vehicle, bike and pedestrian access to the offices immediately adjacent will be by means of Cameron Drive, Frontage Road, Coronado Court, Conejos Road, Fossil Boulevard, and public and private sidewalks. 5. Architectural Character The LUC goal of achieving exceptional architectural character is realized by this project in terms of a) innovative step-down roof design, b) differentiated and interesting Architectural elements present in the residential building elevations, c) thoughtful design considerations present in the parks, plazas, and landscaped areas, d) complementary interrelationships between all the foregoing, and e) complementary and sensitive relationship to the surrounding natural areas. 6. Active Living Space Redtail Carriage Houses are located in both of the above sub -neighborhoods and are configured as two-family residences and all have views of the mountains. These units further serve affordable housing needs as their prices will start below $100,000. Office Buildings, the alternative use, would be located on the mesa at the west side of the property and overlook three naturalized detention ponds. Most have mountain views. They are adjacent to a centrally located linear park with a plaza area, a mail kiosk and a sitting area for informal socializing. The project is an infill project between offices and retail to the east, warehouse -office to the north, City -owned Redtail Grove Natural Area to the south, and the railroad to the west with residential beyond that. The project has been designed with high sensitivity to the three naturalized detention ponds and the existing office uses. Connectivity is being provided between the proposed uses and existing offices to the east, and also between project and existing warehouse uses to the north, by means of Cameron Drive, Redtail Court, Fossil Boulevard, public sidewalks, and connectivity to planned bike / ped paths along Fossil Creek and Mason Transportation Corridor trails. II. City Plan Principles and Policies Achieved 1. Transitional This project is complementary to and transitional in relation to the adjacent uses: office, retail, and warehouse uses to the east and north, single-family residential uses to the west (beyond the 200-foot railroad track easement and embankment immediately adjacent at the west), and the Redtail Grove Natural Area to the south. This project includes a) residential uses at the east side of project,-b) residential uses at the west side of project, and c) a large transitional natural area / open space and three naturalized detention ponds between these two components. 79% (7.26 acres) of the net total project area will be private ponds, wetlands, open space and landscaped area. 2. Mixed Residential Uses This project is comprised of 32% affordable entry-level townhomes and carriage houses and 68% mid -price condominiums, all housing being for sale to owner -occupants (no rental units). 3. Sense of Community / Quality of Life Project design elements include residential buildings at a human scale, attractive elevations with architectural diversity and step-down roofs, sidewalks and walkways REDTAIL RESIDENTIAL PROJECT STATEMENT OF PLANNING OBJECTIVES ,October 2003 I. Introduction Redtail is a unique mixed use project consisting of four complementary residential product types located in two neighborhoods adjacent to each other, which make good use of this difficult infill parcel in a way that incorporates good planning, good architecture, and respect for environmental considerations. In each neighborhood there is a unifying contemporary -traditional architectural theme, attractive landscaping transitioning to private open space, and a sense of cohesiveness and community. Residential units include two types of multi -family units (condominiums), single family attached (townhomes) and two-family units (carriage houses). In the alternative some buildings may be built as offices with complementary architectural character. The Redtail project had its genesis three years ago in our desire to achieve two objectives: a) to build affordable housing for purchase, and b) to build a project that is better than what we have a right to build on the existing platted lots (Cameron Park Second Filing) which permit construction right to the property lines with no buffer from natural features and habitat. This project achieves these two objectives with a) pricing beginning under $100,000 and b) 79% (7.26 acres) net private open space, ponds, wetlands and landscaped area. A diversity of homes, and in the alternative, offices, including size, architecture and price, will be offered in the Redtail project, including: Redtail Townhomes are located on a small hill previously the home of Mill Brothers Nursery. They have frontage on Fossil Boulevard with access to garages off private drives at the rear of buildings. They overlook College Avenue to the east and have mountain views to the west. A major purpose of these single family attached units is to create a very attractive neighborhood of affordable housing for sale. The mini -park, mail kiosk, tot lot area has benches and provides the opportunity for informal socializing. Redtail Condominiums are located on the mesa at the west side of the property and overlook three naturalized detention ponds. Most have mountain views. They are adjacent to a centrally located linear park with a plaza area, a mail kiosk and a sitting area for informal socializing.