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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPROMONTORY - PDP - 32-99 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESVII. Land use Conflicts and Natural Area Disturbances This project eliminates the potential of major conflicts of land uses which could occur if certain possible E District uses were to be developed (such as tavern, warehouse, light industrial) and such uses were immediately adjacent to existing single-family residential uses to the east. The transitional and complementary uses which this project embraces eliminates the potential for such land use conflicts. No natural area disturbances presently exist or are proposed. VIII. Neighborhood Meeting Concerns The primary neighborhood meeting concerns were that traffic on Boardwalk be minimized and slowed down, and that possible incompatible E District uses (tavern, warehouse, light industrial, etc.) not occur. It was suggested that a traffic light at Landings and Boardwalk would help alleviate these problems and improve safety. The traffic from this project will be consistent with existing traffic patterns in the neighborhood and will have less impact than would be the case if certain other E District uses were to occur. Applicant will meet with and assist existing neighbors in addressing matters of mutual interest and neighborhood concern, particularly the Boardwalk traffic problems. VIII. Name of Project Park Place -5- V. Number of Employees The estimated total number of employees for the office portion of this project is between 40 and 50, based on the number of employees in similar office buildings located at Landings Office Park located to the northwest. VI. Rationale behind Assumptions and Choices 1. The office portion of project is designed to meet the needs of small office owners who need in the range of 3000-6000 square feet of office space and desire an aesthetic, upscale high quality office park environment. These needs are not being met elsewhere in the community. 2. Notwithstanding the property's E District zoning which possibly permits such uses as light industrial, taverns and warehouses, it is very important that a thoughtful and sensitive transition occur between the retail, bank and post office uses to the west and the existing single-family residential uses to the east of this project. 3. Given the zoning of this property and its market value, it is a challenge to create a transitional use which is mostly residential but still achieves the paramount objectives of economic feasibility and edifying aesthetics, as well as other LUC goals. These goals can be realized with development comprised approximately one-third of small office buildings and approximately two-thirds of innovative eight-plex residential buildings fronting on a private park -courtyard. 4. Project design should not be beholden to a priority requirement to meet the needs of vehicles. While the needs for vehicular access should be accommodated, the primary emphasis should be on pedestrian and bicycle circulation. Accordingly, vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian needs have been met by a concept which merges front yards, sidewalks, parking, bikeways, roadways into an innovative internal courtyard with a central park as a centerpiece and focal point. This benefits pedestrians, provides a sense of neighborhood, and enhances quality of life. 5. Provide an attractive enclave of residential housing in town immediately adjacent to major commercial uses (retail along College, the Square, Foothills Shopping Center). The ability to locate attractive housing adjacent to employment achieves the goals of reducing reliance on motor vehicles, encouraging the use of bicycles, and enhances residents -employees overall quality of life. -4- nl. Open Space, Buffering, Landscaping, Circulation, Natural Areas The adjacent open space in the form of the Larimer County Canal #2 is an attractive visual amenity. The carriage house garage buildings together with related landscaping buffer the residential portion of the project from office uses to the north. Central park, landscaping within the residential project and courtyard design buffer buildings from opposite buildings and create a pedestrian -friendly environment. Primary traffic, bicycle and pedestrian circulation through the project meanders around a pedestrian friendly, private drive -courtyard. Circulation internally between buildings, courtyard, garages, open space, guest parking, and supplemental easement parking (in office parking lot) is accomplished by interconnecting concrete sidewalks. Landscaping buffers project from Boardwalk and residential uses to the east. Landscaped, established large trees and ditch buffer project from Troutman and apartments to the south. IV. Ownership and Maintenance of Public and Private Open Space The office and the residential portions of this project will each have their own Owners Association and Covenants and will be totally separate autonomous neighborhoods and entities except for the parking easement being granted by the Office Owners Association (OOA) to the Home Owners Association (HOA). Office ownership will be in the nature of townhouses with each building owner or half building owner owning the portion of the building pad under his building / half building. The balance of the office park will be owned in common by the OOA which will be responsible for all maintenance both private common and public (along Boardwalk). Residential building ownership will be the nature of condominium ownership with each eight-plex building owner owning an undivided interest in the underlying building pad. Statutory requirements with regard to condominium legal descriptions will be strictly followed. All residential front yards, backyards, side yards, private drives, sidewalks, courtyard, and canal and detention pond open space will be maintained by the HOA. All public open space along Boardwalk shall also be maintained by the HOA. -3- Our design goal has been to keep both the office and residential portions at a human scale, attractive elevations with architectural diversity and step down roofs, and a "central park -courtyard" which integrates vehicle roadway, bicycle way, guest parking, pedestrian sidewalk, crosswalks, hardscape and landscaping. The central park -courtyard concept in this project, integrating a mail center gazebo and numerous meeting and sitting areas, is our commitment to pedestrian sensitivity, sense of community and quality of life. 4. Access This project has two entrances off Boardwalk, providing very good access via Boardwalk, JFK, & Troutman to College Avenue, Harmony, and near -by commercial and retail locations. In addition, Landings Drive provides a very attractive access for pedestrians north to the Square and Foothills shopping centers via a relatively pedestrian -friendly, low traffic roadway. 5. Architectural Character The LUC goal of achieving exceptional architectural character is realized by this project in terms of a) sensitive small office architectural style, b) step-down building roofs, c) differentiated and interesting architectural elements of the residential building frontages, d) architecture -design considerations present in the courtyard-hardscape- landscape areas, and e) complementary interrelationship between all the foregoing. 6. Active Living Spaces Virtually all of the townhouses and flats front onto the central park -courtyard. These active living spaces fronting on and accessing the park -courtyard create a vibrant community with the opportunity for interactions between neighbors, quality of neighborhood and sense of community. As described above. 8. Variety and Visual Interest in Exterior Design As described above. -2- PARK PLACE STATEMENT OF PLANNING OBJECTIVES SEPTEMBER 28, 1999 1. Introduction Park Place is a unique project encompassing five small office buildings and six small townhouse -flat residential buildings. The residential units are designed for ownership and virtually all have attached or detached garages. The project provides a transition from retail and banking uses and post office to the west, and single family residential to the east. The offices provide supplemental parking spaces for the residential on an easement basis, however, in all other respects the residential neighborhood is separate and autonomous from the offices portion of the project. The residential project is characterized by sensitive use of its adjacency to the Larimer County Canal #2 unique open space - detention pond, edifying design and aesthetics, sense of community, and innovative central park -courtyard concept. The residential buildings front onto a central park and courtyard, which aesthetically merge vehicle roadway, bicycle way, guest parking, pedestrian sidewalk, crosswalks, hardscape and landscaping, while still meeting necessary functional requirements for access. The park includes a mailbox gazebo and numerous small sitting areas for informal meetings and socializing. II. City Plan Principles and Policies Achieved 1. Transitional This project is complementary to and transitional in relation to the adjacent uses (retail, banking and post office to the west, apartments to the south, and single-family residential to the east.) This transitional mix of uses as proposed is economically feasible, aesthetic, sensitive to topography and open space, and creates unique infill development. 2. Mixed Use This project is a mixed use project comprised of approximately one-third office and two-thirds residential. -1-