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Home My WebLink AboutLARIMER COUNTY COURTHOUSE OFFICES - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - 37-98C - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSAa�-- a iilii'i City Hall nez 1�2 Library City Offices Hotel Jurtice Center J W rice Center Old c 1I VI j! IrI FF - -77 ' 1 Civic Spine Balloffet and Associates, Inc. For, Collins Civic Center Master Plan July 1996 page 11 Downtown Civic Center Illustrative Concept Plan T June 13,1996 Fort Collins CITY PLAN Calthorpe Associates Balloffet & Associates a Y.LIE! IIY IIIw. - IGILY 1! I. R.AI. I.N. T•C{.Nl m •:Q..•w IY i ..Y—•mere.. Vl w �5HRU6 PLAMPMG C O�mm� o MMUS Vfun o MCNIN *" e QVAMN L CWW ES ManaEn n� l J �._. T� F. I. .p 477 U E 0 /w Y/ D 0 D U _ e Z— o�° C H I Laporte Ave. M( untain Ave. CD Oak Street Q U) En a� i o CD NCB �e 0 �ao�P = � D � Ga Olive Street Magnolia Street VICINITY MAP 12/28/01 #37-98C Larimer County Courthouse Office Site Plan Advisory Review 1"= 300' Larimer County Offices — Site Plan Advisory Review, #37-98C January 17, 2002 Page 5 several times a year. Future building expansion planned for the site, and a significant drop in grade from the southwest to the northeast prevents the loading area from being located internal to the site. City Staff will continue to work with Larimer County Staff and the design team to create design options for the loading area which will provide a more favorable pedestrian environment along Mason Street. C. Extent The new building includes 150,000 sq.ft of floor area and will be five stories in height. While not all of the building footprint will achieve five stories, the mass and scale of the building is consistent with the policies incorporated into the Fort Collins Downtown Plan. Ample landscaping will be provided with the new facility. Adequate off-street parking will be provided on the site. The extent of the new facility is consistent with the recommendations of the Civic Center Master Plan and the Downtown Master Plan. CONCLUSIONS: After reviewing the Larimer County Courthouse Project, #37-98C, staff offers the following conclusions: 1. The use of the proposed Larimer County Courthouse Offices is consistent with the Downtown Civic Center Master Plan, the Mason Street Transportation Corridor Plan, the Downtown Civic Center Zoning District and the Downtown Plan. 2. The location of the Larimer County Courthouse Offices is consistent with the Civic Center Master Plan and the Downtown Plan. 3. The extent of the Larimer County Courthouse Offices is consistent with the immediate vicinity and the Civic Center Master Plan and the Downtown Plan. 4. The character of the proposed Larimer County Courthouse Offices is consistent with the Civic Center Master Plan, the Mason Street Transportation Corridor Plan and the Downtown Plan. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning and Zoning Board approve the Larimer County Courthouse Offices. Larimer County Offices — Site Plan Advisory Review, #37-98C January 17, 2002 Page 4 and west of the new building. The new building will have a primary entrance to the parking lot south of the building, with another entrance on the north facing Mountain Avenue. The new building location generally matches that of the third County Courthouse built in 1887. The location of the proposed facility is in compliance with the Civic Center Master Plan. B. Character The use of the new building will be for a government office. This use is appropriate for this location and is in keeping with the recommendations of the Civic Center Master Plan and the Mason Street Corridor Plan. There are, however, some design elements which will need further refinement in order to be consistent with the recommendations of these plans. They include: Civic Spine — The proposed site plan shows a physical connection to the Civic Spine, but not as direct or pronounced as illustrated on the concept plan (attached). This walkway is intended to terminate at the County offices. The walkway currently exists north of the site, across Mountain Avenue at the County Courthouse. The City Engineering Department is currently working on a street pedestrian crossing design that will extend the walkway from the Courthouse south across Mountain Avenue. This walkway may then be extended into the Courthouse Office Building. As proposed, this spine would end in landscaping adjacent to Mountain Avenue. Staff is requesting that the design be refined, to more closely reflect the Civic Center Illustrative Plan. Arguably, the constructed portions of the Civic Spine have deviated from the original design, mainly from previous projects developed by both the City and County (new City Offices and the Courthouse buildings). However, the connections have still been developed and will continue to be implemented as future parcels begin to redevelop. Pedestrian Scale Streetscape — Mason Street has been planned by the City of Fort Collins as a multi -purpose transportation corridor. The Mason Street Transportation Corridor Master Plan includes automotive, bus and pedestrian facilities along Mason Street. The site plan proposes a loading area along Mason Street. This loading area will be constructed at grade and provide access for trucks to deliver goods to the new building. Staff is concerned the loading area, if not appropriately designed, will create an undesirable pedestrian environment along this portion of Mason Street. There are several factors which have influenced the design of the site. The need for a loading area is necessitated by the delivery of license plates by a large semi -truck Larimer County Offices — Site Plan Advisory Review, #37-98C January 17, 2002 Page 3 corner. A major component of this plan is the `Civic Spine.' This is a major connecting walkway which runs from Lee Martinez Park to the north down to its terminus on the subject property. 3. Mason Street Transportation Corridor Plan The Mason Street Transportation Corridor Plan was recently approved by the City of Fort Collins. The purpose of this plan is to provide direction in establishing a multi -modal transportation corridor for pedestrian, bicycle and transit use along Mason Street and the Burlington Northern — Santa Fe Railroad, from Cherry Street to the north and Harmony Road to the south. This plan includes recommendations for building design, land use, landscaping and other site amenities for the adjacent properties. The Larimer County Offices site is included within the plan boundary. The plan recommends that properties develop or redevelop as transit oriented developments, with pedestrian friendly activity zones and strong physical and visual connection to the corridor. 4. Process The City has agreed with the County to process this review under Section 31-23-209, C.R.S., which states: "When the commission (Planning and Zoning Board) has adopted the master plan of the municipality or of one or more major sections or districts thereof, no street, square, park, or other public way, ground or open space, public building or structure, or publicly or privately owned public utility shall be constructed or authorized in the municipality or in such planned section and district until the location, character and extent thereof has been submitted for approval by the commission. " Under the statute, if the Planning and Zoning Board disapproves the site plan, such denial may be overturned by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Commissioners. 5. Location. Character and Extent: A. Location The location of the new building within Block 30 is in keeping with the Civic Center Master Plan. While the plan did not envision reconstruction of the current building, the facility will not move from its current location. The building will be located in the northeast corner of the site, and surface parking will be provided along the south Larimer County Offices — Site Plan Advisory Review, #37-98C January 17, 2002 Page 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This request for review from Larimer County is submitted to the Board as a Site Plan Advisory Review pursuant to State Statute Section 31-23-209, which limits the City's review to the location, character and extent of the new facility. The recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Board is forwarded to the Larimer County Board of Commissioners for their consideration. COMMENTS: Background The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: D (Civic Center) Offices — Larimer County Offices, restaurant S: D (Canyon Avenue) Bank, Masonic Temple E: D (Old City Center) Retail, Restaurants W: D (Canyon Avenue) Bank, former Steele's site The property has been used for the Larimer County Courthouse and related offices since 1887 (photo attached). 2. Downtown Civic Center Master Plan: In early 1995, the City and Larimer County began the process of developing the Downtown Civic Center Master Plan, this plan was intended to help: "Provide a framework for strategic actions that will reinforce the role of downtown Fort Collins as the primary government, office, finance, specialty, neighborhood retail, cultural, and entertainment center within the community. The plan is intended to guide future development of the 12 block Civic Center area as a human -scale, walkable, mixed use district, anchored by civic spaces and buildings, providing transportation choices and connections to the surrounding environment." The plan was adopted by the Fort Collins City Council in July, 1996, as an element of the City of Fort Collins Structure Plan which was later adopted in 1997. The new Larimer County Courthouse Offices will be located on 'Block 30'. This block is bordered by Mountain Avenue to the north, Mason Street to the east, Oak Street to the south and Howes Street to the west. The current County building occupies the southern and eastern portions of the block. The existing parking lot is located in the northeast ITEM NO. 8 MEETING DATE 1/17/02 6a STAFF Bob Barkeen Citv of Fort Collins PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD STAFF REPORT DATE: Prepared on January 4, 2002 PROJECT: Larimer County Courthouse Offices, Site Plan Advisory Review, #37-98C APPLICANT/ OWNER: Larimer County Facilities Department 2555 Midpoint Drive, Suite D Fort Collins, CO 80521 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Larimer County requests a Site Plan Advisory Review for a new 150,000 sq.ft. office building that will replace the Current Larimer County Offices Building at 200 West Oak Street. The building will be five stories, with a tower element of 104 feet in height. The new office building will be located within the northeast quadrant of the site, within the existing parking lot. Upon completion of the new building, the existing office building will be razed, and a surface parking lot built within the footprint of the demolished building. The property is zoned D — Downtown, and is within the Civic Center Subdistrict. RECOMMENDATION: Approval COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 (970) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT