HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOURTYARD COMMONS (TO LANDINGS BAY) - PDP - 38-98 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - MODIFICATION REQUESTAccordingly we respectfully request your favorable consideration and approval of our
requested modification. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jon Prouty
President
Enclosure
/ep
east and south. Our plan will better achieve the objective of mixed use in this situation
coupled with sensitive transition between big box retail and residential than would a
plan which was required to comply with the standard.
ii. The housing use that we propose is complementary to and supports adjacent
workplace uses.
iii. Plan achieves the purpose to promoting excellence in design and
construction of planned office parks, buildings, outdoor spaces, and streetscapes.
iv. Plan achieves the purpose of continuing the vitality and quality of life in the
adjacent Landings residential neighborhood. Based on our neighborhood meetings
and the existing residential character of most of Landings Drive, the achievement of
this purpose should be weighted heavily, we believe.
C. Furthermore, this plan substantially achieves important community needs
in I in :
i. Aesthetic and attractive in -town housing immediately approximate to
work places.
ii. Excellent new architectural and planning concepts - step-down buildings
(office -residential -residential -canal and detention pond bank), innovative and
sensitive use of topography, interesting building siting, aesthetic frontages and unique
courtyard concept.
iii. Residential neighborhood with a sense of community and sensitivity to
quality of life.
iv. Pedestrian needs are paramount in this project. This is the guiding principle
in our unique courtyard design which integrates vehicles, bicycle, pedestrian needs
virtually seamlessly together with hardscaping and landscaping.
v. Granting of this modification alleviates a problem of city wide concern,
namely the gross insensitivity which could occur in the E District if incompatible uses
(such as tavern, warehouse, light industrial) were constructed immediately adjacent to
residential areas without the benefit of a sensitive transition.
vi. Strict application of the 25% maximum residential standard would make this
project financially infeasible and would open the door to inappropriate Mason -Street
type warehouse and industrial uses, which such uses would be financially feasible but
in all other respects would be totally inappropriate.
ii. Would not be detrimental to existing Lgjait uses. In fact granting of
modification will benefit existing retail use by providing needed housing for some retail
employees within walking and biking distance of their work.
iii. Would not be detrimental to existing residential uses. In fact granting of
modification will benefit existing residential uses.
a. By locking in Landings Drive as primarily a residential street by
developing this last piece of open property on Landings Drive as residential.
b. By assuring compatible uses, namely transitional office -residential as
proposed in our project.
c. By assuring that no incompatible business use permitted by right in
the E District (including taverns, warehouses, light industrial) will be constructed.
iv. Would not be detrimental to public good in general also for the reasons
described above.
v. Would not impair the intent and purposes of the LUC. In fact granting
modification will achieve the intent and purposes of the LUC as is outlined in the
Statement of Objectives and Purposes, a copy of which is attached.
i. The standard proposes that a residential project in the E District not have
more than 25% of the gross project area occupied by residential or commercial / retail
(office). The purpose of this standard is to assure that there is the benefit of mixed use
in employment districts without skewing the character of the district to primarily
residential which would be inappropriate in most cases.
Our project achieves the purpose of the standard that the use be mixed, namely
business and residential, however in our project residential is weighted more heavily
than office.
This is eminently appropriate for this situation because:
a. This project is not located in the middle of a well established area of E
District type uses nor in an area where mostly primary E type uses will probably occur
or be appropriate in the future.
b. This narrow strip of E District infill property is strategically positioned
between big box retail development on the west and residential development on the
east and south. Our plan will better achieve the objective of mixed use in this situation
December 7, 1998
Planning and Zoning Commission
City of Fort Collins
281 North College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Re: Courtyard Commons / Modification Request
Dear Planning and Zoning Commission Members:
Introduction
Courtyard Commons is a unique transitional project encompassing five small office
buildings and eight small townhouse -flat residential buildings. The offices buffer the
residential from adjacent commercial uses and provide seventy-eight 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 property's zoning is E District (employment).
Standard
The land use standards for E District require that residential uses and commercial /
retail uses (offices) shall occupy no more than 25% of the total gross area of the
development plan.
Modification Request
We hereby request that the residential uses and commercial / retail uses (offices)
proposed for this property be allowed to occupy approximately 60% of the total gross
area of the development plan for the reasons as further described below:
A. The granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good or
impair the intent and purposes of the LUC,
i. Would not detrimental to existing office uses. In fact granting of modification
with be beneficial to the existing office use to the south by assuring the quality and
character of the adjacent use, namely this project's proposed office buildings which
will be identical to those in Landings Office Park.
3307 South College Avenue, Suite 200, Fort Collins, CO 80525 • (970) 226-5000 • Fax (970) 226-5125