HomeMy WebLinkAboutMOUNTAINS EDGE ANNEXATION & ZONING - 2430 S. OVERLAND TR. - ANX160002 - CORRESPONDENCE - RESPONSE TO CITIZEN (3)I hope this answers all your questions. I look forward to your participation in the
development review process. Please let me know if you have any follow-up questions
or if I've piqued your interest on any other relevant topics.
Sincerely:
Ted Shepard
Chief Planner
221-6343
Response:
The City does not have any view shed protections. Asking for one-story buildings
next Brown Farm would be best addressed to Mr. Mark. Limiting houses to one
story along the shared property line would have to be voluntarily agreed to by Mr.
Mark as the Land Use Code has no such requirement.
Regarding shadowing, the Land Use Code requires a shadow analysis for buildings
that are over 40 feet in height. One of the criteria in the shadow analysis is to
consider access to solar installations on adjacent properties.
I would like to be included at all levels of development
proposals so I can review the proposed development. This
does not only effect my existing home but the homes of
my neighbors. I understand we did not purchase a home
next to open space and always knew the property could be
developed. However, because the request is to annex and
rezone, and annexation means the property will have a
draw on City services potentially increasing our taxes, I feel
as though we have the right to review all proposed plans
and have the right to provide review comments.
Response:
If you were notified of the Annexation and Zoning hearing, you will be notified of the
neighborhood meeting, which, as mentioned, has not been scheduled yet.
Regarding a potential increase in taxes, please note that the City endeavors to make
growth pay its own way. Toward this end, the each dwelling unit will be assessed a
Building Permit Fee. I've attached an example of a Building Permit Fee Schedule for a
single family house that was recently issued a building permit in the Rigden Farm
subdivision to Meritage Homes. From this example, you will see that all City service
providers (including one fee for the Poudre School District and two fees for Larimer
County) are included in the fee schedule.
As your Planning Department, we are committed to an open and transparent process.
You indeed have the right to review all proposed plans and provide comments.
open space around the stadium. I recommend a 60' open
space buffer with 30 feet of natural vegetation between
the neighborhood to the east and a future pedestrian
pathway.
Response:
The City does not have an open space requirement per se. Rather, our approach is bit
more qualitative than quantitative. For example, the Land Use Code has requirements
for buffering between different uses, land use transition between different uses and
landscaping requirements. In addition, there is a requirement for a 50-foot wide buffer
along Dixon Creek (although this buffer is allowed to meander to look more natural).
The applicant will also be required to submit an Ecological Characterization Study to
evaluate natural habitats and features, and, if found to be significant, demonstrate how
such habitats and features are to be protected and/or mitigated. Finally, development of
this site will require a stormwater detention pond to detain the runoff volume difference
between the 100-year storm and the two-year historic release rate. All of these
regulations typically result in a development that includes a degree of open space that is
commensurate with the impact being created.
Regarding a buffer along the shared property line with Brown Farm, such a feature will
be dependent on the type and extent of land use proposed in this area. The Land Use
Code does not have a one -size -fits -all standard.
Regarding trail connections, our standards require the developer to construct and
extend trails to connect to existing facilities. The idea of placing a trail along the shared
property line should be brought up to Mr. Jeff Mark at the neighborhood meeting.
Does the City of Fort Collins have any view shed
requirements? If not, there should be a single story
maximum for the entire property or a stair stepping of
stories that start single story from the east with additional
stories being permitted only from partway through the site
to the west. The reasoning is to protect the views of the
existing residences and prohibit any undue shadowing on
the existing residences. Some of our existing neighbors
use the western sun for solar uses to uphold the
sustainability of their property.
Will Bluegrass be punched through? If so, is it needed for
access or primarily for emergency access? Can it only be
limited for emergency access and be gated with a knox
box? I am worried having Bluegrass opened for access to a
mixed use development might have an adverse effect on
our existing single family neighborhood, especially since it
leads to a signalized intersection at Yorkshire and Drake.
Response:
Yes, Bluegrass will be required to be extended west to serve the site. It was stubbed to
the westerly property line of Brown Farm Seventh Filing (1979) in anticipation of going
through someday as development occurs. It will be needed for general purpose public
access, not just emergency access. As a public street, it cannot be gated. A
Transportation Impact Study will be required to be submitted that will assess the overall
impacts of the anticipated traffic generated by this proposal on the adjacent
intersections, including Yorkshire and Drake.
City Plan has several principles and policies that address how neighborhoods need to
be connected (pages 73,74). At the same time, please note the following:
"Calm Traffic: Design neighborhood streets so as to discourage excessive
speeding and cut -through traffic. Design street widths and corner curb radii to be
as narrow as possible while still providing safe access for emergency and service
vehicles. Utilize frequent controlled intersections, raised and textured
crosswalks, and various other specialized measures to slow and channel traffic
without unduly hampering convenient, direct access and mobility."
The City's Traffic Operations Department has a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program.
Please contact Martina Wilkinson, traffic engineer, 221-6887 for further information.
What is the open space dedication requirement for this
development? Can the emphasis of the open space
requirement be focused in a buffer between the existing
single family neighborhood to the east? There is a great
opportunity for the creation of a pedestrian trail which
connects Quail Hollow with the intersection of the drive in
and Overland Trail - providing safe travel to the existing
• Personal and business service shops
• Small animal veterinary facilities
• Offices, financial services and clinics
• Neighborhood recreational facilities
• Places of worship
• Limited indoor recreation
• Open-air farmers markets
• Restaurants (but no drive -through facilities)
• Convenience retail stores with fuel sales (must be at least 3/a mile from any other
such use and from any gasoline station.
Examples of L-M-N neighborhood centers include:
• Shrader's Country Store at West Harmony Road and Seneca Street
• Collindale Neighborhood Center at East Horsetooth Road and Lochwood Drive
• Jessup Farm at Bucking Horse at South Timberline Road and Blackbird Drive
(which is south of East Prospect Road).
Regarding the Dark Sky, our lighting standards require that all private fixtures be sharp
cut-off and fully shielded. This results in fixtures that are down -directional. In addition,
our standards require that there no be illumination level in excess of 0.1 (one -tenth) as
measured 20 feet from a property line. Please note that these standards do not apply to
lighting on individual lots such as lighting over doors, garages, porches, patios and the
like. Nor do these standards apply to public roadway lighting provided by our Light and
Power Utility.
(Have there been any environmental studies performed on the
site? Not only for chemical spills (gas for farming vehicles,
ammonia, fertilizer, etc) but also for subsidence (mining) or soil
sampling (to determine if the soil can allow for development).
Response:
The City does not require an environmental study of the site. What we do require,
however, is a Soils Report and an Ecological Characterization Study. This Soils Report
is reviewed by our Engineering Department to make sure that the soils are capable of
supporting public streets to our specifications. Having said this, however, buyers
typically perform what is referred to as a "Phase One Environmental Review" as a
contingency of a purchase contract. Whether or not the Lorson South Land Corp. had
this study done prior to acquisition would be an excellent question for Mr. Jeff Mark at
the yet -to -be scheduled neighborhood information meeting. The Ecological
Characterization Study is discussed below.
City Plan states (page 79):
"Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhoods will provide opportunities for a mix of
low density housing types in a setting that is conducive to walking and in close
proximity to a range of neighborhood -serving uses."
Regarding potential land use intensity allowed in the L-M-N, residential density is
required to be no less than 3.00 dwelling units per net acre and no greater than 9.00
dwelling units per gross acre. Residential housing types that are permitted include:
• Single family detached
• Duplexes
• Townhomes
• Group Homes
• Extra Occupancy Rental Houses (more than three unrelated occupants)
• Multi -family (limited to no more than 12 units per building in a building no larger
than 14,000 square feet)
A limited number of non-residential land uses,are also allowed. These are intended to
be at a scale that serves the surrounding neighborhood and not the city at -large.
Examples include the following:
• Bed and breakfast establishments
• Child care centers
• Schools
• Long-term care facilities
• Places of worship
• Offices
• Banks
• Professional clinics
• Artisan and photography studios and galleries
• Workshops and custom small industry
• Light industrial (production, assembly, packaging)
• Solar energy systems.
The L-M-N also allows for a small commercial area called a Neighborhood Center.
Such a center is intended to provide for a variety of non-residential land uses (but only
as permitted by the Land Use Code) to serve as a year-round gathering place or to
ensure that the Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood has access to an existing
Neighborhood Commercial District or Community Commercial District. (City Plan page
79.)
Permitted uses in an L-M-N Neighborhood Center include:
• Retail stores
• Convenience retail stores
f
Response to Issues Raised:
Does the existing Comprehensive Plan currently permit
mixed use on this property? If so, what is the potential
intensity of the land uses permitted? Are drive thru's
permitted? If so, I highly recommend drive thru's and
automotive service stations should be prohibited. The
reasoning behind this request is drive thru's have a 24
hour component with them and automotive service
stations typically are very well lit, creating transient
lighting. Dark Sky lighting should be practiced this close to
the foothills.
Response:
As you are probably aware, the 18-acre parcel is located within the City's Growth
Management Area. The limits of the G.M.A. were formed in conjunction with Larimer
County. The City and the County have entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement
which states that the City will annex parcels that are contiguous to the municipal
boundary, and where the annexation petition was voluntarily submitted. This is how the
City has physical grown in area over the years.
With regard to zoning parcels that are subject to annexation, the City is guided by our
comprehensive plan that we call City Plan. City Plan was first adopted by City Council
in 1997 and updated twice since then with the most recent version being adopted in
2011. A component of City Plan is the Structure Plan Map. Per City Plan (page 66),
the purpose of the Structure Plan Map is as follows:
"The City Structure Plan Map provides direction about how the city will change
over time — how to grow, where to develop, and how to shape growth so that it
benefits overall quality of life. It focuses primarily on the physical form and
development pattern of the City, serving as a blueprint for the community's
desired future. The City Structure Plan Map provides a geographic depiction of
how these City Plan Principles and Policies are applied throughout the City."
The Structure Plan Map indicates that the subject parcel is to be placed into the Low
Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood, also known as L-M-N. For a complete list of the
permitted uses, please refer to the link to the Land Use Code.
to the east? There is a great opportunity for the creation of a
pedestrian trail which connects Quail Hollow with the intersection of
the drive in and Overland Trail - providing safe travel to the existing
open space around the stadium. I recommend a 60' open space
buffer with 30 feet of natural vegetation between the neighborhood
-to the east and a future pedestrian pathway.
Does the City of Fort Collins have any view shed requirements? If
not, there should be a single story maximum for the entire property
or a stair stepping of stories that start single story from the east with
additional stories being permitted only from partway through the
site to the west. The reasoning is to protect the views of the existing
residences and prohibit any undue shadowing on the existing
residences. Some of our existing neighbors use the western sun for
solar uses to uphold the sustainability of their property.
1 would like to be included at all levels of development proposals so I
can review the proposed development. This does not only effect my
existing home but the homes of my neighbors. I understand we did
not purchase a home next to open space and always knew the
property could be developed. However, because the request is to
annex and rezone, and annexation means the property will have a
draw on City services potentially increasing our taxes, I feel as
though we have the right to review all proposed plans and, have the
right to provide review comments.
Kristin Pintauro and Art Pintauro
(970)214-1720
3
To: Ted Shepard
Cc: Sheri Langenberger
Subject: Mountains Edge Annexation - 2430 S. Overland Tr. ANX160002
Dear Ted Shepard,
I am a resident in Brown's Farm subdivision who backs up to the Mountains Edge Annexation -
2430 S. Overland Trail Project. I am concerned about a few things regarding the development of
this land behind my house. My husband and I have owned and lived in our house for 25 years. Our
address is 2457 Compass Court.
Thank you for your attention to my concerns and for answering these questions.
Does the existing Comprehensive Plan currently permit mixed use
on this property? If so, what is the potential intensity of the land
uses permitted? Are drive thru's permitted? If so, I highly
recommend drive thru's and automotive service stations should be
prohibited. The reasoning behind this request is drive thru's have a
24 hour component with them and automotive service stations
typically are very well lit, creating transient lighting. Dark Sky
lighting should be practiced this close to the foothills.
• Have there been any environmental studies performed on the
site?. Not only for chemical spills (gas for farming vehicles, ammonia,
fertilizer, etc) but also for subsidence (mining) or soil sampling (to
determine if the soil can allow for development).
• Will Bluegrass be punched through? If so, is it needed for access or
primarily for emergency access? Can it only be limited for
emergency access and be gated with a knox box? I am worried
having Bluegrass opened for access to a mixed use development
might have an adverse effect on our existing single family
neighborhood, especially since it leads to a signalized intersection at
Yorkshire and Drake.
What is the open space dedication requirement for this
development? Can the emphasis of the open space requirement be
focused in a buffer between the existing single family neighborhood
2
Ted Shepard
From: Ted Shepard
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2016 10:17 AM
To: 'Kristin Pintauro'
Cc: jf11157@comcast.net'
Subject: RE: Mountains Edge Annexation - 2430 S. Overland Tr. ANX160002
Attachments: reportShow.do.pdf, MountainsEdge.PintauroRsp.docx
Hello Kristin — I have provided a response to the issues and questions you have raised related to the potential
development of the Mountain's Edge parcel.
Attached please find my response.
I have also attached Building Permit Fee Schedule for a single family detached house in Rigden Farm. This Building
Permit is provided in response to your question about a potential increase in taxes needed fund City services to
accommodate a new subdivision. This permit was pulled in 2016 so all fees are current.
Please note that Sarah Burnett in our office is the community liaison person who can also provide information. Her
contact information is sburnett@fcgov.com and her phone number is 224-6076.
In addition, here are some relevant links to documents you may find interesting:
http:/Iwww.fcgov.com/developmentreview/citizenreview.php
httP://www.fcgov.com/drg/da-step2.php#5
The following link is to City Plan, the City's comprehensive plan. In my response, I cite several principles and polices
from the "Community and Neighborhood Livability" chapter of City Plan with page numbers. But, please note that these
page numbers are from the hard copy document, not the online version, and they may not match.
http://www.fcgov.com/planfortcoIIins/
The following link is to the recorded plat of the Brown Farm Seventh Filing. Page two shows how Bluegrass Drive is
stubbed to the property line.
http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?cmd=convert&vid=51&docid=3886&dt=S-SUBDIVISION+PLAT
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Thanks,
Ted Shepard
Chief Planner
City of Fort Collins
970-221-6343
From: Kristin Pintauro [mailto:kpintauro@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2016 7:35 PM