HomeMy WebLinkAboutLARIMER COUNTY DETENTION CENTER, FACILITY EXPANSION - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - 8-98 - CORRESPONDENCE - (4)Sheriffs Department and the need to house prisoners. The public demands a secure
facility and the Sheriffs Department does a great job in fulfilling this important function.
The Planning and Zoning Board firmly believes, however, that adding a public sidewalk
does not jeopardize security and provides a valuable pedestrian connection within a
mixed -use urbanized industrial park.
If you have any questions regarding the decision of the Planning and Zoning Board,
please feel free to call our office at 221-6750.
Sincerely:
Ted Shepard
Senior Planner
xc. Gwen Bell, Chair, City of Fort Collins, Planning & Zoning Board
Bob Blanchard
Greg Byrne
A. Section 24-95 (a) and (b) of the City Code states that:
"(a) The construction of the local street portion of a public street
adjacent to undeveloped real property is hereby declared to be the
obligation of the owner of the adjacent property at the time such
property is developed or redeveloped.
"(b) The local street portion of such street shall include, without
limitation, the construction of curb, gutter, pavement, and
sidewalk."
B. The location of the sidewalk would be in the public right-of-way, not on
the parcel owned by. Larimer County.
C. The location of the Detention Facility is within an industrial park and part
of the urban fabric where public sidewalks are expected.
D. There is an existing City Transfort stop on the site along Midpoint Drive
just east of the north access drive. This stop will be a point of origin and
destination for the transit riders within the industrial park. A continuous
sidewalk along the frontage of the property will provide for direct access
to this facility.
E. There is a planned retail/commercial project at the southeast comer of
Timberline Road and Prospect Road that will act as a point of destination
for pedestrians within the industrial park, especially during the lunch hour,
thereby necessitating the need for a continuous sidewalk system.
F. The vacant parcels to the south will be required to satisfy minimum level
of service requirements for pedestrian mobility. The lack of sidewalk
along the Detention Center's frontage will automatically cause these
future development projects to fail placing an unnecessary off -site burden
on these parcels.
G. Security on the perimeter is not sacrificed with the inclusion of a sidewalk.
The location of the perimeter fence, the location and number of cameras,
and level of supervision are areas where security could be enhanced.
H. It is the opinion of City Police Chief Dennis Harrison that the addition of a
public sidewalk along a public street does not impact security of a
detention facility.
The Planning and Zoning Board is keenly aware of the mission of the Larimer County
Comm ty Planning and Environmenta ,rvices
Current Planning
City of Fort Collins
The Larimer County Board of County Comm.
P.O. Box 1190
Fort Collins, CO 80522
HAND DELIVER
Dear Board of County Commissioners:
March 23, 1998
On Thursday, March 19, 1998, at the regular meeting of the City of Fort Collins
Planning and Zoning Board, the Board voted 6 -1 to disapprove of the request for the
Larimer County Detention Facility Expansion. The reason for the disapproval is that
the expansion plan fails to comply with the City's Comprehensive Plan (City?lan).
Since the expansion plan does not include a public sidewalk along the full length of the
property's frontage along Midpoint Drive, the request does not satisfy the City's
requirements for public improvements.
The Planning and Zoning Board's authority for this disapproval is found in State Statute
31-23-209 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 (Planning and Zoning Board)."
During the deliberation, the Board made the following findings:
1. The location of the proposed additions to the jail is appropriate.
2. The character of the proposed additions to the jail is appropriate.
3 The lack of a public sidewalk along the full length of Midpoint Drive places the
expansion request in non-compliance with the City's Comprehensive Plan.
Further, the Board found that:
281 North College Avenue • PO. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6750 • FAX (970) 416-2020