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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMASON STREET MOTEL - PDP/FDP - 7-98 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESNative plantings and wetland materials are used in the areas of the project open space. Areas of the wetlands disturbed are vegetated with wetlands plantings. The City Specifications will be adhered to with respect to the protection of existing trees. Care will be taken to limit and separate the construction work from the wetlands area to be maintained. The high traffic areas of this project, notably the front yard and the visible sides of the building are the areas where high water consumption and high maintenance are used and will have the largest impact to the Public and for the clients. From a prescriptive point of view the landscaping plan meets the requirements for size, variety, and proportions. Water consumption is regulated and grouped as to need and impact. Soil amendments are provided with the design installation to better utilize the water and to have a significant impact visually. Regular maintenance of the property will be assured and undertaken by the property owner. Parking areas will have the number and types of trees and shrubs as required for parking areas. The landscaped spaces greatly exceeds the minimum required percentage of parking lot landscaping with respect to the expanse of paved surface Landscaping will maintain the appropriate separation of plantings and underground utilities and streetlights. The variety of trees and landscaping will provide privacy for the clients, provide visual interest and variety year round, and enhance the character of the site. The specific Zoning requirements that apply to this project are found in the LUC Division 4 titled Commercial District. The motel use on the site is consistent and a permitted use within the zoning being a place of lodging. This commercial land use meets the purpose of this zoning district by providing a concentration of a variety of uses in close proximity to transit and other related commercial ventures The land use for the property meets the standards set in this section of the LUC. The infill nature of the property is evident upon observation of the area and the infrastructure that is developed surrounding the property. The project provides the variety of commercial uses that focus on a service oriented business matches the character of the area. This project helps provide a balance of land uses in this district of the City. In reviewing our design, we see that the property meets the general and specific requirements of the LUC and should be reviewed in a positive light. We believe that the design and the project will be a positive addition to the fabric of the Neighborhood and the City and should be approved by the reviewing agencies and allow the project to proceed to the building stage. Hazards as defined by the LUC including flooding, materials, and point of access view triangles are avoided by this design. The storm drainage basin study notes an elevation for structures that will resist the potential of flooding. The drainage studies prepared for this property meet the design criteria set forth by the City. No hazardous materials are used or stored within the building. The architectural character of the project is similar in form and massing to the surrounding neighborhood. The design of our buildings is a multi -level three-story building. The form and style is similar to that found in multi -family housing projects and with the sloped roofs the motel takes on a residential character. The primary building material that will be used with the design of the building I stucco and masonry. The human scale is achieved with the use of brick around the entire building The human scale is further defined by the detailing that is provided in the brick work. A variation in the color of the brick helps break up the mass of the building. The detailing of the projecting sills and lintels at all the windows provides the human quality to the building. The balance of the structure is detailed in stucco of a base color and an accent color. The areas of scale around the windows and the boarders of the lattice all project and are highlighted in color. The lattice serves two purposes. The lattice provides a wall detail that is relatable to the human scale it is a form that is recognizable to all and has contextual importance to residential structures. It is also used as a screen for mechanical openings and vents that are prevalent in motel construction. This detail removes this repetitive component from the buildings image. The roof materials will be of a high profile asphalt shingle that compliments the color scheme found on the balance of the structure. These elements are common to the area and will allow this project to coordinate and fit well with the surrounding properties. The windows and doors will be scaled to a residential scale by the size and shape. All of these window units are sized to scale with the users, they identify the individuality of each guest and the exterior detail provides interest to the building. No high glare surfaces will be used on the buildings found on this development. The landscaping for this project is used to reinforce the pattern of streetscape and used to shape the pedestrian paths through the site. The trees along the streetscape will provide interest to the pedestrian scale and physical comfort as they use the sidewalk system at this site. The requirement for full stacking of the streetscape is provided formally at the sidewalk and in an irregular pattern as it transitions to the building. Full stocking is provided along the street frontage as well as the north and south elevations of the building. The lighting for the project also provides the safety of the site users. The building provides security lighting that illuminates the major walkways and parking areas for the visitors of the site. Lighting is also used as accent to the entry areas that provide decor lighting to these areas. The pedestrian spine is also accented with Ballard lights that light the path and provide a human scale to the area at night The Code requirement for limitation of lighting from any light source is also complied with in this project. All of the lighting sources on the site are down directed. All of the fixtures provide for sharp angle cut-off of the light to limit scatter light from the source. No light source will illuminate to a level greater than ten -foot candles on the surface below. The lighting values provided in the code for illuminating various land uses is adhered to. No source of the light will allow lighting levels from the site to exceed 0.1 foot-candle beyond a limit of twenty feet from any property line. Site amenities will enhance the livability and usability of the site for the clients and for the Public. In conjunction with the pedestrian path through the site there are seating areas along the path that provide public space for the public to enjoy. The environmental concerns found on this site will be minimal. No excessive noise will be generated on this site that exceeds City noise ordinances. No air quality standards will be compromised by the residential activities found on this property. This site being an infill and being situated in proximity to the Transfort route may help reduce air quality problems because vehicular trips may be eliminated or reduced in length because of the infill nature of the property. No source of glare is anticipated from the site. There are no know significant historical features of the property nor are there any known historic events that occurred on the property. Water quality standards are being enhances through the incorporation of extended storm water detention on the site. A Wetland area is noted to exist on this site as identified by the City Natural Resources Department. The origin of the wetlands in this area was caused by the railroad and from seepage from the mercer canal. This area became an isolated area when the new mercer canal was constructed leaving the area with no outlet. This area stayed this way until the late Seventies when Mason Street was constructed as a recirculation street to relieve pressure from College Avenue. The value of the natural area was determined to be minimal verses the greater community need for safe transportation. This area was reduced over time leaving this area as the only area left of this natural area. This'area was approved for filling by the Corps of Engineers back n 1998. It was determined at that time that this isolated area and its regular shape which unnaturally follows the property boundary had minimum value as a wetland. No aquatic habitat is to be found in this drainage area due to the lack of a true fresh source of water, no outlet to the water that enters the site and because the source of the water is primarily from run-off from adjacent developed properties. There is no evidence of raperian habitat or activity on this property. This area has its own character, which is supportive of the overall shopping node, that masses along the College avenue corridor. This area having its own character is not competing but supportive of the City patterns. Its unique district character provides primarily for service oriented businesses most of the services found in this area are not found in other areas of town or appeal to a geographic region such as this project does. The emphasis and prominence of this area is secondary and supportive of the downtown area being the center and focus of the overall community. From the considerations of the general requirements of the LUC the project meets or exceeds the expectations found in this document. The LUC also address the needs for a compact urban design. The major consideration for that LUC's emphasis on the compact design issue is because of the need to create an efficient infrastructure for the Community. This project being an infill project completes the development within a specific neighborhood where the public facilities are all in place. The property meets the requirements of the LUC with respect to having adequate public facilities extended to the Site. There are no off -site improvements required for this project to be constructed. All of the utilities required for a residential development are present on site and ready for connection. The transportation network is completed within the area and adjacent to the property. This includes all of the various modes of transit including private vehicles, public transit, bicycles, and pedestrians. Multi -Modal access is provided to and from the property to all other parts of the City. The new City project for a multi -modal corridor will directly serve this project. The needs for fire protection are provided for as well. Proper fire protection is provided with the public water supply system and within the design with fire protection access to any point of all of the structures being within 150 feet. Fire access lanes are provided through the site and in areas of potential conflict of access and parking that would impede the access these areas are marked as "no parking fire access lane." The safety of the patrons and the employees is provided with the inclusion of an automatic fire suppression system throughout the project. This system will meet or exceed the current Fire Code. The safety of the site visitors is further looked after by the design and location of the separate circulation systems. To this goal the Developer has separated the circulation systems of pedestrians and vehicles to as great an extent possible. The vehicle circulation is primarily limited to the north end of the site. The circulation spine serves the main entry of the building. In the areas that the two systems need to cross, the crossings provide a change of color texture and material. These traffic -calming techniques are used to show the predominance of the pedestrian users over the vehicular circulation. The pedestrian path will also be elevated above the vehicle space in the locations that they are contiguous. MASON STREET MOTEL PLANNING OBJECTIVES This report reviews our proposed project with respect to the current City Land Use Code and the current City Plan. Both tools are part of the Planning Review Process for the City and constitute the elements of the Comprehensive Plan. We will review the major code features that are required by our project on a general nature and specifically with respect to the Commercial District that is the current zoning for the project. This project is intending to develop to the current Zoning and the requirements as provided within the Land Use Code. In addition we will measure the Project with respect to the Community wide goals of the City Plan as demonstrated by the design. The project will be a commercial motel operation consisting of forty-seven units and an indoor recreational amenity. The building will be a three-story operation similar to the structure directly to the south. The project provides the connections to the existing transportation network for safe and convenient transit to and from the site no matter what the means. Private vehicle, public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian means of travel are provided for and are made convenient for all guest and employees of the motel. The project is intended to be rented on a nightly basis and short term stays by the clients. The users are anticipated to come from those visiting Ft. Collins on business or visiting family living in the area. The facility is scheduled for the mid -price range that will appeal to a wide section of the population. In reviewing the Community values as found in the City Plan we believe that our project will provide the patrons of the business and the employees the four basic values of Choice, Fairness, Fulfillment and Sustainability. This project by its location, circumstances, and design meet the three primary Land Use criteria that apply to this project as stated in the City Plan. Being an infill project allows the compact and definable character of the City to be realized. The adjacent properties surrounding have been established over the last fifteen years since the time that the City extended Mason Street through this area. The development on this property will help reduce the outward and southward pressure for additional commercial properties that are continuing to be called for because of the demographics of Ft. Collins. With this location the majority of the City's commercial ventures are within a mile radius. In addition within walking distance are good restaurants and service providers.