HomeMy WebLinkAboutPVH MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING & PARKING STRUCTURE - PDP ..... FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING - 14-07 - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING12. You mentioned that the parking garage and new medical office building
are part of a $38 million expansion program. What other items are there?
A. Other items include a renovation of the cafeteria, the aforementioned new
operating rooms and more private rooms for patients.
13. Have you done a patient census? What are your projections?
A. Yes, we have done a patient census. We have between 160 and 170
patients per day at this time. We predict that this number will grow 2% to
4% annually. This reflects a growing community.
14. Traffic on Lemay will just get worse. Already we have gridlock. On
Fridays, late afternoon, southbound traffic backs up from Prospect all the
way to Robertson and Garfield. I would like to see the Transportation
Impact Study. With all the traffic signals between Riverside and Prospect,
Lemay will become choked with traffic.
A. Yes, as the hospital grows, there will be more patient, visitor and staff
traffic using Lemay. We hope to divert some Lemay traffic by splitting the
parking between patients and visitors on the east and doctors and staff on
the west. The T.I.S. will help us analyze and find ways to mitigate this
traffic. For example, the southbound right -turn into the garage will likely
feature a separate right turn lane.
15. I'm concerned about access to local businesses on Robertson and
Garfield during construction. Will there be road closures due to
construction, especially to build the skywalks?
A. Since we are very early in the process, the traffic control plan during
construction has not been worked out. Generally, the City works with
construction crews to maintain reasonable access during construction.
16. We want what Highlander Heights got — no access and no traffic impacts.
17. As an alternative location, what about the old Coloradoan building on
Riverside or the soon -to -close nursing home on Doctors Lane? Or, was
Lemay and Garfield your first and only choice?
A. We considered other sites. For example, there is the property on Pennock
Place as well as the property in the vicinity of The Other Club. The
available sites on Riverside are not big enough. The subject site appears
to us to be the most strategic with the opportunity for the skywalk over
Lemay.
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A. The helicopter pad on the Lemay campus is still needed. We anticipate
fewer flights, but the capability is still needed.
32. It appears that P.V.H. is going to great lengths to keep the doctors happy
with close -in, convenient and protected parking. This is fine for the
doctors but has an impact on us.
A. We consider doctors to be customers of the hospital as well. We see
ourselves as a growing hospital in a growing community and we want to
build in as much quality as we can in order to maintain our level of service
and retain and attract high quality staff.
33. What will happen to the little dental clinic at the northeast corner of
Garfield and Robertson?
A. This building will be demolished.
34. We live close to this proposed garage. It looks imposing. Folks tonight
have mentioned privacy. We get the feeling that users of the garage will
be looking right down on top of us. It feels like a loss of privacy.
A. We understand your concern. While it may take a few years to grow and
mature, there is ample area for generous landscaping at the southwest
corner of our site.
35. Will Bus Route Number Five be impacted?
A. No, the Number Five will still serve the hospital and Lemay Avenue.
36. What about building over the existing stormwater detention ponds on the
east side?
A. This may be very difficult to engineer. And, we would still have to find a
way to accommodate the runoff associated with the new structure.
37. 1 would like to revisit the idea of placing one or more parking levels below
grade. This seems like an obvious solution. I encourage you to make a
very rigorous evaluation at the actual depth of the water table, cost
comparison with above -ground levels and employee attitudes toward
underground parking. Have you at least considered one garden -level
which still allows natural light? Perhaps there are practical solutions to
these constraints. For example an underground de -watering and sub -
drain system could be installed. Or, security cameras and lighting could
be installed. The trade-off is that you would be mitigating the negative
aspects of the four story structure and improve neighborhood relations.
Response from City: The opportunity to oppose the project is at the public
hearing with the Planning and Zoning Board and, upon appeal, with the City
Council.
25. 1 own the retail building north of the proposed garage. It looks like the four
story garage will put my building in shadow during the winter months.
26. 1 echo the previous speaker. We live just to the west and I'm concerned
that the garage will block the eastern sun from shining into my house.
A. We will perform a shadow analysis as part of the submittal to the City.
27. What about noise? There is an audiologist in the nearby medical office
building that will be impacted during construction.
28. Will there be any ground -floor retail or coffee shop?
A. No.
29. What is your timeframe? Will both buildings be constructed
simultaneously?
A. We plan on starting construction of the garage in the fourth quarter of this
year. We expect approximately one year for construction. The medical
office building may or may not be constructed at the same time. That
decision has not been made yet.
30. I'm concerned about the additional impervious surface and increased
stormwater runoff. I am aware of a six inch diameter storm drain in the
area which is too small to carry the existing runoff much less the new
water. I have seen stormwater back up to top of our first step. There are
existing problems in the area and new development will just make it
worse.
A. We are required to submit a Drainage Report with our project to the City.
An analysis of existing conditions is part of that study. The City has
adopted new stormwater regulations since the 1997 flood, including the
heavy two-hour rainfall criteria which is more indicative of our weather
than light rain storms of long duration. We must comply with the
regulations or build conveyance channels and detention ponds to handle
our projected runoff.
31. Why not build this garage on the existing helicopter landing pad on the
east side? Now that P.V.H. has a helicopter landing pad on the top of
Medical Center of the Rockies, why is one needed here?
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18. P.V.H. demonstrated good faith in not punching south onto Pitkin. P.V.H.
now needs to demonstrate an equal amount of good faith and find an
alternative location for the parking garage so as to not impact University
Acres.
19. Traffic from the garage will impact Garfield. We will definitely need traffic
calming devices to be installed. Speed bumps are a good start but they
need to be effective and not just token attempts at slowing down speeding
traffic.
20. Will the skywalks be accessible to the public? If I don't park in the garage
but simply live in the neighborhood, how do I cross Lemay?
A. The parking garage and skywalks are not intended, at this time, to be
public. These spaces will be designed with security features for doctors
and staff. Keep in mind that the skywalks will enter the hospital on the
third floor which is not set up for public access. If you want to cross
Lemay, you may do so at the traffic signals at Doctors Lane or Robertson.
21. I'm concerned about the visual intrusion of a 4-story parking garage next
to one-story medical buildings and single family homes. This is a dramatic
contrast. What about reducing the height by placing one or two levels
underground? This would lower the overall profile of the structure.
A. P.V.H. has heard from its employees that underground parking is not
perceived as being as safe as above -ground. There also may be a
problem with the water table.
22. 1 notice from the drawings that the four-story garage is actually lower in
height than the four-story medical office building. Is this accurate?
A. Yes, there is not as much area needed between stories in the garage
versus the mechanical equipment required between floors in a medical
office building.
23. We live on Garfield. It's obvious to me that our property values will
decline. My belief is that P.V.H. is bullying the neighborhood which is a
shame. Garfield is a beautiful street with well -maintained homes. Our
neighborhood has character and we have enjoyed living here for many
years. We echo the concerns expressed about traffic, lighting and
privacy.
24. What is the process to oppose this project?
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should be good enough to veto the parking garage on the west. The
same logic applies.
A. Thank you for your comments. The P.V.H. facilities director recalls that
one of the reasons the access south to Pitkin was rejected was that there
never was sufficient land area to build a proper access road that would
handle the anticipated traffic.
7. If you put the parking garage on the east, you would save the cost of at
least one of the skywalks.
A. Part of our thinking is that the west side already includes a non-residential
buffer to the neighborhood. The existing medical office buildings will act
as a transition between the parking garage and the residential area. This
will help to mitigate the impacts.
8. We already have a traffic and speeding problem on Garfield. For P.V.H.
employees that use the Lemay parking lot, they have learned that Garfield
is an efficient street for ingress and egress and avoid the traffic in Lemay.
Garfield is used as a shortcut to Stover Street.
9. How about installing a cul-de-sac between the homes on Garfield and the
medical offices and parking garage? This would keep our neighborhood
nice and quiet and Garfield would not act as through street.
A. We will forward this suggestion to the City Traffic Operations Department.
Response from City: You are encouraged to discuss installation of traffic calming
devices with the Traffic Operations Department. There is a range of options that
are available to neighborhoods that experience cut -through traffic.
10. 1 live on Green Street. Traffic on Green will just get worse. I agree that
the impacts on privacy from lighting and traffic will have a negative impact
on our neighborhood.
11. Is there even a need for a parking garage with the opening up of Medical
Center of the Rockies?
A. Yes, even with M.C.R., the Lemay campus will grow. For example, P.V.H.
is adding new larger operating rooms with a building addition along Lemay
Avenue. This small addition will require the loss of some existing trees but
we will plant new ones. The new operating rooms were processed by the
City as a Minor Amendment. Keep in mind that as we continue to grow,
we are short 200 spaces now.
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We are aware of the City's requirements for full cut-off fixtures to protect
the night sky. These fixtures are rated as being "Dark Sky Compliant."
Immediately to the west of the proposed garage are existing medical
offices, not houses, so hopefully the illumination will not impact the
neighborhood.
Response From City: A Lighting Plan will be required upon submittal.
2. But these existing medical office buildings on your west are only one-story
in height. We live in the first house to the west of the M.O.B. on Garfield.
We are very concerned about lights, privacy, noise and traffic.
A. We are aware of these issues and will try to mitigate the impacts as best
we can. A Transportation Impact Study will be required for a submittal to
the City.
3. Is the parking garage open to the public?
A. No, it will be available for staff only. Where the skywalk enters the
hospital will be on the third floor. This is not an entrance lobby for patients
and visitors. Patients and visitors are directed to the east surface parking
lot because that is the side of the hospital that features the public
entrance.
4. Are there staff presently parking on the surface lots on the east side?
A. Yes, the new parking garage will free up about 200 spaces on the east
side.
5. Speaking of the east side of the hospital, why not simply put the garage on
the east side and not impact the neighborhood on the west side?
A. Our concept is to devote the entire east side to patients and visitors. The
east side of the hospital has the existing main entrance, lobby, admitting,
emergency room, accounting, and visitor services. Doctors and staff do
not need these services and can enter the hospital on the third floor in an
"employee only" area. Separating these two sets of customers allows for
efficiency. For example, doctors need quick access since their offices are
not on the hospital campus and the garage would provide that.
6. Years ago, P.V.H. proposed punching an access road to the south to gain
access to Pitkin Street. This plan was vetoed because the neighborhood
objected and they objected for good reasons. Well, why should that
decision mean that we on the west side now have to bear the brunt of the
traffic, noise, lights, etc. that comes with the proposed garage? If it was
good enough to veto an access to the south, then for the same reasons, it
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NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING SUMMARY
PROJECT: Poudre Valley Hospital — New Parking Garage and
Poudre Valley Hospital and Woman's Clinic New
Medical Office Building
DATE: May 8, 2007
APPLICANTS: Poudre Valley Hospital
Woman's Clinic
CONSULTANT: Mrs. Angie Milewski, BHA Design, Inc.
CITY PLANNER: Ted Shepard
The project consists of two distinct phases. First would be a new parking
structure located at the northwest corner of Lemay Avenue and Garfield Street.
Second would be a new medical office building at the southwest corner of Lemay
and Garfield.
The parking structure would be four to five stories in height and contain between
750 and about 800 parking spaces. Access would be from Lemay Avenue. Two
pedestrian bridges, at the third floor level, would span Lemay and Garfield to
provide safe access to both the hospital and the proposed office building. It
would be built on the site of the present surface parking lot which contains
approximately 200 spaces
The medical office building would contain approximately 60,000 square feet, at
four stories in height. Construction of the two projects may or may not be
coincidental.
Unless otherwise noted, all responses are from the applicant and consultant.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS
1. How will the parking garage fit into the neighborhood? I live in University
Acres and am concerned about lighting and the 24-hour and 7-days per
week operation. It looks intrusive to me.
A. We are aware of the lighting component of the garage. We are not far
enough along in our design process to have selected the light fixtures.