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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBRICK STONE APARTMENTS ON HARMONY - PDP - PDP160019 - DECISION - MINUTES/NOTESPlanning & Zoning Board October 13, 2016 Page 9 lots will converge and overflow on that land. Mr. Haws responded that the City's flood plain mapping and policies identifying that floodway would preserve and protect that conveyance capacity; therefore, this project would not be impacted. The City flood plain mapping and strategy would also address the larger water -shed concerns. Regarding potential U-turns, Ms_ Wilkinson stated that Poudre Fire Authority does not have particular concerns with their response times. Vice Chair Hart asked about the "straight -across" crossing over Harmony Road; Ms. Wilkinson responded that this situation is common in Fort Collins, and the City will provide appropriate access points or make concessions when necessary. Board Deliberation Member Schneider commented that he feels the concerns are being properly mitigated, and this plan is better than what potentially could be proposed and is in compliance with City Plan and LUC's; therefore, he will be supporting it. Member Heinz agreed that this plan meets the code requirements and there is room to modify over time. Member Hobbs stated that there are good things about this project, although he still has some concerns about storm water and drainage; therefore, he won't be supporting the project. Member Carpenter has some concerns about the access to this project, but, since it meets the codes, she will support the project. Vice Chair Hart feels it meets the LUC requirements and the environmental and traffic standards; therefore, he will support it. Several Board members commended the developer as well as the neighborhood support. Member Schneider made a motion that the Planning and Zoning Board approve the Brick Stone Apartments on Harmony PDP160019 based upon the information and findings of fact contained in the staff report that is included in the agenda materials for this hearing and the board discussion on this item. Member Heinz seconded. Vote: 4:1, with Member Hobbs dissenting. Other Business None noted The meeting was adjourned at 9:25pm. Ca ron Gloss, PI n ng Director Planning & Zoning Board October 13, 2016 Page 8 Applicant and Staff Response Eric Bracke, ELB Engineering, performed the traffic study for this project. He addressed some of the citizen concerns raised regarding U-tums, stating that residents will eventually make some changes in their travel needs and that there is no accident history to indicate that U-turns are dangerous. U-tums are a normal course of urban access control, and Harmony is a well -travelled roadway. He spoke about the connectivity on Harmony from the south to the north side of the road. Nick Haws, Northern Engineering Services, addressed the storm water concerns, saying the drainage report for the project development plan is at a 50% level, meaning that much of the details will be further resolved at the Final Plan stage. During the Final Plan, the ongoing maintenance will be specifically addressed and legally binding going forward. He confirmed proper compliance with the code and that low impact development techniques are in place, allowing runoff to infiltrate with lower -level storms. Aaron James, with Cardno, addressed the environmental concerns, saying the ecological characterization study was completed in 2015. He discussed the wetlands and the trees / vegetation to be planted onsite. Mr. Lee also spoke about the buffer zone and the plan to make it a visual amenity. Stephanie Blochowiak, City Environmental Planner, also addressed the buffer standards, saying that, for the urban natural areas, the buffer standard is 50 feet, and this project is in compliance with that standard. Board Questions Member Hobbs asked questions regarding the 'high risk flood way" and how the City is planning for the 100-year flood. Senior Planner Wray stated that the floodway and flood plain are close but delineated, and this project is outside those boundaries and will not be impacted by the floodway or flood plain, based on the underground system in place. In addition, the City Storm Water engineers haves concluded that it meets the criteria of the code. Member Schneider asked about the shared access point and why it is necessary for this project; Ms. Wilkinson responded that the adopted access control plan along Harmony has identified the safest access points along Harmony Road, and combining accesses is always the safest approach onto arterials. She added that the City would like to push that access as far east as possible to reduce risk. Member Schneider also asked about traffic impacts; Ms. Wilkinson responded that, typically, residential developments produce less traffic than commercial developments. Member Heinz asked if safety for the Harmony Road Apartments could be improved and if the shared drive would be widened; Ms. Wilkinson responded that it was built as a 30'-wide drive, so it is already wider than the normal 24' standard drive. In addition, pedestrian safety is always foremost, and the biggest concerns are the pedestrians travelling in the road edge of Harmony Road_ Sidewalks are needed, and she discussed the safety mitigation features that have been developed. Member Heinz asked about connecting trails, and Mr. Lee responded that there is a trail along the south side of the apartments. Vice Chair Hart noted a sidewalk along the west side of the Harmony Apartments and asked if it was wheel -chair accessible; Mr. Lee confirmed that it is adequate for that use. Member Hobbs asked what the elevation difference is between the floor of the parking garage and the surface of the pond; Mr. Haws responded that it is at least 15 feet or more, and there will be some retaining walls installed. Member Hobbs expressed concern about sheet flows of water coming off of the surrounding commercial parking lots, resulting in impacts to neighboring areas. Mr. Haws responded that the regional and local drainage plan were reviewed and analyzed. No flood plain modeling was done because they are not impacting the flood plain. Ms. Blochowiak also stated that this project would improve the water quality in this area and also slow down the sheet flows; an increase in plantings will also increase the area stabilization and slow down any flowing particulates. Mr. Haws also stated that flood management is restricted to a 2-year undeveloped rate, which results in a lower runoff during storm events. Member Hobbs restated his concern that the runoff from the surrounding commercial parking Planning & Zoning Board October 13, 2016 Page 7 Because of the overall transportation concerns, a traffic study was performed. Senior Planner Wray discussed the improvements that would occur with this property: new transit bus stop, extension of sidewalk, and connecting walkways. He concluded that the project meets all transportation requirements of the Land Use Code (LUC) and is compatible with existing neighboring apartments. He discussed the way the buildings are situated and how the project site is separated from the drainage area and neighboring homes. He added that there will be extensive new buffered landscaping to mitigate any light spillover impacts. Finally, he discussed the ecological character study that was performed. Member Hobbs asked about the storm water flow into the property at the northwest point and about the nature of the canal regarding the Larimer County #2 easement. Senior Planner Wray responded that this site is part of the confluence of the underground drainage from across Harmony Road; it is a combination of discharge culvert/storm collection and an irrigation ditch. Member Carpenter asked about traffic options leaving the area; Martina Wilkinson, with Traffic Operations, confirmed there will be a right -in, right -out limited access option, which is a safer approach for accesses to these types of areas. She added that, as our community urbanizes, these types of traffic plans are becoming more prevalent. Member Heinz asked for an aerial view of what the transportation plan would look like in order to better gauge the driving options. Secretary Cosmas reported that, since the work session, we have received 2 emails with concerns over safety, traffic, environmental issues and privacy and a petition from the Fairway Estates residents. Public Input Vice Chair Hart allowed 10 minutes for Mandy Morgan to speak, as she is representing a group. Mandy Morgan, a resident of Harmony Road Apartments, is opposed to this development and is speaking for a group of residents from her apartment complex. She discussed several potential impacts to residents at Harmony Road Apartments, citing the shared access driveway, traffic flow increases, safety issues for disabled citizens, and cold weather -related issues. She feels that this development would add more traffic than is safe for residents. Vice Chair Hart allowed 20 minutes for David Ramsay to speak, as he is also representing a group. David Ramsay, 4675 Venturi Lane, is here representing approximately 19 residents at Fairway Estates. He complimented the City staff for their help and input in working with his group of residents. He has put together a petition that addresses traffic and pedestrian safety, as well as several environmental concerns. He believes that the traffic situations presented by staff are misleading and do not adequately address safety concerns. He has a concern about the U-turns that occur daily and the use of the neighboring church parking lot already being used for turns. David Agee, 4635 Venturi Lane, also spoke about the lack of maintenance for storm drainage; in addition, he believes the storm drain design is questionable, allowing water to come into Fairway Estates property, potentially causing damage. He cited a Colorado Supreme Court case from 1967, Hankins vs. Borland, which resulted in the Colorado Modified Civil Law that specified that "natural drainage conditions can be altered by an upper proprietor as long as water is not sent down in a manner or quantity that does more harm to the lower proprietor than the formerly". He feels that the proposed drainage system would harm Fairway Estates at some point. Mr. Ramsay also asked the Board to review the environmental side of this project proposal, with consideration to the buffer zones and wetlands. Planning 8 Zoning Board October 13, 2016 Page 6 Recommendation: Approval This project has been continued to the November 10, 2016, P8Z hearing. Project: Brick Stone Apartments on Harmony PDP160019 Project Description: This is a request to development of a 3 story multi -family apartment building and ground level parking on approximately 5 acres of existing vacant land, located at 201 E. Harmony Road (parcel #9601200004). The 116 market rate residential units will be a mix of 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom and 2 bedrooms, 2 bathroom units. The building includes a 56,800 SF parking garage with 197 parking spaces. Access to this site will be from Harmony Road on a shared entry drive. The site is located in the Harmony Corridor (HC) zone district. Recommendation: Approval Staff and Applicant Presentations Senior Planner Wray gave a brief overview of the project, showing slides of the site plan. Russell Lee, with Ripley Design, gave a full presentation of this project. He gave some history of how the project developed, how the site plan was adjusted based on input from outreach input (for example, changing the footprint of the building), and some of the outdoor amenities proposed. He pointed out that no modifications or alternate compliance is being requested with this plan. He also commented that providing a new bridge and bus stop will add to the transit options; coupled with the MAX located less than a quarter mile away, this project is truly multi -modal. There will be shared access with Harmony Apartments (the drive aisle will be 30 feet wide). In addition, trees and plantings will be added to enhance the architecture. A third lane will be built on Harmony Road, which will eventually extend all the way down Harmony Road. This plan exceeds the required buffer by 120%, since they are providing more shrubs and landscaping than is recommended. There will be a 4'-high fence along the path to separate residences from natural areas, which he feels is a nice transition between the project and Fairway Estates. He clarified that there will be no access to surrounding areas from this property. Senior Planner Wray provided an analysis, stating that the initial requirements were derived from Harmony Corridor plan. He stated that this is a unique situation because: • this property does not have the requirement for the percentage of primary and secondary uses; • multi -family housing is supported as a transitional land use; • there is a provision for a shared access drive; and • there is guidance for the setback and landscaping requirements on the Harmony frontage. He added that the surrounding zoning is general commercial and urban estate. The Harmony Corridor supports higher density, multi -family housing; he reviewed the code requirements to prove that this project is properly in compliance with pertinent codes. He discussed the neighborhood outreach meetings and how feedback has been incorporated into the plans, organizing 0 into four key areas: • Transportation impacts to surrounding neighborhoods • Compatibility • Appropriate buffer • Storm water runoff and erosion control impacts Planning & Zoning Board October 13, 2016 Page 2 Planning Director Gloss reviewed the items on the Consent and Discussion agendas for the audience. He detailed each project, noting that the applicant for the Landmark Apartments Expansion project has requested to continue this project to the November 10'hhearing, since they are having some unanticipated items to resolve. Public Input on Items Not on the Hearing Agenda: None noted. Consent Agenda: 1. Draft Minutes from September 8, 2016, P8Z Hearing 2. West Elizabeth Enhance Travel Corridor Plan — Recommendation to City Council 3. Worthington Town Homes PDP Public Input on Consent Agenda: None noted. Member Schneider made a motion that the Planning and Zoning Board approve the October 13, 2016, Consent agenda as presented. Member Heinz seconded the motion. Vote: 5:0. Vice Chair Hart asked the audience if anyone had any comments for the Board regarding the continuation of the Landmark Apartments Expansion project. Member Heinz made a motion that the Planning and Zoning Board continue the Landmark Apartments Expansion project PDP160013 to the November 10"', 2016, hearing. Member Hobbs seconded the motion. Vote: 5:0. Discussion Agenda: 4. Village on Horsetooth Affordable Housing 5. Landmark Apartments Expansion PDP (continued to the November le, 2016, hearing) 6. Brick Stone Apartments on Harmony Project: Village on Horsetooth Affordable Housing Protect Description: This is a request for a Project Development Plan for the Village on Horsetooth, the first development on City Land Bank property. The proposed development includes 96 new units of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. Apartments will be separated into nine residential buildings and all units will have private outdoor spaces. Nine residential buildings are to be constructed within (6) 2- story buildings with twelve (12) units and three (3) 2-story buildings with eight (8) units. Unit types will consist of 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom units. Bedroom and unit mix as follows: 6 one -bedroom/ 1 bath, 66 two -bedroom/ 1 bath, 22 three-bedroom/2 bath, 2 four -bedroom/ 2 baths. Area Median Income (AMI) target totals 43 units at 0-30% AMI, 53 units at 51-60% AMI with 96 units in total (100% affordable). This development is located on an 8.3-acre site in the LMN (Low- Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood) zone district. Kristin Kirkpatrick, Chair Gerald Hart, Vice Chair Jennifer Carpenter Jeff Hansen Emily Heinz Michael Hobbs Jeffrey Schneider City Council Chambers City Hall West 300 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins, Colorado Cablecast on FCTV Channel 14 & Channel 881 on Comcast The City of Fort Collins will make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs, and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Please call 221-6515 (TDD 224-6001) for assistance. Regular Hearing October 13, 2016 Vice Chair Hart called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll Call: Carpenter, Hart, Heinz, Hobbs and Schneider Absent: Kirkpatrick and Hansen Staff Present: Gloss, Yatabe, Prassas, Frickey, Lewin, Wray, Mapes, Blochowiak, Langenberger, Hanh, Wilkinson, and Cosmas Agenda Review Vice Chair Hart provided background on the board's role and what the audience could expect as to the order of business. He described the following procedures: • While the City staff provides comprehensive information about each project under consideration, citizen input is valued and appreciated. • The Board is here to listen to citizen comments. Each citizen may address the Board once for each item. • Decisions on development projects are based on judgment of compliance or non-compliance with city Land Use Code. • Should a citizen wish to address the Board on items other than what is on the agenda, time will be allowed for that as well. • This is a legal hearing, and the Chair will moderate for the usual civility and fairness to ensure that everyone who wishes to speak can be heard.