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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIN-SITU - PDP - 46-02A - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESPolicy DD-1.1 Land Use. Poudre River Corridor Sub -District Policy DD-1.6 Land Use The project is compatible with the surrounding land uses and will enhance the existing Downtown uses and character. The buffer area will be enhanced and provide recreational opportunities with paths connecting the existing Poudre River Trial. Thank you for your consideration. Please call if you have any questions. We look forward to working with you during the development review process. Yours Sincerely Louise Herbert VF Ripley Associates PRINCIPLE ENV — 3 Policy ENV — 3.3 Water demand management Policy. The proposed landscape plan for the project will utilize the following xeriscape principles: Plant material with low to moderate water requirements. Limited turf areas. Effective use of soil amendments and mulches. An efficient irrigation system. Appropriate maintenance. Policy ENV-5: Natural habitat/ ecosystems (wildlife, wetlands, and riparian areas) will be protected and enhanced within the developed landscape of Fort Collins. Policy ENV-5.1 Protection and Enhancement. Policy ENV- 5.2 Floodplains. The ecological character of the buffer zone, including the 100-year floodplain, will be greatly enhanced over what exists today. The non-native and annual weedy species will be replaced with a variety of native trees, shrubs and groundcovers that will not only buffer the river corridor, but create wildlife habitat where currently none exists. The applicant commits to working closely with City Staff on . this enhancement program. Policy ENV-7: The City will minimize potentially hazardous conditions associated with flooding, recognize and manage for the preservation of floodplain values, adhere to all City. mandated codes, policies, and goals, and comply with all State and Federally mandated laws and regulations related to the management of activities in flood prone areas. The project will comply with the policies within this section. Downtown District Principle DD-1: The Downtown will provide a balanced mix of land use activities. While encouraging a mix of land uses throughout the Downtown, the predominant land use character of each sub -district will be maintained. Land use intensity should decrease as distance from the center of each sub -district increases — establishing a transition between urban uses and adjacent neighborhoods. A mix of housing types for all income levels, family types, and age groups, with a variety of prices and rent levels, will be encouraged. Policy T- 5.2 Connections. The building will be clearly visible from the street and accessible from the surrounding development. A sidewalk adjacent to the eastern most drive provides pedestrian access to Second Street and the existing transit bus stop on Lincoln Avenue. Policy T-7: The City will encourage the development of comfortable and attractive pedestrian facilities and settings to create an interesting pedestrian network. Policy T-7.1 Pedestrian Facilities. The project provides pedestrian sidewalks and path connections to the surrounding neighborhood. Paths and sidewalk materials will be used to compliment the surroundings. The paths within the buffer area will be constructed in crusher fines rather an concrete to compliment the native character and plantings in the buffer area. Policy T-9: Private automobiles will continue to be an important means of transportation. Policy T- 9.2 New and Existing Roadways. The proposed In -Situ access drives will be designed and constructed to ensure an acceptable level of service onto Lincoln Avenue. PRINCIPLE CAD — 3: Commercial developments create a powerful impression of the city, both individually and taken together as a whole. While corporate franchises and chain stores will remain vital and recognizable, commercial developments will be designed to contribute to Fort Collins' district visual quality and uniqueness. Policy CAD — 3.1 Policy CAD — 3.2 The proposed building has been designed to provide visually interesting fagades while contributing positively to the character of the local context. Natural materials will be used 'soften' the elevations to blend with the context and very intentionally not appear as a stark industrial facility. 4. All elevations will be detailed to create a building with four `front' elevations. The landscape plan incorporates plants from the "Fort Collins Native Plant List" as well as non-native plant species. Within the buffer area all plantings are native to Fort Collins and are used to enhance wildlife habitat adjacent to the river. Plantings adjacent to the building and within the parking lot will also enhance the natural character of the site. Deciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees are used to screen the parking lot and provide an attractive streetscape along Lincoln Avenue. In addition, plants and berms will be used to enhance the architecture, main entry area and patio and provide an attractive relaxing area with shade and seasonal interest for visitors and employees. Two existing cottonwood trees will be retained. City Plan Principles and policies achieved by the proposed plan include: PRINCIPLE LU-2: The city will maintain and enhance its character and sense of place as defined by its neighborhoods, districts, corridors, and edges. Policy LU-2.1 City —Wide Structure. The building use compliments the surrounding area and provides a compact development well -served by all modes of travel. Policy LU-2.2 Urban Design. The project will greatly enhance the existing site and contribute positively to the surrounding neighborhood and Poudre River Corridor Sub -District. PRINCIPLE T-4:1131cycling will serve as a viable alternative to automobile use for all trip purposes. Policy 4.1 Bicycle Facilities. Policy 4.2 System Design. The project has bike parking for up to 20 bikes and bicycle connections to the existing Poudre River Trial, Lincoln Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood. PRINCIPLE T-5: The city will acknowledge pedestrian travel as a viable transportation mode and elevate it in importance to be in balance with other modes. Direct pedestrian connections will be provided and encouraged from place of residence to transit, schools, activity centers, work and public facilities. Modification Request. The first phase of the project will ultimately accommodate 150 employees. The project is planned to be built in two phases. Phase One includes the majority of the parking lot with a total of 111 spaces and a 29,300 square foot, two- story building. Phase two includes 30 parking spaces, located at the south end of the proposed parking lot, and future 30,000 square foot, two-story expansion. Phase One is expected to begin by the early part of next year and Phase Two is expected to be built within three to five years. The site plan shows two access drives, which provide access to Lincoln Avenue. The two-way drives facilitate safe access for employees and visitors and also provides convenient safe access for semi -trucks. The easternmost drive aligns with Second Street to the north. Being located along the Poudre bike trail and in close proximity to Old Town are positive aspects for employees. The owners are hopeful that many of their employees will bike to work rather than drive their cars. The bike trail provides convenient access to Old Town and creates opportunities for employees to do errands, shop and/ or eat lunch without having to drive. On site, the pedestrian/bike system provides easy access to the Poudre River Trail and will be constructed with crusher fines, a material sympathetic with the character of the native landscape within the buffer zone. A bike parking area is located in the south corner of the parking lot, which will accommodate a total of 20 bikes. The paths within the buffer area have been designed to provide access for employees and visitors to enjoy the landscape area and to view the two proposed well sites. The wells are used to demonstrate the monitoring equipment that In Situ provides to it's customers. The design goal of In -Situ and the McKee brothers is to provide an attractive building that is well integrated with the Poudre River setting by using natural materials and appropriate colors. The site also provides an opportunity to replace the existing non-native vegetation and weedy species with a native Colorado landscape that will include a variety of plant species and wildlife habitats. The architectural character of this facility will be of an orthogonally composed building punctuated by contrasting angular elements to create visual interest both form the interior and exterior. The overall design concept will emphasize the following elements: 1. Relationship of the building to the site, climate, and the greater natural context of the Front Range and Cache LaPoudre River. 2. Appropriateness of materials for their use. 3. Building form and character shall be of an appropriate scale. Design considerations shall include the mass and proportion of the structure including roof screens, walls and openings. The site is attractive to In -Situ because it is located along the River and because of its proximity to Old Town. Since In -Situ is an environmental company, the owners would like to create a facility that demonstrates environmentally responsible design and development. Explanation of Modification Requests On February 4, 2003, the City approved two Modification of Standards Requests. One to allow encroachment into the 300-foot buffer zone beyond the 20% allowed by the LUC. The other was to allow the proposed building to be wider than 125 feet parallel to the River. Both Modifications were approved unanimously by the Planning and Zoning Board. A subsequent Appeal to City Council resulted in the Approval being upheld. The Modifications are valid for one year. However, once a Phase One PDP has been approved, the Modification approval becomes the same as the vested rights for the PDP. After Phase One is constructed, the approval extends for the life of the project. Meaning that Phase Two will be able to extend into the buffer zone as originally allowed, even if Phase Two is not constructed for ten years or more. Neighborhood Meeting A neighborhood meeting was held on October 23, 2003 at the Old Belgium Brewery. The main questions, concerns and comments included the impacts of future traffic and road widening along Lincoln Avenue, the operations of the new facility, the construction process, specifically the fill dirt required, dust and noise control, the location of the proposed building and parking lot in relation to the buffer area, and pedestrian and bike activity and connections. The traffic issues, including the road widening on Lincoln Avenue are addressed in a traffic memorandum, prepared by Matt Delich, which is part of the submittal. Other items were addressed at the meeting, by In -Situ, consultants and Dohn Construction, the general contractor. Project Description The site is in the Poudre River drainage basin. The southern part of the site lies within the 100-year floodplain and floodway (see plans). The Site Plan shows the layout for the ultimate build -out for the site. Both the parking lot and building, including the future expansion, are located within the approved development area and building envelope as approved in the RipleyASSOCIATES INC Landscape Architecture Urban Design Planning November 4, 2003 City of Fort Collins Planning Department 281 North College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80524 Planning Objectives for In -Situ - Project Development Plan (PDP) Dear Ted: In -Situ PDP is located on 4.0 acres on the south side of East Lincoln Avenue between Team Petroleum and Hydro Construction, Inc. The Poudre River is located south of the property. The site is currently zoned C-C-R, Community Commercial — Poudre River District, which allows office and custom small industry as permitted uses. Background In -Situ Inc. is a premier manufacturer of surface and ground water quality monitoring equipment. Around the world, water quality is fast becoming a primary environmental concern for industrialized and developing nations alike. The expertise of professionals is required to protect and ensure the safety of ground water and surface water resources. In-Situ's mission is to provide these experts with the tools they need for reliable, accurate assessment of site conditions, specifically for surface and ground water monitoring. The company, owned and operated by brothers Craig and Christopher McKee, was originally established in Laramie, Wyoming in 1978. The present facility occupies several historic buildings in downtown Laramie and employs 65 people. The McKee brothers want to design a new facility that will not only enhance their current operation but will provide them with expansion capability. In addition, the move will bring them closer to vendors they work with and customers they sere and ultimately make them more competitive in the market place. In -Situ has relationships with numerous vendors along the Front Range that provide the actual manufactured parts per design specifications that are used in the monitoring instruments. Approximately 40% of the company's space is devoted to light assembly of parts, while the remaining space is essentially office space used for research and development, software, sales, administration and meetings. Phone 970.224.5828 Fax 970.224.1662 401 West Mountain Ave. Suite 201 Fort Collins, CO 80521-2604 vfripley.com