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Home My WebLink AboutDRAKE CROSSING, SAFEWAY FUEL CENTER - PDP - 35-96D - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTIX 0 Y MANCHESTER DRm mu_ UJ RL 0 w O,P co U- w a = VAI LEY FORGE AV U D J w 'o U- U- w NC w U) a LMN WATER BLOSSOM LN } a ?� LMN pring reek Z MOSS ROSE LN U- POL J>_ #35-96D Drake Crossing Safeway Fuel Center PDP Type 1 4/18/06 1 inch: 300 feet N A Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, PDP - #35-96D July 26, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 8 5. Neighborhood Information Meeting The Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center - PDP contains proposed land uses that are permitted in the NC — Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District subject to an administrative (Type 1) review. The proposed uses are convenience store with fuel sales and car wash (indoor). The LUC does not require that a neighborhood meeting be held for a Type 1 development proposal and, therefore, a City -facilitated neighborhood meeting was not held. This proposed development plan is part of an existing shopping center. FINDINGS OF FACT/CONCLUSIONS After reviewing the Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center - Project Development Plan, staff makes the following findings of fact and conclusions: 1. The proposed land uses [a vehicle minor repair, servicing and maintenance establishment (car wash, indoor)] are permitted in the NC — Neighborhood Commercial District. 2. The Project Development Plan complies with applicable General Development Standards contained in Article 3 of the Land Use Code. 3. The Project Development Plan complies with applicable district standards of Section 4.19 of the Land Use Code, NC Zoning District. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center - Project Development Plan - #35-96D. Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, PDP - #35-96D July 26, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 7 Few customers will leave the site during their fuel and/or convenience store purchase and/or car wash. For those that do there are enhanced pedestrian crosswalks from the convenience store to the sidewalk along South Taft Hill Road, to the east, and to the Safeway Supermarket, to the west. The proposal does not directly satisfy the standards set forth in Section 3.5.3(B)(2) Orientation to Build -to Lines for Streetfront Buildings, which states: "Build -to lines based on a consistent relationship of buildings to the street sidewalk shall be established by development projects for new buildings and, to the extent reasonably feasible, by development projects for additions or modifications of existing buildings, in order to form visually continuous, pedestrian -oriented street fronts with no vehicle use area between building faces and the street." The applicant has submitted a PDP request for a Safeway convenience store with fuel sales and car wash on Tract "B" of the Drake Crossing Shopping Center. The uses are almost exclusively auto -oriented and provide very short-term auto -related services. The nature of the uses requires vehicular movement entirely around the site. As previously stated in Section 3.5.3(B)(1) Orientation to a Connecting Walkway, above, few customers will leave the site on foot during their convenience shopping experience, fueling of their car, or vehicle servicing (car wash). Therefore, given the auto -oriented nature of the use, staff has determined that the application is exempt from this standard. D. Division 3.6, Transportation and Circulation 1. Section 3.6.4, Transportation Level of Service Requirements The proposal complies with the requirements set forth in Section 3.6.4(C) Transportation Impact Study. The applicant provided a Transportation Impact Study (TIS) to the City with the PDP submittal documentation. The City's Traffic Engineer has reviewed the TIS and has determined it to be acceptable. Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, PDP - #35-96D July 26, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 6 c. The proposal complies with Section 3.2.2(D)(1) in that it provides for pedestrian and vehicle separation, to the maximum extent feasible, via clearly identifiable, striped pedestrian walkways across 2 internal drive aisles for connections to the sidewalk along South Taft Hill Road, to the east, and to the Safeway Supermarket, to the west, for the occasional pedestrian movement in either direction. d. The proposal complies with Section 3.2.2(K)(5) in that it provides 1 handicapped parking space with an accessible ramp in front of the convenience store building. A minimum of 1 handicapped space is required by the LUC. B. Division 3.3, Engineering Standards 1. Section 3.3.5, Engineering Design Standards The proposal complies with the design standards, requirements, and specifications for the services as set forth in this section. C. Division 3.5, Building Standards 1. Section 3.5.1, Building and Project Compatibility The proposal ensures that the physical and operational characteristics of the proposed buildings and uses are compatible when considered within the context of the surrounding area. It complies with the standards and requirements as set forth in this section of the LUC. The two buildings (convenience store and car wash) and the canopy for the fuel station will be constructed of materials, and colors, that match the existing Safeway Supermarket and shopping center. 2. Section 3.5.3, Mixed -Use, Institutional and Commercial Buildings The proposal satisfies the standard set forth in Section 3.5.3(B)(1) Orientation to a Connecting Walkway. This section states that at least one main entrance of any commercial building shall face and open directly onto a connecting walkway with pedestrian frontage. However, it goes on to say that any building which has only vehicle bays shall be exempt from this standard. The Safeway Fuel Center, with a convenience store and car wash, are predominantly auto -related uses. The customers will, for the most part, patronize the fuel station and make small purchases in the convenience store. Some will utilize the associated drive-thru car wash. Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, PDP - #35-96D July 26, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 5 under -canopy lighting satisfies the requirements set forth in this section of the LUC. 4. Article 3 of the LUC — General Development Standards The PDP complies with all applicable General Development Standards, more specifically as follows: A. Division 3.2, Site Planning and Design Standards 1. Section 3.2.1, Landscaping and Tree Protection a. The proposal complies with Section 3.2.1(D)(1)(c) in that it provides "full tree stocking" within 50' of the buildings, according to the standards set forth in this section. b. The proposal complies with Sections 3.2.1(D)(2)(a) & (b) in that canopy shade (street) trees are provided at a 40' spacing in the parkways along South Taft Hill Road and Valley Forge Avenue. c. The proposal complies with Section 3.2.1(E)(4)(b) in that the on -site vehicular use areas will be adequately screened from South Taft Hill Road and Valley Forge Avenue in conformance with this section of the LUC. 2. Section 3.2.2, Access, Circulation and Parking a. The proposal complies with Section 3.2.2(C)(4)(a) in that it provides adequate and secure bicycle parking located near the convenience store building. The rack will accommodate 2 - 5 bicycles, which exceeds the minimum of 1 space required. b. The proposal complies with Section 3.2.2(C)(1) in that, to the maximum extent feasible, the pedestrians shall be separated from vehicles and bicycles. The Safeway convenience store and car wash is an auto -related facility within an existing shopping center. There will be enhanced pedestrian crosswalks from the convenience store to the sidewalk along South Taft Hill Road, to the east, and to the Safeway Supermarket, to the west, for the occasional pedestrian movement in either direction. Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, PDP - #35-96D July 26, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 4 3. Division 4.19 of the LUC — Neighborhood Commercial District The proposed Safeway Fuel Center, a convenience store with fuel sales and a vehicle minor repair, servicing and maintenance establishment (car wash, indoor), is permitted in the NC Zoning District subject to an administrative (Type 1) review. The PDP meets the applicable Development Standards, more specifically: 1. Section 4.19(E)(1) Site Planning. This development proposal complies with the requirements set forth in this section in that it is an integral part of the existing Drake Crossing Shopping Center and is served by the established street, access, and sidewalk layout. The building siting & site design for this auto -related use relates to the street frontages, to the extent reasonably feasible, and a transit stop exists at the southeast corner of the shopping center. This current request represents a redevelopment of a vehicle -oriented use in the 24-year old shopping center (preceding the adoption of the LUC) and, therefore, a "gathering place" in this development plan is not appropriate and is not being included on this site. 2. Section 4.19(E)(2) Block Requirements. This development plan complies with the requirements set forth in this section in that it is surrounded by dedicated public streets on two sides, being a corner lot / pad site in the Drake Crossing Shopping Center. It is part of a 24-year old supermarket -anchored shopping center that is 12.11 acres in size (preceding the adoption of the LUC) and the center satisfies the minimum building frontage requirement. Because of the nature of the proposed uses (convenience retail store with fuel sales & drive-thru car wash), the two buildings are 14' - 15' in height; however, the canopy element over the fuel pumps extends up to 2T-10" in height. 3. Section 4.19(E)(3) Canopies. This development plan complies with the requirements set forth in this section. The canopy for the fuel station is attached to the convenience store structure with columns on edge of the canopy and the front of the store. The canopy is designed with a shallow -pitched, mansard roof that matches colors and materials on the convenience store building, which matches the colors and materials in the existing shopping center. The Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, PDP - #35-96D July 26, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 3 COMMENTS: 1. Background The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: NC, RL; existing multi -family residential, single-family residential (Valley Forge Condominiums, Brown Farm Third Filing) E: RL; existing single-family residential, church (Lexington Green Third Filing, Fort Collins Bible Church) S: NC; existing shopping center (Drake Crossing) W: NC; existing shopping center (Drake Crossing) The property was annexed into the City in June, 1971 as part of the Brown Farm First Annexation. The subject property was Tract "B" of the Drake Crossing Shopping Center that was approved by the Planning and Zoning Board in March, 1982. Tract "B" was identified for gas station & car wash uses on 0.88 acre. It remained as Tract "B" on a replat known as Drake Crossing Shopping Center Filing No. 2 that was approved through the City's minor amendment review process in November, 2002. The land uses did not change. 2. The Proiect The Safeway convenience store, fuel station, and car wash facility will contain two separate buildings and a canopy over the fuel pumps. The convenience store building will contain 893 square feet in a one-story structure to be about 15.5' high; the canopy for the fuel facility will be about 23.75' high; and, the car wash building will contain 1,200 square feet in a one-story structure to be about 14' high. This proposed project is located at the southwest corner of South Taft Hill Road and Valley Forge Avenue in the Drake Crossing Shopping Center. It will replace the existing fuel station and car wash on the site. There are no other convenience store/fueling facilities of any kind within 1 mile (5,280') of this site. The existing Safeway Supermarket is directly west of this site. Proposed access to the development site is from a private driveway within the shopping center between South Taft Hill Road and Valley Forge Avenue. Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, PDP - #35-96D July 26, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 2 " standards located in Division 3.2 - Site Planning and Design Standards, Division 3.3 - Engineering Standards, Division 3.5 - Building Standards, and Division 3.6 - Transportation and Circulation of ARTICLE 3 - GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS; and standards located in Division 4.19 Neighborhood Commercial (NC) of ARTICLE 4 — DISTRICTS. Convenience retail stores with fuel sales (located at least 3,960' from any other such use or fueling station) and vehicle minor repair, servicing and maintenance establishments (car wash, indoor) are permitted in the NC — Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District, subject to an administrative (Type 1) review. The NC District is: Intended to be a mixed -use commercial core area anchored by a supermarket or grocery store and a transit stop. The main purpose of this District is to meet consumer demands for frequently needed goods and services, with an emphasis on servicing the surrounding residential neighborhoods typically including a Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood. In addition to retail and service uses, the District may include neighborhood -oriented uses such as schools, employment, day care, parks, small civic facilities, as well as residential uses. This District is intended to function together with a surrounding Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood, which in turn serves as a transition and a link to larger surrounding low -density neighborhoods. The intent is for the component zone districts to form an integral town -like pattern of development with this District as a center and focal point; not merely a series of individual development projects in separate zone districts." This proposal complies with the purpose of the NC District as it provides a convenience store with fuel sales and car wash facility that would be owned and operated by the Safeway Supermarket as part of an existing shopping center. This proposed new development will be on a developed parcel of land in the existing Drake Crossing Shopping Center. The new Safeway convenience store/fuel station and car wash will replace an existing fuel station and car wash on the site. There are no other convenience store/fueling facilities of any kind within 1 mile (5,280') of this site. It will tie into and utilize existing roadways, utilities, and services in the area. The site is in the NC District. ITEM NO. _.,. MEETING DATE STAFF Citv of Fort Collins HEARING OFFICER STAFF REPORT PROJECT: Drake Crossing, Safeway Fuel Center, Project Development Plan - #35-96D APPLICANT: Galloway, Romero & Associates c/o John C. Scales 5350 DTC Parkway Greenwood Village, CO. 80111 OWNER: Fort Collins Car Wash 806 East 19th Avenue Denver, CO. 80218 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for a Safeway convenience store, fuel station, and car wash facility containing two separate buildings and a canopy over the fuel pumps. The convenience store building will contain 893 square feet in a one-story structure to be about 15.5' high; the canopy for the fuel facility will be about 23.8' high; and, the car wash building will contain 1,200 square feet in a one-story structure to be about 14' high. This proposed project is located at the southwest corner of South Taft Hill Road and Valley Forge Avenue in the Drake Crossing Shopping Center. The existing Safeway Supermarket is directly west of this site. Proposed access to the development site is from a private driveway between South Taft Hill Road and Valley Forge Avenue. The property is zoned NC, Neighborhood Commercial. RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This Project Development Plan (PDP) complies with the applicable requirements of the Land Use Code (LUC), more specifically: the process located in Division 2.2 - Common Development Review Procedures for Development Applications of ARTICLE 2 - ADMINISTRATION; COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 (970) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT