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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY RIDGE, 2ND FILING - PDP - 49-95F - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - MODIFICATION REQUESTSteve Olt September 23, 2004 Page 4 of 4 Ensuring that development proposals are sensitive to the character of existing neighborhoods Ensuring that development proposals are sensitive to natural areas and features Additionally, granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good. In granting the modification, the minimal amount of traffic on Fromme Prairie Way will not be hindered. Parking for surrounding uses (trailhead, residential, and commercial uses) will be adequate for these uses and will not require use of the on -street parking spaces. Pedestrian and bicycle safety will not be compromised. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any reason. Sincerely, JIM SELL DESIGN, INC. Kent Bruxvoort, P.E. Project Manager cc: Jim Newcomb, Global Holdings of Colorado, LLC H9CUR PLNOStaff Folders\STEVEVRequestforModification_09.23.04.doc Steve Olt September 23, 2004 Page 3 of 4 The project plan has been designed to minimize impact to the slope, to maximize the buffer between the proposed lots and the Prairie, and to protect the small wetland. In doing so, the project footprint has been minimized, and availability of area in which to provide the off-street parking requirement is limited. Providing the paved parking required to meet the extra 0.5 spaces per unit of the standard outside the attached two -car garages would all but eliminate the only small internal open space adjacent to the multi- family dwellings. 2) The plan as submitted will not diverge from the standards of the Land Use Code except in a nominal, inconsequential way when considered from the perspective of the entire development plan, and will continue to advance the purposes of the Land Use Code. The project plan proposes that multi -family dwellings area small part of the overall project, 14 of 59 units, or 24 percent. Providing the paved parking required by the code to meet the extra 0.5 spaces per unit of the standard outside the attached two -car garages would require only 7 additional parking spaces not located on Fromme Prairie Way. And yet, 14 parking spaces are proposed on Fromme Prairie Way. The impact to Fromme Prairie Way in relying on the on -street parking to meet project parking demand will be inconsequential. Fromme Prairie Way in front of the proposed multi -family and two-family dwellings, as described above, will carry a portion of the project traffic, and a very limited amount of traffic to the Cathy Fromme Prairie trailhead. This traffic is limited by the fact the street is a cul-de-sac at the trailhead and by the few parking spaces provided at the trailhead. Thus, this perimeter street does not function like typical perimeter streets that usually provide through -connections to other neighborhoods or commercial/retail uses. The 14 parallel parking spaces proposed will be located outside the required 30- foot local road section of Fromme Prairie Way, and will be on the south side of the road, such that pedestrian movement will not require a crossing of the street. There are no other residential or commercial uses that will require the use of the 14 provided on -street parking spaces. The adjacent residential homes in the Overlook development all face away from Fromme Prairie Way, and the proposed on -street parking is located well away from existing residential and commercial uses to the east. The plan as submitted will continue to advance the following purposes of the Land Use Code (Section 1.2.2): • Encouraging innovations in land development and renewal • Fostering the safe, efficient, and economic use of the land, the city's transportation infrastructure, and other public facilities and services • Facilitating and ensuring the provision of adequate public facilities and services • Increasing public access to sidewalks, trails, bicycle routes and other alternative modes of transportation • Improving the design, quality and character of new development HdCUR_PLN&Staff Fol&ers STEVEUteque tforModification_09.23.04.doc Steve Olt September 23, 2004 Page 2 of 4 to locate single family lots adjacent to the Prairie in such a way that the buffer remains in a natural condition and unaffected by project grading, and that a small wetland on the western edge of the property is protected. In doing so, the project's footprint is kept as small as reasonably achievable while still meeting minimum density requirements. A patio home product is proposed in order that lot size could be small, and common open areas internal to the project are few so that open areas around the project's edge with the Prairie could be maximized. The submitted PDP for Harmony Ridge Filing 2 proposes improvement of Fromme Prairie Way to a local road cross section, with curb and gutter on both sides of the street, and with sidewalk and parkway on the south side. The improved section will be brought to the project's western property line, and from that point westward will continue to serve only the Fromme Prairie trailhead. At the direction of City of Fort Collins staff, the improved section is to include two traffic lanes and two striped bicycle lanes, as well as dedicated parallel parking outside these traffic and bicycle lanes for any dwelling units to front Fromme Prairie Way. These parallel parking spaces are within the Fromme Prairie Way right-of-way, but are inset into the landscaped parkway on the south side so that they are outside of the 30-foot local road cross section. The parallel, on -street parking is stipulated by staff to be provided (see Staff Project Review of July 12, 2004) for use of residents of these units, as well as for any visitors or delivery personnel. Each proposed multi -family and two-family unit will have an attached two -car garage. Thus, three parking spaces in total will be provided for each two-family or three family unit: two off the street in the attached garages and one for each unit on the street. The proximity of the site to the slope facing the Prairie and a site design that provides an open space buffer between the Prairie's northern edge and the rear lot lines of the southern -most homes limit the amount of space available for parking at the rear of the multi -family and two-family lots (see the attached site plan). A small, triangular space is provided (Tract A), and this tract is proposed to function within the project's drainage plan, and to provide a small play area. A request for interpretation was submitted to the Current Planning Director as to the definition of the term "internal street" as used in Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(b) of the LUC, to determine whether the on -street parking provided on Fromme Prairie Way might count toward the requirements of Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(a). The Director determined that Fromme Prairie Way is a perimeter street and does not meet the intent of the term "internal street" as envisioned in the Code language. Comnliance with Review Criteria for Modification of Standards In support of this request, Global Holdings asserts that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good and that two of the alternative standards for approval of a modification of request according to Section 2.8.2(H) will be satisfied as follows: 1) By reason of exceptional physical conditions or other extraordinary and exceptional situations, including, in this case, proximity to a natural area and small wetland, and including the topographical condition of steep slope, the strict application of the standard would result in an unusual practical difficulty, which has not been caused by the applicant. HACUR—PLNG\Staff Fol&ers STEVEXRequmtforModifi=ion 09.23.04.doc September 23, 2004 Mr. Steve Olt Current Planning Department 281 N. College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 RE: Harmony Ridge Filing 2 Project Development Plan Request for Modification of Standards, Land Use Code Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(a) Dear Steve Jim Sell Design has submitted on behalf of the applicant, Global Holdings of Colorado, LLC, a Project Development Plan (PDP) for Harmony Ridge Filing 2, a 14.1-acre project with L-M-N zoning located west of Seneca Street and south of Fromme Prairie Way (Old Harmony Road). The request herein is for a modification of the standards presented for the required number of off-street parking spaces for attached two-family and multi -family dwellings, as presented in the table in Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(a) of the Land Use Code. Reauest for Modification of Standards Global Holdings of Colorado is proposing one (1) two-family building and four (4) three-family buildings at Harmony Ridge Filing 2, and that each of the 14 units will include four or more bedrooms. The required off-street parking standard as presented in Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(a) is for a minimum of 2.5 spaces for each four -bedroom unit. Global Holdings requests for this project that this standard be modified to require a minimum of 2 off-street parking spaces for each four -bedroom unit. Proiect Histo In September 1996 the Planning and Zoning Board approved the 186.87-acre Harmony Ridge ODP. Shortly thereafter the City purchased 141.4 acres of the property as an addition to the Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area, leaving 45.47 acres for development. The first filing, consisting of 130 dwelling units on approximately 31.4 acres was approved in 1998, leaving 14.1 acres for this second filing. With the construction of Harmony Road in its current alignment west of Seneca Street to Taft Hill Road, the old Harmony Road, renamed Fromme Prairie Way, remains roughly in the same state as it was immediately prior to the new construction. That is, its cross section is similar to a County Road section, without curb and gutter. Access to the Harmony Ridge First Filing is taken from Seneca Street, and Fromme Prairie Way currently only provides access to the trailhead, where it terminates in a cul-de-sac turnaround with approximately 15 parking spaces. Pertinent Proiect Plan Description The Harmony Ridge Filing 2 project proposes 45 single-family patio homes, and 14 multi -family homes. The 14 multi -family homes are proposed to face Fromme Prairie Way. Twenty-two single-family lots are proposed to back to the Prairie at the edge of a natural topographic slope. This hillside drops approximately 45 feet from its top to the elevation at the property line, with an average slope of about 15 percent. The project plan is designed to provide an adequate buffer from the Cathy Fromme Prairie and HACUR_PLNG\StaffFol&ers STEVE\RequmtforModifc=ion 09.23.04.doc