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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWATERFIELD PUD - PRELIMINARY - 7-95B - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - VARIANCE REQUESTMAY-13-97 TUE 04:28 PM P.04/04 Planning and Zoning Board May 13, 1997 Page 3 that the mixed use nature of the project would meet a stated purpose of its Low Density, Mixed -Use Neighborhood zoning, which is to combine housing with "complementary and supporting land uses that serve a neighborhood". In addition to satisfying City policy goals, Country Club believes that is makes good planning sense to provide neighborhood services within the neighborhood. Waterfield P.U.A. will include 176 units of affordable housing designed for families; this segment of the Waterfield community could benefit significantly from a daycare facility and a convenience store. In fact, all of the residents and the City at large will benefit from the reduction of vehicle miles travelled if the Waterfield community can access some of the necessary services within blocks of their home. For all of the reasons cited above, County Club requests that the Planning and Zoning Board grant a variance from the requirements of Criteria 2, Activity J, Neighborhood Convenience Shopping Center, on the basis that the plan proposed for Waterfield P.U.D. is equal to or better than a plan in compliance with the criteria, pursuant to §29-526(K)(3). Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, MAR('H 9 MYATT. P-C_ LAv/jpk pc: Jim McCory Cathy Mathis MAY-13-97 TUE 04:28 PM I P.03/04 Planning and Zoning Board May 13, 1997 Page 2 maximum applicable points on Point Chart "J". Points were earned for a majority of the categories, including being located at the intersection of an arterial and collector street with primary access taken off the collector; containing two or more different uses; being located on at least three gross acres of land; being located at least 3/4 mile from another center; and being located in "north" Fort Collins. The Waterfield Center was not permitted to take points for Criterion f. Because Country Club is creating a new Center in order to provide necessary services to its residential development, it cannot meet the strict technical interpretation of the language of Criterionf., which requires the Center to be "continguous to and functionally part of an existing or approved neighborhood shopping center". Points were also not awarded to the Waterfield Center under Criterion i., which permits neighborhood convenience shopping centers to earn points for implementing energy conservation methods in the buildings of the center under one of two methodologies. However, with the recent adoption of the City's new Model Energy Code, the requirements have become so stringent that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve all or a part of the points available in this category. The staff is considering a Code change to eliminate this category, but until, that occurs these possible points must be included in the total percentage required. Additional points, awarded under either Criterion f, or Criterion i., would give the Waterfield Center a total of either 42 points (68%) or 40 points (650), respectively, clearly satisfying Criteria 2. In an alternative analysis, deleting both categories from the number of maximum applicable points would give the Center 32 of 44 points, or 73%, again exceeding the minimum of 65s Since, however, it has been the City's practice to abide by the strict interpretation of these criterion, the granting of a variance is necessary_ Mixed Use It is a long-standing policy goal of the City to promote the creation of mixed use neighborhoods where residents have business services available in the close vicinity. Both the former Goals and objectives and the Land Use Policies Plan, in addition to the newly adopted City Plan' Principles and Policies, emphasize the desirability of having neighborhoods which include support services which meet some of the needs of daily life. More specifically, both the City Structure Plan and the Zoning Map adopted in March of this year designate the Waterfield site as a Low Density, Mixed -Use Neighborhood. Although the Waterfield P.U.D. is not being procee3sed under City Plan requirements, it is interesting to note MAY-13-97 TUE 04:28 PM P. 02/04 ARTHUR E. MARCH, JR. RAMSEY O. MYATT ROBERT W. SRANDW JR. RICHARD S. GAST LUCIA A. LILEY J. BRADFORD MARCH LINDA S. MILLER JEFFREY J, JOHNSON MATTHEW J. DOUGLAS MARCH & MYATT, P.C. ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW 110 EAST OAK STREET FORT COLUNS, COLORADO 8052n 2880 18701 A82-4322 TELECOPIER I9101 482.3038 May 13, 1997 Board Members Planning and Zoning Board City of Fort Collins 300 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins, Colorado Re: Waterfield P.U.D., Preliminary Request for Point Chart Variance Dear Planning and Zoning Board Members: ARTHUR E. MARCH 1908-1991 MA41NU ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 40 FORT COLONS, CO 80522-0409 VIA FACSIMILE TO: 416-2020 .On behalf of the developer, Country Club Farms, L.L.C. ("Country Club"), we request that the Board approve this request for a variance from Criteria 2 for Activity J, Neighborhood Convenience Shopping Center, which reads as follows: Does the project earn at least sixty-five (65t) percent of the maximum points as calculated on Point Chart IIJII for the following criteria? As grounds for this request, Country Club asserts that granting the variance would neither be detrimental to the public good nor impair the intent and purposes of the L.D.G.S. and, that the plan submitted for Waterfield P.U.D. is equal to or better than a plan which would meet the criterion pursuant to §29-526 (K) (3) . Waterfield P.U.D. is being processed under the L.D.G.S. pursuant to Section 6, Ordinance No. 161, 1996 (the "Transition Ordinance"). Country Club offers the following evidence in support of its request.for a variance: Point Chart "J'" The Waterfield P_U.D. contains a neighborhood convenience shopping center (the "Center") adjacent to East Vine Street which will include a convenience store, a daycare facility and a building for retail uses. The Center earns 32 points, or 51.60 of the