HomeMy WebLinkAboutWATERGLEN PUD - FINAL - 71 93B - CORRESPONDENCE - CITY HALL (3)urban design, inc.
Waterglen more difficult. The more important effect of the Staff interpretation will be to shut
more people out of the local housing market. If in fact Waterglen is not to be reimbursed for
street oversizing, the project certainly should not be charged the City's Street Oversizing
development fees.
We realize that the City cannot easily pursue most of our original suggestions for
reducing housing costs at Waterglen; but we do not believe that that situation should not be
extended to the point of "double dipping" this neighborhood for street oversizing costs.
As indicated in our April 20th letter:
The City Code states that, "If a street within or adjacent to the development
is improved as an arterial or collector street rather than a residential street, the
Director of Engineering shall compute the extra expense caused ..... Such extra
expense shall be paid by the city out of the street oversizing fund.."
Waterglen meets the criteria of being "located between existing development
and the nearest fully improved arterial street that provides major access to the
development." Anheuser Busch must be recognized as existing development.
If Lemay is to be defined as the nearest improved arterial providing major
access to the development, Waterglen is located as described in the City
criteria.
The streets in question are required to be master planned as a collector and an
arterial, respectively.
Adopted City Land Use Policies (including 25, 40, and 41) clearly indicate that
City participation in infrastructure costs in the northeast area is appropriate.
Typically, development fees must be used.toward public improvements in the
area of the property generating the fees. To require Waterglen homesites to
pay street oversizing fees that would be used to subsidize street improvements
in another part of town would appear to be improper.
Thank you again for your consideration.
Eldon Ward, President
Cityscape Urban Design, Inc.
cc: Bill Reynolds, W.W.'Reynolds Companies
Libby Glass, W.W. Reynolds Companies
Lucia Liley, March & Myatt
L " �
May 27, 1994
Steve Burkett
City Manager
City of Fort Collins
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
Dear Steve;
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urban design, inc.
3555 stanford road, suite 105
fort collins, colorado 80525
(303) 226-4074
FAX (303) 226-4196
We have made considerable progress in our efforts to create a high quality, but less
costly neighborhood at Waterglen. The ODP and Preliminary PUD Plans have been approved;
and, based on direction from the Planning and Zoning Board, an acceptable approach to off -
site street improvements on Vine Drive has been determined. Plans for the Cooper Slough
Natural Area and the on -site neighborhood park are being advanced, as well as final site,
drainage, and utility plans.
One outstanding issue that City Staff has indicated should be brought to your attention
regards reimbursement to Waterglen for the costs of oversizing on -site arterial and collector
roadways. Throughout the first five t months of the development review process, Staff had
indicated that Waterglen would be eligible for typical street oversizing reimbursements.
However, shortly before our initial P&Z Hearing, we were informed that Staff's position had
changed; and because of the interpretation of some administrative guidelines this
neighborhood would not be eligible for City participation in street oversizing. Because we
questioned this new interpretation - and because of a number of adopted City Land Use
Policies (including 25, 40, and 41) state "... the City should provide incentives such as utility
and infrastructure improvements, streets, power, etc.,....."; "The City should promote the
utilization of existing vacant land in the northeast by offering incentives such as utility and
infrastructure provisions or revenue bonds and tax increment financing."; and "The City
should encourage residential development in the northeast..." - on April 20th (see attached),
we requested a variance to these administrative guidelines. On May 2nd, Staff indicated they
would not vary their current interpretation; but indicated that if we "... are still unsatisfied,
(we) may appeal directly to the City Manager in accordance with Sec 24-120 (c) of the City
Code."
Under the Staff's position, Waterglen would have to pay the full costs of all street
improvements without reimbursement, and would have to pay the full Street Oversizing
development fees: A proposed affordable housing neighborhood would not only incur costs
of over $.5 million in off -site street improvements; but would.also have to pay double costs
for on -site oversized streets - thereby subsidizing street construction in other parts of Fort
Collins - while "upper end" housing developments at outlying locations in the southwest and
southeast are routinely reimbursed for street oversizing. We continue to believe that it would
be unfair for the City of Fort Collins to ignore all the longstanding adopted goals, objectives,
and policies promoting development in the northeast, and the more recently adopted
affordable housing policies. The result will not be limited to making the development of