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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE DISTRICT @ CAMPUS WEST - PDP - PDP120003 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - MODIFICATION REQUESTland planning g landscape architecture g urban design g entitlement Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 401 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 100 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com February 28, 2012 Modification Request 3.5.2 Residential Building Standards (D) Residential building Setbacks, Lot Width and Size. (2) Setback from Nonarterial Streets. Minimum setback of every residential building and of every detached accessory building that is incidental to the residential building from any public street right-of-way other than an arterial street right-of-way shall be fifteen (15) feet. Reason for the Request West Plum Street in the vicinity of the District at Campus West includes two travel lanes and striped bike lanes within a 40-foot pavement section. The travel lanes and striped bike lanes are adequate for the volume of vehicular and bicycle traffic that exists currently and will also be adequate when the proposed development is in place (see Traffic Impact Analysis prepared by ELB Engineering, LLC. The pedestrian circulation system however, is seriously inadequate. Sidewalks in the area are strips of concrete attached to the curb, only 2-3-feet wide and in some locations sidewalks don’t exist at all, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street. City staff has requested the applicant to dedicate additional right-of-way sufficient to accommodate a 5-foot sidewalk and 6.5- foot parkway strip within the right-of-way. Building One includes a clubhouse and leasing office in addition to residential dwelling units which makes it a mixed-use building. Similarly Building Two, which is a parking structure with residential dwelling units along the street-facing facades, is also classified as a mixed-use building. Mixed-use buildings are not subject to the 15-foot setback from the right-of-way. In fact the LUC stipulates that mixed-use buildings shall be located no more than 15 from the right-of-way of an adjoining street if the street is smaller than a full arterial. (3.5.3(B)(2)b. Building Three, being a total residential building is required to be setback 15-feet from the right-of-way. The applicant is requesting a Modification to the building setback in order to provide a more varied streetscape pattern and to be consistent with Buildings 1 and 2. We are confident that the proposed setbacks and resulting streetscapes will meet the needs of the pedestrian as well as provide an interesting, upscale, urban The District at Campus West Modification Request – Building Setback Page 2 of 4 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 401 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 100 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com experience for neighborhood residents who walk along this corridor. The proposed building footprints are highly articulated and the setbacks vary. Building 3 Bluebell Street At the most constricted areas the building is setback 11 feet from the right-of-way. The setback is more at patios and at building indentations, averaging a 14.6-foot setback along the Bluebell Street frontage. There is a consistent 8.5 foot sidewalk adjacent to Bluebell Street with tree grates and a curb bulge at the Plum Street intersection. Building 3 Plum Street At the most constricted areas the building is setback 12.5 feet from the right-of-way. The majority of the façade on Building 3 is setback 17 feet or more and the setback extends to beyond 100-feet at the courtyard, averaging a 26.2-foot setback along the Plum Street frontage. In addition to these setback measurements that extend from the building face to the newly dedicated right-of-way line, there is a consistent 11.5 feet that includes a 5-foot walk* and 6.5-foot parkway along the curb line. Building 3 Aster Street At the most constricted areas the building is setback 10 feet from the right-of-way. The setback is more at patios and at building indentations, averaging a 15.8-foot setback along the Aster Street frontage. In addition to these setback measurements that extend from the building face to the existing right-of-way line, there is a consistent 11.5 feet that includes a 5-foot walk* and 6.5-foot parkway along the curb line. * Sidewalks along Plum Street and Aster Street are consistently 7-feet wide, however, only 5 feet is within the public right-of-way. Justifications The Land Use Code states that the decision-maker may grant a modification of standards only if it finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good; and the decision-maker must also find that the Modification meets one of the following four criteria described in the LUC. (1) the plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested; The District is a unique project designed specifically for this challenging site. All design projects require trade-offs to get to the best design fit. In this case, the design team believes that the unique architectural character, created by the building’s articulation The District at Campus West Modification Request – Building Setback Page 3 of 4 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 401 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 100 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com and street-facing courtyard space is more important, more valuable, and more attractive than a consistent 15-foot setback. The District at Campus West project proposes a safe, convenient, attractive streetscape in place of an inconsistent and seriously inadequate pedestrian system that currently exists in the Plum Street neighborhood. A developer could propose a building with less building articulation, without a street facing courtyard and maintain a consistent 15-foot setback. We believe the varied streetscape design proposed by the District is not only equal to but much better than a project that may provide a consistent 15-foot setback but not achieve the overall aesthetic and functional values that the proposed streetscape does. A student housing project proposed for this site and approved in 2009 known then as The Retreat at 1200 Plum Street PDP proposed nearly identical building setback distances from the curb line. The Retreat project, however, was not required to dedicate additional right of way. So as lines measured on paper, the “setback” from right-of-way was greater, but the physical relationship to the curb, streetscape, etc. is almost identical to what was previously approved (and what the new developer understood to be purchasing). The right-of-way line is invisible and doesn’t change the visual or functional quality of the streetscape. On Plum Street and on Aster Street the average setback exceeds the minimum requirement of 15 feet. The average setback distance for all three streets combined is over 20 feet. The District is located in the Campus West Commercial area. Commercial Districts often have no setback requirements at all. Commercial, mixed-use and residential buildings are constructed at the property line in commercial districts. Buildings 1 and 2 are mixed-use buildings and are not subject to the 15-foot setback. We believe the look and feel of the District’s varied setbacks will be appropriate to the new urban scale evolving in the neighborhood. Lastly, it is interesting to note that in the Medium Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood District (MMN) there is no minimum setback from the public right-of-way. Reducing or eliminating the setback requirement encourages streetscapes that are more urban in character, usually including, highly articulated spaces with street furniture, special paving, lighting, planters and a variety of seating opportunities, precisely the kind of streetscape proposed by the District at Campus West. (2) the granting of a modification from the strict application of any standard would, without impairing the intent and purpose of this Land Use Code, substantially alleviate an existing, defined and described problem of city-wide concern or would result in a substantial benefit to the city by reason of the fact that the proposed project would substantially address an important community need specifically and expressly defined and described in the city's Comprehensive Plan or in an adopted policy, ordinance or resolution of the City Council, and the strict application of such a standard would render the project practically infeasible; The District at Campus West Modification Request – Building Setback Page 4 of 4 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 401 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 100 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com The proposed project addresses important community needs in three ways: 1. The project is located within City Plan’s “Targeted Redevelopment Areas” and within the Campus West “Targeted Activity Area”. By locating in this neighborhood, the District at Campus West will be achieving many of the City’s specific objectives in regard to infill development. • The District will promote the revitalization of the Campus West commercial area, an existing, underutilized commercial area near campus. • The District will concentrate higher density housing in a location that can be served by high frequency transit and that can support higher levels of activity. • The District will enable students to access the campus, jobs, and services with fewer and shorter auto trips. • The District will provide reinvestment in an area where infrastructure already exists. • The District will increase economic activity in an area that will benefit existing businesses and, will help provide stimulus for more redevelopment in the area. 2. The project will be replacing inadequate, run-down student rentals with safe modern, and energy efficient units. 3. An attractive and functional streetscape will be added to this core circulation route, where students are currently forced to walk in the street.