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HomeMy WebLinkAboutISLAMIC CENTER OF FORT COLLINS - PDP - PDP110011 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESApril 20, 2011 Ted Sheppard, Chief Planner Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 N College Avenue PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 STATEMENT OF PLANNING OBJECTIVES Islamic Center of Fort Collins, 925 W. Lake Street Introduction • Islamic Center of Fort Collins is planning to relocate its operations from 900 Peterson Street, Fort Collins, CO to a new multi-phase facility at 925 W Lake Street, Fort Collins, Colorado. • The property is zoned as HMN (High Density Neighborhood District). o Places of Worship are allowed in this zoning. o A 15’ build-to line applies to this zoning, however, due to the requirements for the detention pond the building is set back from Lake Street 60 feet. We feel this setback is appropriate, not only for the storm water detention needs but for the scale and volume of the architectural use, and is aesthetically superior to a 15’ build-to line. • Phasing: Only this first phase, Phase One, approximately 11,600 square feet of building and associated site work, is to be pursued at this time, however, the land planning is designed to allow for possible future phases. o Phase One: Mosque – to include Prayer Hall, offices, meeting spaces, lounges and associated site work. A full basement is also included in this initial phase. o Phase Two: Gymnasium, timing, size and scope not yet determined. o Phase Three: Elementary School, timing, size and scope not yet determined. o The construction of Gym (Phase II) and Elementary School (Phase III) of the project, at some yet undetermined time in the future, will help the City in its growing needs for educational and recreation facilities. There is no time table for phases beyond Phase One. • Ownership: The current and continued ownership of the property and proposed development is Islamic Center of Fort Collins, Inc., a Colorado Non-profit corporation, a/k/a The Islamic Center of Fort Collins. • The facility will not only serve the religious, social and cultural needs of the Muslim community of Fort Collins but will also support the larger community by participation in various social and cultural activities in the City of Fort Collins. • Number of worshipers is estimated at approximately 381. Modification for Setback • Request for modification to the setback from Lake Street. The project is governed by two standards. o First, is the Build-to Line in Sec. 3.5.3(B)(2)(b) which is 15 feet. The project’s stormwater detention pond requirements have made it impossible to meet this Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 1 of 1 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 2 of 2 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 standard. The area and location required for the detention pond has forced the building to be located 60’ from the northern R.O.W. The original intent was to locate the proposed building with a 30’ setback for improved aesthetic and scale factors, however, the stormwater issues have forced the setback to be increase from that original intent. It should be noted that, per Section 3.5.3(B)(1) Orientation to Connecting Walkway, a direct pedestrian connection to Lake Street has been provided. We are requesting a modification to the Build-to Line standard. o Second, the project is governed by the H-M-N zone district standard in 4.10(D)(2)(b) which requires, for walls over 35 feet in height, additional setback of 1-foot of horizontal setback for every 2-foot vertical wall height over 35 feet. For this project this standard would add 10 additional feet beyond the 15’ Build-to Line, Sec. 3.5.3(B)(2)(b). This standard is easily met, and no modification is needed for this standard since the proposed setback of 60’ exceeds that required for this standard. o In support of an increased setback, please note Section 3.8.19(B) – Contextual Setback: We would argue that given the context of the immediate block face, there should be some flexibility for the setback imposed for this proposed building. The lot that abuts this development to the east was apparently confronted with similar stormwater detention requirements and has a detention pond, in place, abutting Lake Street. (It should be noted that the Islamic Center’s building orientation toward Mecca has directly affected the shape and efficiency of its detention pond). The Plymouth Congregational Church’s building is located on Prospect with an existing setback from Lake Street in excess of 200 feet. It is unlikely that any future building development will occur beyond the location of the existing or proposed detention ponds of these two adjacent properties. Therefore, we feel this should justify flexibility in the setback requirement to accommodate the 60 foot setback proposed. Site Planning & Landscaping • Tree Planting Standard - The project will provide trees along Lake Street as per city standards, in and around parking lots, and in all landscape areas identified within the property and around the building, in order to add to the urban tree canopy in the immediate area. The tree planting will be interspersed within and around the storm drainage areas in as much as feasible. • Landscape Standards - It is the intent for the development’s landscaping to meet or exceed the standards for Parking Lot Perimeter Landscaping and Parking Lot Interior Landscaping. • Tree Protection and Replacement - A minimal number of Existing trees within the development may need to be removed to accommodate improvements. As many quality trees as possible will be saved. The landscape plans will accurately identify the locations, species, size and condition of all significant trees, each labeled showing the applicant’s intent to either remove or protect. • Bicycle Parking. A minimum number of bicycle parking spaces are required to be provided, equal in number to five (5) percent of the total number of automobile parking spaces provided by the development - 5% of 95 parking spaces is (4.75) 5 bicycles. However, due to the proximity to CSU bike racks for 10 bicycles is proposed. Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 3 of 3 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 • Walkways - Directness and continuity. Walkways within the site are located and aligned to directly and continuously connect areas or points of pedestrian origin and destination. Walkways link street sidewalks with building entries and parking lots. • Street Crossings – (neck down at Summer Street) Where it is necessary for the primary pedestrian access to cross drive aisles or internal roadways, the pedestrian crossing shall emphasize and place priority on pedestrian access and safety, which we have provided. • Direct On-Site Access to Pedestrian and Bicycle Destinations - The on-site pedestrian and bicycle circulation system is designed to provide, and allow for, direct connections to pedestrian and bicycle destinations. • Transportation Impact Study - In order to identify those facilities that may be required in order to comply with city standards, a Transportation Impact Study to be approved by the Traffic Engineer has been provided. • Access and Parking Lot Requirement - The vehicular use areas within this proposed development are designed to be safe, efficient, convenient and attractive, considering the use by all modes of transportation that will use the system. • Trash and Recycling Enclosures – Provided to accommodate the collection, separation, storage, loading and pickup of recyclable materials that is adequate, convenient, and functionally located. Exterior finishes will be similar to architectural finishes. • Emergency Access – The western parking lot is provided to ensure that emergency vehicles can gain access to, and maneuver within, the project so that emergency personnel can provide fire protection and emergency services. Eastern parking lot is not intended for emergency access. • There are no existing wetlands within the development. The closest feature to a natural habitat is an existing row of trees at the mid southern boundary. Undesirable trees will be removed and as many desirable trees will be saved as possible. A minimal number of trees will need to be removed to accommodate parking requirements. Replacement trees will be provided as require. Parking • The parking needs of the new Islamic Center will be met by providing all required parking on-site. • For places of worship, per Section 3.2.2(K), there shall be one (1) parking space per four (4) seats in the auditorium or place of worship. All required parking is to be provided on site. The Prayer Hall, including the Prayer Hall Mezzanine includes approximately 4,285 square feet. There is, by tradition, no seating provided in the Prayer Hall, therefore, a load factor of one worshiper per 11.25 square feet offers a Prayer Hall capacity of 381 worshipers. The required minimum off-street parking (381/4) is 95 spaces. • A shared parking agreement may be pursued at some time in the future with Plymouth Congregational Church for supplemental or overflow parking needs of the two organizations. This could allow the members of Islamic Center to use Plymouth Congregational Church’s parking on Fridays (Islamic Center’s major weekly event is on Fridays) and for Plymouth Church to use Islamic Center’s parking on Sundays (Plymouth Church’s major event is on Sundays). • Parking Lot Layout - Parking lots provide well-defined circulation routes for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. o Orientation - Parking bays are perpendicular to the land uses they serve to the maximum extent feasible. Parking lots include walkways that are located in places that are logical and convenient for pedestrians Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 4 of 4 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 o Landscaped Islands - Landscaped islands with raised curbs are used to define parking lot entrances, the ends of all parking aisles and the location and pattern of primary internal access drives, and to provide pedestrian refuge areas and walkways. o Setbacks - It is understood that, per the traffic study, a 50’ parking setback is required at Lake Street. The parking setback on Lake Street is proposed to be 54.5’ from the existing flow line to accommodate future street widening to ultimate flow line. Traffic Impact • The impact on traffic will be determined based on the Traffic Impact Study provided. Steps will be taken to reduce the impact on city’s traffic (if any) as per the recommendations of the Traffic Study. • Care has been taken to connect the Islamic Center parking lot to the existing dead end Summer Street which abuts this property. Continuity of pedestrian, vehicular, and emergency vehicle access is proposed. • Concerning the Summer Street to Islamic Center parking lot connection: Per numerous concerns expressed at the neighborhood meeting about this new connection attracting no- neighborhood and non-Mosque cut-through traffic, it is proposed that an operable gate or removable bollards be allowed to be placed near the property line at this connection. Architecture • Building and Project Compatibility Section 3.5.1: It is the intent for the physical and operational characteristics of the proposed building and uses to be compatible considering the context of the surrounding area. o Architectural Character - A defined architectural character is not strongly established in this area. This project represents a unique addition to our community. The architecture of this new development will enhanced the standard of quality for future projects or redevelopment in the area. The building architecture will not only represent Islamic architecture by including a dome and a minaret in the design but will also include vernacular exterior materials which are common Northern Colorado features. This building will be unique in its architecture in Northern Colorado but will conform in material use. This facility will also add to the diverse cultural identity of the City of Fort Collins. o Building Size, Height, Bulk, Mass, Scale. This building’s size, height, bulk, mass, and scale are all integral to the iconic use it is intended to serve, and is very appropriate to its purpose, a Mosque. The proposed building is well articulated and subdivided into massing to promote its function and visual interest. There are apartment buildings in the area with similar mass and scale, however, this facility’s massing and scale will add to the neighborhood’s character and quality. The site setting for the facility is very important -- setting the building back from Lake Street suits this building’s mass and scale and adds open space between it and the street. o Operational/Physical Compatibility Standards. The property is next door to another Place of Worship, and in close proximity to CSU. ƒ Islamic center will typically worship on Fridays, while neighboring services will be typically worshiping on Sundays – typically promoting no conflict, instead complementing each others use. Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 5 of 5 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 ƒ A significant portion of the Islamic community is affiliated with CSU in some fashion. The close proximity lends convenience and will promote walking or biking to the new facility. o Building Materials. ƒ There is no current strong theme of building material usage in the area. Therefore common Colorado construction materials are to be utilized for the project. Building form, architectural detailing, color and texture, shall be utilized to enhance the architectural experience in the area. Use of color and materials will be such as to ensure that enough similarity exists for the building to be compatible will surrounding structures. ƒ Glare. Building materials will not create excessive glare. No highly reflective building materials are proposed, such as aluminum, unpainted metal or reflective glass. ƒ Windows. Windows are individually defined with detail elements, and placed to visually establish and define the building stories and establish human scale and proportion. ƒ Building Color. Wall color shades are intended to be neutral and soft. The roof of the structure is proposed to be green (a pleasant green). The color shades of building materials shall draw from the range of color shades that already exist on the block or in the adjacent neighborhood. • Building Height: The affects of this project on access to sunlight and affect on desirable views has been considered. Minimal undesirable affects are anticipated. o Per Section 3.5.1(G) a height analysis for structures over 40 feet is provided. The analysis consists of a narrative and a shadow analysis. As well as View Studies. The building does not substantially alter the opportunity’s access to, and quality of, desirable views from public places, streets and parks within the community. Desirable views of the foothills, mountains and/or significant local landmarks are not affected by this project. No major adverse consequences are apparent from shadows or views affected by this project. o The proposed building consists of two stories, well within the limit imposed by Section 4.10(D)(2)(a) that state the maximum height is 5 stories. The definition of a story is in Section 3.8.17. This section also exempts “steeples” which should be interpreted to be synonymous with a “minaret.” • The Islamic Center is well aware of its social responsibilities and is very supportive of green technologies which reduce human impact on our natural environment. Therefore the building design will incorporate energy efficient technologies such as solar panels to pre-heat water for a high efficiency (approx. 94% efficiency) radiant heating system. Most of the building will be cooled by evaporated cooling system which again will use much less energy as compared to traditional cooling systems. Lighting systems will utilize energy efficient fixtures with motion sensors which will save power and help reduce operating costs. Schedule The schedule for the Phase I of the project will be as follows: • Construction Start: Fall 2011 • Construction Completion: Spring or Summer 2012 • The schedule for Phase II and Phase III of the project is yet to be determined. Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 6 of 6 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 Narrative Addressing Concerns Raised at Neighborhood Meeting Neighborhood Meeting conducted February 3, 2010, at Plymouth Congregational Church. The following are the notes of the meeting as provided by Ted Sheppard, Chief Planner. The notes include each question raised and a response, usually, by the applicant unless otherwise noted. Supplemental responses are provided where applicable to bring response current. QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS 1. I live on Summer Street which currently dead-ends. As proposed, Summer Street will loop through the parking lot and connect to Lake Street. I am concerned that this may attract non-neighborhood and non-Mosque cut-through traffic. I would think the Islamic Center would be concerned about this as well. A. Yes, we are aware of this possibility and are concerned as well. We are attempting to design a parking lot that is narrower than a street and with head-in parking on both sides. We hope to create a visual break between the public street and the Mosque parking lot that discourages cut-through traffic. 2. I think you will find that the Plymouth Congregational Church has problems with cut-through traffic after they expanded their parking lot so that you can now drive between Prospect and Lake Street. The student population in this general area is known to exhibit aggressive driving behaviors. The church even installed bollards to discourage cut-through but problems persist. A. Thank you for this information. We will explore ways to discourage non-resident traffic cutting through our parking lot. Supplemental Response: We are considering providing a gate at the transition between Summer Street and the Islamic Center Parking lot to control automobile traffic through the Islamic Center site and to reduce through traffic on Summer Street. 3. I suggest that you consider installing bollards like Plymouth Church. See supplemental response to question #2. 4. What is the height of the dome? A. The dome is about 50 – 51 feet above grade. 5. What is the height of the building and minaret? A. The building is two stories and the minaret is (approximately) 70 feet tall at the peak. It is shaped as a (approximate) six foot wide octagon. 6. You should also plan on aggressive bicycle riding in the area. Right now, students ride their bikes across the vacant property. They use Summer Street as a short cut to the Prospect / Shields intersection. Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 7 of 7 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 A. Yes, we have seen the path that has been created and are aware that bicyclists are traversing our property. Supplemental response: We believe the sidewalk system proposed for this development will accommodate bicycles as well as pedestrians. 7. What will happen at the eastern terminus of the sidewalk on Summer? A. We would like to extend this walk, in combination with a crosswalk, so that pedestrians can access our property without being impeded. Supplemental response: We are proposing a neck-down transition at the intersection of Summer Street and the development’s parking lot. The proposed site plan includes the extension of, and transition to, existing Summer Street sidewalks. Associated crosswalks are also proposed. 8. What is the setback of the parking lot along your west property line? A. We are indicating a seven foot setback, with landscaping, along the west between the parking row and the property line. 9. Will there be a fence as well as landscaping? A. We are looking at options regarding fencing. Supplemental response: A four foot fence is to be proposed at the west property line adjacent to the parking. 10. As to cut-through traffic, you need a physical barrier, not visual treatment. See supplemental response to question #2. 11. You should consider a gate otherwise you cannot prevent cut-through traffic on Summer Street. See supplemental response to question #2. 12. What is the building capacity? A. The building will have a capacity of around 300 on the main floor prayer hall and about 120 on the mezzanine for a total of 420. Supplemental response: The Prayer Hall capacity has been recalculated to be 381 worshipers. 13. And how much parking will you provide? A. We will have 48 spaces onsite and we plan on entering a shared parking agreement with Plymouth Congregational Church for additional spaces that may be needed for our Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 8 of 8 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 Friday prayer service. In exchange, the church would be able to use our spaces on Sunday. Supplemental response: The shared parking agreement with Plymouth Congregational Church for additional spaces is no longer available. All required parking for the development will be provided on site. The number of required parking is currently calculated to 95 spaces. 14. What is the time of day of your busiest service? A. Friday noon is our busiest service at which we would expect around 250 persons to attend. We have second service on Friday after sunset at which we would expect about 50 persons. 15. Will there be an outside call to prayer? A. No, the call to prayer will be limited to indoors only. 16. What is the City’s minimum required parking ratio? A. Response from City: The minimum parking requirement is one space per four seats in the assembly area. 17. I do not want parking to spill out on Lake Street. A. We understand. We have observed that parking on Lake Street is generally taken up during the day by college students. 18. Would you need additional parking for future phases? A. Yes, it is likely that we will need more parking for future phases. We intend to take a close look at how much parking will be needed and provide it onsite as part of the future development. 19. What are the future uses again? A. Future uses include a school and gymnasium. 20. If you don’t develop the southern portion of the site with the first phase, how will you control bikes that are now riding across the field? A. We have not arrived at a definitive solution yet but we are as interested as you in discouraging this kind of cut-through activity. Supplemental Response: It has been advised by city transportation that a connecting walk be provided from Prospect to the developments’ sidewalk system. This will not discourage cut-through, but may encourage it. If this is not a desirable solution it needs to be discussed further. Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 9 of 9 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 21. Will you have driveway access to Prospect with future phases? A. We do not think the City will allow a new driveway cut onto Prospect as it is too close to the intersection. 22. Why is the mosque crowded into the northwest corner of the site? A. We are preserving as much land as possible for future expansion. Supplemental Response: The building has since been forced to move an additional 30 feet to the south to accommodate the required detention pond. However, room for future expansion has still been maintained. 23. What is the setback from Lake Street? A. We are setback from Lake Street about 30 feet. Supplemental Response: The building has since been forced to move an additional 30 feet to the south to accommodate the required detention pond. The current setback from Lake Street is 60 feet. 24. What about terminating Summer Street in a cul-de-sac? A. We are aware of the typical standard of terminating a public street in a cul-de-sac for drivers who are not aware that the street does not go through. But we are also concerned that a public street cul-de-sac needs a 100 foot diameter and this would consume a large piece of our property. As a result, we are intending to work out a solution with the Engineering Department that may include a public access easement through our parking lot to Lake Street instead of a cul-de-sac. Supplemental Response: The solution we are proposing includes a parking lot with all required access and emergency access easements provided. 25. What about stormwater runoff? A. The site is divided by a small ridge so stormwater flows in two directions. We will provide onsite detention on the north side of the property in a stormwater detention pond just like the pond constructed by Plymouth Congregational Church. On the south side, we will release storm flows into Prospect Road in conjunction with the design requirements of the City’s Stormwater Utility. 26. What about the size, scale and height of the building? The building does not have a residential character like Plymouth Congregational. It does not appear as if the height is articulated sufficiently. I’m concerned about the mass of the building and the context of the surrounding area. A. These are good comments. We are trying to balance the need for iconic architecture while still blending in with the neighborhood. Yes, the building has four stories of height but keep in mind that it sits on over three acres of land. Just a bit to the north is one of Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 10 of 10 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 the newer C.S.U. dormitories which also has height and mass. We are also using exterior materials that are very familiar in Fort Collins. We think the building is articulated which helps break up the mass. 27. Parking appears to be a little short. How will folks park? A. One of the attributes of the site is that we are within walking and biking distance to campus where many of our worshippers live. We are presently on Peterson Street and we have fit in very well over in that neighborhood with the number of worshippers and number of parking spaces. Supplemental Response: Since this meeting, additional on-site parking has been provided to meet the parking needs of the development all on site. 28. Have you had a neighborhood issues over on Peterson Street? A. No, we are good neighbors. We are as concerned about neighborhood issues as any other neighbor. Like any neighbor, we help keep an eye on things. We maintain our building and property. We will do likewise on Lake Street. Our building will be beautiful and we will take pride in keeping it up. 29. Will there be bicycle parking? A. Yes, there will be bike parking near the front entrance. Supplemental Response: 5 bicycle spaces are required, we are proposing 10. 30. I encourage you to look at providing a solid fence along the west property line to screen the cars. A. Yes, we can look into this. Supplemental Response: This is being proposed. 31. Are there utilities to the site? A. Yes, there are water taps to the site and there is public sewer that can serve the building. We are confident that there are sufficient utilities to serve the site. 32. How many members live in the area? A. About 1,000 to 1,500 live in the area. 33. I have lived in this neighborhood for about 40 years and the Plymouth Congregational Church is a wonderful neighbor. A. We agree and please note that we have been on Peterson Street for about 30 years and we intend to be as good a neighbor over here on Lake Street as we are on Peterson Street. Islamic Center of Fort Collins - Page 11 of 11 LOCKWOOD ARCHITECTS, INC., 1027 W Horsetooth Rd., Ste 200B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 p: 970.493.1023 34. Will you install speed bumps? A. We don’t know at this point. 35. How long will it take to build? A. About six to nine months. End of Neighborhood Meeting Notes/Comments