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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY TECH. PARK THIRD FILING, SECOND REPLAT (CUSTOM BLENDING) - PDP/FDP - FDP130021 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESPage 1 May 22, 2013 Harmony Technology Park Third Filing Second Replat Custom Blending Statement of Planning Objectives This proposal is for a combined PDP/Final Plan submittal for Custom Blending located at 3461 Precision Drive in the Harmony Technology Park Third Filing. Currently, the existing Custom Blending building is located on Lot 2, which contains 3 acres. The existing building is approximately 31,700 square feet. The proposal consists of a +/- 35,000 sq. ft expansion to the east, which would take up a portion of Lot 3. A replat is included with the development review process. Uses surrounding the property consist of the following: South: Fossil Ridge High School and a detention pond West: Vacant Land -Lot 1, Harmony Technology Park Third Filing, First Replat North: Vacant Land – Lot 2, Harmony Technology Park, Second Filing East: Vacant Land - Lot 4, Harmony Technology Park, Third Filing Custom Blending was founded in 1984 and is a manufacturer of spices, seasonings and flavoring extracts. The impetus for the expansion is to create space primarily for the manufacture of extracts in-house. The proposed expansion is anticipated to be 40-50% production/warehouse and approximately 3,000-5,000 sq. ft. of office space. The new building will be expanding over the existing 44-space employee parking lot. Project build-out will provide new access drives on the south and east sides of the building and new parking area on the east side of the building. External tank storage for bulk ethanol storage is envisioned to be two 6000 horizontal storage tanks with setback, monitoring and containment on the southeast side of the expansion. The site is in the H-C zoning district. According to the Purpose Statement contained within Article 4.26 of the Land Use Code, “The Harmony Corridor District is intended to implement the design concepts and land use vision of the Harmony Corridor Plan -- that of creating an attractive and complete mixed-use area with a major employment base.” The area surrounding Custom Blending contains a mix of residential, office, retail and employment. The site is ideal for this type of use as it provides an expansion to a major employer in Fort Collins. The proposed project is located within walking and biking distance to Front Range Village and the surrounding residential subdivisions. Main access to the expansion site will utilize a new entrance off of Precision Drive. The drive will be 30’ wide to accommodate Poudre Fire Authority requirements for a fire lane. 45 employee parking spaces will be provided. A truck loading dock and trash enclosure are provided on the sound end of the buildings. Page 2 The proposed design of the facility expansion will combine the exterior aesthetic of the existing building while incorporating the new process functions of Custom Blending's future. The proposed exterior materials will be identical to the existing facility to create a cohesive addition that presents as a single facility from the exterior. The building will act a screen from the public R.O.W. by placing required service uses to the south. The addition allows for improved site circulation and access from the existing conditions and provides a state of the art production facility. (i) Statement of appropriate City Plan Principles and Policies achieved by the proposed plan: The Custom Blending building expansion meets the following applicable City Plan Principles and Policies: Economic Health Principle EH 3: The City will support local, unique, and creative businesses. Policy EH 3.1 – Support Programs Emphasizing Local Business Principle EH 4: The City will encourage the redevelopment of strategic areas within the community as defined in the Community and Neighborhood Livability and Neighborhood Principles and Policies. Policy EH 4.1 –Prioritize Targeted Redevelopment Areas Policy EH 4.2 – Reduce Barriers to Infill Development and Redevelopment By expanding their facility, Custom Blending will continue to promote and sustain their local business thereby further enhancing the economic health of Fort Collins. This represents job creation and business retention for a business that is successful and unique to Fort Collins. Environmental Health Principle ENV 19: The City will pursue opportunities to protect and restore the natural function of the community’s urban watersheds and streams as a key component of minimizing flood risk, reducing urban runoff pollution, and improving the ecological health of urban streams. Policy ENV 19.2 – Pursue Low Impact Development Custom Blending is implementing LID by incorporating soft pan swales and a wetland pre-sedimentation basin, which will treat runoff from the existing building, as well as the expansion area. Page 3 Community and Neighborhood Livability Principle LIV 38: Employment Districts will be the major employment centers in the community, and will also include a variety of complementary uses to meet the needs of employees. By design, they will be accessible to the City’s multimodal transportation system and encourage walking, bicycling, car and van pooling, and transit use. Policy LIV 38.1 – Mix of Uses Policy LIV 38.3 – Land Use Transitions Policy LIV 38.5 – Coordinate District Design Policy LIV 38.7 – Address Parking Policy LIV 38.8 – Provide Walkways and Bikeways Custom Blending is a primary use located in an employment park, in a targeted activity center. The area surrounding the Harmony Technology Park contains a mix of residential, institutional, employment, office and retail. The proposed expansion provides a transition in scale to the residential area by being located mid-block and by providing a softened edge with the use of landscape and change in building materials. The site is located in the Harmony Technology Park, which provides a campus-like setting, with platted lots, streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure already in place. The visual impacts of the parking lot have been reduced by placing the parking to the side of the building. Transportation Principle T 9: Enhanced Travel Corridors will contain amenities and designs that specifically promote walking, the use of mass transit, and bicycling. Policy T 9.1 – Locating Enhanced Travel Corridors Principle T10: Using transit will be a safe, affordable, easy, and convenient mobility option for all ages and abilities. Policy T 10.1 – Transit Stops Policy T 10.6 – High Frequency Transit Service Principle T11: Bicycling will be a safe, easy, and convenient mobility option for all ages and abilities The location of this project at the south end of an employment campus, near residential subdivisions, Fossil Ridge High School and its proximity to Harmony Road will promote and support the idea of a predominance of the daily trips of the employees of this project utilizing alternative modes of transportation (walking/biking) or public transportation. The on-street bike lanes will help to encourage safe cycling. Harmony Road is designated as an enhanced travel corridor (ii) Description of proposed open space, wetlands, natural habitats and features, landscaping, circulation, transition areas, and associated buffering on site and in the general vicinity of the project. Page 4 There are no wetlands or significant natural habitats within the boundaries of the site. There are several existing mature trees on the site that will have to be removed and possibly mitigated. The team will meet with the City Forester to assess the existing trees and landscaping. (iii) Statement of proposed ownership and maintenance of public and private open space areas; applicant's intentions with regard to future ownership of all or portions of the project development plan. The existing building and proposed expansion will be owned by CBI Real Estate Holdings, LLC. (iv) Estimate of number of employees for business, commercial, and industrial uses. The number of employees is approximately 60. (v) Description of rationale behind the assumptions and choices made by the applicant. At this time the Custom Blending project is not proposing any variance from any City of Fort Collins criteria. However, the developer would like to discuss the possibility of eliminating the pervious pavement requirement, as the proposed development will involve frequent truck use for the majority of the proposed new pavement areas, rather than the majority of the pavement areas being required for small cars and other vehicles for parking needs. The developer has concerns as to the costs of not only installing pervious pavement for areas that will see heavy truck use, but also the on-going maintenance that will be required for the pervious pavement. (vi) The applicant shall submit as evidence of successful completion of the applicable criteria, the completed documents pursuant to these regulations for each proposed use. The planning Director may require, or the applicant may choose to submit, evidence that is beyond what is required in that section. Any variance from the criteria shall be described. At this time the project is not proposing any variance from any City of Fort Collins criteria, however, the developer would like to discuss the possibility of eliminating the pervious pavement requirement, as the proposed development will involve frequent truck use for the majority of the proposed new pavement areas, rather than the majority of the pavement areas being required for small cars and other vehicles for parking needs. The developer has concerns as to the costs of not only installing pervious pavement for areas that will see heavy truck use, but also the on-going maintenance that will be required for the pervious pavement. (vii) Narrative description of how conflicts between land uses or disturbances to wetlands, natural habitats and features and or wildlife are being avoided to the maximum extent feasible or are mitigated. There are not existing wetlands, natural habitats or features currently located on site. There are existing trees within the site which would be preserved and/or mitigated with this proposed PDP/Final Plan. There are some trees within the interior of the site which would be removed with the expansion of Page 5 the building. We will meet with Tim Buchanan, City Forester to have an assessment of the existing trees completed. (viii) Written narrative addressing each concern/issue raised at the neighborhood meeting(s), if a meeting has been held. There was no neighborhood meeting. (ix) Name of the project as well as any previous name the project may have had during Conceptual Review. The project is called Harmony Technology Park Third Filing Second Replat, Custom Blending. The project was referred to as 3461 Precision Drive – Custom Blending at Conceptual Review.