HomeMy WebLinkAboutSTONER SUBDIVISION - PDP - PDP130005 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - MODIFICATION REQUESTADDRESS:
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Fort Collins, CO 80524
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STONER SUBDIVISION PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PLAN (PDP #130005)
Fort Collins Land Use Code Modification Request
3.6.2(J) Public alleys shall be controlled by the following requirements:
(2) Design Construction Requirements. All public alleys shall be constructed in conformance with the
Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards as adopted by the City Council by ordinance or Resolution,
except those public alleys within the N-C-L, N-C-M and N-C-B zone districts that do not abut commercially
zoned properties and that provide access only for carriage houses and habitable accessory buildings as
such terms are described in Article 4. Dead-end alleys shall not be allowed.
This request for approval of Modification to Standard complies with the standards per Review Criteria
2.8.2(H) in that it would not be detrimental to the public good and that it meets the additional criteria set
forth in Standard (4) as follows:
Criteria (4): the plan as submitted will not diverge from the standards of the Land Use Code that are
authorized by this Division to be modified except in a nominal, inconsequential way when considered
from the perspective of the entire development plan, and will continue to advance the purposes of the
Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2
The removal of natural features, such as significant trees, makes widening and/or improving the alley right-
of-way beyond the concrete apron impractical or undesirable. An alley pavement section of 20’ as
required by Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards would encroach upon an existing 14” diameter
Green Ash tree that has been characterized as Fair to Good condition by the City Forester. If the Green
Ash were to be removed, there would be no large shade bearing trees remaining on the site’s frontage to
the alley. Full alley improvements would also require the removal of at least 8 shrubs, which currently line
the alleyway. These shrubs provide privacy for the property and are a green, viable, alternative to privacy
fencing.
Improving alley right-of-way beyond the concrete apron is not necessary because the existing condition is
adequate for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. There will be a minimal net impact on the alley by the
proposed lot split development. There is an existing garage located on the rear 50% of the proposed lot
which has historically served the existing residence. The garage usage will transfer entirely to the
residence proposed on Lot 2. In addition, the new lot’s Magnolia Street frontage will serve as its primary
pedestrian access point, thus creating no additional pedestrian or vehicular traffic for the alley. The
proposed development will have substantially less of an impact than a new carriage house or habitable
accessory building would. If the intent of the Land Use Code is to allow alleys to remain unimproved with
the addition of carriage houses and habitable accessory buildings, then it is reasonable to assume that
maintaining an existing non-habitable garage (with no change of use, increase in traffic, etc.) should follow
the same exemption.