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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCARGILL EXPANSION - PDP/FDP - FDP130043 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESPage 1 October 30, 2013 Cargill Expansion Statement of Planning Objectives This proposal is for a combined PDP/Final Plan submittal for the Cargill Research facility located at 2540 East Drake Road. The proposed expansion would be located to the west of the existing facilities. The entire 30-acre property owned by Cargill will be platted with this PDP proposal. All of the existing buildings and improvements will be placed in Lot 1. The proposal consists of a new office building, growth rooms, laboratory, seed storage, 2 new greenhouses and a new shop, which would take up Lots 2 and 3. Uses surrounding the property consist of the following: South: Rigden Farm Ninth Filing – Parkside West West: Sidehill Subdivision North: Vacant Land – owned by Cargill East: Vacant Land – Bucking Horse, Filing Two Cargill currently operates a research and development center for specialty seeds and oils. The proposed expansion will contain approximately 16,791 sq. ft. of office space, a 7,980 sq. ft. growth room, 16,305 sq. ft. or warehouse, shop and seed storage and 22,464 sq. ft. of greenhouse. The new building will relocate Cargill’s existing functions to a more centrally located area of the campus which will provide good proximity and support for the existing and future greenhouse buildings directly to the east and north. The 6.54-acre site is in the L-M-N zoning district. The area surrounding Cargill contains a mix of single-family homes, condominiums, a congregate care facility, a school, a neighborhood center and other office and retail uses. 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 schools, churches, and a neighborhood shopping center, thus representing a reduction in the amount of cars on the streets. There is an existing transit stop on Timberline Road at Custer Drive. Main access to the expansion site will utilize a new entrance off of Drake Road located approximately 600’ west of the existing access, which will be closed and used for emergency access only. The new drive will be 36’ wide to accommodate delivery trucks and Poudre Fire Authority requirements for a fire lane. 85 parking spaces will be provided for employees and visitors on the south, east and west sides of the building. A truck loading dock and trash enclosure are provided on the north end of the main building. Page 2 (i) Statement of appropriate City Plan Principles and Policies achieved by the proposed plan: The Cargill Expansion meets the following applicable City Plan Principles and Policies: Economic Health 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 4.2 – Reduce Barriers to Infill Development and Redevelopment By expanding their facilities, Cargill will continue to promote and sustain their local business thereby further enhancing the economic health of Fort Collins. This represents 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 Cargill is implementing LID by incorporating grass bioswales with and without under drains, which will treat runoff from the existing greenhouse building, as well as the new buildings. Community and Neighborhood Livability Principle LIV 6: Infill and redevelopment within residential areas will be compatible with the established character of the neighborhood. In areas where the desired character of the neighborhood is not established, or is not consistent with the vision of City Plan, infill and redevelopment projects will set an enhanced standard of quality. Policy LIV 6.1 – Types of Infill and Redevelopment in Residential Areas Policy LIV 6.2 – Seek Compatibility with Neighborhoods The Cargill Campus is a unique development located within a zoning district primarily targeted towards residential development and similar compatible uses. The current and continued use of this site for office, research, and lab is classified as an Existing Limited Permitted Use. Page 3 The area surrounding the property contains a mix of single-family homes, condominiums, a congregate care facility, a school, a neighborhood center and other office and retail uses. The proposed buildings provide 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 visual impacts of the parking lot have been reduced by placing the parking predominantly to the sides of the building. All service and trash areas are located behind the building and screened from public view. Principle LIV 14: Require quality and ecologically sound landscape design practices for all public and private development projects throughout the community. Policy LIV 14.1 – Encourage Unique Landscape Features The Cargill Expansion will utilize quality landscape materials throughout the site, including enhanced entryway and parking lot screening. Principle LIV15: Commercial developments create a powerful impression of the City, both individually and taken together as a whole. While corporate franchises and chain stores will remain vital and recognizable, commercial developments shall be designed to contribute to Fort Collins’ distinct visual quality and uniqueness. Policy LIV 15.2 – Seek Compatibility with Surrounding Development While Cargill is not a corporate franchise, we do feel that this is a unique building to Fort Collins and will be a good fit with the neighborhood. The new building has been designed to be sensitive to the surrounding existing development. The office portion of the building fronts Drake Road with large portion of the south elevation addressing the street to create a strong entry and presence. The east wing is defined by a recessed connector element which further assists in reducing the overall mass of the south elevation. The north wing also utilizes a similar recessed connector that creates the look of multiple smaller buildings instead one large 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 Page 4 The location of this project and its proximity to Drake and Timberline Roads 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. Timberline 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. There are no wetlands or significant natural habitats within the boundaries of the site. (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 project will be owned by Cargill, LLC. All maintenance for common areas, landscape, trash removal, stormwater infrastructure, and snow removal shall be performed by the property owner. (iv) Estimate of number of employees for business, commercial, and industrial uses. The number of employees is approximately 55. (v) Description of rationale behind the assumptions and choices made by the applicant. Our assumptions are based on the following rationale for each proposed use: The proposed Cargill Expansion is a new 40,800 S.F. building in the existing Cargill campus, including a 16,800 S.F. central office area with an 8,000 S.F. east wing consisting of growth rooms and lab space and a 16,000 S.F. north wing housing a warehouse, shop and seed storage functions. The new building will relocate these existing functions to a more centrally located area of the campus which will provide good proximity and support for the existing and future greenhouse buildings directly to the east and north. The office portion of the building fronts Drake Road with large portion of the south elevation addressing the street to create a strong entry and presence. The east wing is defined by a recessed connector element which further assists in reducing the overall mass of the south elevation. The north wing also utilizes a similar recessed connector that creates the look of multiple smaller buildings instead one large building. The office entry uses a large vertical wall plane and overhanging roof element to accentuate the entry at the most prominent corner of the building. Repetitive brick masses create a consistent patterned language punctuated with areas of expansive glazing at the entry as well as at the training and break rooms. High windows at the east and north wings of the building provide for natural light and reinforce the facade language around the building. A three-color cement stucco system comprises the balance of the exterior wall materials. Parapet heights within the office area and at the north and east wings are varied in height which also helps to create massing which emulates multiple smaller buildings. Page 5 (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. See above for applicable criteria. (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. (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 Cargill Expansion. The project was referred to as 2540 E. Drake Road – Cargill Expansion at Conceptual Review.