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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEDERSEN TOYOTA EXPANSION - PDP - PDP140007 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVES1 6/4/2014 Statement of Planning Objectives Pedersen Toyota Expansion Project Development Plan June 2014 We are pleased to submit the following Project Development Plan (PDP) for the expansion of the Pedersen Toyota dealership in Fort Collins. The documents enclosed reflect the result of discussions with the owner and city staff in overall PDP that meets the criteria for approval as set forth in the Land Use Code. (i) Statement of appropriate City Plan Principles and Policies achieved by the proposed overall Development Plan. Policy EH 1.2 – Maximize Retail Sales Tax Revenue Support the retention and recruitment of retailers or development projects that have a high potential impact on sales tax generation, specifically focused on increasing retail sales inflow and reducing retail sales leakage. Support programs that encourage residents to spend dollars locally, such as Shop Fort Collins First and others. Pedersen Toyota Scion is a locally owned and operated dealership serving Northern Colorado. The Pedersen family has proudly operated their business in Fort Collins for over 43 years. Their retail sales and service operations contribute significantly to local sales tax generation, and while many dealerships have chosen to relocate to outlying areas, the Pedersen family is hoping to build and expand their dealership in their current Midtown location. Policy EH 4.1 –Prioritize Targeted Redevelopment Areas Create and utilize strategies and plans, as described in the Community and Neighborhood Livability and Neighborhood chapter’s Infill and Redevelopment section, to support redevelopment areas and prevent areas from becoming blighted. The Targeted Infill and Redevelopment Areas (depicted on Figure LIV 1 in the Community and Neighborhood Livability chapter) shall be a priority for future development, capital investment, and public incentives. Pedersen Toyota Scion is located within the TOD zone, and is indicated in the Midtown Corridor and as a Targeted Redevelopment Area on Figure LIV 1. To accommodate expansion of their growing dealership, the Pedersen’s will redevelop the adjacent underutilized mini‐storage facility into their expanded retail and service use. Policy ENV 17.4 –Construction Waste Reduction Encourage activities that help divert debris from construction related activities. Explore the feasibility of requiring any City subsidized projects to employ reduction and solid waste diversion practices that reduce the volume of material sent from city construction sites to landfills for disposal. Heath Construction employs practices to reduce and divert construction waste. 2 6/4/2014 Policy ENV 19.2 – Pursue Low Impact Development Pursue and implement Low Impact Development (LID) as an effective approach to address stormwater quality and impacts to streams by urbanization. Low Impact Development is a comprehensive land planning and engineering design approach with a goal of minimizing the impact of development on urban watersheds through the use of various techniques aimed at mimicking predevelopment hydrology. As an infill project, the Pedersen Toyota expansion project is implementing LID design approaches to both protect existing infrastructure, but also to improve on stormwater problems that have occurred historically on the site. Permeable pavers and underground detention are being proposed to retain higher densities on the site to meet the project needs and the goals of the TOD and Midtown Plan. Policy LIV 5.1 – Encourage Targeted Redevelopment and Infill Encourage redevelopment and infill in Activity Centers and Targeted Infill and Redevelopment Areas identified on the Targeted Infill and Redevelopment Areas Map (See Figure LIV 1). The purpose of these areas is to:  Promote the revitalization of existing, underutilized commercial and industrial areas.  Concentrate higher density housing and mixed‐use development in locations that are currently or will be served by high frequency transit in the future and that can support higher levels of activity.  Channel development where it will be beneficial and can best improve access to jobs, housing, and services with fewer and shorter auto trips.  Promote reinvestment in areas where infrastructure already exists.  Increase economic activity in the area to benefit existing residents and businesses and, where necessary, provide the stimulus to redevelop. Pedersen Toyota Scion is located within the TOD zone, and is indicated in the Midtown Corridor and as a Targeted Redevelopment Area on Figure LIV 1. To accommodate expansion of their growing dealership, the Pedersen’s will redevelop the adjacent underutilized mini‐storage facility into their expanded retail and service use. The project will include retail space lining the planned parking structure on both Kensington and Mason Streets. The Kensington retail frontage is designed to initially house retail sales for the dealership, but could be used in the future for other retail uses if there is future interest by other tenants. Policy LIV 5.2 – Target Public Investment along the Community Spine Together, many of the Targeted Redevelopment Areas and Activity Centers form the “community spine” of the city along College Avenue and the Mason Corridor. The “community spine” shall be considered the highest priority area for public investment in streetscape and urban design improvements and other infrastructure upgrades to support infill and redevelopment and to promote the corridor’s transition to a series of transit‐ supportive, mixed‐use activity centers over time. Established residential neighborhoods adjacent to College Avenue and the Mason Corridor will be served by improvements to the “community spine” over time, but are not intended to be targeted for infill or redevelopment. 3 6/4/2014 The expansion of the successful Pedersen Toyota Scion dealership will enhance the ‘community spine’ as part of the TOD zone, the Midtown Corridor and as a Targeted Redevelopment Area. Policy LIV 5.4 – Contribute to Public Amenities Explore options for private development to help contribute to the additional public amenities needed in areas where infill and redevelopment occurs. Public amenities will be key to transforming outdated areas into distinct places with identifiable character and more marketable frontage that promotes redevelopment. Needed amenities usually include pedestrian improvements like streetscapes, plazas, special walkways, and lighting; access improvements like new secondary streets; and landscaping and signage for identity and wayfinding. The Pedersen Toyota Scion expansion will provide streetscape improvements to enhance the pedestrian experience and connections to the MAX. These improvements include, detaching and widening the sidewalks along Kensington and Mason, adding retail storefront spaces that directly connect to the public walks, and adding landscape enhancements and an outdoor seating area. Policy LIV 10.5 – Retrofit Existing Streetscapes Redesign existing arterial streets to include landscaped medians and parkways when opportunities permit and funding is available. The existing sidewalks will be reconstructed and widened to provide tree lined parkways and detached sidewalks along Kensington and Mason. The existing detached sidewalk along College Avenue will be reconstructed in place to a 10’ width recently recommended in the Midtown standards. Policy LIV 11.2 – Incorporate Public Spaces Incorporate public spaces and activities such plazas, pocket parks, patios, children’s play areas, transit facilities, sidewalks, pathways, “street furniture” such as benches and planters, and public art into the urban designs for residential, mixed‐use, commercial, and civic development projects. The expansion of the Pedersen dealership incorporates detached sidewalks that enhance the pedestrian experience and connectivity of the Mason Corridor. The existing sidewalks will be reconstructed and widened. Retail storefronts will connect directly to the new sidewalks along Mason and Kensington Streets. The new detached walk along Kensington Street will meander to protect existing, healthy, mature trees along the street frontage providing an enhanced pedestrian experience. An outdoor seating area is provided along Mason Street where the buildings are set back to provide and outdoor amenity space for employees and activity for pedestrians. Policy LIV 12.2 – Utilize Security Lighting and Landscaping Provide security lighting at low, even levels to create comfortable area‐wide visibility and pedestrian security, not highly contrasting bright spots and shadows. Design landscaping to avoid hidden areas, particularly where such areas may be used at night, such as near building approaches and entrances, transit stops and stations. 4 6/4/2014 The Pedersen infill will provide low, uniform lighting levels in accordance with the City land use code. The landscape is designed to complement and highlight the vehicle display and does not create any hidden areas. It provides a safe and pedestrian friendly experience. Principle LIV 14: require quality and ecologically sound landscape design practices for all public and private development projects through the community. The landscape design for the Pedersen expansion encourages unique landscape features to compliment and incorporate vehicle display along College Avenue and Kensington Drive and also improves the pedestrian edge along Kensington and Mason. The detention area is landscaped to become more naturalized over time with native mesic grasses and shrubs. The design is functional and provides visual appeal, shade, foundation edges to the buildings, screening and buffering along parking edges, and enhances the area overall. Low maintenance design is achieved with the use of proper soil amendment; native, low water, city approved plant materials; and automated irrigation systems to minimize weeds and erosion. Policy LIV 15.2 – Seek Compatibility with Surrounding Development Design commercial buildings to contribute to the positive character of the area. Building materials, architectural details, color range, building massing, and relationships to streets and sidewalks will contribute to a distinctive local district, corridor, or neighborhood. The architectural design of the renovated dealership as well as new retail and service additions reflects the Midtown Plan progressive character of technology and innovation through character style, materials and colors. The building massing is broken up to create visual interest and minimize the overall size of the parking structure. Policy LIV 19.1 – Land Use Designations Utilize the city Structure Plan Map to set forth a basic framework, representing a guide for future land use and transportation decisions. The Pedersen Toyota Dealership site is located within in the General Commercial zoning district and proposes uses allowed within the district. Policy LIV 30.1 – Provide a Balanced Circulation System Seek to create a balanced circulation system in Commercial Districts that supports pedestrian, bicycle, and transit, as well as motor vehicle use. The expansion of the Pedersen site provides not only vehicle access, parking and circulation, but also enhance and improved pedestrian detached sidewalks along Mason and Kensington as well as a widened Pedestrian and Bicycle path along College Avenue. Policy LIV 30.3 – Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Improve pedestrian and bicycle connections within and to Commercial Districts as infill and redevelopment occur over time. ‐ Provide direct access between commercial districts and adjoining uses. 5 6/4/2014 ‐ Clearly identify and distinguish pedestrian and bicycle travel routes from auto traffic through parking areas, across streets, and along building frontages. ‐ Improve pedestrian/bicycle linkages across arterial streets and along transportation corridors. ‐ Avoid superblocks, dead‐end streets, and cul‐de‐sacs. ‐ Coordinate with impacted neighborhoods to find context‐sensitive solutions to address connectivity and neighborhood needs. The Pedersen Toyota dealership expansion will improve both pedestrian and bicycle access through widening the sidewalk on College to 10’, as well as detaching and widening the sidewalks on Kensington and Mason. Bicycle parking for employees is conveniently provided in the parking structure providing covered and secure parking. Policy LIV 30.4 – Reduce Visual Impacts of Parking Reduce the visual impacts of parking lots from primary streets, plazas, and public spaces and promote a more pedestrian‐friendly environment by: ‐ Locating lots behind buildings, in side yards, or in the interior of blocks. ‐ Softening and screening their visual impacts with a perimeter landscape buffer. ‐ Breaking large lots into smaller blocks of parking separated by landscaped islands. ‐ Allowing appropriate small businesses to foster human activity ‐ All parking must provide for visibility, personal safety, and security. The existing dealership has surface parking between the building and street on the north, east, and south sides of the building. With the planned expansions, the Pedersens hope to retain and renovate their existing building while expanding their facility. A key component of this expansion is the construction of a 4‐story parking structure to house vehicle inventory rather than creating additional surface parking. While the existing parking for the Pedersen dealership will remain between the building and street frontage, the areas of new building expansions comply with the build‐to standards by facing the intersection of Mason and Kensington Streets. The parking structure and planned retail areas along its base will create a more pedestrian‐friendly site overall and will significantly reduce the visual impacts of parking for required vehicle inventory. The existing parking lot will be retrofitted on the north side with interlocking pavers to help accommodate site detention. In addition, pavers will be incorporated in the area between the enhanced building face and College Avenue to allow for the required fire access through the site in an enhanced plaza setting. The project also provides the required landscape buffers along College and Kensington. Policy LIV 30.5 – Parking Structures Do not allow parking structures to dominate the street frontage. Other parking structure considerations include the following: a. Minimize interruptions in pedestrian interest and activity for parking structures fronting primary pedestrian streets with retail or other uses with a high level of walk‐in‐ clientele along the ground –level frontage. e. Locate auto entrances so as to minimize pedestrian and traffic conflicts. The proposed parking structure expansion is lined with one‐story retail uses along the Mason and Kensington Street frontages. The entrance to the garage is from the private circulation drive on the Pedersen site, so it does not interfere with the flow of pedestrians along the street edges. 6 6/4/2014 Policy LIV 31.2 – Site Layout and Building Orientation Design Commercial Districts so that the arrangement of buildings and blocks contributes to a cohesive urban fabric and provides attractive pedestrian‐scale features and spaces: ‐ Orient primary entrances towards plazas, parks, or pedestrian‐oriented streets, not to interior blocks or parking lots. ‐ Minimize building setbacks from public streets. ‐ Place surface parking lots behind or to the side of buildings. ‐ Relate the building placement, massing, and entryways to the street, nearby buildings, and surrounding context The Pedersen expansion places new building expansions at the minimum setback from the Kensington and Mason street corner and frontages. Retail storefronts and entries relate directly to the adjacent the pedestrian sidewalks. New surface parking is planned within the parking structure or to the side and behind the existing and proposed buildings. Policy LIV 31.4 – Design for Pedestrian Activity Design streets, buildings, and public spaces within Commercial Districts to be functional, and attractive, and enhance pedestrian activity: ‐ Establish an attractive, safe, and pedestrian‐oriented street network that includes street trees incorporated into the sidewalk design, street furniture, pedestrian scale lighting, and mid‐block planting areas for enhanced pedestrian crossings. ‐ Include generous shade tree planting and walkways that directly connect origins and destinations in parking lots. ‐ Incorporate a hierarchy of signage to reinforce the unique identity and character of each district. The expansion of the Pedersen dealership will enhance the pedestrian corridors through reconstructing the existing sidewalks to be wider and detached with canopy tree lined parkways. Landscape buffers will provide a safe, attractive and pedestrian scaled sense of place. Policy SW 1.2 – Maintain and Enhance Fire Protection Coordinate with Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) to foster fire and life safety as a priority within the city. Support the PFA Strategic Plan and its mission to protect citizens and their property by being prompt, skillful, and caring. The design team for Pedersen expansion project has coordinated plans with PFA to ensure proper fire access and mitigation measures. Policy T 12.4 – ADA Compliance Pedestrian facilities will comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The existing dealership will be renovated and expansion built to meet ADA standards. Mason Corridor/Midtown 7 6/4/2014 The Pedersen dealership is located in the Mason Corridor/Midtown catalyst project area. The design strives to meet the vision of a diverse mix of high quality activity centers by providing public infrastructure enhancements, pedestrian connectivity and activated streetscapes. (ii) Description of existing and proposed, open space, buffering, landscaping, circulation, transition areas, wetlands and natural areas. The Pedersen Toyota Scion site includes and existing dealership to be renovated, as well as an expansion of the service area, used car retail, and an inventory/employee parking garage. The expansion will remove the existing underutilized storage site, a portion of which will become a landscaped storm water detention area. Landscaping will buffer the north property line from the parking lot. An average 15’ landscape buffer will front College Avenue, while a 10’ landscape buffer will separate the pedestrian corridor along Kensington. The walks along Kensington and Mason will be removed, detached, and widened. We have reviewed the existing trees with the City Forestry staff. As a result, the site plan indicates new walks in locations that retain the street trees along Kensington and College Avenue where possible. The existing trees along Mason Street are in poor condition and will be impacted by the location of the new buildings that face the street frontage. These trees will be replaced with new canopy street trees in the parkway. A pedestrian plaza will be located on the northwest portion of the site along Mason. This will provide a place for employees on breaks and an enhanced, active pedestrian area along Mason. (iii) Estimate of number of employees for commercial and industrial uses. Pedersen Toyota estimates 62 employees in sales and service after the planned expansions. (iv) Description of rationale behind the assumptions and choices made by the applicant. The following are the planning objectives of the Pedersen Toyota Dealership PDP: 1. To provide a mixed‐use development that helps meet the objectives for the Midtown Plan area identified in the Plan Fort Collins. 2. To help achieve the Targeted Infill and Redevelopment Policies of Plan Fort Collins. 3. To support and enhance the area multi‐modal transportation network that serves the Mason Corridor and Midtown Plan area. 4. To support local business and tax revenue for the City of Fort Collins. (v) Written narrative addressing each issue raised at the neighborhood meetings(s), if a meeting was held. The Neighborhood meeting was held on April 23rd, 2014 at Lopez Elementary School. One local citizen from the neighborhood west of Mason Street and the railroad tracks attended and raised a concern about the allowed building height. This was reviewed in the elevations. The existing structure would remain the same, the parking structure would be four stories but would be set back from Mason with a one‐story retail transition to the west. 8 6/4/2014 Also, the effective height of a four story parking is significantly less than a four story enclosed building since there is no roof element above the fourth garage level. While the citizen was not supportive of the density and heights allowed on the site, she was content that the development was not higher and was incorporating transition measures. The meeting minutes are included with the PDP submittal. (vi) Name of the project as well as any previous name(s) the project may have been known by. None (vii) A narrative description of how conflicts between land uses are being avoided or mitigated. The PDP has been developed in a collaborative effort involving City Staff and the design team. This process was useful because it brought together key participants early in the process and enabled the group to identify issues and conflicts and quickly make decisions to address each item.