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HomeMy WebLinkAboutYOUNG PEOPLES LEARNING CENTER - PDP W/ADDITION OF PERMITTED USE - PDP140012 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVES1 209 E. Plum Street Young Peoples Learning Center Planning Objectives We are Young Peoples Learning Center and we are seeking approval for a project which will do great things for children and families in Fort Collins, particularly in the downtown and university districts. We would like to add a second story on top of what has been a flat roof for many years. The addition of space will allow us to provide onsite professional services which will greatly add to the quality of care we offer. This addition will also improve the visual presentation of the site for the neighborhood. We are presenting a lot of material in this overview and have a lot of support for our program both in information to share from community member, our own expertise, research and documents from the field of Early Childhood Education as well as letters from local stakeholders and experts. Getting kids ready for school needs to be a priority of the Fort Collins community. Doing well in school is critical to success in life and adding these services to our program is one way to maximize the success of young children. Accomplishing these goals has been our focus since 1978. The project is presented in this document according to the following outline: - Scope of the project - Neighborhood support for the project - City support for the project - Community support for the project - Conceptual Review Letter - Answers to questions presented at Conceptual Review - Answers to questions presented at the neighborhood meeting - Improvements that go above and beyond city requirements 2 Scope of the Project Adding the full additional second story to our building improves aesthetics, energy efficiencies and maintenance demands for the school. Because we are developing the space, we would like to use it to improve the quality of care for the children in our program. At this time, we bring in speech and language therapists, behavioral and family therapists and occupational therapists to screen our children, provide services to our families and train and coach our teachers. When services are brought in, they currently meet with children and families in administrative work spaces and storage areas. These environments are not the most effective places for these service providers to do their work. We have spoken with the service providers we work with about what kind of spaces they would need in order to provide services on our site. The feedback we received led us to design the space. We do anticipate that service providers would want and be able to meet with clients who were not current families of Young Peoples Learning Center. However, we have analyzed this ratio and believe that about 60 to 80% of the appointments each week would be YPLC clients. This is based on the percentage of children needing intervention to avoid risk factors and the load we believe the providers could carry. The number of clients receiving services may be even higher simply because the services are readily available to Young Peoples’ families. We have not put this practice into effect, and it could be significantly more or less, but we believe an additional 10 – 20 appointments may be generated each week for non-YPLC families – two to four per day. We are here to provide early childhood education services to children and families specifically because we believe in the power of the change we can make on our community by doing this well. We know that providing these services catches children and families at a critical time in their development. When children are provided services early, they need far fewer interventions in school or as adults and parents themselves. We want to do the best for our children and we want to create a model that works for community child care centers. We do not rely on funds from government or foundations, we accept low-income clients receiving state assistance and we work with community organizations whenever possible. 3 Current Business Profile Young Peoples Learning Center is a well-established business with no record of violations or complaints  In business since 1978 and the only child care center in the Downtown Business District  At Plum Street location since 1994.  Oldest privately owned child care center in Fort Collins and have been committed to quality care for kids throughout that time.  The 209 E. Plum Street location has been a child care center since 1962. *We acknowledge and hope to help any neighbors feel good about our presence, but feel strongly that more families have purchased their houses in the neighborhood BECAUSE our services are close by and that anyone who has purchased their home after 1962, were already aware these services existed in the area and chose to be a part of this neighborhood  The City does not have any record of zoning complaints or violations for this property. Ever.  We are very invested in our community and doing what we can to improve both our neighborhood and Fort Collins as a community. o Attend Downtown Business Association meetings o Work with the Climatewise program o Our Executive Director is the President of the Board of the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County. o Our owner is part of the board of the Colorado Early Childhood Education Association. Numbers Before Remodel After Remodel Number of children served at this location 95 120 Number of Children on grounds at one time during the busiest time of day 65 67 Number of Families Served at all locations 260 275 Number of Staff employed at this location 17 17 Number of staff on grounds at one time, during the busiest time of day 8 – 10 10 – 12 Note that we can help an additional 25 families who are at the greatest risk of developmental or other delays with very little change in the amount of traffic or parking impact on the neighborhood. 4 Traffic Services deemed that this project did not meet the minimum threshold for a traffic study. We are in agreement of this assessment. The percentage increase of people on grounds at one time we believe will be about a 4% increase. We are basing this on several factors. According to the latest findings of the Health and Well-Being of Children Chartbook, 40% of children aged 4 months to 5 years are at risk of developmental delay. With an average of 80 clients at Young Peoples on Plum and 25 clients at Young Peoples on Mathews, that would be 42 clients from two Young Peoples locations. Based on our experience, we assume about 1/3 of these clients would refuse services for one reason or another. We also assume the offices combined would see about 10 clients per day. We believe 30 of the 50 available appointments would be Young Peoples clients with just about 20 spaces available for additional clients. The goal of adding these services is to serve our children better and we believe the best model for doing so is to bring in services who would be able to dictate their own practice. This means allowing them to see other clients. However, we believe these additional guests to our site would not be a majority of the work happening in the service providers’ offices. We have spoken with potential service providers whom we hope to work with in order to design spaces specifically around their needs.  The Speech and Language service offices are small and do not include space for a desk or file storage. They are designed as satellite offices for an agency to run “sessions” with clients only. (Please note the plans submitted with this review show only one office – that space should be divided in half to provide two smaller offices)  The Behavior and Family services offices are designed to give clients and providers space to meet, but there are no spaces for receptionists or assistants. We have had interest from therapists in renting this as a very part time space as a second job for a therapist or for therapists to rent on an hourly basis to accommodate clients very part time.  The Occupational or Physical therapist’s office is the only office we anticipate having a full-time therapist in its space. The tools used by this therapist are difficult to bring from one place to another and it is unlikely they will choose to 5 travel. This is the only office designed with specific and sufficient office or desk space. Neighborhood Support for the Project Hi Heather - just returned from a month of travels and hope things are going forward for your plans. I worked on faculty at UNC and was director of Children's Speech and Reading from 1999 - 2006. I have been working as an SLP in the Early Childhood Program (developmental preschool, Headstart and other community based settings) in Cheyenne since then. We do a lot of family education as well as direct evaluation / support embedded in the classroom / childcare setting. I agree that on-site services in a natural setting is best practice for young children. Keep me posted on your plans - I am not looking at doing private practice, but enjoy being involved more locally. Can't get more local than 1 block from my house! My phone is 970 690-6612. Best of luck - Debra Dunn We are residents of the neighborhood near Young People's Learning Center (805 Locust St.) and both of our children have been enrolled at YPLC. As a family that values our neighborhood and community, we try to use local services whenever possible. We believe that the additional services planned for YPLC will be of great value to our kids and our neighborhood. Roze Hentschell & Tom Cram I was thrilled to learn that YPLC would be adding therapy services to their already phenomenal programs. We are a YPLC family and live in the neighborhood as well. We are quite lucky to have them in our community! Taylor I live in the neighborhood near Young People's Learning Center and my 9yr old son has attended their preschool and camps since he was three. I think that having occupational and physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, and family and behavioral therapists will be a great addition to the services they offer, and that the families will benefit greatly from having them offered. Abby Hartley I live in the neighborhood & my son currently attends Young Peoples Learning Center. I am excited that this addition & remodel is creating room for more valuable resources for not only my son but the community -Bevin Parker 6 My son attends Young People's on Plum and loves it. To have increased services, such as physical therapy or behavioral health therapists at the place that he already feels comfortable would be an incredible asset to not only his health, but the neighborhood families that the school serves. Laurel To whom it may concern: My name is Nicole Stafford and I reside near Young People’s Learning Center located on Plum Street between Remington and Matthews. I am writing in support of the proposed construction project that will add office space above the current building where zoning allows. Knowing the diversity of families that Young People’s serves, as well as the abundance of families in our neighborhood, I believe it would be a benefit to our children and families to provide such services as speech pathology and family therapy. There are many barriers that keep parents from seeking and obtaining these services for their children when they are needed such as time, money, fear and denial. I believe these services, when located in a familiar place and convenient location, will be better utilized. Best, Nicole T Stafford 7 City Support for the Project The City of Fort Collins published a report in December of 2011 entitled “Snapshot Report Sustainable Community Development: Early Childhood Care and Education” The following points are from THAT REPORT. Please feel free to follow this link to the full report: http://www.fcgov.com/socialsustainability/pdf/childcare-report.pdf Points from the Report Project Specific Comments 75% of families report a lack of child care options for their children with special needs Providing these additional services allows us to serve additional special needs children. Generally, current demand for child care space exceeds capacity reported by child care facilities. Enrollment rates are projected to increase and will exceed the 2010 capacity in future years; a 22.5% enrollment increase is projected by 2020. Child care should be part of economic development policy. A lack of affordable, quality, convenient child care reduces worker productivity. YPLC is located just blocks from CSU, the largest employer in Fort Collins, and near the downtown area, one of the most essential business employment areas of town. Quality care options need to be available in this area. Businesses’ ability to attract and retain workers is hurt by lack of quality child care. Lack of transportation for lower income parents continues to be a significant problem; YPLC is located a half block from the Transit-Oriented Development Overlay Zone. We are one of only 3 Child Care Centers located within walking distance of the Max transit system. We are also open more a greater majority of the day than most Child Care Centers (6:30 am to 6:15 pm, many care options are only available from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Transfort hours do not begin early enough or go late enough for many jobs; lack of Sunday service; and, often requires multiple transfers that results in parents who need to rely on public transit are unable to first drop off children and then get to work on time Most zone districts in the City allow child care centers, and most require a development review process, with neighborhood participation. We realize that our project request does not include creating a new location, but many of the requirements we are subject to for this review are creating the same burden on our system of care. A new child care center that is a change of use triggers building code and fire department regulations 8 (in addition to the zoning regulations). This can be costly for opening new child care centers in existing development, for instance in the Downtown area. Children who have received high quality child care score higher on tests of both cognitive and social skills in their early teens than children in low quality care. (Source: Rhode Island KIDS Count [2005]) High quality child care is very important to the future of the children and families of Fort Collins. Making a difference in the lives of children is why we are in this Research has clearly shown that early childhood care business. and education benefits the community (Source: Early Childhood Education for All, recommendations from a conference sponsored by Legal Momentum Family Initiative and the MIT Workplace Center, 2005). Some key findings include:  Every dollar invested in quality early childhood care and education saves taxpayers up to thirteen dollars in future costs.  The Perry Preschool Study followed participants in a high-quality program for more than 40 years and found that, as adults, they were less likely to be arrested, more likely to own a home, and more likely to be employed (Schweinhart et al, 2005).  Quality early childhood care and education prepares young children to succeed in school and become better citizens; they earn more, pay more taxes, and commit fewer crimes.  Accessible, affordable, and quality child care benefits the social and financial needs of parents and the educational and development needs of children.  The location and availability of child care supports other community development principles and policies including community and neighborhood livability, sustainability, and transportation mobility. PSD offers prenatal, infant and toddler services (birth to age three), including prenatal parent education support; home visits; educational, hearing and vision screenings; socialization opportunities; and, partnerships with local child care centers. PSD also provides developmentally appropriate early child We believe PSD does a great job at serving children. However, they do not have the capacity to serve all children all day. We would like to develop this model as a way to create quality programs in the community. 9 education; family services; referrals; and, parenting education classes. The Community and Neighborhood Livability Chapter directly mentions child care as a “supporting use” in all neighborhoods, including: Urban Estate Neighborhoods (LIV 27.3, page 78), Low Density Mixed-Use Neighborhoods (LIV 28.2, page 79); and, Medium Density Mixed-Use Neighborhoods (LIV 29.2, page 80). Child care as a “supporting use” is mentioned in all of the “Districts”, including: Downtown District (LIV 33.6, page 86); General Commercial Districts (LIV 34.2, page 87); Community Commercial Districts (LIV 35.2, page 88); Neighborhood Commercial Districts (LIV 36.1, page 89); Employment District (LIV 38.1, page 91); and, the Industrial District (LIV 39.1, page 92). These provisions in the city codes speak to the City’s acknowledgement that child care services ought to be part of the city’s planning for neighborhoods. We recognize that the few concerns expressed by the community speak not to the changes happening, but to current operations and that the city has demonstrated through these policies that they are in support of our current operations. Having early childhood education services in neighborhood creates neighborhoods that encourage parents to walk and bike to services. It seems to us that the neighbors expressing the concern have alternatives to mitigate their concerns during our drop off and pick up times that do not negatively impact our work with children or put undo stress on those neighbors. Child care is also indirectly addressed in the policies for neighborhood schools in regard to coordinating with the school districts in the use of schools by “providing opportunities such as…neighborhood…services” (LIV 24.2, page 76). The topic of early childhood care and education is directly addressed in the Safety and Wellness Chapter, including: “background” section (page 102), as follows: “Access to community services, including education and early care, can have a positive impact on the economic vitality of the community through increased workforce productivity and well-being, as well as providing benefits to the community as a whole.” Early childhood care is indirectly mentioned under the umbrella of human services in the policy – “Coordinate with Health and Human Service Providers” (SW2.5, page 105) as follows: “Rely on health and human service organizations to provide community health and human services, and focus on improved communication, education, accessibility, and collaboration in order to enhance overall physical 10 and mental health, safety, and wellness of the community. Allocate funds to the Human Services Program to assist local human service providers.” And, “Consider the location of and Transportation to Health and Human Services” (SW2.6, page 105), as follows: “Encourage health and human service providers to carefully consider locations of new facilities and transportation implications, provide transportation to services, and coordinate with the public transportation system. Also in the report was a list of how other communities had made changes which impacted providing quality early childhood education services Watsonville, CA, integrated child care facilities into its downtown bus station. This enables parents to efficiently drop off their children via public transportation. Again, we are one of the only Child Care Centers located within walking distance of the Max and the downtown area. Delano, CA, requires a child care needs assessment for new development projects. White Plains, NY, expanded the number of zone districts allowing child care facilities. Riverside, CA, has expedited fast-track permitting of child care centers. Some cities have worked with affordable housing and private developers to incorporate child care facilities into development plans. San Mateo County, CA includes onsite child care as one of many traffic mitigation measures available to large development projects. This speaks to the fact that having childcare in neighborhoods is actually a traffic saving and preferred aspect of a Encouraging retention of existing and development of community. new child care facilities in neighborhoods (City of Los Angeles, CA). Incorporating child care and social services into affordable housing (City of Fairfield, CA) The City/County of Denver recently announced READY KIDS DENVER, which calls on the City to take a leadership position and act as a focal point for a public/private effort on early childhood care and education, looking at what services already exist, the 11 gaps, and how to direct existing resources to better meet the needs. Kern County, CA eliminated its building permit fee for child care facilities The report came up with the following conclusions and recommendations – we believe those listed below apply to this project. The biggest barriers are state regulations. City partnerships are important to overcome challenges of improving the local child care system. Site child care facilities near employment centers, homes, schools, community centers, etc. Encourage retention of existing and development of new child care facilities in neighborhoods Incorporate child care and social services into affordable housing, activity centers, and transportation hubs Remove any potential barriers to the construction or new centers in the Land Use Code; in particular explore barriers resulting from the City’s “change of use” regulations. Create incentives for construction of new child care centers (particularly those serving low income families) such as currently provided for affordable housing projects, including priority processing, impact fee delay, development review fee waiver, administrative construction fee waiver, etc. Create new Land Use Code regulations and/or incentives for siting facilities such as near transit and major employment centers. Promote child care facilities in the City’s Transit Oriented Development overlay zone and in the new planned unit development regulations Remove Barriers in Land Use Code: Explore removing potential barriers to the construction or new centers in the Land Use Code; for example, explore barriers resulting from the City’s “change of use” regulations Create Incentives in the Development Review Process: Explore creating incentives for construction of new child care centers (particularly those serving low income families) such as currently provided for affordable housing projects, including priority processing, impact fee delay, development review fee waiver, administrative construction fee waiver, etc.. Encourage Child Care Facilities in the TOD Overlay Zone and new PUD regulations. Explore promoting child care facilities in the City’s Transit Oriented Development overlay zone and in the new planned unit development regulations. Amend Land Use Code: Review Procedures for new Child Care facilities: Explore amendments to the Land Use Code such as adding child care centers to the list of permitted uses in the Neighborhood Conservation Low Density zone district subject to administrative review; and, in all four of the zone districts which permit child care centers subject to review by the Planning and Zoning Board, make them subject to administrative review 12 Young Peoples, 209 E. Plum Street 13 Community Support for the Project It is very important to Young Peoples Learning Center that we are a part of the overall Early Childhood community both in our neighborhoods, in the city of Fort Collins, in Larimer County, in Colorado and beyond. Being connected in this way allows us to stay up on trends, research and best practices for what is good for kids. It also means that there are many experts and stakeholders in the community who are aware of our project and wanted to express their support for this project. Please take some time to read the following letters of support:  Bev Thurber, Executive Director, Early Childhood Council of Larimer County  Carolyn Martin, Director of Early Childhood Education, Poudre School District  Katheryn Hammerbeck, Executive Director of Colorado Early Childhood Education Association  John Kefalas, State Senator, Senate District 14  Lisa Sadar, Quality Support Services Coordinator, Early Childhood Council of Larimer County  Regina Hariri, Early Childhood Therapist  Kathy Mason, Executive Director Children’s Speech and Reading Center  Aaron Oberndorf, local practicing Occupational Therapist  Elizabeth Lake, BSN, RN, CPN, CCRN 14 Early Childhood Program --Poudre School District-- Carolyn Martin, Director Poudre School District, Early Childhood Education Fullana Early Learning Center 220 North Grant Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80521 carolynm@psdschools.org 970.490.3195 July 28, 2014 Dear City of Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Board; I’ve been asked by Young People’s Learning Center to write you with information about co-locating such services as family and behavioral therapy, occupational/physical therapy, and speech and language pathology in their child care center. Within the early childhood field, reducing barriers to services for infants and children with identified needs is a best practice. Locating intervention services within a program or site reduces barriers. Co-location of services can help child care providers support the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirement that from birth, children with disabilities receive appropriate early intervention services to "prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.” If you have further questions for me, please contact me. Thank you, Carolyn Martin Fullana Learning Center 220 North Grant Avenue * Fort Collins, CO 80521 * www.psdschools.org/department/early-childhood 15 June 17, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, Research demonstrates that the best services for young children support the “whole child”, including social emotional, physical, motor and cognitive development. Best practices in early care and education programs (a.k.a. child care) include supports for all aspects of child development. Experts are increasingly focused on the specific need for early childhood mental health support. For young children, this is structured differently than the stereotypical “one hour session” approach that is used for adults. Early Childhood mental health specialists work in the child’s natural environment by observing the child and supporting the adults (e.g., parents, child care workers) in modifying their interactions to meet the child’s needs. Although the mental health provider may also provide direct services with the family, this early childhood mental health consultation model is a promising practice being adopted across the country. Co-location of mental health and child care services supports the ability of programs to best support children’s development. Best practice suggests that close collaborations among professionals and integration of services are necessary for optimal service delivery (Shonkoff & Meisels, 2000). Sincerely, Beverly Wood Thurber, MSW, MPA Executive Director 16 17 18 State Senator Vice Chair: JOHN KEFALAS Local Government Committee Colorado State Capitol Member: 200 E. Colfax Ave, Room 338 Health and Human Services Committee Denver, CO 80203 Member: Capitol: 303-866-4841 Business, Labor and Technology Committee COLORADO State Senate State Capitol Denver June 19, 2014 City of Fort Collins Building Services Attn: Rebecca Everette, Cameron Gloss, Peter Barnes 281 North College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80524 Dear Rebecca, Cameron & Peter: It has come to my attention that Young Peoples Learning Center (YPLC) has begun remodeling their preschool and child care center to include space for additional professionals who provide therapy intervention services for young children. On-site screening, support, consultation and direct family services will enhance their early childhood development programs. YPLC is seeking a zoning variance from the City and has made the case that these services are integral to a holistic model of child care. I wish to express my support for their efforts because from a policy and service-delivery perspective I agree with such a model, and anything we can do to streamline the approval process will help YPLC, a critical non-profit in our community. One of my top-priority policy areas concerns expanding economic opportunity and reducing poverty, and quality early childhood education is essential to achieving these goals. Children who are in high-quality programs that provide comprehensive child care services, including therapeutic and health services when needed, are children who thrive and are better prepared to succeed in school. Investing in early child development is wise and ultimately is one of the best ways for addressing child and family poverty. 19 As the Fort Collins State Senator (SD-14), it is important to me that our community has the best and most effective services that help create opportunities for all residents, especially our children. As a member of the Health and Human Services; Local Government; and Business, Labor and Technology Committees, I connect the dots, and early childhood development is the foundation. Helping YPLC to succeed in serving our kids makes sense. Thank you for your consideration of my support, and feel free to contact me if need be. Sincerely, John M. Kefalas State Senator, Fort Collins (District 14) 20 June 17, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, Research demonstrates that the best services for young children support the “whole child”, including social emotional, physical, motor and cognitive development. Best practices in early care and education programs (a.k.a. child care) include supports for all aspects of child development. Experts are increasingly focused on the specific need for early childhood mental health support. For young children, this is structured differently than the stereotypical “one hour session” approach that is used for adults. Early Childhood mental health specialists work in the child’s natural environment by observing the child and supporting the adults (e.g., parents, child care workers) in modifying their interactions to meet the child’s needs. Although the mental health provider may also provide direct services with the family, this early childhood mental health consultation model is a promising practice being adopted across the country. Co-location of mental health and child care services supports the ability of programs to best support children’s development. Best practice suggests that close collaborations among professionals and integration of services are necessary for optimal service delivery (Shonkoff & Meisels, 2000). Sincerely, Beverly Wood Thurber, MSW, MPA Executive Director July 29, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, This letter is provided in support for co-location of professional services and child care programs such as that proposed by Young People’s Learning Center. These services have the greatest success when provided to children in their natural environment. Previously services were provided to children on a ‘pull out’ basis meaning children went to the professionals office and received services at that location. More recently higher success rates for children have been noted when children receive services in the environment in which they naturally spend time. For many children this may be in their home setting but for a significant number of children whose parents work this environment is in an early care and education setting (a.k.a. child care). Benefits are greater in these natural settings because children learn to use the skills being taught in environments where it has meaning to them. They can then continue to practice skills doing the normal activities they do all day long and can receive immediate response about their success from adults to peers in the process. Practice opportunities provided all day far exceed the results from short sessions with professionals. Ideally, the supports provided involve and allow the classroom adults to better understand the goals for individual children and support them in meeting their goals. Other children in the classroom are provided opportunities to support their peers and even pick up skills alongside them. When one child is learning to use socially acceptable skills instead of challenging behaviors other children are involved and everyone learns and can practice these skills. In this case, the individual child is better supported by the professional and the classroom teachers AND peer support is greater, empathy is greater and all children have the potential to benefit. Research demonstrates that the best services for young children support the “whole child”, including social emotional, physical, motor and cognitive development. Best practices in early care and education programs include supports for all aspects of child development. Co-location of professional services for young children along with and child care services supports the ability of programs to best support children’s development. Best practice suggests that close collaborations among professionals and integration of services are necessary for optimal service delivery (Shonkoff & Meisels, 2000). Lisa Sadar Quality Support Services Coordinator 21 City of Fort Collins RE: Young People’s Learning Center To Whom It May Concern, I am writing this letter in support of the additional services that Young People’s Learning Center is attempting to develop on Plum. As an Early Childhood Therapist, I see the importance and value in providing services which are comprehensive for families in a one site community location. Many high risk families have difficulty with transportation, keeping appointments at a variety of locations, and accessing the type of services that their young children need to in order to be successful. This time in a child’s life is crucial and is often over looked leaving many children behind which has a long term impact on their ability to grow to be successful member of our community. Instead there is a high cost to the community and state a large. I have read much recently about the need for more comprehensive programs such as these within our community and applaud Young People’s desire to meet this need. Providing these services within an early learning center is taking this concept to the next level meeting the needs of the families in a setting which they trust. It is common for families to feel intimidated when reaching out to additional programs in the community. Providing this type of wrap around services increases success for the whole family. I have had the opportunity to visit a site much like this in another community and am excited about the possibility that our community would be open to such a model. Thank you for your consideration, Regina Hariri, M.S., CAC III Early Childhood Therapist 22 July 28, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express our need in interest in office space that will be available at the Young People's Learning Center. We are a not for profit pediatric speech-language therapy center and has grown substantially in the last few years (more than 20% each year). We lease space on the south side of Fort Collins and are at a point where our physical space is limiting our capacity to serve the children of Northern Colorado. Speech-language skills are critical for a child to be prepared to enter school, develop strong literacy skills and succeed developmentally, socially and academically. Our outreach efforts focus on helping families understand that the time to access therapy for a child with a communication delay or disorder is well before they enter school. And because of our ability as a 501(c)(3) to offer a sliding scale, there are not financial barriers to accessing that care. I have spoken with Heather Griffin about the possibility of using space at their facility part time. It would not only provide much needed availability and access on the north end of town, but would provide additional space to serve more children. Because of the nature of our work, we need private rooms to work one-on-one with our clients. There are days and time slots during which all four of our therapy rooms are occupied…when we are max'd out. Sincerely, Kathy Mason Executive Director 23 To whom it may concern: I am writing to let you know that I believe in bringing services to the clients that Occupational Therapists serve. I am a Registered Occupational Therapist working at Columbine Health Services. I have been a resident of Fort Collins and Larimer County Since 1998. Clients that use Occupational Therapy (OT) services are often better served when the therapist comes to where they are. This is meeting the client where they are so they can work on the treatment plan with the most efficiency. Occupational Therapy brings meaning and purpose to the way that clients occupy their time. When we add OT services to our community we are bringing meaning and purpose to the activities the clients are already doing in real world settings. This allows for In order to increase efficiency of services both in results and cost we need to remove barriers. Transportation is often a barrier for clients that are seeking services. In Fort Collins the public transportation system can take up to two hours to reach a destination. This can be a burden for people that are receiving services. When we bring the services to the places people already are such as child care centers, we are providing accessibility and efficiency in receiving services. It is well documented that early intervention promotes enhanced learning and development in children. Early intervention allows the child to catch up to peers faster and provides a framework for what to expect when the child enters the public school system. Occupational Therapists can then support teachers and other school personnel by coaching them on techniques to use with children and families. I believe that binging services to kids and families is important for treatment follow through, support, and outcomes. Placing rehabilitative services in the community such as at Young Peoples Learning Center will be a great addition to our community, and its overall functioning. Thank You, Aaron Oberndorf, MS OTR 3416 Killarney Ct. Laporte CO 80535 (970) 420-5143 24 July 29 th , 2014 To Whom It May Concern: I'm writing to give my support to Heather Griffith's efforts to increase access to testing and services for some of our most vulnerable children. As a Registered Nurse, specializing in pediatrics, I know that access is one of the biggest barriers to young children getting the testing and services they need. I work at a large hospital, with a variety of specialties and services that kids can obtain. However, often their parents aren't able to get them to the building. Either because of limited transportation or the distance. When that happens we often simply don't see the child who needs us. At sometimes great detriment to the child and their future. The other reason I greatly support the work Heather Griffith is working to do is that even when we do see a child for testing or services it is a very different environment for them. Children thrive on consistency and being comfortable in their environment. It is very difficult for them to learn something new in a new environment. Especially for a therapy service it is very important that they are comfortable and confident in that environment. So often the first few visits are just getting to know the child and making them comfortable. This time would be greatly reduced if they were in a place the child was already comfortable, like a preschool or day care center, a place set up for kids just like them. In that kind of environment they will be much quicker to learn a new skill or even test more accurately. It is so important that we get early testing for kids who might need services. And when those kids need a service they need easy and frequent assess to competent and professional services. Certainly a fantastic way to accomplish that goal is to put those services in a place that parents and children already are. I applaud Heather Griffith's efforts to serve our smallest kids. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Sincerely, Elizabeth Lake BSN, RN, CPN, CCRN 25 Research Support for the Project It is a long held standard in early childhood and education services in general that whenever possible we do not take kids to services, but rather bring services to kids. Providing services on site has a three-fold positive effect that has nothing to do with bottom lines and everything to do with children, families and teachers. These services are certainly effective off-site as well, but there are three specific areas where being on site provides a dramatic increase in effectiveness. The first area is in obvious comfort level of the children being provided these services. Children who are in need of these services can be anxious, resistive and uncomfortable with new places and spaces. If a child attends Young Peoples already, these children do not have to transition to a new space at all and if a child is not already attending Young Peoples, when they pull up in front of our site, they are not confronted with an office building, but rather with a school where they can see other children, playgrounds and a child friendly environment immediately. In addition, when parents are in an appointment or when older or younger siblings need to be on site during a visit, there are spaces for children to be supervised, engaged and safe. The second benefit of onsite services is an ease for parents to access services. We bring in services and refer parents and families to services constantly, at a rate of three to five students per month – some for screening, some for observation and some for additional services. We can bring in the professionals for screenings and observations, but when it comes time for families to connect with the services, traveling off-site is a challenge. The additional site is sometimes difficult for parents because they must take public transportation, the additional site is sometimes difficult for parents because they feel too stressed and busy, and the additional site is sometimes difficult for parents for just the same reasons it is difficult for children – a strange and unfamiliar environment can make us anxious and uncomfortable. In addition, parents are able to save time when they do not need to travel to services. The third large effect of on-site services is one I think many outside of the field have a hard time recognizing, but is one of the areas that makes the biggest impact on the environments in our classrooms. When there are other service providers around, the teachers in the classroom automatically receive coaching and training from these professionals. Currently, we call these providers and schedule times for them to come, observe and then speak with teachers separately. When we want teachers to learn about additional methods and ways of working with children, we hold trainings with these experts. Though appointments will still be scheduled and trainings will continue to happen, when service providers are on site, these conversations can happen during 26 several observations throughout the day, they can happen in conference rooms and as follow up to trainings. It not only changes the way we interact with the children involved, but it also changes the way a teacher interacts with their classroom and their job when they have additional professional onsite support. As requested during Conceptual Review Meeting on June 16th , 2014, here are more research resources on the best practices in child care programs and early childhood health services. They demonstrate how and why mental and physical health services are provided on-site at Early Childhood Education Centers to enhance the services being provided. The source of each article is listed first, followed by the name of the article, quotes from the article and then a link to the full article. We are always available for further questions. We would also invite you to contact the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County for experts and information on best practices in Early Childhood (970-377-3388) and Regina Hariri at Touchstone Health Partners on Early Childhood Mental Health Services (970-492-4212) THE CENTER ON THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL FOUNDATIONS FOR EARLY LEARNING EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATION “The former and more traditional type of consultation aims to address the needs of an individual child who is exhibiting challenging behaviors or whose social and emotional well-being may be at risk due to a family crisis (e.g., death in the family, divorce). Typically, child- or family-centered consultation is provided to the child’s teacher(s) and parents, and is focused on helping these adults support children more effectively. In contrast, programmatic consultation takes a more systemic approach, focusing on “improving the overall quality of the program and/or assisting the program to solve a specific issue that affects more than one child, staff member, and/or family” (Cohen & Kaufmann, p. 8).” “Unlike traditional one-on-one therapeutic mental health services, ECMHC is primarily an indirect approach. Early childhood mental health consultants (MHCs) strive to improve children’s social and emotional well-being by building the capacity of ECE staff, parents, and other caregivers to promote healthy child development and manage challenging behaviors. Consultants educate, train, and “coach” caregivers so that they develop the skills and confidence to effectively address children’s social and emotional needs whether it be the needs of one child or an entire classroom of children. Although the consultant may provide some direct services (e.g., observing children, conducting 27 individual assessments, modeling effective practices), these activities are ultimately designed to enhance caregiver competence. In sum, ECMHC is both a problem- solving and capacity-building intervention. Another hallmark of early childhood mental health consultation is the strong emphasis on collaboration. ECMHC’s approach acknowledges that in order to understand and address a child’s challenging behavior, one must look holistically at the environments in which the child functions (e.g., home, classroom, community settings). This holistic or “ecological systems perspective” (Brack, Jones, Smith, White, & Brack, 1993) in ECMHC necessitates that the consultant partners with ECE staff and families to jointly assess the challenge, determine appropriate intervention, and implement a coordinated plan of action across all settings. These collaborative relationships are essential to effective consultation and have become a special research interest in the field.” “To broaden the impact of mental health consultation, provisions need to be made to widen access to mental health consultation in home-based care and education settings (i.e., licensed family child care homes and unlicensed family/friend/neighbor arrangements), and to expand the focus to include promotion and prevention activities that benefit all children as part of the array of consultation services. Ideally, ECMHC would be available to all early care and education settings and subsidized or reimbursable through a variety of sources. In a clustered randomized control study of Chicago School Readiness Program classrooms, outside observers found that teachers receiving ECMHC had significant improvements in teacher sensitivity and enhanced classroom management skills, compared with teachers in classrooms without consultation (Raver et al., 2008). Observers also found that the classroom climates improved after consultation, with more positive interactions between teachers and children and fewer negative exchanges, in contrast to classrooms where no consultation was present. Staff members also rated themselves as significantly more able to manage children’s difficult behavior after consultation in 9 of 11 studies reviewed by Brennan et al. (in press; see, for example, Alkon, Ramler, & MacLennan, 2003; James Bowman Associates & Kagan, 2003; Olmos & Grimmer, 2004). Finally, teachers have also generally reported lower levels of job stress after they receive consultation services (Green et al., 2006; Langkamp, 2003; Olmos & Grimmer, 2004).” “Teachers in classrooms with ECMHC services reported that children had fewer problem behaviors after these services were implemented (Bleecker & Sherwood, 2004; Gilliam, 2007; Perry, Dunne, McFadden, & Campbell, 2008; Upshur, Wenz-Gross, & Reed, 2008)…. Finally, there is evidence that when mental health consultation is available in early childhood programs, the rate of expulsion of children with difficult or challenging behavior decreases Research suggests that consultants who are integrated into program functioning, whom program staff view as “part of the team,” and 28 who are accessible and available to program staff and families are more effective (Gilliam, 2005; Green et al., 2006; Yoshikawa & Knitzer, 1997)” http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/documents/rs_ecmhc.pdf COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TEN STANDARDS FOR BEST PRACTICES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH “Location, length and time of sessions provided by early childhood specialists will vary; therefore clinicians need flexibility and small caseloads at any one time. Services and interventions should be provided in the most appropriate environment including in real time and natural settings such as childcare, pediatric clinics and homes. What does science tell us? The evidence based or best practice strategies are designed for implementation either with parents or childcare providers. This means early childhood clinicians are often on-site in different settings, delivering services. The amount of time for each service does not neatly fit into a 50-minute session. Travel time and the ability to adjust intensity of services to the needs of the families must be factored in when considering appropriate caseloads. Often parents have their own mental health or substance abuse issues, which also impacts the complexity of interventions.” http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheadername1=Content- Disposition&blobheadername2=Content- Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D%22Early+Childhood+Best+Practice s+2012.pdf%22&blobheadervalue2=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoB lobs&blobwhere=1251795239109&ssbinary=true THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PSYCHOLOGY “An additional competency vital to early childhood practice is collaboration with other professionals is necessary to appropriately serve children of all ages; such partnerships are particularly important in working with young children. Service delivery for young children and their families is often complex, involving many discipline-specific specialists (e.g., physicians, educators, speech-language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists, behavioral consultants) in addition to a school psychologist. Best practice 29 suggests that close collaborations among professionals and integration of services are necessary for optimal service delivery (Shonkoff & Meisels, 2000). Linkages between early childhood providers permit opportunities for mutual planning and feedback and tend to create holistic and contextual understandings of young children (Hepburn, Kaufmann, Perry, Allen, Brennan, & Green, 2007). Whether psychologists work within a team structure (e.g., multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary) or collaborate with individual early- childhood professionals, partnering with other experts requires learning about their work, good communication skills, and trust in the abilities of these professionals (McLean & Crais, 2000) as well as consultation/collaboration skills (Rubinson, 2009). Therefore, psychologists working with young children need a unique set of skills for working effectively with other service providers treating young children.” http://www.apadivisions.org/division-16/publications/newsletters/school- psychologist/2011/04/evidence-based-practice.aspx RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH, REGIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY PROMISING PRACTICES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH “Comprehensive. Service arrays include a variety of interventions that take account of the developmental, health, and mental health needs of families and the potentials for preventive as well as therapeutic interventions. All parents need support to raise their children well. When providers focus on the health and well-being of the entire family, they consider services such as providing transportation and child care for siblings and supporting parents’ goals to complete the Graduate Equivalency Degree or obtain employment along with services such as parenting classes or individual therapy. Supportive relationships with service providers, and particularly with other parents, can make a significant difference for parents” http://cecp.air.org/Portland_Monograph.pdf 30 Conceptual Review Letter: Community Development and Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6750 970.224.6134 - fax fcgov.com June 25, 2014 Heather Griffith Young Peoples Learning Center 209 E. Plum St. Fort Collins, CO 80524 Re: 209 Plum St. - Young Peoples Learning Center Expansion Description of project: This is a request to expand the 2nd story of the Young Peoples Learning Center on 209 E. Plum Street (Parcel #9713221009). The proposed addition would add approximately 1700 square feet of office space to the second story of the building. The parcel is located in both the Neighborhood Conservation - Medium Density (NCM) zone district and the Neighborhood Conservation - Buffer (NCB) zone district. This project will be subject to Planning & Zoning Board (Type II) review. Please see the following summary of comments regarding the project request referenced above. The comments offered informally by staff during the Conceptual Review will assist you in preparing the detailed components of the project application. Modifications and additions to these comments may be made at the time of formal review of this project. If you have any questions regarding these comments or the next steps in the review process, you may contact the individual commenter or direct your questions through the Project Planner, Rebecca Everette, at 970-416-2625 or reverette@fcgov.com. Comment Summary: 31 Department: Zoning Contact: Peter Barnes, 970-416-2355, pbarnes@fcgov.com 1. The east half of the property is NCM and the west half is zoned NCB. The office use does not appear to be an accessory use. As a principal use, it is allowed in the NCB zone as a Type 2 review because of the addition. The use is not allowed as a principal use in the NCM zone, and therefore an Addition of Permitted Use process would be required as a Type 2 review. 2. Show the outdoor play area on the site plan (location, dimensions, height and type of fence). 3. Is there any parking currently provided on the property? Is so, please show and dimension the parking area on the site plan. If there isn't any parking on the lot, where do employees/parents park? 4. The Planning Department comments cover other issues and regulations. Department: Water-Wastewater Engineering Contact: Roger Buffington, 970-221-6854, rbuffington@fcgov.com 1. Existing water mains and sanitary sewers in the area include a 6-inch water main in Remington, a 4-inch water main in Mathews and an 8-inch north/south sewer that crosses 209 Plum (under the existing building). 2. The water service to the existing building comes from a ¾-inch line extending from Mathews. 3. If a fire sprinkler system is needed, schedule a meeting to discuss in more detail as there is currently no water main in Plum at this location. 4. The water conservation standards for landscape and irrigation will apply. Information on these requirements can be found at: http://www.fcgov.com/standards 5. If a larger water service is needed, development fees and water rights will be due at building permit. Credit will be given for the existing service. Department: Stormwater Engineering Contact: Glen Schlueter, 970-224-6065, gschlueter@fcgov.com 1. It doesn't appear that this project will change the impervious area so there is no increase in impervious area that will need to be detained. However there may be simple things that can be done to treat the runoff from the site. Please contact Basil Hamdan, the Water Quality Coordinator at 224- 6035 to discuss what may be required. 32 Department: Historical Preservation Contact: Karen McWilliams, 970-224-6078, kmcwilliams@fcgov.com 1. LUC Section 3.4.7 has been met. The building at 209 East Plum was evaluated for its eligibility as a Fort Collins landmark and was determined to not be individually eligible. While the property is located within the Laurel School National Register District, it is likely a non-contributing building due to previous alterations. Further, the proposed second level addition should not have a significant adverse effect on the adjacent properties or on the District as a whole. Department: Fire Authority Contact: Jim Lynxwiler, 970-416-2869, jlynxwiler@poudre-fire.org 1. DEVELOPMENT REVIEW As there are no footprint changes proposed and no alterations affecting general building layout, there are no fire department comments relative to access and water supply. However, other comments relative to day care occupancies, including exiting requirements fire alarm systems, and occupancy loads, etc. may be applicable at time of building permit. 2. FIRE CONTAINMENT Buildings exceeding 5000 square feet shall be sprinklered or fire contained. If containment is used, the containment construction shall be reviewed and approved by the Poudre Fire Authority prior to installation. 3. PREMISE IDENTIFICATION IFC 505.1: New and existing buildings shall be plainly identified. Address numbers shall be visible from the street fronting the property, plainly visible, and posted with a minimum of six- inch numerals on a contrasting background. Department: Environmental Planning Contact: Lindsay Ex, 970-224-6143, lex@fcgov.com 1. The applicant should make note of Article 3.2.1(C) that requires developments to submit plans that "...(4) protects significant trees, natural systems, and habitat". Note that a significant tree is defined as a tree having DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) of six inches or more. If any of the trees on the site may be impacted and have a DBH of greater than six inches, a review of the trees shall be conducted with Tim Buchanan, City Forester (221 6361) to determine the status of the existing trees and any mitigation requirements that could result from the proposed development. 33 2. With respect to landscaping and design, the City of Fort Collins Land Use Code, in Article 3.2.1 (E)(2)(3), requires that you use native plants and grasses in your landscaping or re landscaping and reduce bluegrass lawns as much as possible. Department: Engineering Development Review Contact: Sheri Langenberger, 970-221-6573, slangenberger@fcgov.com 1. Larimer County Road Impact Fees and Street Oversizing Fees are due at the time of building permit. Please contact Matt Baker at 224-6108 if you have any questions. 2. The City's Transportation Development Review Fee (TDRF) is due at the time of submittal. For additional information on these fees, please see: http://www.fcgov.com/engineering/dev- review.php 3. Any damaged curb, gutter and sidewalk existing prior to construction, as well as streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, destroyed, damaged or removed due to construction of this project, shall be replaced or restored to City of Fort Collins standards at the Developer's expense prior to the acceptance of completed improvements and/or prior to the issuance of the first Certificate of Occupancy. 4. Please contact the City's Traffic Engineer, Martina Wilkinson (221-6887) to schedule a scoping meeting and determine if a traffic study is needed for this project. In addition, please contact Transportation Planning for their requirements as well. 5. Any public improvements must be designed and built in accordance with the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS). They are available online at: http://www.larimer.org/engineering/GMARdStds/UrbanSt.htm 6. This project is responsible for dedicating any right-of-way and easements that are necessary for this project. There will likely be no easements or right-of-way needed. 7. Utility plans will be required and a Development Agreement will be recorded once the project is finalized. 8. A Development Construction Permit (DCP) will need to be obtained prior to starting any work on the site. 9. The alley adjacent to this site is not paved or improved. The City code currently identifies that a property is responsible for the improving the adjacent roadways at such time a property develops or redevelops. 10. Fences are to be placed a minimum of 2 feet from the edge of a sidewalk or at the property line whichever is greater. It looks like the fenced area doesn’t meet this requirement. Department: Electric Engineering Contact: Jim Spaulding, 970-416-2772, jspaulding@fcgov.com 34 1. System modification charges may apply. If an upgrade to electric service is required, electric development charges will apply. If you have any questions please call Electrical Engineering at (970) 221-6700. Planning Services Contact: Rebecca Everette, 970-416-2625, reverette@fcgov.com 1. USE: Based on conversations at the conceptual review meeting on 6/16/14, it appears that the rented office/medical space would be a second, primary use in the building, rather than accessory to the existing child care use, as it would likely generate clientele and visits to the site in addition to the children/families currently served by the child care center. While the lot is divided between the NCB and NCM zones, the majority of the 2nd story addition would be located in the NCM zone, which does not include medical/office as a permitted use. As such, the 2nd story addition would be considered as an Addition of a Permitted Use (APU) in the NCM district (see LUC Section 1.3.4). Two neighborhood meetings are required based on the latest APU revisions to the LUC. 2. LOT DIMENSIONS: The Conceptual Review Application notes that the lot dimensions are 50x150. However, the County Assessor's office lists the property as 14,000 square feet in size. Please clarify the square footage of the lot, as it will affect the allowable floor area per LUC Section 4.8(D)(2). 3. BUILDING HEIGHT: What is the overall building height on the east side (with the addition)? If the building is taller than 18 feet, the second story wall may need to be stepped back per Section 4.8(E)(4). Measuring building height is defined in Section 3.8.17(A). 4. FRONT FACADE CHARACTER: This design appears to meet the front facade character standards in Section 4.8(F)(1)(h). Please confirm that the front porch element is at least 6 feet in depth and 8 feet in length. 5. BUILDING COMPATIBILITY: Ensure the project meets the building compatibility standards in Section 3.5.1. 6. CHILD CARE STANDARDS: Will the addition allow for an increase in the number of children accommodated by the child care center? If so, the standards in Section 3.8.4 must continue to be met. 7. PARKING: No off-street parking is currently provided. How many employees does the center currently have, and how many new employees would the addition bring? Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(h) specifies that child care centers provide a minimum of 2 off-street parking spaces per 3 employees or 1 parking space per 1,000 square feet of floor area, whichever is greater. 8. BICYCLE PARKING: Per section 3.2.2(C)(4), child care centers have a minimum bicycle parking requirement based on the square footage of 1/3,000 square feet, minimum of 4 spaces. All of these spaces could be fixed bicycle racks. 9. This development proposal will be subject to all applicable standards of the Fort Collins Land Use Code (LUC), including Article 3 General Development Standards and Article 4 Districts. The entire LUC is available for your review on the web at http://www.colocode.com/ftcollins/landuse/begin.htm. 35 10. If this proposal is unable to satisfy any of the requirements set forth in the LUC, a Modification of Standard Request will need to be submitted with your formal development proposal. Please see Section 2.8.2 of the LUC for more information on criteria to apply for a Modification of Standard. 11. Please see the Development Review Guide at www.fcgov.com/drg. This online guide features a color coded flowchart with comprehensive, easy to read information on each step in the process. This guide includes links to just about every resource you need during development review. 12. Please see the Submittal Requirements and Checklist at: http://www.fcgov.com/developmentreview/applications.php. 13. The request will be subject to the Development Review Fee Schedule that is available in the Community Development and Neighborhood Services office. The fees are due at the time of submittal of the required documents for the appropriate development review process by City staff and affected outside reviewing agencies. Also, the required Transportation Development Review Fee must be paid at time of submittal. 14. When you are ready to submit your formal plans, please make an appointment with Community Development and Neighborhood Services at (970)221-6750. 15. TRAFFIC OPERATIONS: This proposal is likely to have very limited change in traffic volumes. Based on that, the traffic impact is not expected to rise to the threshold of needing a TIS. Based on section 4.2.3.D of LCUASS, the Traffic Impact Study requirement can be waived. 16. TRAFFIC OPERATIONS: Note that the proposal may generate some questions regarding parking and whether this change will impact street parking in the area. 17. The proposed development project is subject to a Type 2 (Planning and Zoning Board) review and public hearing. The applicant for this development request is required to hold a neighborhood information meeting prior to formal submittal of the proposal. Neighborhood meetings offer an informal way to get feedback from your surrounding neighbors and discover any potential hiccups prior to the formal hearing. Please contact me, at 221-6750, to assist you in setting a date, time, and location. I and possibly other City staff, would be present to facilitate the meeting. 18. Please see the Development Review Guide at www.fcgov.com/drg. This online guide features a color coded flowchart with comprehensive, easy to read information on each step in the process. This guide includes links to just about every resource you need during development review. 19. This development proposal will be subject to all applicable standards of the Fort Collins Land Use Code (LUC), including Article 3 General Development Standards. The entire LUC is available for your review on the web at http://www.colocode.com/ftcollins/landuse/begin.htm. 20. If this proposal is unable to satisfy any of the requirements set forth in the LUC, a Modification of Standard Request will need to be submitted with your formal development proposal. Please see Section 2.8.2 of the LUC for more information on criteria to apply for a Modification of Standard. 21. Please see the Submittal Requirements and Checklist at: http://www.fcgov.com/developmentreview/applications.php. 22. The request will be subject to the Development Review Fee Schedule that is available in the Community Development and Neighborhood Services office. The fees are due at the time of submittal of the required documents for the appropriate development review process by City staff 36 and affected outside reviewing agencies. Also, the required Transportation Development Review Fee must be paid at time of submittal. 23. When you are ready to submit your formal plans, please make an appointment with Community Development and Neighborhood Services at (970)221-6750. Pre-Submittal Meetings for Building Permits Pre-Submittal meetings are offered to assist the designer/builder by assuring, early on in the design, that the new commercial or multi-family projects are on track to complying with all of the adopted City codes and Standards listed below. The proposed project should be in the early to mid-design stage for this meeting to be effective and is typically scheduled after the Current Planning conceptual review meeting. Applicants of new commercial or multi-family projects are advised to call 416-2341 to schedule a pre-submittal meeting. Applicants should be prepared to present site plans, floor plans, and elevations and be able to discuss code issues of occupancy, square footage and type of construction being proposed. Construction shall comply with the following adopted codes as amended: 2009 International Building Code (IBC) 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2009 International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2009 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) 2009 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as amended by the State of Colorado 2011 National Electrical Code (NEC) as amended by the State of Colorado Accessibility: State Law CRS 9-5 & ICC/ANSI A117.1-2003. Snow Load Live Load: 30 PSF / Ground Snow Load 30 PSF. Frost Depth: 30 inches. Wind Load: 100- MPH 3 Second Gust Exposure B. Seismic Design: Category B. Climate Zone: Zone 5 Energy Code Use 37 1. Single Family; Duplex; Townhomes: 2009 IRC Chapter 11 or 2009 IECC Chapter 4 2. Multi-family and Condominiums 3 stories max: 2009 IECC Chapter 4. 3. Commercial and Multi-family 4 stories and taller: 2009 IECC Chapter 5. Fort Collins Green Code Amendments effective starting 1-1-2012. A copy of these requirements can be obtained at the Building Office or contact the above phone number. City of Fort Collins Building Services, Plan Review 416-2341 38 Answers to questions presented at Conceptual Review At the Conceptual Review meeting, concerns were expressed regarding positioning of offices within the building, bike parking, alley impact and paving, fire protection within the building, and fencing. We believe the new plans submitted clarify the square footage of the lot, confirm the front porch area and address the building step-back issues. Offices in NCM/NCB Concerns Since the time of the Conceptual Review, we have re-designed the space upstairs so that all provider offices are located in the NCB zoning perimeters. We understand that there are still community concerns about us moving the offices once the space has been built and Young Peoples is open to any recommended clauses written into documents which would ensure compliance with city requirements. Bike Parking We are planning multiple bike parking areas. We plan to have a covered parking area at the west most end of our property where parents can park bikes or child trailers for the day that should accommodate up to 10 bikes (or 4 bike trailers.) We also are working with Front Range Community College and their welding program to develop structures for 5 - 10 additional uncovered spots as a service learning project. In addition, we have created an incentive program for staff which includes rewards for riding their bikes to work consistently. Vehicle Parking There were two specific comment brought up at the community meeting: the amount of additional parking that may be required from the additional services provided, and the ability to see around our company vehicles when pulling out. We are conducting a parking availability study. Currently, during the summer, we see at least a 50% availability at all times of the day and evening. However we know that number will be somewhat impacted once the students return. This will be impacted on Plum Street both by fraternity and commuter students. Although we will provide hard data to support our position at the time of plan submittal, our experience is that we have rarely had to park anywhere other than in the 200 block of Plum Street, and when we have had to, have never had to park farther than the first 150 feet around the corner of the 800 block of Mathews Street. These comments apply to both our business vehicles and our staff vehicles. Again, we believe the hard data we will be able to provide in a few weeks will be invaluable in showing the minimal impact the current business has on parking availability. 39 When it comes to the parking requirements for the “new” clients of the professional services, this too will be minimal. Most of our current clients will be scheduling their times with these professionals when they drop-off or pick up their children, so this will require no more or less space than they are already using. For those coming during the middle of the day, there will be the space for them to park in the otherwise unused loading zone spaces in front of the center. These spaces are actively used during the hours of 8:00 to 9:00 am, and 4:00 to 5:30 pm. But even if there were to be zero spaces for these few Ft. Collins residents on Plum Street, as mentioned above, there will be ample space right around the corner on Mathews Street. Additionally, we have provided a Letter Of Intent for an agreement to purchase parking rights at the Schrader Country Store on the corner of College and Locust Streets. Please review that to see our level of commitment if we do ever reach a necessity for it. This private parking lot is located about a one block walking distance of our front door, allowing us to meet current standards for parking for Child Care Centers without adding a parking lot to our playground. Doing this also eliminates our impact on the alley. We are requesting our need for the alley to be paved to be waived, per City staff discussions in light of this. We are entering into this agreement and are requesting the waiver as opposed to putting parking on our premises. In order to create parking spaces on site, we would need to greatly reduce the size of our playground. We believe that the outdoor space we are able to provide to children is a great asset to the quality of our program and provides children in the community with much needed space to learn and grow. The quality of our services to children would suffer if this space was lost. Below is our current parking policy for our staff as well as our revised policy upon project approval. This parking policy would apply to employees of any office spaces as well. We request that staff only utilize the spaces along the north east side of Plum Street, not in front of the fraternity house or along the 800 block of Mathews nearest to our school. These are spaces which we know from experience are not used by neighborhood residents. We specifically request that our staff do not park in the spaces in front of the housing to the east or west of our school nor in front of the houses on the 700 block of Mathews, as we know these spaces are used by residents. Current policy: PARKING Young Peoples Learning Center does not maintain private parking facilities for employees. Employees must park in spaces that do not interrupt the available spaces for parents picking up and dropping off children. The only exceptions to this are opening staff and owners. At the Mathews Street location, staff may park in spaces two houses to the south or further, around the north side of 40 the block or across Mathews Street. At the Plum Street location, staff may park in the last one or two spaces on the ends of the block, across Plum Street or around the corner on the East side of the block. Young Peoples Learning Center employees are expected to comply with all local parking regulations and will be responsible for any fines incurred for violations. New policy: PARKING Young Peoples Learning Center does not maintain private parking facilities for employees. Employees must park in spaces that do not interrupt the available spaces for parents picking up and dropping off children. The only exceptions to this are opening staff and owners. At the Mathews Street location, staff may park in spaces two houses to the south or further, around the north side of the block or across Mathews Street. At the Plum Street location across Plum Street or around the corner on the East side of the block. Staff at Plum Street may also choose to park in the spaces on the South side of Schrader’s Country Store. If staff choose to park here, they must “sign in” with the manager in Schrader’s at the time of parking or they will be subject to fines or towing. Young Peoples Learning Center employees are expected to comply with all local parking regulations and will be responsible for any fines incurred for violations. Fire Protection In order to meet standards, we have 1 hour fire rated doors and wall barrier between the eastern most classroom and the rest of the building. The remaining part of the building is less than 5,000 square feet. Fencing We will be dismantling all current fencing on the front of the building, refinishing it and relocating it 2 feet back from the sidewalk. More Information Requested for Playground Layout We are not changing our current playground layout, but are providing the details of its current layout below:  Playground parts marked with a grey background are covered in pea-gravel. The rest of the playground is grass, with dirt in the natural rock and garden areas.  The blue areas mark our sidewalks, including the trike path.  The green indicates trees currently within the play space which provide plenty of shade cover. There are additional trees lining the property which add additional shade.  The fence is currently chain link with woven plastic creating privacy. We anticipate converting this to a natural growth vine and are looking into the best options at this point. Storage shed and 41 Tuana Parking 800 Block of Mathews Street Young Peoples 209 E. Plum Street Loading Zone 42 43 Improvements that go above and beyond city requirements Our Current Building The buildings to the West have two stories The buildings to the East have two stories The building across the street has 3 stories 44 The changes we are making to our building structure will bring us inline with the standards currently being set in the neighborhood. The Laurel Street District has been undergoing lots of upgrades and we are looking for our school to fit in with the gentrified sections of the area.  Once the second story is created, our building will have a similar structure to the buildings around it, all of which have second stories.  We will be wrapping the building in a stucco, which will be easier to maintain and much more aesthetically pleasing  The upgrade in windows, doors and outdoor lighting fixtures will all help the look of the building  We will be relocating the fence to create a better walking path in the front of the building  Our new front entrance porch will bring a continuity and unity to the building  The covered bike parking will include aspects that make it appear to be its own small school house.  The open bike parking will be artistically designed bike racks by the welding department of FRCC and will invite and encourage neighborhood biking  Once the new roofline is created, new roofing materials will be installed, replacing the current shingles which is both aesthetically and constructionally important.  The “curb appeal” upgrade to the building is sorely needed and this project will allow this to be done in a complete way. Young Peoples Learning Center is committed to quality care for kids and to being a positive part of our neighborhood. For many reasons, we have gone above and beyond city requirements in many ways. Requirement How we are exceeding them Child care centers are required to have a playground that is 4,182 square feet Our playground back playground is approximately 5000 square feet with an additional 600 square feet on our front playground, providing more and better spaces for children to learn and grow! We are required to replace toilets which are being removed with low-flush toilets Replacing ALL toilets, not just those effected, with new low-flow options No requirements on water flow Replace all children’s faucets with automatic faucets to reduce water usage No requirements on energy usage mitigation Installing solar panels No requirements for lighting upgrades Installation of all LED lighting Provide 4 bike parking spaces We will be providing 5 – 10 uncovered spots and approximately 10 covered spaces.