HomeMy WebLinkAboutAVONDALE COTTAGES - PDP - PDP140003 - DECISION - FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS & DECISIONCITY OF FORT COLLINS
TYPE 1 ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING
FINDINGS AND DECISION
HEARING DATE: June 26, 2014
PROJECT NAME: Avondale Cottages Project Development Plan
CASE NUMBER: PDP130032
APPLICANT: Terence Hoaglund
Vignette Studios
PO Box 1889
Fort Collins, CO 80522-1889
OWNER: Avondale Limited, LLC
PO Box 1889
Fort Collins, CO 80522-1889
HEARING OFFICER: Kendra L. Carberry
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for approval of a Project Development Plan
(PDP) for the Avondale Cottages, located at the southeast corner of West Trilby Road and
Avondale Road. The PDP proposes 10 units on a 1.5-acre site, including 6 single-family detached
houses, and 4 single-family attached units in two 2-unit buildings. The PDP includes one
vehicular access point, an existing private drive on Avondale Road, and 27 parking spaces with 10
oversized single-car garages. The PDP requests a Modification of Standard regarding Solar
Orientation of Residential Lots (Section 3.5.3(C)).
SUMMARY OF DECISION: Approved
ZONE DISTRICT: Low Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood (L-M-N)
HEARING: The Hearing Officer opened the hearing at approximately 5:30 p.m. on June 26,
2014, in Conference Room A, 281 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado.
EVIDENCE: During the hearing, the Hearing Officer accepted the following evidence:
(1) Planning Department Staff Report; (2) application, plans, maps and other supporting
documents submitted by the applicant; (3) a copy of the public notice; (4) letter from Robert
McLean dated June 20, 2014; and (5) email from Rebekah Praamsma dated June 26, 2014 (the
formally promulgated policies of the City are all considered part of the record considered by the
Hearing Officer).
TESTIMONY: The following persons testified at the hearing:
From the City: Clark Mapes, Martina Wilkinson
From the Applicant: Terence Hoaglund, Kristen Candella, Rod Arndt
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From the Public: Dianne Gilbert, Robert McLean, Darren File, Adam Burke
FINDINGS
1. Evidence presented to the Hearing Officer established the fact that the hearing was
properly posted, legal notices mailed and notice published.
2. A neighborhood meeting was held on April 7, 2014 for this PDP. The residents that
attended generally expressed concerns over shared maintenance of the private drive, parking,
traffic, property values, and length of the construction period. Since that time, the Applicant has
changed the configuration to remove the access from this PDP to the traffic circle to the east,
resolving some of those concerns.
3. The PDP complies with the applicable General Development Standards contained in
Article 3 of the Code.
a. The PDP complies with Section 3.2.1, Landscaping and Tree Protection, because
the PDP will preserve the majority of the existing trees along Trilby and Avondale Roads,
with only three existing trees being removed.
b. The PDP complies with Section 3.2.2, Access, Circulation and Parking, because:
the PDP includes 27 parking spaces on-site; the system of internal drives and walkways
provides adequate directness, continuity and security; and the hammerhead turnaround at
the end of the drive allows for emergency access.
c. The PDP complies with Section 3.2.4, Site Lighting, because there is only one
exterior light fixture in a central location along the access drive and the other lighting will
be low-level lighting on each home.
d. The PDP complies with Section 3.5.1, Building and Project Compatibility,
because: the nearest residential development includes small-lot and attached housing
types with densities compatible with the PDP; and building materials in the PDP are
similar to those used in the surrounding neighborhood.
e. The PDP complies with Section 3.6.4, because a traffic study demonstrated that
this project will not change the functionality of the intersection of Avondale and Trilby
Roads, and the City's Traffic Engineer testified that the City will continue to monitor the
intersection of Avondale and Trilby Roads to determine whether a traffic signal would be
appropriate.
f. The PDP complies with Section 3.8.10, Single-Family and Two-Family Parking
Requirements, because the PDP provides 27 parking spaces.
4. The PDP complies with the applicable standards contained in Article 4 of the Code for the
L-M-N zone district.
a. The PDP complies with Section 4.5(D)(1), Density, because the PDP has a density
of 6.58 dwelling units per acre.
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5. The Modification of Standard (Section 3.5.3(C)) meets the applicable requirements of
Section 2.8.2(H) of the Code.
a. The Modification would not be detrimental to the public good.
b. The PDP as submitted will not diverge from the standards of the Land Use Code
except in a nominal, inconsequential way and will continue to advance the purposes of the
Land Use Code.
c. The strict application of the requirement that at least 65% of lots have their front
lot lines oriented within 30 degrees of an east-west line is not feasible for this PDP given
the size, orientation and topography of the site.
DECISION
Based on the foregoing findings, the Hearing Officer hereby enters the following rulings:
1. The PDP and the Modification of Standard are approved as submitted.
DATED this 7
th
day of July, 2014.
_____________________________________
Kendra L. Carberry
Hearing Officer
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