Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWARREN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION - PDP - PDP150011 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTS (13)Statement of Planning Objectives Warren Federal Credit Union – East Drake Project November 17, 2015 Project Overview Warren Federal Credit Union, based in Cheyenne, is a successful and growing financial institution with an existing Fort Collins presence on 181 West Boardwalk Drive. As the owners of Warren FCU looked at plans to open an additional branch, they chose to develop it as part of a mixed-use development as a long-term investment in Fort Collins. Warren Federal Credit Union-East Drake project provides a great opportunity for Warren FCU to develop an inspired space for their employees and clients within a vibrant mixed-use development that includes a much needed community gathering space. This development project will initially house Warren FCU, opportunity for leased office and retail space as directed by the market. This project embodies the character and vision of City Plan and the NC zone district for high-quality development. It will help infill the Rigden Farm area, providing neighborhood amenities and a community gathering space. (i) Statement of appropriate City Plan Principles and Policies achieved by the proposed plan. Adherence to City Plan A fundamental component of City Plan is the Triple Bottom Line Analysis. The Warren FCU development exemplifies this key principal as it “incorporates environmental, economic, and human considerations so that principles, policies, strategies, and implementing actions were developed with consideration of the benefits and tradeoffs across all three of these topic areas.” (City Plan page 15) Many principles and policies outlined in City Plan are achieved with this project. The most significant are listed here: Economic Health Principles and Policies Policy EH 1.1 – Support Job Creation Policy EH 1.2 – Maximize Retail Sales Tax Revenue Policy EH 1.4 – Target the Use of Incentives to Achieve Community Goals Policy EH 4.1 –Prioritize Targeted Redevelopment Areas Policy EH 4.2 – Reduce Barriers to Infill Development and Redevelopment Environmental Health Policy ENV 2.6 – Manage Conflicts Policy ENV 4.1 – Improve Connectivity Policy ENV 15.4 – Enhance the Economy Policy ENV 18.2 – Manage Risks Policy ENV 19.2 – Pursue Low Impact Development Policy ENV 20.2 – Follow Design Criteria for Stormwater Facilities Policy ENV 21.1 – Adhere to Drinking Water Quality Standards Community and Neighborhood Livability Policy LIV 4.1 – Ensure Adequate Public Facilities Policy LIV 5.1 – Encourage Targeted Redevelopment and Infill Policy LIV 5.4 – Contribute to Public Amenities Policy LIV 6.3 – Encourage Introduction of Neighborhood-Related, Non-Residential Development Policy LIV 10.2 – Incorporate Street Trees Policy LIV 11.2 – Incorporate Public Spaces Policy LIV 14.2 – Promote Functional Landscape Policy LIV 14.3 – Design Low Maintenance Landscapes Policy LIV 15.1 – Modify Standardized Commercial Architecture Policy LIV 21.2 – Establish an Interconnected Street and Pedestrian Network Policy LIV 22.4 – Orient Buildings to Public Streets or Spaces Policy LIV 22.5 – Create Visually Interesting Streetscapes Policy LIV 30.3 – Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Policy LIV 30.4 – Reduce Visual Impacts of Parking Policy LIV 31.2 – Site Layout and Building Orientation Policy LIV 31.4 – Design for Pedestrian Activity Policy LIV 31.5 – Incorporate Public Spaces and Community Facilities Policy LIV 32.1 –Mix of Uses Policy LIV 32.6 – Encourage Human-Scale Architectural Elements Policy LIV 32.8 – Design for Safety Policy LIV 32.9 – Design to Enhance Activity Policy LIV 36.1 – Mix of Uses Policy LIV 36.2 – location Policy LIV 36.3 – Scale and Design Policy LIV 36.4 – Relationship to Surrounding Neighborhoods (ii) Description of proposed open space, wetlands, natural habitats and features, landscaping, circulation, transition areas, and associated buffering on site and in the general vicinity of the project. An Ecological Characterization Study was not prepared for the site, as the existing vegetation consists of grasses and weeds on site that is flat albeit a remnant dirt pile. As such wetlands, natural habitats and features, and transition areas are non-existent. The landscape plan fits into the context of the surrounding developments, utilizing sod, planting beds including shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials, and deciduous shade and ornamental trees. Located within the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zone district, the site plan is based on the standards of this zone district. For more detail see section (v) below. (iii) Statement of proposed ownership and maintenance of public and private open space areas; applicant's intentions with regard to future ownership of all or portions of the project development plan. The developed property, adjacent streetscape areas, and outdoor use spaces will be maintained by the property owner. (iv) Estimate of number of employees for business, commercial, and industrial uses. Warren Federal Credit Union projects having 11 employees in this new branch. The mixed use building includes additional retail and office space, and the estimate of employees for these additional uses is approximately 19 for the retail spaces and 21 for the commercial office spaces (11+19+21 = 51) *Please note these totals were calculated using a base building layout whose design is currently conceptualized as a shell and core “fit-out” development, making the exact number of employees for each space indeterminate since the end user is unknown at this time. (v) Description of rationale behind the assumptions and choices made by the applicant. Located within the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zone district, this project exemplifies the purpose and standards envisioned for this district in the Land Use Code. The owner and design team used the zone district standards as the key resource in guiding the site and building design. The purpose of the NC zone district is stated as follows: (A) Purpose. The Neighborhood Commercial District is intended to be a mixed-use commercial core area anchored by a supermarket or grocery store and a transit stop. The main purpose of this District is to meet consumer demands for frequently needed goods and services, with an emphasis on serving the surrounding residential neighborhoods typically including a Medium Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood. In addition to retail and service uses, the District may include neighborhood-oriented uses such as schools, employment, day care, parks, small civic facilities, as well as residential uses. This District is intended to function together with a surrounding Medium Density Mixed- Use Neighborhood, which in turn serves as a transition and a link to larger surrounding low density neighborhoods. The intent is for the component zone districts to form an integral, town-like pattern of development with this District as a center and focal point; and not merely a series of individual development projects in separate zone districts. The Warren FCU project illustrates this purpose by providing a mixed-use commercial/retail building adjacent to a supermarket and transit stop and multi-family residential housing (previously developed by others).This project serves as a link between the district center (supermarket) to the west and the multi-family residential housing to the east/south, helping meet the demand for office/retail goods and services in the neighborhood. The proposed financial, office, and retail uses are permitted in the NC district and are subject to an administrative review. Key design standards in the NC district include: Land Use Standards. (1) District Boundaries/Edges. Land use boundaries and density changes in the Neighborhood Commercial District shall occur at mid-block locations to the maximum extent feasible, rather than at streets (so that similar buildings face each other). This PDP implements the first phase of an overall development plan that sees Illinois Drive lined with retail, restaurant and office spaces. The credit union will anchor a large pedestrian plaza that connects the L-shaped building masses as the remainder of the retail spaces line Limon Drive and feed off the pedestrian spaces on the south side of the building. (E) Development Standards. (1) Site Planning. (a) Overall Plan. The applicant shall demonstrate that the development plan contributes to a cohesive, continuous, visually related and functionally linked pattern within existing or approved development plans within the contiguous Neighborhood Commercial District area in terms of street and sidewalk layout, building siting and character and site design. The proposed development is compatible with the district based upon the existing commercial and retail uses within Rigden Farm shopping center (supermarket directly west of the site), and provides for much needed amenities, goods, and services triggered by the adjacent multi-family residential housing. The architectural character of the adjacent Rigden Farm shopping center (supermarket development directly west of the site) can be described as a hybridized aesthetic of traditional main street storefront facades mixed with contemporary forms and accents. The material palate consists of synthetic stucco and masonry (brick and CMU) cladding with some precast concrete detailing, with a neutral and earth- tone color scheme. The proposed building’s size, height, mass, and scale are well integrated for the intended use, and also add to the neighborhood’s character and quality. The enhanced façade along the south elevation (Limon Drive) enhances the pedestrian scale of the development while creating a semi-public plaza which encourages pedestrian interaction and activity. The proposed building’s materials include a slate or stone wall tile “base” and on the upper portion of the building, a fiber cement or stucco cladding system is envisioned (cladding material to be determined by economy). The wall parapets will be capped with a raised architectural precast “coping” continuing around the perimeter of the building. The color shades of each material shall draw from the range of color shades that complement the neighborhood and the surrounding natural environment. The colors chosen for the exterior wall materials will also be neutral in an effort to complement and merge with the existing context, creating a continuous, visually related district. Earth-tones are proposed for the upper portion of the building, providing a warmth in the architecture which will help create a cohesive neighborhood aesthetic. The proposed pedestrian sidewalk along Limon Drive contributes to a continuous pattern of development and connectivity throughout the neighborhood, and the building placement (on Limon Drive) also contributes to a town-like streetscape when viewed in context with the buildings currently being constructed south of Limon. The placement of the proposed building close to the intersection of Iowa Drive and Limon Drive is consistent with the Land Use Code and provides a visual anchor to this intersection. (b) Central Feature or Gathering Place. At least one (1) prominent or central location within each geographically distinct Neighborhood Commercial District shall include a convenient outdoor open space or plaza with amenities such as benches, monuments, kiosks or public art. This feature and its amenities may be placed on blocks, with shared civic facilities. The proposed building is designed around an outdoor gathering space (south of the building, north of Limon Drive) which will serve the surrounding neighborhood with seating, hardscaped plaza, and landscape treatments. (c) Integration of the Transit Stop. Neighborhood Commercial Districts shall be considered major stops on the local transit network. Transit stop facilities, to the maximum extent feasible, shall be integrated into the design of the District, centrally located, and easily accessible for pedestrians walking to and from the surrounding neighborhoods. (See also Division 3.6 Transportation and Circulation.) A transit stop has previously been integrated directly northwest of the site, adjacent to the supermarket. Pedestrian connections to the district center supermarket are being provided on the east and south sides of the project, and the west pedestrian connection will be implemented with a future PDP (when Lot 1 and 2 develop). (2) Block Requirements. All development shall comply with the applicable standards set forth below, unless the decision maker determines that compliance with a specific element of the standard is infeasible due to unusual topographic features, existing development, safety factors or a natural area or feature: (a) Block Structure. Each Neighborhood Commercial District and each development within this District shall be developed as a series of complete blocks bounded by streets (public or private). See Figures 17A through 17F at Section 4.6(E). Natural areas, irrigation ditches, high-voltage power lines, operating railroad tracks and other similar substantial physical features may form up to two (2) sides of a block. (b) Block Size. All blocks shall be limited to a maximum size of seven (7) acres, except that blocks containing supermarkets shall be limited to a maximum of ten (10) acres. (c) Minimum Building Frontage. Forty (40) percent of each block side or fifty (50) percent of the total block frontage shall consist of either building frontage, plazas, or other functional open space. (d) Building Height. All buildings shall have a minimum height of twenty (20) feet, measured to the dominant roof line of a flat-roofed building, or the mean height between the eave and ridge on a sloped-roof building. In the case of a complex roof with different co-dominant portions, the measurement shall apply to the highest portion. All buildings shall be limited to five (5) stories. The development is surrounded on all sides by existing public streets, and the block size is 1.21 acres. Along Limon Drive, the building and plazas account for over 40 percent of the frontage, and the proposed building height is approximately 36’ tall consisting of two stories. No undesirable affects are anticipated by the proposed height or placement of the building, as the impact of the building on access to sunlight and views has been thoroughly considered. (3) Canopies. (a) Primary canopies and shade structures shall be attached to and made an integral part of the main building and shall not be freestanding. (b) Freestanding secondary canopies and shade structures that are detached from the building, if any, shall be designed with a pitched roof, or have the appearance of a pitched roof through a false mansard or parapet, to match the primary canopy and relate to the neighborhood character. (c) All canopies shall be designed with a shallow-pitched roof, false mansard or parapet that matches the building. Such roofs, false mansards or parapets shall be constructed of traditional roofing materials such as shingles or cementious, clay or concrete tiles, or standing seam metal in subdued, neutral colors in a medium value range. The colors shall be designed to relate to other buildings within the commercial center. (d) Canopy fascias and columns shall not be internally illuminated nor externally illuminated with neon or other lighting technique, nor shall canopy fascias or columns be accented, striped or painted in any color except that of the predominant building exterior color. (e) There shall be no advertising, messages, logos or any graphic representation displayed on the canopy fascias or columns associated with drive-in restaurants, financial services and retail stores. This prohibition shall not apply to canopies for covering the retail dispensing or sale of vehicular fuels [see Section 3.8.7(E)(13)]. (f) Under-canopy lighting shall be fully recessed with flush-mount installation using a flat lens. There shall be no spot lighting. The primary building canopy (one the west end of the building) is attached as an integral part of the main building. Smaller individual ‘tenant’ canopies are also attached to the main structure. Freestanding canopies will be provided over the ATMs will be designed to complement the building architecture using similar materials and colors, creating a cohesive and unified development. The canopies will apply to the lighting and advertising requirements set forth in items d, e, and f above. (vi) The applicant shall submit as evidence of successful completion of the applicable criteria, the completed documents pursuant to these regulations for each proposed use. The Planning Director may require, or the applicant may choose to submit, evidence that is beyond what is required in that section. Any variance from the criteria shall be described. The submittal includes all items required for Project Development Plan submittal. No variance from the criteria is being pursued at this time. (vii) Narrative description of how conflicts between land uses or disturbances to wetlands, natural habitats and features and or wildlife are being avoided to the maximum extent feasible or are mitigated. No conflicts between land uses and wetlands/natural habitats exist. (viii) Written narrative addressing each concern/issue raised at the neighborhood meeting(s), if a meeting has been held. As an Administrative (Type 1) review, no neighborhood meeting is required. As such, a neighborhood meeting has not been held. (ix) Name of the project as well as any previous name the project may have had during Conceptual Review. Warren Federal Credit Union – East Drake (Previous name for development during Conceptual Review: Rigden Farm – Commercial Mixed-Use)