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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWOODWARD TECHNOLOGY CENTER (FORMERLY LINK-N-GREENS) - PDP - PDP130001 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTS (21)Link‐n‐Greens Neighborhood Meeting January 30, 2013 River Area Concept Opening Remarks by Jason Holland: This is a complex site that everyone is working together on, and is also a sensitive site. The project had its first neighborhood meeting in October. The meeting tonight is to discuss open space and to give an overview of the site plan. Tonight there will be presentations from Rocky Scott of Woodward, Alan Gingsborg of New MarkMerrill. Angie Milewski of BHA Design will give an overview of site plan and overview of the current thoughts for design and management for the open space. Easements will be discussed which are necessary for the project to move forward. Discussion by Alan Gingsborg: Woodward Governor has been in existence Since 1862. They first contemplated a shopping center, then a mixed use plan. This site has a legacy orientation and they want to make a difference, focus from the river out, and want to know how do we create a vision. This is a good opportunity to help the community and downtown development. Not a simple process, 100 people involved. Presentation by Rocky Scott: Woodward is a global company in the aerospace and energy markets to grow 10% need to plan for that and currently do not have that capacity. They will also be doing a project for Rockford and are involved energy space, engines, industrial turbine systems, fuel and gas turbines. They looked around the country, decided to stay locally, need to make sure there were people with the skillsets to perform these complicated jobs. The best potential site is this site, but the process has been most difficult, longest, very frustrating, and there are difficulties with using this site. Time is important and cost is important. We need to make sure these are still manageable. Some other areas are lower cost. The CEO has made it clear that the intention here is not for Woodward to drive what they need but to have outstanding planning. Part of the vision is to recognize is 101.6 acres of that 31 acres will not be part of Woodward’s project, will be space available to the public, investing a lot of money with a team to look at the 31 acres to see how to make it a special space, a better experience than in the past on the trail. They will work with the floodplain able to sustain the plant life there. Look at plant life, aquatic life and people enjoying the experience with the 31 acres. Not intended to own the property but to share with all. We want feedback from citizens, trail opportunities to honor the history of the property, want the Lincoln triangle to be proud. You may not see today what will be actually be built, but ideas that the team has put together, appropriate use of the space. Presentation by Angie Melewski: Angie is a landscape architect, working with Woodward to help guide through process, focusing this meeting on river restoration areas. We listened carefully to the vision of Woodward, they are focused on their shareholders, but are concerned about the community also. Map was shown of the neighborhood context, new industry, research innovations with CSU and partnerships. Woodward sees being a part of the neighborhood planning. Maps shown of the site boundary, adjacent to Buckingham, brewery uses, retail, commercial, wastewater treatment located at south end, adjacent to natural area. Consider all areas, open site, but necessarily a natural site, was for a golf course, trail. Consider the character of the site. Early in the process everyone sat down to talk with river area, planning, parks, natural resources, work sessions and many meetings took place to talk about goals for areas. Setbacks and buffers for area, besides those, what can we do to connect this to the floodplain and make better. Property boundary, restoring the river, hoping to do something bigger than normal, the river moves on and off the property. They talked about plans to go to rivers edge and make some invisible lines. Goals; general buffer zone distance is established as 300 ft. from top of bank, should work with staff to make sure the performance standards are achieved. Reconnect the river to its floodway, currently no physical connection, and in turn enhance character. Map shown of site and campus with several buildings highlighting open area. Looking at entire area as bringing the grade down and cut slope down to river bank and create landscape directly connected to river historically what would have been there before development. Look at NW part of site, create some stabilization and upland conditions, pockets of lower wetland areas similar to Udall Natural area. As the site bends there is a tendency for an oxbow pond condition, will re‐grade and create that area. As it moves south, it narrows and goes under Mulberry bridge. Restoration area is based on the river’s geometry. Big feature is trail to be relocated to site away from the river and through the upland area and oxbow pond, allows more varied trail users, parks likes that idea. They compare the concept against what the code allows, looking at changing that line to what is appropriate based on the shape and movement of the river. The net result would be acre to acre, adding over 5 acres in this restoration area, setting aside to open space. Diagram shown of topo elevation how they will be able to establish the site, lower wetter areas and upland areas, oxbow pond. There was talk about doing restoration beyond the property line in a few locations, will need to obtain off site easements, have been meeting with different boards and go to Council, will exhibit of where they will occur. Brought to water board and will eventually go to Council. Many people from City staff are involved. We have some time still ahead of us and would like to hear what you have to say. Q&A Q: how many employees would be at the facility? A: Woodward has been in the facility at drake for 56 years, they are expecting to be in this project for 50 years. The project will have approx. 1,000,000 sq. ft. of building, estimating 1,700 employees. They now have approx. 1,300 in N. Colorado. The Drake facility has no plans to change their presence there. Woodward sells to General Electric, Boing Aircraft, supply chains. Growth will depend on how that is generated. Q: Increased traffic, what would you do to insure smooth traffic flow? A: The development review process will take care of that, they will analyze and meet with traffic engineers, they have to show they meet City standards. North near Vine is offsite efficiency areas. Most traffic will be coming from the south, Mulberry instead of from the north. The bigger picture is that they understand they have to ensure they meet the required traffic counts. Lemay is at capacity and will restrict flow to that area. Q: Will there be opportunities to decrease train activity? A: Most likely will not have an impact on that. City has spent a lot of time talking to railroads. Q: Historic farm questions and how they are working with that? A: They will incorporate those elements ‐ existing barn, silo will remain there and they will maintain and enhance them and put to some use. They haven’t evaluated how that will happen yet. May make some areas where someone could go to hear about the history of the area, bring that together with ideas from Buckingham and keep heritage. It is part of a State designated site. They met last week with Landmark Preservation, looking at how they were going to possibly restore buildings. The project is supported by staff, LPC and State. Great opportunities for the site. Q: Where would the proposed fence go? A: They are not proposing any perimeter fence, will be more open campus. Service areas that need to be secured will be more internal to the site. No perimeter fence proposed. They will have big buildings, nearly 200,000 sq. ft. Will not be 4 story, majority will be single story. The headquarters bldg. will be 3 story ma be 40 ft. high. They are not proposing anything more than a 3 story in height. Q: Flood regimes possible even with bank stabilization from the west side of the property? Who is the decision maker regarding floodplains? A: It’s a joint effort with City Q: Will there be Laterals from relocated trail? A: They will work in concert with trail, maybe have a bike shop or coffee shop on urban stretch of trail. Q: Open space fenced from campus? A: Not intended to do that. Will the trail be connected to the river? When there are social trails that break up the natural buffer. One or two areas with secondary paths that will go down and touch the river. Contain and control the social paths. Q: Who’s going to pay to maintain the open space property? A: We don’t know, it may be the City, it may not be, they are working out the details. Q: What restrictions are the landowners and Woodward facing now? A: Elaborate process of submitting plans, over 50 plan sets, many comments back to comply with City requirements. Have to go through hundreds of plan sets to get through the process. Q: Why isn’t it a done deal? A: Woodward has to make the decision to locate here for sure. They will make that decision perhaps in March. It will be a function of how this process goes and will work with community on incentive. They have to ask if the price is right and does it work for them. It has to make financial sense. Q: If plans fall through, what happens to Link‐n‐Greens? A: Probably still used as a golf course. May not have other successful development there. Q: An owner commented; If this doesn’t go through – they will have to find the right time to pass it on, it may be 20 years. They won’t find a better deal. It may not stay as a golf course. They won’t find a better company. Q: Will the high tension lines stay there? A: Many may be relocated, but will be determined. They currently transect the site. They are PRPA’s Q: Lincoln corridor plan, is this a good compliment? A: They hope they are raising the bar. Response from Timothy Wilder; simple answer is yes, it will compliment the project. We are working together closely and understand where the Woodward project is going. Street is at core of effort. It will incorporate the outcomes of this process. Response from Angie Milewski; brought photo of other natural areas concept and is part of the bigger picture of the site. Lincoln corridor will be part of the site. Response from Jason Holland; Woodward is asking the same questions on how this all fits in and pushing the project to be part of the Lincoln corridor. Q: The pickle factory, is there a way to use the willows wetlands to get access to that site? A: There are other sites in this area that needs to be developed. They will not be going that far. Encourage and work with future projects as much as they can. his project will set the standard for future projects and spur others along the river.