HomeMy WebLinkAboutLEGACY AUTO - PDP - PDP120001 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSITEM NO __________________
MEETING DATE __June 26, 2014____
STAFF __Seth Lorson_____
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING
Planning Services 281 N College Ave – PO Box 580 – Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
fcgov.com/developmentreview/ 970.221.6750
STAFF REPORT
PROJECT: Legacy Auto (1845 N. College Ave.) #PDP120001
APPLICANT/OWNER: Legacy Tractor and Auto Sales
1845 N. College Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This project proposes to construct a 6,000 square foot addition to the existing 1,221 square foot
Legacy Auto building, construct a 4,800 square foot warehouse, and pave 41 customer parking
spaces, 36 display spaces, 38 storage spaces and the accompanying drive aisles. The construction
is proposed to be completed in four phases. This project is an expansion of existing vehicle sales
facilities for “urban tractors”, ATVs, trailers, personal water/snow crafts, cars, light trucks, and
conversion vans, including the sales offices and storage warehouse.
Map 1: Legacy Auto Location (1845 N. College Ave.)
Legacy Auto, PDP #120001
Administrative Hearing 06-26-2014
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RECOMMENDATION: Approval
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The proposed PDP has been reviewed by staff and is in compliance with all applicable Land Use
Code (LUC) standards with the exception of two proposed modifications of standard for which
staff is recommending approval based on findings that the modifications are not detrimental to
the public good, and that: 1) by reason of exceptional physical conditions of the site, and 2) do
not diverge from the standards except in a nominal and inconsequential way (Sec. 2.8.2.).
COMMENTS:
1. Background
The project site is zoned Service Commercial (CS) and the surrounding zoning and land uses are
as follows:
Direction Zone District Existing Land Uses
North Larimer County:
Commercial (C)
Multi-family (MF-1)
Retail (liquor store)
Residential (mobile home park)
South Service Commercial (CS) Commercial (Lamplighter Hotel)
East Community Commercial North
College (CCN)
Commercial (North College Marketplace)
West Service Commercial (CS) Commercial (warehouse)
2. Compliance with Applicable Service Commercial (CS) District Standards [Division
4.22]
A. Purpose: The purpose of the Service Commercial District is as follows:
The Service Commercial District is intended for high traffic commercial corridors where
a range of uses is encouraged to create a transition from commercial operations on a
highway, arterial street or rail spur, to less intensive use areas or residential
neighborhoods. This designation is only for areas that have been designated under an
adopted subarea plan as being appropriate for the C-S District.
The proposed project is consistent with the stated purpose of the zone district as
the use proposed is an existing use along a high traffic highway and does not
directly abut a residential neighborhood.
Legacy Auto, PDP #120001
Administrative Hearing 06-26-2014
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B. Permitted Land Uses: [Section 4.22 (B)] The proposed use of Vehicle Sales is
permitted in this zone district provided that it is limited to ten percent of the
frontage of both sides of North College Avenue between Vine Drive and the
northern City limits. However, the vehicle sales use on the subject property is
existing and predates the standard, which was established based on the North
College Corridor Plan process. All the existing vehicle sales uses are permitted.
C. Land Use Standards: [Section 4.22 (D)]
The maximum building height shall be three stories.
The proposed one-story buildings have a maximum height of 27 feet 5 ¼ inches.
3. Compliance with Applicable General Development Standards – Article 3
A. Site Planning and Design Standards [Division 3.2]
3.2.1(D)(2) Street Trees:
Three street trees exist and the proposed development is providing additional
street trees to ensure an average of 30 to 40 foot intervals as required.
3.2.1(E)(2) Landscape Area Treatment:
The areas of the site that are not covered by buildings, structures, paving or
impervious surface are proposed to be landscape areas that incorporate turf grass,
shrubs, and trees as required.
3.2.1(E)(4) Parking Lot Perimeter Landscaping:
Trees are provided between all parking lots (and vehicle use areas) and public
streets at an average ratio of one per 25 lineal feet, and in the side lot setback at
an average ratio of one per 40 lineal feet.
3.2.1(E)(4) Parking Lot Interior Landscaping:
Parking lot landscape islands are provided throughout the site greater than six
percent of the interior space of the parking lots. The landscape islands are used to
buffer the vehicle use area from College Avenue with plantings of shrubs and
trees.
3.2.2(K)(2) Nonresidential Parking Requirements:
The maximum amount of parking permitted for General Retail (which is the most
similar use listed) is four parking spaces per 1,000 square feet. The project is
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proposing a total of 12,011 square feet of floor area and thus is permitted a
maximum of 48 parking spaces ([12,011/1,000]*4). The project proposes to
provide 44 parking spaces. All other vehicle use areas, totaling 74 parking spaces,
are for storage and display and do not count toward the maximum parking
requirement.
3.2.4 Site Lighting:
The maximum light level permitted on the site is 10 foot candles and the
maximum level shown on the lighting plan is 8.7 foot candles. The site lighting
does not spill over the lot lines beyond 20 feet in excess of 0.1 foot candles.
B. Natural Habitats and Features [Division 3.4.1]
The Legacy Auto site is south of the Larimer and Weld Canal; the standard buffer
for an irrigation ditch serving as a wildlife corridor is 50’ (Section 3.4.1(E)(1).
The existing site’s habitat value is very limited due to no vertical diversity exists
as only non-native grasses are found within the 50’ buffer zone.
To meet the standards associated with Section 3.4.1, the project has proposed to
apply the quantitative (50’ buffer) and qualitative standards contained in Section
3.4.1(E) of the Land Use Code:
The proposed buffer is 50’ in width, meeting the quantitative standard.
The project meets the qualitative performance standards in Section 3.4.1 by
incorporating the following elements into the design:
• No fencing is proposed between the ditch and the development, which
will allow for wildlife movement across the site (Section
3.4.1(E)(1)(b)).
• The project enhances the vegetation by providing additional trees,
shrubs, and native grasses to enhance the value of the ditch as a
wildlife corridor. A mix of deciduous and evergreen species will
provide cover for wildlife in all seasons (Section 3.4.1(E)(1)(g)).
• There is no light spillover into the buffer zone to minimize impacts to
the area as a wildlife corridor (Section 3.4.1(E)(1)(e)).
C. Building Standards [Division 3.5]
3.5.1 Building and Project Compatibility
The proposed development is compatible with the existing surrounding
development in terms of height, bulk, mass, and scale. The buildings are
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proposed at one-story and the existing buildings across the street (Chase Bank)
are one story and the motel (America’s Best Value Inn, directly abutting to the
south) has one-and two-story buildings.
3.5.3 Mixed-Use, Institutional, and Commercial Buildings
Relationship of Buildings to Streets, Walkways, and Parking. [Section 3.5.3(C)]
The main entrances of the building face onto a sidewalk with crosswalks across
the drive aisle attaching to the College Avenue sidewalk. An existing canopy
from a previous gas station, with a pedestrian crosswalk underneath, will remain
as an architectural feature that carries the existing and proposed buildings to the
College Avenue frontage. However, the applicant has requested an exception to
the build-to line standard requiring that the building be located no more than 15
feet from the College Avenue ROW. And, the applicant has requested a
Modification of Standard to permit a vehicular use area between the building and
the street (discussed below).
An exception to the 15 foot build-to line standard may be granted “if the building
abuts a four-lane or six-lane arterial street, and the Director has determined that
an alternative to the street sidewalk better serves the purpose of connecting
commercial destinations due to one or more of the following conditions:”
The proposed building addition abuts College Avenue, a 4-lane arterial in this
location, and the existing building and the buildings to the south have established
a pattern of development that has similar setbacks as the proposed addition.
Setbacks from ROW:
Existing Building: 64’ 3”
Proposed Addition: 60’ 7”
America’s Best Value Inn: 51’ 2”
Loaf-n-Jug: 66’ 4”
Additionally, the proposed site plan provides walkways connecting to the
College Avenue sidewalk, extensive landscaping and pedestrian benches all
meant to engage the public realm and mitigate the impact of the additional
setback distance.
Variation in Massing. [Section 3.5.3 (D)] and Character and Image. [Section
3.5.2 (E)]
The proposed buildings are simple in form but provide variation with a variety of
materials and architectural features. The easternmost building, an existing
building and a proposed addition, has a pronounced entrance and canopied
abutting walkway. Along its west elevation, gable dormer windows break up the
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massing. The westernmost building (warehouse) also has a central pronounced
entrance and four other double-door entrances along its south side. The north
side has garage doors that are separated with brick pilasters. Both buildings
feature cultured stone wainscot with stone sills and primarily consist of wood
siding.
4. Modification of Standards [Division 2.8]
A. Relationship of Buildings to Streets, Walkways and Parking.
[3.5.3(C)(1)&(2)]
The applicant is requesting a modification to the standard requiring that
developments have “no vehicle use area between building faces and the street” as
a function of the 15 foot build-to line requirement. The proposed vehicle use area
precludes compliance with the requirement to orient to a Connecting Walkway
which is defined as a walkway that directly connects a main entrance of a
building to the street sidewalk without requiring pedestrians to walk across
parking lots or driveways.
The project proposes nine display spaces for their inventory directly between the
street and the proposed building, and an additional 18 display spaces along the
College Avenue frontage.
The applicant requests that the Hearing Officer find that the requested
modification be granted on the grounds that it is not detrimental to the public
good and by reason of exceptional physical conditions or other extraordinary and
exceptional situations, unique to such property.
The College Avenue streetscape was improved and installed by the City of Fort
Collins as a capital project which created an access to this site directly adjacent to
the proposed addition. Said access would be entirely blocked if this addition were
to meet the required build-to line standard. Additionally, site circulation around
the back of the existing building is difficult due to a significant grade drop
directly to the west. Please see attached the applicant’s request for a modification
of standard and existing condition images.
B. Industrial uses located at least 200 feet from North College Avenue
[4.22(B)(d)(1)&(5)]
The applicant is requesting a modification to the standard requiring that
warehouses and wholesale distribution facilities are setback at least 200 feet from
North College Avenue.
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The project proposes a 4,800 square foot warehouse and distribution facility
located on the western portion of the lot, 182 feet setback from North College
Avenue.
The applicant asks that the Hearing Officer find that the requested modification
be granted on the grounds that it is not detrimental to the public good and that the
modification does not diverge from the standard except in a nominal,
inconsequential way when considered from the perspective of the entire
development plan.
The proposed warehouse and distribution building is sited behind the existing
building, the proposed 6,000 square foot addition, and a 6-foot-high fence used to
screen vehicle storage. The 18 foot difference between the requirement and the
proposal represents the exact distance that was dedicated as ROW for the North
College Avenue streetscape improvements.
5. Findings of Fact/Conclusion
In evaluating Legacy Auto (1845 N. College Ave.), #PDP120001, Staff makes the
following findings of fact:
A. The request for a modification of standard to permit a vehicle use area between
the building face and the street (3.5.3(C)(2)) is not detrimental to the public good
and by reason of exceptional physical conditions or other extraordinary and
exceptional situations, unique to such property because the North College Avenue
streetscape improvements created a curb cut access in the logical area to site an
addition to the existing building that would comply with said standard.
B. The request for a modification of standard to reduce the required setback for a
warehouse and wholesale distribution building (4.22(B)(d)(1)&(5)) is not
detrimental to the public good and does not diverge from the standard except in a
nominal, inconsequential way when considered from the perspective of the entire
development plan. This is because the proposed setback of 182 feet is hidden
behind the principal addition and screening and represents a divergence of 9%
from the required setback.
C. The PDP contains permitted uses and complies with the applicable land
development standards of the Service Commercial District in accordance with
Article 4 of the Land Use Code with the exception of the requested modification
of standards.
D. The PDP complies with the applicable General Development Standards of Article
3 of the Land Use Code with the exception of the requested modification of
standards.
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E. The PDP complies with the applicable procedural and administrative
requirements of Article 2 of the Land Use Code.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of Legacy Auto (1845 N. College Ave.), #PDP120001
ATTACHMENTS:
1 – PDP Plan Set
2 – Modification Requests
3 – Applicant Narrative
4 – Existing Site Images