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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSHIELDS & ELIZABETH STREETS UNDERPASS - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - SPA160002 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSAgenda Item 4 Item 4 Page 1 STAFF REPORT November 10, 2016 Planning and Zoning Board PROJECT NAME SHIELDS AND ELIZABETH STREET UNDERPASS SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW – SPA160002 STAFF Jason Holland, City Planner PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a voluntary Site Plan Advisory Review (SPAR) for the proposed underpass at the intersection of South Shields & West Elizabeth Street. The project is located along the south side of the intersection at Shields and Elizabeth Street, and will provide an underground connection below Shields Street for bicycles and pedestrians. Changes to surrounding street sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are also proposed, as well as modifications to improve vehicular flow and accommodate the underpass in the vicinity of the intersection. Approximately 1/3 of the project is located on University property east of the intersection, with the remainder within public right-of-way to be dedicated to the City. The area to be dedicated is within the Community Commercial zone district. The proposal represents a joint planning effort by CSU and City staff. Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2017. APPLICANT: Fred Haberecht Colorado State University 6030 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523 OWNER: Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System 01 Administration Building Fort Collins, CO 80523 RECOMMENDATION: Approval Agenda Item 4 Item 4 Page 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Site Plan Advisory Review complies with the Site Plan Advisory Review criteria in Land Use Code Section 2.16. VICINITY MAP Agenda Item 4 Item 4 Page 3 COMMENTS: 1. Background: The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: Direction Zone District Existing Land Uses North Community Commercial (C-C) Commercial / retail South Community Commercial (C-C) Commercial / retail East Not zoned CSU Main Campus West Community Commercial (C-C) Commercial / retail A grade separated crossing at the Shields and Elizabeth intersection is recommended in a number of adopted long range City planning documents, including the West Central Area Plan, Bike Master Plan and Student Housing Action Plan. The Stadium IGA also outlines the need for improvements at this intersection. The implementation of the underpass has a number of technical constraints – including groundwater, existing utility infrastructure, and floodplain considerations. Physical impacts to the existing businesses where additional right-of-way is needed, as well as construction impacts, have been key considerations as the design has progressed from the initial design concept to the current proposed plan. 2. Site Plan Advisory Review Criteria: The evaluation of Site Plan Advisory Review applications is described in Division 2.16 of Article 2 of the Fort Collins Land Use Code, in terms of the project’s “location, character and extent”. (1) The site location for the proposed use shall be consistent with the land use designation described by the City Structure Plan Map, which is an element of the City's Comprehensive Plan. (2) The site development plan shall conform to architectural, landscape and other design standards and guidelines adopted by the applicant's governing body. Absent adopted design standards and guidelines, the design character of the site development plan shall be consistent with the stated purpose of the respective land use designation as set forth in the City's Comprehensive Plan. (3) The site development plan shall identify the level of functional and visual impacts to public rights-of-way, facilities and abutting private land caused by the development, including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalks, utilities, lighting, screening and noise, and shall mitigate such impacts to the extent reasonably feasible. Agenda Item 4 Item 4 Page 4 Staff Comments: A. Location Seven underpass locations along the Shields Street corridor were evaluated during the West Central Area Plan process. With this evaluation, the Elizabeth location serves the highest bicycle and pedestrian demand, but identifies significant engineering challenges – including ground water, floodplain, and existing utility infrastructure – that need to be addressed at this location. Due to these challenges, the location is also considered the most expensive of the seven locations. Through a collaborative design/build effort by the City, Colorado State University, and design and construction professionals, a design solution has been devised that makes the project feasible at this location. Other physical considerations than those mentioned above, including minimizing the amount of right-of way needed and minimizing lane closures during construction, have also influenced the design. Refinements during the design process shifted the tunnel further south to accommodate traffic flow during construction. The design is also refined to improve traffic flow, reduce bike/pedestrian conflicts and to reduce parking impacts during and after construction. B. Character The underpass structure uses two wall systems, each with its own surface treatment. In terms of character, the main considerations are to mitigate and soften visual impacts from the large expanses of vertical walls. The outer system uses a water-tight concrete wall, with a decorative scoring pattern to break up the wall mass and provide visual interest. The inner wall design accommodates a series of stairs and landings that provide direct access from the intersection into the tunnel ramp. These walls receive a sandstone surface with an ashlar pattern, which adds detail and texture to the overall design. The position of the interior wall/stair combination also helps break up the overall mass and limit sight lines into the tunnel ramp, partially concealing views towards the taller walls of the main tunnel. The curving configuration of the main ramp, along with the curving stair system, also helps soften views towards the main ramp. The stair location at the intersection corners helps provide an attractive, inviting gateway feature, concentrating the landscaping and stair systems closer to the intersection, so that these decorative walls and landscaping can be observed from the street, contributing to an enhanced street aesthetic. The walls used with the interior staircases are sandstone with an ashlar pattern that is consistent with what is seen on the CSU Campus, and are intended to enhance the gateway character of the intersection. The stone pattern will be a buff color, instead of the buff/red mix that is typically seen on the CSU Campus. This is intended to make the wall more neutral and contribute to a sense of transition from the public street system into the CSU campus. Agenda Item 4 Item 4 Page 5 The plan envisions new, enhanced light fixtures and street trees at the intersection. Additional tree plantings and landscaping islands are proposed for the Campus West Shops adjacent to the south, where the parking lot will be reconfigured. The main ramp wall leading into the underpass also provides beneficial parking lot screening. C. Extent In terms of extent, City and CSU staff continue to work with area property owners, tenants, and the community to evaluate and refine the development plan’s functional and visual impacts to public rights-of-way and abutting private land. As the proposed site plan has evolved, changes to the stair and ramp configuration have been made to reduce impacts to the Campus West Shops located directly to the south. The initial concept design for the project was the result of a Feasibility Study by a consultant to CSU, which addressed the IGA requirement for additional study of a grade separated crossing between Bennett Court and Laurel. Based on feedback received, this initial design had a number of design negatives: 1. Significant parking loss from the Campus West Shops; 2. A conflict area between bicyclists, pedestrians, and vehicles at the primary vehicle access to the Campus West Shops from Elizabeth Street; 3. The loss of a full-turn vehicle movement from Elizabeth Street to the Campus West Shops on the south side of the street; 4. The initial design kept the existing Elizabeth Street pedestrian crossing, located to the west. A safer pedestrian crossing location was desired closer to the underpass; 5. The extent and timing of full lane closures at the intersection during construction, due to the close proximity of the tunnel to the east/west Elizabeth travel lanes at the intersection. The revised plan has largely mitigated these issues, and the “Design Refinements” graphic attached with this staff report is helpful, which compares the initial and current proposed site plans. The main changes are summarized as follows:  Parking impacts (label D on the site plan): The project will require a reconfiguration of the Campus West Shops parking area. Parking loss has been reduced to 3 spaces, from 14 with the initial plan, by reconfiguring the ramp/stair location with a more efficient design that also provides better flow and more effective landscape screening. On the site plan illustrations, parking spaces that are reconfigured are shown with white striping. Existing spaces that will remain are shown with a grey/dashed line. Agenda Item 4 Item 4 Page 6  Parking access conflict area (label C on the site plan): The parking lot entry and underpass entrance have been further separated to avoid conflicts between bicycles/pedestrians and vehicles at the Elizabeth Street driveway entrance.  Vehicular access issues to the Campus West Shops (Label A on the site plan): The initial site plan limited full-turn access by extending the center median along Elizabeth Street. Full access has now been retained and coordinated with the new pedestrian crossing location.  Safer crossing of Elizabeth (label B on the site plan): The initial design maintained the existing crossing location. This is revised, and is now located east of the Campus West Shops driveway with a new signal controlled pedestrian crossing. The new crossing is closer and more directly aligned with the underpass ramp entrance, and also allows the crossing of Elizabeth without first travelling east/west, which requires an additional crossing of the Campus West Shops entrance drive.  Lane closures: With the redesign of the underpass, the tunnel location is moved further south to allow fewer lane closure impacts with the east/west movements on Elizabeth Street during construction. 5. Neighborhood Meeting: The public outreach for the proposal has been extensive and will continue leading up to and during construction. Meetings to date include:  May 6: Campus West Shops tenant meeting (CSU staff)  May 25: Neighborhood public meeting (CSU and City staff)  June 13: Stadium Advisory Group presentation (CSU and City staff)  June 16: West Elizabeth Enhanced Corridor Open House (CSU staff attended to provide information on underpass)  August 8 – 15: Campus West Shops tenant meetings (CSU staff)  September 14: Open House Neighborhood Meeting (CSU and City staff) Additional outreach has included website and social media updates, press releases and door to door visits. Extensive coordination and outreach during the construction process is anticipated, to reduce impacts to local businesses and the community. 6. Findings of Fact: A. The location of the Shields & Elizabeth underpass provides an appropriate location to serve the bicycle and pedestrian demand along the Shields corridor, consistent with City and CSU planning recommendations. Agenda Item 4 Item 4 Page 7 B. The design character of the Shields & Elizabeth underpass plan provides appropriate, attractive, functional and durable materials and street elements that provide an enhanced intersection that is beneficial to the community. C. The extent of impacts from the Shields & Elizabeth underpass are addressed through a site plan configuration that mitigates private and public impacts to the extent feasible while providing necessary public improvements to vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle circulation patterns that benefit the community. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Planning and Zoning Board approval with the following motion: Approve the Shields & Elizabeth underpass, voluntary Site Plan Advisory Review #SPA160002 based on the findings of fact in the staff report. ATTACHMENTS 1. Project Narrative, Site and Landscape Plan (PDF) 2. Neighborhood Meeting Comment Cards from the September 14 Open House (PDF)