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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE HUB ON CAMPUS - PDP - PDP160038 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - LUC REQUIREMENTS (3)land planning g landscape architecture g urban design g entitlement Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave., Suite 200 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com November 16, 2016 The Hub on Campus Request for Increased Occupancy Limit The Hub is planned to be a student-oriented mixed-use project that will include 219 dwelling units and ±9,600 square feet of retail/restaurant space. It is located one block west of the Colorado State University (CSU) campus, fronting Elizabeth Street between City Park Avenue and Constitution Avenue. The residential component is planned to include 80 studio apartments, 48 one-bedroom apartments, 51 two-bedroom apartments, 3 three-bedroom apartments, and 37 four-bedroom apartments. In the City of Fort Collins, the maximum occupancy allowed per multi-family dwelling unit is three unrelated persons, unless the decision maker increases the number of individuals allowed to reside together. In order to provide 4-bedroom units intended to be occupied by four (4) unrelated persons, the City’s Land Use Code requires the Applicant to provide a written request as follows: 3.8.16 Occupancy Limits; Increasing the Number of Persons Allowed (E) Increasing the Occupancy Limit. (2) With respect to multiple-family dwellings, the decision maker (depending on the type of review, Type 1 or Type 2) may, upon receipt of a written request from the applicant and upon a finding that all applicable criteria of this Land Use Code have been satisfied, increase the number of unrelated persons who may reside in individual dwelling units. The decision maker shall not increase said number unless satisfied that the applicant has provided sufficient additional amenities, either public or private, to sustain the activities associated with multi-family residential development, to adequately serve the occupants of the development and to protect the adjacent neighborhood. Such amenities may include, without limitation, passive open space, buffer yards, on- site management, recreational areas, plazas, courtyards, outdoor cafes, limited mixed-use restaurants, parking areas, sidewalks, bikeways, bus shelters, shuttle services or other facilities and services. Justification From its prior experience building student housing communities across the country, the Applicant has found that 4-bedroom units are a popular lifestyle alternative for many The Hub on Campus Request for Increased Occupancy Page 2 of 6 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave., Suite 200 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com students. It allows the students residing in these units to share an apartment in a well- managed environment. It is more secure than most single-family home rentals and, because higher occupancy units typically rent for less per bedroom, they offer a more affordable alternative to students on a budget. The tenants that are likely to occupy these units are also the ones likely to occupy single-family rental properties near campus. By providing safe, efficient, high quality, and higher occupancy apartment units, The Hub will simultaneously help to relieve the burden on surrounding neighborhoods by freeing up affordable rental housing stock to families, employees of CSU and the greater community. In order to increase the number of unrelated persons who may reside in individual dwelling units, the Applicant must provide sufficient additional amenities to sustain the activities associated with the project, adequately serve the occupants and protect the adjacent neighborhood. Justification for increasing the occupancy of some of the units at The Hub includes the following: Open Space and Amenities: Security: • The Hub provides 24-hour, on-site management services. This allows residents to have noise, maintenance, or safety concerns addressed at any time of day. • The Applicant’s projects incorporate recreational amenities based on the number of students living in the complex, so the needs of all occupants, including the four-bedroom units, are factored into the equation. Recreation: • On-site recreational facilities at The Hub will include: a ±1,000 square foot rooftop amenity area with an outdoor pool, tables and chairs for relaxation, conversation, meals and games; a ±1,200 square foot club room; a ±1,900 square foot exercise and fitness center with ±800 square foot spa; and a ±400 square foot computer lab. The Hub will also incorporate ±2,600 square feet on the ground floor for the management/leasing office. • The Hub will include two interior courtyard spaces totaling ±4,400 square feet. The courtyards will be designed as functional gathering spaces that include landscaping, outdoor lighting, internet access, and a variety of seating opportunities and activity areas. The proposed courtyard programming provides areas of passive space to study or quietly enjoy the outdoors as well as common areas that allow for social gathering and activities. Safe Pedestrian Spaces: The Hub on Campus Request for Increased Occupancy Page 3 of 6 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave., Suite 200 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com • The streetscape along Elizabeth Street will add to the urban-lifestyle by providing street trees, special paving, seat walls, planters, street furniture, and convenient bike parking. • An activated pedestrian plaza will loop around the perimeter of the main building. This plaza will function both as emergency vehicle access, and as a way for students to move safely through and around the site on foot or by bike. The alley will be an attractive and inviting asset to the project; its design features will highlight the vibrant urban feel through the use of pavers, special planting, and pedestrian scale lighting. Retail • The retail aspect of this project is an amenity not only to the residents of this project, but also to the community as a whole. The large space allows for flexible group of users that range from larger grocers to boutique shops and restaurants. Contextual Amenities: • Residents can easily access CSU’s Campus Recreation Center and intramural playing fields, located just two blocks east of the project on the CSU Main Campus, either by walking or by biking. The Recreation Center has a pool, gymnasium, climbing wall, and fitness center. • Moby Arena is adjacent to the Campus Recreation Center, just one block to the east of The Hub. CSU hosts games, as well as concerts and special events there. • The nearest access point to the CSU’s trail system is located 1/3 mile to the east along Elizabeth Street. CSU’s trail system connects to the Mason and Spring Creek Trails and provides not only a safe commuting route for students, but also makes nearby parks and open spaces more accessible. CSU’s trail system also transports users to other multi-use trail connections in the City’s trail system and to the MAX Bus-Rapid-Transit (BRT). • Students at The Hub will also live within walking and biking distance of City Park, which includes 76 acres of open space, tennis courts, ball fields, basketball courts, public pool and fishing, trails and picnic areas for more passive recreation. City Park is also adjacent to the City Park Nine Golf Course and the Grandview Cemetery. • CSU’s new football stadium will be to the ¾ of a mile east of The Hub. The plaza space directly surrounding the stadium will be open to the public at all times serving as gathering space. Football games and special events will be hosted there, and will be conveniently close for students to access. It has recently been announced that the stadium project will also include new The Hub on Campus Request for Increased Occupancy Page 4 of 6 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave., Suite 200 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com practice fields, an Agricultural Heritage Garden, and additional paths and tree identification guides within the existing arboretum located near the stadium. • Because The Hub’s location provides direct access to sidewalks and trails, all of the off-site recreational opportunities can be reached without having to go through an adjacent residential neighborhood, thus protecting the neighbors. Transportation: • The project is located 388 feet outside of the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay Zone. Multi-family residential projects that fall within the TOD and follow a ‘rent-by-the-bedroom’ model need to provide 0.75 parking spaces per bedroom. The Hub has provided a request for a modification to the multifamily parking standard in order to use TOD parking standards with this application. The Hub has provided the required number of parking spaces for a TOD project to ensure that neither students nor guests park their vehicles on neighboring properties. Parking will be located in an on-site parking structure. Refer to the modification request for TOD parking standards for more details on this issue. • Parking permits will be available to residents with vehicles and spaces will be designated in the on-site parking structure. It is anticipated that parking at the proposed ratio will be more than adequate to serve the needs of students that have cars with ample spaces left for guest parking, the leasing office and the restaurant/retail space. • The applicant is dedicated to encouraging students to be environmentally responsible by promoting alternative means of transportation including walking, biking, public transit, and car share stations. The site is served by Transfort and there are multiple near-by bus stops along Elizabeth Street and Shields Street. Students can connect to the MAX (BRT) via bike or by using the bus. The MAX (BRT) provides access to amenities along the Mason Corridor between the Downtown Transit Center and South Transit Center. • The Hub will encourage the use of bicycles by providing bike parking spaces in every bedroom as well as 40 additional bike parking spaces located on the Elizabeth streetscape and within the parking garage. In addition to being able to walk or bike to and around campus, the students will also have easy access to parks, trails, recreation, services, restaurants, Transfort bus stops and the MAX (BRT) system. • City Council recently adopted the West Elizabeth Enhanced Travel Corridor Plan. This plan’s focus is to emphasize transit, biking and walking in a way that serves existing and future transportation and land use needs along Elizabeth Street. The Hub plans to provide an improved street section as recommended in the WEETCP which includes protected bike lanes. The Hub on Campus Request for Increased Occupancy Page 5 of 6 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave., Suite 200 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com • CSU has recently moved forward with plans to provide a pedestrian and bike underpass on Elizabeth Street under Shields Street. This underpass will provide a safe route to school and to connection bus and trail systems for the students living at The Hub. The underpass is on schedule to be open by the time The Hub is be built. Services: • The proposed site is adequately served with standard public infrastructure including water, wastewater, police and fire facilities. The existing street network has adequate capacity to absorb the additional traffic within level of service standards. See the Traffic Impact Analysis prepared by Kimley Horn. • The site is within one block of the Campus West commercial shopping area that includes many retail and personal service shops as well as a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues that are geared towards the student population. Students are also 2/3 miles from the Taft Hill and Elizabeth commercial shopping area and 1.5 miles from the commercial shopping area on Drake Road and Shields Street. • The nearest grocery and convenience stores are located close-by. Students are about 2/3 mile from King Soopers at the intersection of Elizabeth Street and Taft Hill Road; less than a mile from the Dollar General and Walgreens on the corner of Shields Street and Prospect Road; and 2 miles from King Soopers and Whole Foods on South College Avenue. The CSU campus also offers a small market place along Plum Street, as well as a variety of other services that cater specifically to the student population. • Again, because The Hub has direct access to sidewalks and trails, the residents will be able to get to off-site services without having to go through an adjacent residential neighborhood. Architectural Design: • In addition, the high occupancy has positive effects related to architectural design and sustainability. Four bedroom dwelling units are more efficient in the utilization of space, allowing more flexibility in building height. Sustainability: • Locating higher-density housing for students where they can access the campus, shopping and recreational opportunities without using an automobile is a key component of being an environmentally responsible community. The Hub will house 387 students in a location where having a vehicle is not necessary to have access to all necessary amenities. This is highly desirable from an The Hub on Campus Request for Increased Occupancy Page 6 of 6 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave., Suite 200 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com environmental perspective and makes attending college more affordable to students on a budget. The units with increased occupancy are an essential component of The Hub that allows higher density to work in this location. Higher density housing protects the adjacent neighborhood by providing appropriate housing for students in one location, discouraging them from living in single family neighborhoods. • The West Central Area Plan encourages a diverse mix of bedrooms per unit in order to provide greater flexibility and serve a broader range of tenants. See Policy 1.11. The Hub proposes to provide a mix of 31 micro apartments, 49 studio apartments, 48 one-bedroom apartments, 51 two-bedroom apartments, 3 three-bedroom apartments, and 37 four-bedroom apartments. • The units with increased occupancy are more efficient in terms of material usage and are also more energy efficient. Data obtained from Conservice, a nationwide utility billing service that analyzes information from many properties and thousands of units, indicates that electricity usage is an average of 21.25% more efficient when comparing a 4-bedroom unit to two 2-bedroom units. In other words, the same four people use less electricity when housed in a 4-bedroom unit vs. being split up into two 2-bedroom units. Likewise, natural gas is estimated to be 55.13% more efficient. • Additionally, less construction materials translates into less environmental impact from a construction standpoint. In summary, the Applicant requests the Planning and Zoning Board to approve 37 dwelling units of The Hub for occupancy by four (4) unrelated individuals. We believe the 4-bedroom units will serve the students by providing an attractive, secure and affordable lifestyle alternative with sufficient amenities to sustain the activities of the student population without impacting adjacent neighbors. Upscale urban courtyards and plazas, a state-of-the-art clubhouse/recreation facility and roof-top amenities will provide ample recreational opportunities on-site, while the CSU campus itself as well as surrounding outdoor amenities offer expansive green spaces, sport fields, water bodies and natural areas nearby. Adequate parking for both cars and bicycles is conveniently provided on site. There is a variety of shopping, dining, recreation and entertainment opportunities located within biking and walking distance to satisfy the student living and recreational needs.