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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJOHNSON DRIVE APARTMENTS - PDP - PDP170034 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESJohnson Drive Apartments: Statement of Proposed Planning Objectives 255 Johnson Drive, Fort Collins, CO August 30, 2017 This project shall be titled Johnson Drive Apartments - consisting of the following components: • Mixed-use development consisting of multi-family housing with ground floor office/commercial/retail space. • Garden and mezzanine level parking This project is located within the GC District located within the TOD Overlay Zone. Site Area Information Parcel Size: 122,093 SF (2.80 AC) Existing Parcel Designated as Public Right-of-Way Area: 17,555 SF (.40 AC) Additional Public Right-of-Way Improvement Area: 787 SF (.02 AC) Parking and Drive Area: 64,570 SF (1.48 AC) Landscape Area/Open space: 34,737 SF (.80 AC) Office Space: 3,934 SF Dwelling Units: 192 Gross Density: 80 DU/AC Net Density: 115 DU/AC Project Description Johnson Drive Self-Storage currently exists on the site as well as one single family residence and three residential duplexes situated in the current Spring Court Subdivision. All existing residences and Johnson Drive Self-Storage will be removed from the proposed project site, and lots consolidated with the existing self-storage lot. The project is located along the south side of Johnson Drive and East of Spring Court. The project will be a mixed use development/retail space accommodating 192 units with a total of 412 beds. Units range from 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms. Rent will be charged per bed and primarily marketed to university students who will benefit from the close proximity to CSU, Spring Creek Trail system, access to alternative transportation, and a wide variety of commercial businesses. Commercial buildings border the project to the east, with natural areas and Creekside Park bordering the north and south, and the MAX transit line to the west. Tenant access is provided along Spring Court, with the project facing portion of the street meeting a modified version LCUASS local connector roadway width and Right-of-Way requirements with a 6’ walk in place of the typical 4.5’ walk. Emergency access is being improved per PFA recommendations by enlarging the turn-around/cul-de-sac at the west side of Johnson Drive. The project will utilize internal storm water chambers to capture, treat and store storm water and discharge based on the release rate to the Historic 2-year rate of all the pervious area plus the 100-year rate of the existing imperviousness area. The project will provide natural area restoration per City of Fort Collins recommendations to the south of the property within the habitat buffer area adjacent to the Sherwood Lateral Ditch. Buffer widths along the ditch vary from 21’ to 75’ and alternative compliance for the 50’ natural area buffer requirement utilizing the aforementioned habitat enhancement approach. Architectural Description The proposed mixed-use building provides garden level and mezzanine level parking, with four floors of multi-family apartment units wrapping all sides of the building in a massing configuration that creates courtyards facing all sides of the building for visual relief as well as resident amenities. Roughly three thousand nine hundred thirty-four (3,934) square feet of office/ commercial/ retail space will occupy the front northeast corner of the building. The building will provide a raised entry with steps, ramps and retaining walls/planting beds along the north and east sides to raise the building above the base flood elevation, and providing additional human scale along the highest anticipated pedestrian traffic area. Building façade materials emphasize brick at the ground floor with a variety of additional materials including concrete and architectural metals to enhance the exterior and provide variety along facades. Refer to the submitted elevations and massing sheets provided in the PDP submittal for specific materials and scale. The building is anticipated to be treated with high-rise fire code treatments including three stairwells with access to roof tops and fully sprinklered with FDC locations to be determined. Adjacencies The project site is currently a self-storage facility with one single family residence, and three duplexes which are bordered by a duplex residence, and two commercial properties to the east, with Sherwood Lateral ditch, MAX transit line and Creekside Park on the south, west and north sides. Access, Vehicular/Pedestrian Circulation and Parking Primary pedestrian access is provided from Johnson Drive and the Spring Creek Trail. Vehicular access to parking is provided with one access point from Spring Court. The only vehicular access point is located off of Spring Court. Spring Court will be widened to meet the LCUASS local connector roadway width and Right-of-Way requirements with a 6’ sidewalk as recommended by City of Fort Collins Staff. • 414 bike parking spaces are provided, 288 covered spaces, and 126 uncovered spaces. • A total of 309 parking spaces with 7 handicap accessible spaces required, 255 parking spaces are provided based on parking mitigation elements allowable within the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay Zone. o 10% reduction for Transit Passes for each tenant o 10% reduction for Bike and Pedestrian Level of Service A o Reduction of 5 spaces/1 car share, 6 car share cars available. o Total reduction from mitigation, 75 spaces. 1. CITY PLAN PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES ACHIEVED BY THE PROPOSED PLAN City Plan ENV 1.1: Protect and Enhance Natural Features A habitat buffer zone has been established by City of Fort Collins Environmental Planning department, the project is installing all native plants to enhance the habitat corridor as well as other recommendations from the Ecological Characterization Study. LIV 4.1: Ensure Adequate Public Facilities Access points, sidewalks and street trees/roadway landscaping within the project will be paid for by the developer. Project is an infill within existing city area. LIV 5.1 – Encourage Targeted Redevelopment and Infill This site is within Figure LIV1, Targeted Infill and Redevelopment Areas of the City Plan and meet this policy. LIV 5.4 – Contribute to Public Amenities This site will provide pedestrian plaza space at the corner of Johnson Drive and Spring Court and will contribute sidewalks, street trees and parkways along edges. Also enhancing the existing pedestrian underpass for the Spring Creek Trail at Creekside Park LIV 6.1 – Types of Infill and Redevelopment in Residential Areas In close proximity to CSU campus and the Mason Corridor this site will add commercial/retail amenities at the ground floor, and additional needed residential living space for students and non-students. LIV 6.2 – Seek Compatibility with Neighborhoods Located in the GC district, the architectural design shall be in context of its surroundings with commercial architectural forms and materials emphasized along Johnson Drive, massing and articulation along all sides of the structure. LIV 7.1– Encourage Variety in Housing Types and Locations Multi-family attached housing will provide an additional housing type along the Spring Creek Trail Corridor, and Mason Corridor in an otherwise commercial area. LIV 7.2– Develop an Adequate Supply of Housing Development helps to maintain an adequate supply of multiple-family housing near CSU campus. LIV 7.7– Accommodate the Student Population Located in proximity to CSU campus, Mason Corridor, and alternative transportation connections, the project is accommodating the student population. LIV 10.1 – Design Safe, Functional, and Visually Appealing Streets Private drives and well lit walkways with low-water use planting are included within the development. LIV 10.2 – Incorporate Street Trees 9 additional street trees will be added along the adjacent ROW. LIV 14.1– Encourage Unique Landscape Features The building will have rooftop courtyards with planting and vine screens will be installed. LIV 14.2 – Promote Functional Landscape All planting will be designed with native/adaptive plants, emphasizing foundation planting and buffer planting from the right of way to the structure and the habitat buffer zone along the south property line. LIV 14.3 – Design Low Maintenance Landscapes Native and adaptive planting and a minimized turf area will allow a minimum of maintenance. Shrub beds will be maintained without excessive pruning or ‘snow-balling’ of shrubs. LIV 22.5 – Create Visually Interesting Streetscapes With native landscape and street trees the streetscape on Johnson Drive and Spring Court the streetscape will be visually interesting and will provide foundation planting, anchoring the building to the site. LIV 23.1 – Provide Neighborhood Parks and Outdoor Spaces With the preservation and enhancement of the natural area at the south boundary, a seating area and trail connection to the building provides a passive outdoor space. LIV 23.2 – Integrate Natural Features An existing stand of trees are to be preserved at the southeast corner of the property. LIV 26.3 – Promote Compatibility of Uses The multi-family attached building provides compatibility with the adjacent commercial uses to the east through building articulation, massing and varying material elements. 2. 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. The site plan works to preserve existing Siberian Elm trees along the southeast property boundary. The habitat buffer zone will be enhanced to meet the City of Fort Collins requirements by utilizing native plant species, and City approved seed mixes along the Sherwood Lateral Ditch. Other enhancements will be followed per recommendations from the ECS report. 3. MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OPEN SPACE AREAS The property owner or property manager shall perform all maintenance on private residential/commercial lots. In addition, the property manager shall maintain all sidewalks and landscaped common areas, and any other non-private amenity and or feature. The City of Fort Collins shall only be responsible for typical ROW maintenance of infrastructure and snow removal within the roadway. Storm water infrastructure Landscape maintenance and trash removal within storm water infrastructure including detention areas, swales, culverts, inlets, etc. shall be the responsibility of the property owner/manager. This maintenance shall include all required mowing, weeding, cleanout, removal of trash and debris and other typical maintenance required in order to ensure storm water infrastructure and features function according to their designed intent. Landscape All landscape maintenance shall be the responsibility of the property owner/manager. Snow Removal The property owner shall perform snow removal ROW for sidewalks, entrance drives and parking lot. Trash – The property owner or tenant for each lot shall perform all trash removal. 4. ESTIMATE OF NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES FOR BUSINESS, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL USES. Commercial – Currently estimated at 5 employees FTE. 5. DESCRIPTION OF RATIONALE BEHIND THE ASSUMPTIONS AND CHOICES MADE BY THE APPLICANT. Several conversations with Engineering, Planning Staff and PFA staff have been held to determine appropriate site entrance drives, building frontages and setbacks for the mixed use development. 6. EVIDENCE OF COMPLETION FOR APPLICABLE CRITERIA. Refer to Section 5 explanations. 7. 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. The primary land use conflict is between the multi-family use on-site and the adjacent natural habitat to the south. This is addressed through establishing a habitat buffer zone with City of Fort Collins Natural Areas and Environmental Planning Staff. In addition, the development will enhance the existing habitat buffer with native plant material. 8. WRITTEN NARRATIVE ADDRESSING EACH CONCERN/ISSUE RAISED AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING(S), IF A MEETING HAS BEEN HELD. The main concern voiced at the neighborhood meeting was traffic, and parking related issues, which will be reviewed and resolved based on the traffic study recommendations. A parking inventory on other comparable building types is being conducted this spring to establish percent occupancy of the other structures. See attached exhibit A for more information. 9. NAME OF THE PROJECT AS WELL AS ANY PREVIOUS NAME THE PROJECT MAY HAVE HAD DURING CONCEPTUAL REVIEW. This project shall be titled “Johnson Drive Apartments”. During Conceptual Review it was titled “255 Johnson Drive” 10. DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE Summer 2018. Improvements on commercial lot will happen concurrently with residential lot sale and improvement, as such development is contingent on sale of residential lot. THE STATE Total Beds Total Parking %Parking/ Bed Occupied %Occupied Max 665 437 65% 337 77% THE DISTRICT Total Beds Total Parking %Parking/ Bed Occupied %Occupied Max 650 467 72% 336 72% Actual Parking Utilized = 51% of Bed Count EXHIBIT A Similar development closest to project site Actual Parking Utilized = 52% of Bed Count Similar developments with parking garages EXHIBIT A