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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE RETREAT AT FORT COLLINS (FORMERLY REDWOOD STREET MULTI-FAMILY) - PDP - PDP180002 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 3 - ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE REQUESTland planning  landscape architecture  urban design  entitlement Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave. Suite 200  Fort Collins, CO 80521  tel. 970.224.5828  fax 970.224.1662 www.ripleydesigninc.com July 25, 2018 Request for Alternative Compliance Canal Crossings Landmark Properties, Inc. (“Landmark”) is the developer of the proposed Retreat at Fort Collins PDP (the “Project”) located on a triangular piece of property east of Redwood Street and mostly north of Suniga Road as it is planned to extend east through the Project. Bordering the Project on its west side is the existing Redwood Meadows neighborhood and Redwood Street. Between the Project and Conifer Street on the north is a 45-50 foot wide City-owned drainage way and a single row of multi-family housing facing Conifer Street. The Lake Canal borders the Project on its eastern edge with medium density multi-family housing (“Northfield”) proposed for the property on the other side of the canal. The Project will have limited frontage along the proposed Suniga Road extension and Redwood Street. Land Use Code Requirements The Project is subject to the following: 3.6.3 - Street Pattern and Connectivity Standards (A) Purpose . This Section is intended to ensure that the local street system is well designed with regard to safety, efficiency and convenience for automobile, bicycle, pedestrian and transit modes of travel. For the purposes of this Division, "local street system" shall mean the interconnected system of collector and local streets providing access to development from an arterial street. (B) General Standard . The local street system of any proposed development shall be designed to be safe, efficient, convenient and attractive, considering use by all modes of transportation that will use the system, (including, without limitation, cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, pedestrians and emergency vehicles). The local street system shall provide multiple direct connections to and between local destinations such as parks, schools and shopping. Local streets must provide for both intra- and inter- neighborhood connections to knit developments together, rather than forming barriers between them. The street configuration within each parcel must contribute to the street system of the neighborhood. (F) Utilization and Provision of Sub-Arterial Street Connections to and From Adjacent Developments and Developable Parcels. All development plans shall incorporate and continue all sub-arterial streets stubbed to the boundary of the development plan by previously approved development plans or existing development. All development plans shall provide for future public street connections to adjacent Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave. Suite 200  Fort Collins, CO 80521  tel. 970.224.5828  fax 970.224.1662 www.ripleydesigninc.com developable parcels by providing a local street connection spaced at intervals not to exceed six hundred sixty (660) feet along each development plan boundary that abuts potentially developable or redevelopable land. The Project is proposed to include direct public street connections to Suniga Road (major arterial), to Redwood Street (minor collector) and to Conifer Street (major collector). Compliance with LUC 3.6.3(F) to “provide for future public street connections to adjacent developable parcels” would require the construction of three streets (in addition to Suniga Road) over the Lake Canal to the future Northfield neighborhood. Alternative Compliance The Street Pattern and Connectivity Standards of LUC 3.6.3(F) are eligible for alternative compliance pursuant to LUC 3.6.3(H): (H)Alternative Compliance. Upon request by an applicant, the decision maker may approve an alternative development plan that may be substituted in whole or in part for a plan meeting the standards of this Section. (1) Procedure . Alternative compliance development plans shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with submittal requirements for plans as set forth in this Section. The plan and design shall clearly identify and discuss the alternatives proposed and the ways in which the plan will better accomplish the purpose of this Section than would a plan which complies with the standards of this Section. (2) Review Criteria. To approve an alternative plan, the decision maker must first find that the proposed alternative plan accomplishes the purposes of this Division equally well or better than would a plan and design which complies with the standards of this Division, and that any reduction in access and circulation for vehicles maintains facilities for bicycle, pedestrian and transit, to the maximum extent In reviewing the proposed alternative plan, the decision maker shall take into account whether the alternative design minimizes the impacts on natural areas and features, fosters nonvehicular access, provides for distribution of the development's traffic without exceeding level of service standards, enhances neighborhood continuity and connectivity and provides direct, sub-arterial street access to any parks, schools, neighborhood centers, commercial uses, employment uses and Neighborhood Commercial Districts within or adjacent to the development from existing or future adjacent development within the same section mile. The Request Landmark proposes an alternative plan for the Project that would, in addition to the connections to Redwood Street and Suniga Road, provide the following connections: (i) a full public street meeting local connector street standards connecting to Conifer Street (major collector); (ii) pedestrian, bicycle and emergency access between the Project and Redwood Meadows at Lupine Drive and Mullein Drive; and (iii) two local street connections across the Lake Canal connecting the Project and the proposed Northfield neighborhood. Justifications With direct street connections to Conifer Street, Redwood Street and Suniga Road, we believe it is unnecessary and undesirable to cross the Lake Canal with three vehicular Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave. Suite 200  Fort Collins, CO 80521  tel. 970.224.5828  fax 970.224.1662 www.ripleydesigninc.com crossings in addition to Suniga Road which will cross the canal near the south boundary of the Project. The proposed Northfield project has direct access to Lemay Avenue and two access points along Suniga Road. With the direct street access connections that both the Project and Northfield propose, along with two vehicular crossings of the Canal, we believe a third street crossing of the canal would not be necessary to ensure that the local street system is well designed with regard to safety, efficiency and convenience for automobile, bicycle, pedestrian and transit modes of travel. The proposed local street system would provide multiple direct connections to and between local destinations and activity centers. We believe the purpose of the standard is met without the third crossing and that there are additional benefits to not creating three street crossings. Those benefits include: • The City’s Police Department, Neighborhood Enforcement Team (NET) has told us that they are seeing and being alerted by citizens seeing trash and other debris, camping issues, bodily waste, needles and other drug paraphernalia at bridges and canal crossings. With fewer crossings the opportunity for these problems to occur are reduced. • The City’s Parks and Recreation Department proposes a regional trail along the canal. With fewer crossings the trail would be safer and more enjoyable. • The management of the Lake Canal would prefer to not have street crossings that are unnecessary. Crossings increase maintenance costs and attract transients. • Natural habitat and wildlife corridor values are increased with fewer vehicular connections. Review Criteria The proposed alternative plan accomplishes the purposes of the Street Pattern and Connectivity Standards (safety, efficiency and convenience) equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standards, and the reduction in access and circulation for vehicles maintains facilities for bicycle, pedestrian and transit to the maximum extent feasible. • The alternative plan proposes direct connections to a minor collector (Redwood Street), a major collector (Conifer Street) and a major arterial (Suniga Road). • Residents of the Project and neighborhoods in the vicinity can travel in all directions safely and conveniently on streets with higher classifications without adding traffic to local streets in adjacent residential neighborhoods. • Transit service will be enhanced. A new bus stop will be located on Redwood Street just south of Redwood Meadows, and the Project will operate a shuttle bus to/from Colorado State University for its resident population. • The new regional trail to be constructed parallel to the Lake Canal within the Project will be safer, more convenient and more scenic for users with two instead of three street crossings over the Lake Canal interrupting the trail system. • The Lake Canal would be easier to maintain at a lower cost without the third street crossing that collects trash. Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 419 Canyon Ave. Suite 200  Fort Collins, CO 80521  tel. 970.224.5828  fax 970.224.1662 www.ripleydesigninc.com • The alternative plan distributes the Project's traffic without exceeding level of service standards. • The alternative plan reduces the impacts on natural areas and features. In addition, several City Plan Principles and Policies support multi-family housing at this location and the transportation network proposed for the Project. The following City Plan policies support the location of medium density multi-family housing at this location where residents can walk, ride bikes and/or use transit to access a variety of activity centers including: Old Town and North College Avenue (Jax, the Lyric Cinema and KingSoopers mega store). • Policy T 1.1 – Physical Organization The physical organization of the City will be supported by a framework of transportation alternatives that balances access, mobility, safety, and emergency responses throughout the city, while working towards reducing the rate of growth of vehicle miles of travel and dependence on the private automobile. • Policy T 3.1 – Pedestrian Mobility Promote a mix of land uses and activities that will maximize the potential for pedestrian mobility throughout the community and minimize the distance traveled. • Policy T 3.2 – Bicycle Facilities Encourage bicycling for transportation through an urban development pattern that places major activity centers and neighborhood destinations within a comfortable bicycling distance. • Policy T 8.2 – Design for Active Living Promote neighborhood and community design that encourages physical activity by establishing easy access to parks and trails, providing interesting routes that feature art and other visually interesting elements, and locating neighborhoods close to activity centers and services so that physically active modes of transportation are a desirable and convenient choice. Conclusion In conclusion, the proposed alternative plan avoids a third vehicular connection across the Lake Canal that would negatively affect recreational and natural resource values, but embraces safe and convenient pedestrian and bike connections that allow access and encourage alternative modes of transportation. The alternative plan functions well for vehicles and increases safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Emergency access is provided where it is needed and transit opportunities will be enhanced with the Project. Finally, the streets and intersections in the vicinity of the Project will function well within City level of service requirements without a third canal crossing.