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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSANCTUARY ON THE GREEN - PDP190003 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - 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 May 6, 2019 Request for Alternative Compliance Solitaire Homes is the developer of the proposed Sanctuary on the Green PDP. The project is located near the northwest corner of Taft Hill Road and Laporte Avenue. The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department owns the land to the north and unincorporated Larimer County neighborhoods are located to the west. Detached single family homes are located to the south along Laporte Avenue. Land Use Code Requirements The Project is subject to the following: 3.6.3 - Street Pattern and Connectivity Standards (D) Spacing of Limited Movement Collector or Local Street Intersections With Arterial Streets Additional non-signalized, potentially limited movement, collector or local street intersections with arterial streets shall be spaced at intervals not to exceed six hundred sixty (660) feet between full movement collector or local street intersections, unless rendered infeasible due to unusual topographic features, existing development or a natural area or feature. (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 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 Solitaire is requesting approval for an Alternative Compliance Plan that provides alleys at regular intervals rather than local streets. This request is based on unusual topographic features, existing development, naturals areas and other constraints including the shape of the property, the New Mercer Ditch, existing wetlands and floodway. Solitaire’s goals for neighborhood planning match the City’s objectives contained in the Purpose statement for Section 3.6.3 Street Pattern and Connectivity. “This section is Sanctuary PDP Request for Alternate Compliance May 6, 2019 Page 2 of 3 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 intended to ensure that the local street system is well designed with regard to safety, efficiency and the convenience for automobile, bicycle, pedestrian and transit modes of travel.” This neighborhood provides a local street with direct connections to Laporte Avenue and Taft Hill Road. A second local street guides the community to the public park where a cul-de-sac is provided for turning around. Alleys are spaced at regular intervals along the local street. This provides private access to individual homes with approximately half of the homes facing public streets while the other half faces the ample open space. The developer’s goal is to provide a streetscape with front doors and porches rather than garages. Several site constraints prevent local streets from being constructed. On the northwest corner of the site this project is adjacent to a City of Fort Collins drainage easement (reception no. 98110267) which will be in use indefinitely. The City of Fort Collins also has a stormwater and drainage easement (reception no. 99058224) on this property where Webb Avenue, Irish Drive and North Impala Drive dead end. Within the easement area is a large detention basin that is in use and contains the flows of the floodway and floodplain. A third stormwater drainage easement (reception no. 99058225) is located along the north portion of the site on the western side. At that location, Cherry street dead ends half onto this project site and half onto City of Fort Collins Natural Areas land. The City land boarders the rest of this project to the north. There are not any street stubs located across that land to tie into with this project. These three drainage easements prevent street connections to the north. The property boundary and floodway prevent connections to the south. In some areas the development area is only 138’ wide. The project has street frontage along Laporte Avenue in two locations. One is where the local street connection is proposed and is only 272’ long preventing two street connections. The second location would require relocating a wetland. The neighbors have been adamant that the site be preserved as much as possible. (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. The alternative compliance has been prepared and submitted in accordance with the requirements for the Project Development Plan (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 feasible. Sanctuary PDP Request for Alternate Compliance May 6, 2019 Page 3 of 3 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 proposed plan significantly increases the bicycle and pedestrian connectivity through this property. The three streets that are not able to be continued due to stormwater conveyance have permanent trails that will connect to the public sidewalk system. We are proposing an enhanced emergency access as the connection from Impala Drive. There will be two six-foot wide concrete paths with a four-foot wide gravel path in between. There is also a proposed trail connection that leads from the City of Fort Collins Natural Area on the north to the proposed local street which then connects to Laporte Avenue using the existing dedicated right-of-way at Briarwood Street. Laporte Avenue will be widened to provide a protected pedestrian and bike lane within the existing right-of-way to Impala Drive. Safe Routes to School has offered to partner with this project to create a safe street crossing on the west side of Impala Drive. This connection will be vital in getting students to Poudre High School located just south of the site on Laporte Avenue, as well as Irish Elementary and Lincoln Middle School to the north. Once the regional detention improvements are completed, a permanent street can be constructed within the existing Briarwood right-of-way. In total, there are five pedestrian and bicycle connections to Laporte Avenue and five connections to the north which averages to one every 514 feet. This is below the required distance of 660 feet. There are six pedestrian and bicycle connections to the east averaging one every 122 feet. 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 alternative design minimizes the impacts on natural areas, fosters nonvehicular access and does not exceed the level of service standards. There is a direct street connection to the neighborhood center and park within the development. In addition, by providing alleys, the streetscape is dominated by front doors and porches rather than garage doors. The stormwater areas which dominate the site on the north and west will be enhanced with re- seeding and habitat, creating natural areas and features within their boundaries. Crossing this area with multiple bridges would have a negative impact on wildlife movement. Additionally, as the site exists currently, the New Mercer ditch prevents any east/west connectivity. This site plan proposes one vehicular connection and two pedestrian bridges. This creates a 1.4 mile loop around the site and through the adjacent natural area which only crosses three streets, one of which is a future street.