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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL - SITE PLAN ADVISORY REVIEW - 20-87A - CORRESPONDENCE - MEMO / P & Z BOARD01 Development Services Planning Department (MMM City of Fort Collins November 28, 1988 Dear Chairman Daly, Mr. Chairman, Superintendent Hansen, and Members of the School Board, I appreciate the opportunity to address you on behalf of the City of Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Board on the issue of long range planning for future school sites in general, and in particular, the planning for the 1990 Junior High School located on Seneca Road in southwest Fort Collins. Our Planning and Zoning Board has had the opportunity under the State Statutes to review the development plans for proposed new school sites, beginning a few years ago with the Werner School and most recently the pro- posed 1990 Webber Junior High School. And, on several occasions raised serious concerns about the lack of adequate street, sidewalk and bicycle access to these schools. In particular, the street system that is intended to service the proposed 1990 Junior High School is incomplete and lacks adequate automobile, bus, bicycle or pedestrian facilities to reasonably and safely accommodate the expected traffic generated by the school. And as a result, the driving, walking and bicycling students, parents and staff will have no other alternative than to travel to and from the junior high school in unsafe conditions. There are also serious problems with the vehicular access to the junior high school. The Traffic Impact Report that was prepared for the School District indicates that approximately 1600 trips per day will be generated. In our evaluation of the operation of the proposed junior high school, Wakerobin Lane and Regency Drive alone will not provide efficient nor safe access. In reviewing the 1990 service areas for the junior high school provided by the School District, approximately 70 - 75% of the driving, walking and bicycling traffic will be generated from destinations north, northeast and northwest of the school site. Wakerobin Lane is an inconvenient and pro- tracted route to the school site. Nor was Wakerobin Lane ever intended to serve the intensive traffic carrying and bicycle/walking function that the School District is now proposing. In addition, extensive portions of Shields Street, Harmony Road and Horsetooth Road lack the necessary facilities to safely accommodate the needs of the school. These streets are missing adequate street width, turn lanes, pavement thickness, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes. Other alternatives have been discussed with School District Staff which could provide some relief, for instance, the extension of Seneca Street and/or Troutman Parkway. These streets have been planned and designed as collector streets and are intended to filter traffic and pedestrians to arterial streets. 300 LaPorte Avenue - P.O. Box 580 - Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 - (303) 221-6750 Letter to Mr. Daly and Members of the School Board Page 2 The installation of either of these road improvements needs to be given further consideration by the School District as part of the development of the junior high school. On repeated occasions the City has asked for more detailed information from the District to weigh the impact of the proposed junior high school on the surrounding street system. Complete and adequate information has not been provided to determine the extent of needed improvements. The Planning and Zoning Board believes that the full impact of constructing the junior high without the provision of necessary facilities is not fully understood without this information. These concerns are not isolated. Rather similar issues have arisen on other school sites as well. For example, the City conveyed its concerns to the School District over the lack of an adequate street system for the proposed Werner School located in south Fort Collins. In this case, the existing county maintained roads were found by the School District's own traffic consultants to be inadequate to accommodate the additional traffic impact. Yet the school district failed to include the necessary street improvements as part of the construction of the school. Fossil Creek Parkway is already beginning to show further deterioration resulting in part from the increased bus and vehicular traffic loads from the new elementary school. One of the most apparent reasons for the lack of adequate street facilities is that these schools are often being situated at outlying locations in anticipation of further development happening in the future. However, what has occurred is that in the interim period between the construction of the school and the development of the surrounding area, the street system that is intended to serve the school is not in place and problems occur such as we now face with the proposed Webber Junior High School. It is clear that the demand for more educational services and facilities is likely to increase as our urban area expands, population increases, and public expectations rise. With the increasing demands placed upon both the City's and the School Districts budgets, intelligent planning of schools is essential. We believe that the partnership between the District and the City grows more critical with each new student and each new school. We recognize that the position of the School District as a "developer" is unique. Likewise we understand that our expectations of the Districts responsi- bility for building streets is not and should not be the same as a private developer who builds a shopping center or subdivision. Better solutions are necessary. It is critical that both the City and the School District set aside the past and come to the table as partners in the educational and planning process. We must not forget our primary purpose is t6 provide the highest quality service to our customers, the tax paying citizen. + Letter to Mr. Daly and Members of the School Board Page 3 The Planning and Zoning Board urges the School Board to seriously con- sider the street concerns that I have described. Furthermore, we urge the School Board to join with the City to develop a consultative process which not only offers solutions to the immediate issues facing the Webber Junior High School but also to develop a lasting agreement that can be applied in the planning and development of future school sites in years to come. If needed, the Planning and Zoning Board stands ready to offer our knowledge and expertise in arriving at this agreement. Again, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important issue. Other members of the Planning and Zoning Board are present tonight and may wish to offer additional comments. Sincerely, Laurie O'Dell Chairperson, Planning and Zoning Board