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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY SCHOOL SHOPS PUD - PRELIMINARY - 42-89D - CORRESPONDENCE - STAFF'S PROJECT COMMENTSCorn .1y Planning and EnvironmentaUrvices Current Planning City of Fort Collins November 8, 1995 Mr. Eldon Ward Cityscape Urban Design 3555 Stanford Road, Suite 105 Fort Collins, CO 80525 Dear Eldon: Staff has reviewed the request for Harmony School Shops, Preliminary P.U.D. and offers the following comments: The plat should indicate the area, in square footage, of each lot. 2. The drainage easement on the north is part of Lots 7 and 8. It is suggested that this area be placed within a separate tract for clarification purposes. By being in a separate tract, it can be identified for long term maintenance by the association and it will not be encroached upon by future building expansions or other improvements. 3. U.S. West cautions that the since the Preliminary Plan does not show existing telephone pedestals and cables, it is difficult to comment on internal street and sidewalk locations. As plans become more refined, it may be necessary to modify location of proposed improvements. Otherwise, the developer is responsible for any modifications or relocations of telephone facilities. It may be that a utility coordination meeting will be necessary at some point in the.process. 4. Transportation Department is concerned about controlling left -ins and left -outs at the right-in/right-out only intersection on Harmony Road. A control feature may need to be added. This may be an expanded "pork -chop" island or a median in Timberline Road. This issue needs further refinement. 5. A right turn lane will be required for westbound Harmony Road to northbound Timberline Road. 6. Please label the Harmony Road access as "Right -In, Right -Out, Left -In." 7. The future joint access to the mobile home park is a positive linkage to an existing residential and future commercial area. The owner of the adjacent affected property 281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6750 FAX '(970) 221-6378 • TDD (970) 224-6002 Harmony School Shops Comments November 8, 1995 Page 2 should be informed of this potential access. Please inform this property owner that a letter is needed to the Planning Department indicating that this access drive will be acceptable. If a meeting is necessary, we are willing to participate. Please indicate the Harmony Corridor Plan designation for this vacant parcel. Please add an arrow or note indicating this future potential connection. 8. Similarly, please add an arrow indicating that the detached sidewalk along Harmony Road is also anticipated to extend to the east onto the vacant property in front of the mobile home park. 9. Re -use of the Harmony School must comply with the provisions of the Building Code for a new structure. Portions of the Uniform Code for Building Conservation are adopted and may be applied to the reuse of the building. If the building has historic designation, Uniform Building Code Appendix Section 3113 and UBC 105 (f) may also be applied. 10. For buildings that exceed 5,000 square feet, an automatic fire suppression system is required. If any building does not comply with the access requirements of the Poudre Fire Authority, then an automatic fire suppression system is also required. Be sure fire access lanes feature 20 feet of unobstructed access with inside and outside turning radii of 20 and 40 feet respectively. 11. For the office/daycare, please indicate an outdoor play area. State and City codes require outdoor play area to be of a minimum size and fenced. 12. Staff applauds the effort to comply with the Design Standards and Guidelines for Large Retail Establishments. The pulling together of the anchors and the central -court service area meets the intent of the standards and guidelines. Less than 50% of the parking is along Harmony Road which complies with the standard. 13. In order to enhance the activity and character of the on-line shops, Staff suggests that the parking directly in front of the shops be angled. Diagonal parking in this area will serve to highlight the unique aspect of the smaller shops. Angle parking is also easier for customers patronizing the smaller shops. Since these spaces will likely experience more frequent turn -over, the diagonal spaces will help ease maneuvering. Angled parking will add variety to the center. 14. The areas designated as central features or activity areas should also be highlighted by distinct, decorative light fixtures, benches, planters, public art, etc. that strongly emphasize the pedestrian scale and unique character within the center. While these elements do not have to be designed at Preliminary, there should be an indication, either • • a Harmony School Shops Comments November 8, 1995 Page 3 graphically or in notation, that there will be special design features in certain areas to promote pedestrian activities. 15. The project should feature a "transit center" where buses (public and private) drop off patrons. These customers should be brought into the "heart" of the center which contains the desired pedestrian elements and activity features. With the rise in assisted living for active seniors in several projects in northern Colorado, it only makes sense to plan for private buses for group shopping trips. 16. The on-line shops, the south facades of Anchors A and B, the two uses on Lots 2 and 3 combine to form an area that has the potential to be a smaller center within a center. The area directly in front of the on-line shops should be pedestrian oriented with the motorist de-emphasized. This area should feature an abundance of pedestrian amenities. The "through" traffic should be directed to the longer continuous drive aisle just to the south. 17. In order to enhance the pedestrian experience in this sub area, the sidewalks adjacent to Lots 2 and 3, along the east -west access drive and along the north -south entry drive, should be detached from the curb. There should be a parkway strip of 4 to 6 feet in width for the street trees. Street trees should be added in a parkway strip to the north of Lots 2 and 3 along the main east -west access drive. 18. Milestone Drive will be an important linkage not just for cars but for bicycles and pedestrians also. In order to promote and enhance the use of alternative modes, the sidewalks along Milestone Drive should be detached. Staff recognizes that this street is currently under construction outside the review of these plans and that the street is being built to the local street standard which includes attached sidewalks. The results of the Visual Preference Survey, however, indicate that detached sidewalks receive a positive rating while attached walks do not. In addition, street trees should be planted in the parkway strip in a formal fashion. Staff is willing to work with the City Engineering Department to revise the approved plans so that detached sidewalks can be constructed to separate the pedestrian from the flowline. Enclosed please find a copy of a portion of the approved plans. 19. Staff is concerned about the building placement and orientation of the fast food restaurant pad on Lot 5. The drive-thru stacking lane, menu board, dispensing window all face Timberline Road. It is suggested that this orientation be reversed so that these visually objectionable elements face inward toward the center and not impact the streetscape along a major arterial street. If end -users persist in such an orientation, then large berms and heavy coniferous landscaping must be provided as a buffer. Such buffer may, in turn, require more land area than presently indicated. Harmony School Shops Comments November 8, 1995 Page 4 20. Please keep in mind that the proximity of the restaurant on Lot 5 to the existing Harmony School may present architectural compatibility issues. Radically contrasting styles will not be tolerated in order to preserve the character of the Harmony School. Note number 9 should be expanded or a new note added stating that Lot 5 bears a special responsibility to demonstrate compatibility with the Harmony School. 21. The curb cut on the southside of Diamond Shamrock and north side of Lot 5 does not align. This "intersection" should align or the curb cuts sufficiently offset so as to not cause problems. Please investigate shifting the northerly Lot 5 curb cut to the east to avoid left turn conflicts or to the west to align with Diamond Shamrock. 22. Landscape islands in the parking lot should feature shrubs that achieve a height of 4 to 5 feet. This vertical element will help mitigate the large asphalt area. The parking lot at Harmony Market, with shrubs in the landscape islands, received a positive rating in the Visual Preference Survey. 23. As with Lot 5, Staff is concerned about the building orientation of Lot 1. The drive-thru feature should be on the north side of the building, not on the south. If the end -user insists upon the orientation as indicated, then substantial berming and coniferous plantings will be required to buffer the use. The Preliminary should indicate denser plant material in this area. 24. Cross-section A between Anchor A and the Sunstone Village will be critical in establishing the proper buffer yard between commercial and residential properties. Plant material in this area may need to be increased in caliper/height above the typical sizes. Exact details can be determined at the time of Final P.U.D. 25. It is suggested that the southeast corner of Anchor B not be a right angle but a softer angle so the pedestrian plaza wraps around the corner and helps tie the easterly entry to the activity area on the south elevation. 26. The sidewalk along Timberline Road, adjacent to the right turn deceleration lane, should be detached from the flowline. 27. At the northwest corner of Anchor A, where the truck access drive comes in from Milestone Drive, there is a 22 feet wide flowline. Will semi -trucks be able to make this corner turn with only 22 feet? Should this flowline be expanded to accommodate truck turning movements? 28. Lot 9 will need one additional handicap parking space for a total five. Harmony School Shops Comments November 8, 1995 Page 5 29. Staff applauds the use of articution and facade treatment to break up the large retail establishments. The use of arcades, canopies, columns, and pitched roofs comply with the standards and guidelines. 30. On elevation sheet three of three, in the reference to roofing material, please indicate that the asphalt shingles are to be "heavy -dimensional" not ordinary three -tab. 31. Please expand note number 11 to indicate that the site is located within the Residential Neighborhood Sign District. At the time of Final P.U.D. for each phase, wall signage location will be established by the P.U.D. process in accordance with All Development Criterion A-2.14. 32. Please indicate potential trash enclosure locations for the pad sites. 33. Please use the correct spelling of vendor. 34. Comments from Stormwater Utility will be forthcoming under separate cover. This concludes Staff comments at this time. In order to stay on schedule for the December 18, 1995 Planning and Zoning Board meeting, please note the following deadlines: Plan revisions are due November 29, 1995. P.M.T.'s, 10 prints, colored renderings are due December 11, 1995. As always, please feel free to call our office to set up a meeting or discuss these comments. Sincerely: Ted Shepard Senior Planner Encl.