HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY SCHOOL SHOPS PUD - PRELIMINARY - 42-89D - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGNEIGHBORHOOD MEETING MINUTES
PROJECT: Harmony School Shops Preliminary P.U.D.
DATE: October 19, 1995
APPLICANTS: Russ Whitaker, G.T. Land Colorado, Inc.
Rick Gipson, Diamond Shamrock, Inc.
CONSULTANT: Eldon Ward, Cityscape Urban Design
STAFF: Ted Shepard, Senior City Planner
This meeting is a repeat of the first neighborhood meeting held on September 14, 1995. The
reason for this second neighborhood meeting is due to a "Back -to -School Night" conflict with
the last neighborhood meeting. The information presented is the basically the same as at the last
meeting. The one exception is that the Diamond Shamrock representative was available due to
the impending P & Z hearing.
The meeting began with a description of the proposed project. It is estimated that there will be a
total of 194,000 square feet of commercial floor area divided among anchor tenants, in -line
tenants, and pad site tenants. The site is 20.6 acres in size. Diamond Shamrock convenience
store, with car wash, is being processed separately as a Preliminary P.U.D. scheduled for
consideration by the Planning and Zoning Board on November 13, 1995. The Harmony School
will be preserved. The P.U.D. is being processed and reviewed by the criteria of the Amended
Harmony Corridor Plan and the Design Standards and Guidelines for Large Retail
Establishments. The Preliminary P.U.D. for Harmony School Shops will be considered by the
Board on December 18, 1995. (All responses are from the applicants unless otherwise noted.)
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS
1. Regarding Diamond Shamrock, the new store at Lemay and Oak Ridge is a good looking
store. The canopy color there is a tan/brown. The store here (Harmony School Shops) has a
white canopy which is not as attractive. We prefer the tanibrown because it fits into our
residential area better than white.
A. The color is referred to as "buckskin." We are seeking input on the white color because it
better reflects our corporate identification. Our company is concerned that a buckskin canopy
looks too much like our competition, Conoco.
CJ
•
2. Please consider our input to be that we prefer buckskin because it looks more attractive.
A. Thank you for this input. We will make a decision on the canopy color prior to the P & Z
meeting on November 13, 1995.
3. Won't this Diamond Shamrock be too close to the one at Lemay and Oak Ridge?
A. No, each store will serve different traffic patterns. We don't think they will compete with
each other.
4. Will a traffic signal be installed at Timberline and Milestone?
A. Not initially. In the long term, as conditions warrant, a signal will be installed.
Is the access point on Harmony Road approved by the State?
A. Yes, it conforms to the Access Control Plan adopted jointly by the State and City.
6. Is there direct access to the mobile home court?
A. Not at this time. We are planning for a connection by extending our parking lot access
drive to the easterly property line. When the vacant parcel in front of the mobile home park
develops, we will be able to provide a connection that will ultimately lead to the Harmony
Road/mobile home park drive intersection.
7. So until the vacant parcel in front of the mobile home park develops, there will not be a
connection?
A. Yes, that is correct.
8. Will any development within the center precede the construction of the access drive onto
Harmony Road?
A. Only Diamond Shamrock since it is already in the plan review process.
9. Who will be the tenants?
A. With the exception of Diamond Shamrock, we do not know yet. We anticipate that there
will be some large retail users, banks, restaurants and smaller retail shops. By way of example, if
this center were developed, we would have attempted to land REI and Barnes and Noble which
ended up on South College Avenue.
10. How many parking spaces are you planning to build? Will there be enough so that there
won't be any spillover into Sunstone Village?
CJ
•
A. At this time, we are showing 963 spaces to serve 194,000 square feet. This works out to
be 4.9 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area. This is fairly standard for shopping
centers in Colorado.
11. Will the Diamond Shamrock be open on a 24-hour basis?
A. Possibly. We will try it on a trial basis for a period of three to six months and then decide
if the traffic supports the 24-hour operation. If the traffic is not there, we will probably close
between 11:00 p.m. and midnight.
12. Lighting will be a big deal. We live in Sunstone and are concerned about excessive
lighting.
A. We generally work with the Planning Department to provide an appropriate level of
lighting for safety but minimize spillage offsite. This can be accomplished by using fixtures that
are not too high, usually about 20 to 25 feet. Fixtures also are required to be down -directional
and not broadcast light in all directions. In the area closest to Sunstone, we can go with a shorter
pole. By using high pressure sodium, the light source will appear to be a softer, yellowish light
versus the harsh blueish light from mercury vapor or metal halide. Wattage can be adjusted for
the fixtures near the homes.
13. Since you have no anchor tenant, what is you motivation for seeking Preliminary P.U.D.
approval?
A. Over the past year, there has been a lot of planning work in the Harmony Corridor. For
G.T. Land to market this center, we must be able to demonstrate to potential tenants that we have
complied with all the new rules and guidelines. The Preliminary P.U.D. is a good mechanism to
take to the marketplace in a pro -active manner rather than having a primary tenant drive the
design of the center. This way, we control the overall vision for the center and the City has the
ability to review without the pressure of a large tenant working under a deadline.
14. What about the market? Is there really a demand for more retail on Harmony Road?
A. Yes, the retail community is telling us that Harmony Road is an ideal location due to
direct access to I-25 and proximity to Loveland, Windsor, and Greeley.
15. Will this center compete with the shopping center proposed for the Pioneer mobile home
site?
A. Yes, we will compete for tenants but keep in mind that the Pioneer site is allowed to be a
"regional" sized center which is larger than a "community" sized center. So, they will likely
have larger anchor tenants. By way of example, anchor "A" will be smaller than Sam's Club or
Builders Square, and anchor `B" will be about the size of Steele's.
16. Who are the likely tenants north of Milestone?
A. These tenants will be smaller retailers, office, and daycare. The larger building could be
two stories with retail on the first floor and office on the second floor.
17. What about Parcel D of the Timberline Farm Master Plan?
A. This parcel is located at the southeast corner of Timberline Road and Caribou Drive. It is
6.8 acres in size. It is master planned for "Business Service." At this time, we think it might
develop as multi -family rather than business service but nothing has been decided yet.
18. What will the 80 foot buffer along Harmony look like?
A. This area will feature undulating berms, a meandering sidewalk that is detached from the
road and eight feet wide. We haven't decided yet whether to put the Spmg Canyon ditch
underground or not. The Harmony Corridor Plan requires us to plant a certain amout of Oak
trees to create a coordinated design scheme for the corridor.
19. At what point in the build -out does the berm go in?
A. It is likely that one large anchor tenant will be the first user to trigger the berm.
Depending on how much else comes on-line with the first large anchor, the berm could be built
in two phases.
20. Are you planning on a Super Wal-Mart or Super K-Mart?
A. The Harmony Corridor Plan states that the largest anchor in a community center cannot
exceed 80,000 square feet. This would be too small for these types of stores.
21. When will the Diamond Shamrock be constructed?
A. Depending on the action of the P & Z Board, we would like to go in next Spring.
22. As I stated at the last meeting, I do not want to see a large country and western saloon go
in to the center. Places like Cactus Moon or Grizzley Rose would be totally unacceptable due to
the hours of operation and noise.
A. We are not talking to these types of tenants. These "saloons" are not part of a good
tenant mix for a successful shopping center.
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