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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY SCHOOL SHOPS PUD, SECOND FILING - FINAL - 42-89G - CORRESPONDENCE - STAFF'S PROJECT COMMENTS (2)April 16, 1997 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, Second Filing, for "Anchor B - Retail" and offers the following comments: 1. The following comments apply to the plat: A. A distance on the North boundary (57.78') does not match the Sunstone Plat (58.14'). B. How does Lot One have access to a public right-of-way? Please indicate. C. The east line of the Plat is called "East Line of West Half of S.W. 1/4." How was this determined? 2. The City Water and Wastewater Utility has the following comments: A. Show water and sewer mains and services on the landscape plan and provide proper landscape/utility separations. B. There may be a conflict with a utility line coming in from the east in the area of the five Colorado Blue Spruce approximately 170 feet north of the southeast corner along the easterly property line. C. Be sure that all the necessary easements for water and sewer mains and services are properly sized and dedicated on the plat. 3. The Public Service Company has the following comments: A. The 15 foot wide utility easement along the south side of Lot One should be widened to 30 feet to accommodate both gas and electric facilities. B. Similarly, the 16 foot wide utility easement along the east side of Lot One should be widened to 30 feet for both gas and electric. 9 • C. PSCo needs a 15 foot wide utility easement along either west side or east side of Lot One. D. Lot Two is an awkward lot to serve with natural gas. The source for gas is from Timberline Road. Gas will be extended east along Harmony Road to serve Lot Two. The utility easement on the east line of Lot Three of the First Filing needs to be 30 feet wide, on both sides of the lot line for a total width of 60 feet. For further information, please contact Jim Slagle, 225-7843. 4. The City Engineering Department will require that final pavement design must be submitted and approved prior to any paving on Harmony Road in accordance with the outline on page 27K of the City of Fort Collins "Design and Construction Criteria for Streets." 5. The final location of the electrical transformer and electrical lines have not yet been established. These facilities must be within an easement. Be sure that the location is within ten feet of hard surface from one side and that there is appropriate screening. The transformer should not be visible from the public streets or drive aisles of the shopping center. Light and Power also cautions that the Second Filing, being on the eastern end of the site, will be slightly out of sequence to serve. Since electrical power will originate from Timberline Road, power will have to be brought down either Harmony or Milestone to serve the site. If brought down Harmony, then it will be extended as far east as the easterly property line, at the southeast corner of the site, then extended north as far as necessary. If brought down Milestone, it will have to be come in from the rear of the lots. In either case, there is a long run across vacant property to serve the site. 6. U.S. West cautions that the proposed storm sewer along the east property line is within an existing telephone easement. This is not a general utility easement, it is an exclusive easement for telephone service. The storm sewer design would interfere with the use of this easement for telephone cables. Please make the necessary adjustments. 7. The bike lane on Harmony Road should be changed to an eight foot width. Also, the bike lane should be moved to so that it is north of the turn lane rather than between the travel lane and turn lane. 8. An east -west detached pedestrian sidewalk should be added along the north side of the main east -west drive aisle. Ramps and crosswalk should be provided at the easterly end with the sidewalk extending to the eastern property line for a future connection to the adjacent property. 9. A ramp, sidewalk and crosswalk system should be provided to connect the western anchor to this east -west walk. It is anticipated that the pad sites will also be required to connect to this walk. 10. Bicycle parking should be added to the south and northeast entries. 11. The following notes should be added to the Site Plan: A. "Developer shall ensure that the landscape plan is coordinated with the plans done by other consultants so that the proposed grading, storm drainage, or other construction does not conflict nor preclude installation and maintenance of landscape elements on this plan." B. Electrical transformer, electrical and gas meters, and other appurtenances shall be screened from public view. 12. On general note number nine, please amend so the note reads "... are to be screened so as to not be visible by the public with parapet walls..." 13. The legend indicates a trash enclosure and electrical transformer. Neither are indicated on the Site Plan. It is anticipated that these will be in the loading zone area. 14. Since this is a Final, a manufacturer's specification sheet for the pole -mounted light fixtures should be provided. The shopping center should feature one style pole, not a different pole for each filing. The applicant should coordinate with Heritage Christian School and decide now on the pole that will be used throughout the entire center. This pole will also be the standard for the pad sites. We do not want a center with different pole styles like Harmony Market. Please consider using the Diamond Shamrock pole style or an upgraded version that closely matches. 15. A lighting plan should be provided that provides information on foot candle levels. Based on neighborhood concerns, lighting should be reduced along the north to the minimum foot candle level. 16. The detail for the six foot high wood and masonry screen wall looks good but the site plan does not indicate where this wall will be installed. It appears that the wall will be constructed in front of the easterly and northerly parking. The landscape plan does not indicate contour lines showing that there will be a berm abutting the fence to a height of about three feet. Please indicate screen wall location and berming, where applicable, next to the wall. 17. Staff is concerned that the 80 foot buffer area along Harmony Road will not be landscaped with this filing. Please take note that if this area will not be landscaped with the second filing, then it will need to be landscaped with filing of the adjacent co-anchor. The 80 foot buffer area will not be allowed to remain unimproved by waiting for pad site development. 18. Along the north buffer area, the five Tartarian Maples are being asked to screen the loading zone. These trees might not be the appropriate species for this critical location. Please investigate using an evergreen species, or other combinations, to screen the loading area. 19. Along the north buffer area, there are five Thornless Cockspur Hawthornes that screen the parking and drive aisle. Since these will not provide year-round screening, it is suggested that the north elevation of the building feature a continuous shrub bed with plant material that will exceed the height of the six foot fence. 20. Within three landscape islands along the north drive aisle, there are English Oaks. For these islands, it is suggested that a Linden variety would be more appropriate. 21. Along the east elevation, within the sidewalk, there are two Patmore Ash trees planted in tree grates. It is suggested that, given the length of the sidewalk, two additional Patmore Ash trees be planted. In both cases, there is a distance of about 85 feet to the next tree so there appears to be a gap suitable for additional trees. 22. Have you considered including Lilacs on the landscape plan? The mature Lilac hedge north of the Harmony School is a prominent feature and well -liked by the neighborhood. There appears to be sufficient gaps along the easterly property line that would benefit from clusters or hedges of Lilacs. As the shopping center develops, perhaps the use of Lilacs could become a landscape theme that would reflect the character of the Harmony School and the mature hedge. 23. A cross-section analysis should be provided indicating the character of the slopes, distance, and plant material along the north. 24. The following comments address compliance with the standards for large retail establishments. A. Under Article One, Number I., "Facades and Exterior Walls," it appears that the south elevation does not comply with "b." which requires that ground floor facades that face public streets shall have articulation features along no less than 60% of the horizontal length. By our calculation, the elevation is short by 27 feet in meeting this standard. (330' x 60% = 198'. Articulation features equals 171'.) There appears to be plenty of opportunity to meet this standard by simply adding three nine feet long articulation features on the south facade. B. Staff will support a variance for the lack of articulation along the west elevation since it will be adjoined by a future building and share a recessed loading zone and truck dock area. This design meets the intent of the standards and guidelines. C. Under Article I, Number 3, "Detail Features," there is no clear indication that there are the necessary color, texture, and material module changes. The architectural sheet (which 0 should be labeled sheet 3 of 3) does not contain sufficient information by which to evaluate this criterion. The architectural elevations should contain detailed information on materials, height, color, and describe any other use material such as brick, ceramic tile, glass block, ornamental grill work, etc. It is clear from the standard that the mere combination of concrete block and synthetic stucco will be insufficient. D. Under Article I, Number 4, "Roofs," the architectural sheet should provide information regarding the height of the parapet wall. E. Under Article I, Number 5, "Materials and Colors," please provide more information on the architectural sheet so this criterion can be evaluated. F. Under Article I, Number 7, "Back and Side Facades," the east elevation does not appear to satisfy the standard which refers back to Article I, Number 1, "b.". Based on our calculation, the length of the articulation features is short by 39 feet. (258' x 60% = 155'. Articulation features equal 116 feet.) There appears to be ample opportunity along the east elevation to make up for this shortfall. G. Staff applauds the meeting of Article H, Number 2, "Parking Lot Orientation." This is not an easy criterion to meet. The solution meets both the letter and intent of the standard. Good job. H. Under Article IL Number 3, "Back Sides," please provide a cross-section that illustrates how the proposed screen wall, three foot high berm, with landscape materials, is equal to or better than providing a six foot high earthen berm. The proposed solution appears to satisfy the standard but a graphic will help demonstrate compliance. Also, please indicate the spacing of the brick columns which should be enhanced by adding a capstone. I. Under Article H, Number 4, "Outdoor Storage, Trash Collection, and Loading Areas," it is not clear from the plans where the trash enclosures and compaction areas are located. Also, please indicate the location of pallet storage and cardboard bundle storage and demonstrate how these will be screened. J. Under Article II, Number 5, "Pedestrian Flows," please note that this is a basis for requiring the additional sidewalks. Also, under "c," please provide a six foot wide shrub bed for foundation plants, along the south elevation between the entry features and west to the future adjacent building. Under "e," there is no indication that walkways will be distinguished from driving surfaces. K. Under Article II, Number 6, "Central Features and Community Spaces," please provide detailed information on the plan sheets on how this criterion is satisfied. L. Under Article H, Number 7, "Delivery/Loading Operations," please add the following note: "No delivery, loading, trash removal or compaction or such operations shall be permitted between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m." 25. From an architectural perspective, Staff is concerned about what appears to be a lack of unifying element with historic Harmony School. Efforts should be made to tie the new proposed building with the design, materials, or form of the historic building. Since the subject P.U.D. represents one-half of the potential anchor building, it will be important to establish a cohesive architectural theme that can carry over to the next fiing that respects the historic character of the Harmony School. 26. Staff remains concerned about truck route to the loading area. As you will recall, this was also a concern at the neighborhood meeting. Will large furniture trucks be using Milestone Drive? Will an internal circulation system be constructed to allow trucks to use the Timberline curb cut for the Diamond Shamrock? Will trucks use the Harmony Road access? Perhaps an abbreviated "context diagram" describing a truck route would be appropriate. 27. Issues related to the north side buffering and truck access are sensitive issues with the neighborhood. It is suggested that we hold a neighborhood meeting to discuss these issues and allow the neighbors to meet the applicants. Otherwise, the only opportunity for neighborhood input will be at the public hearing. This concludes Staff comments at this time. Please note the following deadlines for the May 19, 1997 Planning and Zoning Board hearing: Plan revisions are due May 1, 1997. P.M.T.'s, 10 prints, and renderings are due May 12, 1996. As always, please call to discuss these comments or to set up a meeting with the appropriate Staff to discuss these comments in depth. Sincerely: Ted Shepard Senior Planner