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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCHECKER AUTO AT THE MARKET PLACE PUD - PRELIMINARY & FINAL - 21-89D - CORRESPONDENCE - STAFF'S PROJECT COMMENTS (2)Devekwent Services • Planning Department City of Fort Collins January 18, 1990 Mr. Gene Yergensen Yergensen, Obering, & Whittaker 115 South Weber Colorado Springs, CO. 80903 Dear Gene: The Planning Staff has reviewed the request for Preliminary and Final P.U.D. for Checker Auto at The Market Place, Pad A. The following comments are offered: The utility plans for the Market Place P.U.D. should be revised from the Firestone revisions back to the present configuration. Utility services should conform to the overall approved utility plan. 2. There is an old elm tree on College Avenue that may present problems during construction. If at all possible, this tree should be saved. If, however, due to construction, this tree cannot be saved, the City Forester has granted permission for its removal. Please contact Tim Buchanan, City Forester, 221-6660, prior to removal of this tree. 3. There is a conflict with a streetlight location on College Avenue and one of the deciduous street trees. As a result, three deciduous street trees along College Avenue should be shifted so that there is a minimum of 20 foot clearance from any light pole and street tree. Please refer to the attached sheet that indicates the location of the light pole and the three new locations of the street trees. 4. If the old elm tree is removed, please add a deciduous street tree in the general area along College Avenue. 5. Staff will support the shifting of the store entrance from the southeast corner to the southwest corner but Staff remains concerned about the visual impact on College Avenue. For this reason, Staff requests that the front building setback off College Avenue be increased from the present 31 feet to 36 feet as measured from the property line. This extra five feet can be made up by reducing the sidewalk on the east side of the building from 7 to 6 feet, and by reducing the parking lot drive aisle on the east from 24 to 20 feet. Since this drive aisle serves single bay parking only, the aisle width does not have to be 24 feet which is adequate for double bay parking. 300 LaPorte Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (303) 221-6750 9 6. Staff is also concerned about the location of the transformer directly on the College Avenue frontage and using the screen wall as a mounting for the signage. First, as mentioned in our comments on Firestone, Staff would prefer that the transformer be located on the east or north side of the site. Placing the transformer on College detracts from what the landscaping and berming are trying to accomplish. Second, the placing of signage on the transformer screen wall does not seem to work well for either the signage or the transformer. Assuming the Checker sign will be 6 x 6 (like Burger King), means that the transformer wall will be a minimum of 6 feet in height. Transformer screen walls do not have to so high. Mounting the signage on the wall will delete the pedestal and require two separate signs mounted on two separate walls. This combination presents a much wider profile to College Avenue than would ordinarily be found with a single sign, double-faced, mounted on an attractive pedestal. At the Preliminary P.U.D. stage, much effort went into matching the two freestanding pads with complimentary signage. Mounting signs on a transformer screenwall does not promote the unified site design for the center that was envisioned for College Avenue between the two pad users. 7. There may be a problem with the two Ponderosa Pine and one Blue Spruce along the north elevation. Since these varieties tend to spread, there is a potential that they may overtake the sidewalk. Staff suggests that these species be replaced with deciduous street trees. In order to provide winter interest and building screening, coniferous shrubs should be placed along the foundation wall. A mix of spreading and upright varieties are suggested. 8. In addition to the above comment, the north elevation along the access road and the west elevation along College Avenue need additional shrub material. The only shrubs presently called for are junipers and forsythias. Both the quantity and the variety are insufficient. Please add shrub material, in the form of a defined shrub bed, that will compliment the radiant crab and the deciduous street trees. Variety should be selected to provide seasonal colors throughout the year. Please consider the following: lilac, dogwood, euonymus, barberry, golden privet, cistena plum, flowering almond, spirea, alpine currant, viburnum, cotoneaster, ninebark, sumac, etc. Minimum size is 5 gallon container. A single row of shrubs along the foundation wall is unacceptable. 9. If space permits, have you considered berming up to the foundation wall along the north elevation? This would be very effective in creating an attractive entry to the center as well as buffer a 21 foot high building that has only a 16.5 foot setback. 10. Along the shopping center drive aisle on the east side of the building, there is a 7 foot wide landscape island. This island features three Snow Crab and two Ponderosa Pine. Staff suggests that the two Ponderosas be replaced by a continuation of the Snow Crab. Once again, there is a potential that the Ponderosas may encroach out of the 7 foot wide area and cause a traffic problem. • 11. On the architectural elevations, sheet A-1, please indicate the color and material of the rooftop mechanical screen. 12. Also, what is the color of the signage on the synthetic stucco fascia? 13. Please state on sheet A-1 that the blue, curved, metal canopy and the synthetic stucco fascia are not to be internally illuminated. It is our understanding that these components do not form a back -lit awning. It is anticipated that the blue will match the Burger King roof in color. 14. Since the entry has moved closer to South College Avenue, Staff is concerned about window posters that may advertise brand name products or store specials. Staff has inspected both the Fort Collins and Loveland Checker Auto Stores and has found that this form of advertising is not being abused. The concern remains because national brand name advertising is competitive and other auto parts and service retailers have abused this form of advertising. Consequently, Staff recommends that the P.U.D. contain a restriction on window and poster advertising. Staff suggests that window advertising be limited to one allowable poster per elevation (south and west). This restriction would not prevent the application for a 20 day temporary sign banner permit that is available from the Zoning Administrator. This restriction to one poster per elevation (south and west) is more restrictive than the Master P.U.D. Sign Plan which allows up to 25% of the window area to be utilized. Since the amount of glass area on the south and west elevations exceeds the area of the typical "interior" tenant, this 25% allowance seems overly generous for College Avenue exposure. Notation regarding this window signage restriction should be placed on the P.U.D., sheet A-1. 15. The site plan must indicate the location of the bicycle rack. One parking space must be reserved for motorcycle only parking. The handicap parking stall must be identified by a raised sign. 16. Since we are recommending a typical, freestanding monument sign versus signage mounted on the transformer screen wall, please provide a schematic of the sign. 17. Has Checker Auto considered an etched glass sign along College Avenue? Burger King's etched glass window looks classy and adds an upgraded dimension to the business and the center. Also, the etched glass is very visible. 18. Please make an attempt to keep electric and gas meters, sprinkler system control valves, or any other appurtenant equipment off the west elevation. This concludes Staff comments at this time. Please note the following deadlines for the February 26, 1990 Planning and Zoning Board hearing: Plan revisions are due February 7, 1990 P.M.T.'s, 10 prints, colored renderings are due Tuesday, February 20, 1990 Final, signed mylars are due Thursday, February 22, 1990. Please feel free to call to discuss these comments or to set up a meeting at your earliest convenience. Our phone number is (303) 221-6750. 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