HomeMy WebLinkAboutMARS LANDING - FDP210024 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PROJECT NARRATIVE
To:
Tenae Beane
Development Review Coordinator
City of Fort Collins
281 N College
Fort Collins, CO 80524
From:
Galloway & Company, Inc.
5265 Ronald Reagan Blvd, Suite 210
Johnstown, CO 80525
Date:
October 4, 2021
Re:
Mars Landing FinalDevelopmentPlan–PROJECT NARRATIVE
The Mars Landing project includes the proposed development of a3.79 acre parcel located at the southwest corner of Mars Drive and W Skyway Drive in Fort Collins. The property is currently
undeveloped. The proposed use is classified as Multi-family Dwellings with more than 50 dwelling units, which is an approved use for the General Commercial zoning.The development is
adjacent to an existing commercial use and is approximately 0.1 miles from the S College Avenue/US HWY 287 corridor. Development will consist of two three-story apartment buildings
with a total of 90 dwelling units; separated garage buildings, off-street parking, and utilities. An application for Preliminary Design Review (PDR190007) was submitted to Staff on July
3, 2019. The applicant and owner met with Staff on July 31, 2019 to review comments for the PDR application. A neighborhood meeting for the Mars Landing project was held on August
26, 2019. Following acceptance of staff of the PDP application, a Planning & Zoning hearing was held on September 16, 2021.
A previous Preliminary Design Review was submitted for the project site titled Skyway Townhomes (PDR180003), April 2018. Comments were issued for this review, however, this application
was not pursued any further.
Vehicular access to the project site will be made via two drive-cuts from Mars Drive, which is a public road.Per the comment letter issued for PDR180003, the northernmost drive-cut may
align with the existing access on the east side of Mars Drive that serves the South College Storage Units. Connectivity to the surrounding neighborhood and developments will be provided
via access to Skyway Drive from Mars Drive. Mars Drive currently features a temporary roundabout near the south property boundary of the project site. This project proposes to demolish
the temporary roundabout and extend Mars Drive south to the south property boundary to allow for the installation of the second drive-cut. The future extension of Mars Drive beyond
the limits of the south property boundary will be done by others and is not part of this project. There is an existing public sidewalk along Skyway Drive along the north property boundary.
The project proposes to connect to the existing sidewalk in Skyway and install new public sidewalk along the west right-of-way of Mars Drive. Connections to the proposed public sidewalk
in Mars Drive will provide pedestrian access to the project site. As part of the development agreement for the South College Storage Units on the east side of Mars Drive, development
of the Mars Landing parcel requires construction of certain South College Avenue improvements adjacent to the project site. Per conversations with the City engineering department, these
improvements are limited to a 7’ detached sidewalk and incidental construction relating to grading and existing utilities. Off-street parking will be provided in a surface lot on the
project site. There will also be parking available to tenants in rentable garage spaces. The project proposes a total of 151 off-street parking spaces. Landscape provided for this development
will be consistent with City of Fort Collins xeric design standards. Additionally, we are working with Environmental Planning Staff for vacation of habitat buffer zones and wetlands
that will be vacated with development of this site. Mitigation for these vacations include establishment of new habitat zones and wetlands, fee-in-lieu, and commitment to donate removed
prairie dogs to wildlife rehabilitation programs. Mitigation has been provided for existing trees that must be removed from the site.
Under existing conditions, the project site generally drains overland from west to east. Runoff generated by the project site is currently captured in an inlet at the northeast property
corner where it is conveyed via underground storm sewer and open channel flow to a culvert that runs under South College Avenue. The Mars Landing development proposes to capture and
detain on-site generated flows in a pond at the northeast corner of the site prior to releasing into the existing storm drain system as it does in the existing condition. Water quality
treatment of captured runoff will be achieved by implementation of underground storage chambers to meet City Low-Impact Development Standards. Detention and water quality features will
be designed to comply with the City of Fort Collins Stormwater Criteria Manual and Fossil Creek Drainage Basin Master Plan. Water and sanitary sewer utilities will be provided by Fort
Collins Loveland Water District and South Fort Collins Sanitation District. Water service will be provided by extending a main down Mars Drive. Service connections will be made off
this main. The proposed occupiable buildings will be equipped with automatic fire sprinklers. Sanitary service will be provided by a proposed main connection to an existing main
in Skyway Drive. Services will be made off this main.A development agreement exists for the property and is recorded under Larimer County Public Records Doc. No. 20170069535. Modifications
to traffic striping of the westbound approach of Skyway Drive at South College Avenue are proposed. These modifications include adding a right turn lane for those wishing to head south
of South College Avenue. This was introduced to the project following the Neighborhood Meeting and in response traffic related concerns brought up in that meeting.
Staff has approved three variances attached to the project.Variance Request to Stormwater Criteria Manual Chapters 1 & 7 – Water Quality RequirementsVariance Request to LCUASS Chapter
7.4 – Distances Between Driveways and IntersectionsVariance Request to LCUASS Chapter 8.2 – Intersection Centerline Offsets