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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACE MEMBERSHIP WAREHOUSE INC PUD - PRELIMINARY - 76-88B - LEGAL DOCS - LEGAL COMMUNICATIONCity At*e� • M E M O R A N D U M DATE: October 7, 1988 TO: Tom Peterson, Planning Director FROM: W. Paul Eckman, Assistant City Attorney,/� RE: PACE Membership Warehouse "-� Attached please find a copy of a letter dated September 28, 1988, from Frank Vaught, representing PACE Membership Warehouse, to the Mayor. I believe that the position that we are taking with regard to this project must be well supported from a traffic analysis per- spective, and we must be careful not to impose an unreasonable or arbitrary requirement upon the properties sought to be developed. I also believe that our position should be consistent with our overall traffic plan unless we determine that the traffic plan is incorrect and needs to be modified. Could you please provide me with a written summary of the posi- tion that the City has taken with respect to this project up to this time? WPE:whm Attachment !00 LaPorte Avenue • P. O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 9 (303) 221-6520 w VAUGHT cc: Council • FRYE �'� _ architects September 28, 1988 Mayor Ed Stoner City of Fort Collins P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 Dear Mr. Stoner, I am sure by now you are aware that PACE Membership Warehouse is very interested in building a store in Fort Collins. They have selected our city over others because of the strong regional retail shopping opportunities that exist here. PACE typically requires a population base of 400,000 people before they will consider a site, however, demographic & market studies indicate to them that Fort Collins is the hub of regional shopping for Northern Colorado & Southern Wyoming and the aggregate population supports a store here. PACE does not expect a store in Fort Collins to generate annual sales equivalent to a store in a large metropolitan area, however, they feel the right location and cost of real estate could off set reduced sales. They feel frontage on College Avenue is important because of its status with out of town shoppers. Their second criteria was to locate near Harmony Road due to its good access to I-25 for the out of state shopper. The site they have selected meets all of their criteria. The city staff has stated that the site has access problems and has suggested that PACE consider alternate sites. PACE has considered other sites and desires to pursue approval of their store at the location chosen. A Development Review Committee meeting was held September 20th to discuss staffs concerns and proposals. At this time, although staff has made attempts at accomodating PACE, an impass has developed over signalized access to the site. The Traffic Department has concluded in their South College Access Plan study that the State Highway Department will not support a signalization plan from Harmony to Trilby that has more than 4 signalized intersections, and furthermore, a signal at Fossil Creek Parkway and another at the Mason Street, College interesection preclude a signal at the PACE site due to an undesired result in the synchronization of lights. I support the city, county and state effort to development the South College Access Plan and feel it is in the city's best interest to develop an access plan that is more reasonable than the land planning • architecture 2900 S.College Avenue Fort Collins. Colorado.80525 (303) 223-2808 Mr. Ed Stoner Page Two current State Highway access code. I do not agree that the city should disregard such an important proposal as PACE without seriously considering all alternatives and perhaps their desire to be here should rather be given priority in consideration of the South College Access Plan. This study is only in preliminary stages and certainly should be evaluated to determine if a development proposal as important as this one is to the City of Fort Collins could be accomodated. It would be unfortunate to lose a major retailer such as PACE to a site 6 miles south in another city. To give you some indication of the magnitude of the economic impact PACE will have, I offer the following information: - projected sales of $30,000,000/yr. - estimated cost of construction $2,000,000 - street oversizing at $15,00/acre sales tax to city $825,000/yr. use tax on bldg. permit $55,000 $150,000 These numbers only represent the direct benefits to this city not taking in to account the indirect benefits of out of town shoppers spending more time & money in Fort Collins because of the strengthened regional shopping with PACE's presence. Additionally, 150 new jobs will be created both part-time & full-time offering a variety of job opportunities for the people of Fort Collins. I trust you will give this serious consideration and hope that by working together we can overcome the obstacles that may prevent this important company from locating in our city. I am available at your convenience to discuss this matter. Best regards, Frank aught Vice President VAUGHT*FRYE ARCHITECTS cc: City Manager - Steve Burkett PACE Membership Warehouse - Peter Insana FV/kc