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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWALKER MANUFACTURING REZONING & PRELIMINARY PLAT - COUNTY REFERRAL - 27-88 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSC ITEM No. 21 PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING OF April 25, 1988 PROJECT: Walker Manufacturing Rezoning and Preliminary Plat - County Referral - #27-88. APPLICANT: Walker Manufacturing Company 1839 East Harmony Road Fort Collins, CO. 80525 OWNER: Wesley Max Walker and Margaret Dean Walker 1839 East Harmony Road Fort Collins, CO. 80525 PROJECT PLANNER: Debbie deBesche PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Request to rezone 49 acres from FA-1, Farming, to I -Industrial, and divide into two lots of 24.244 acres and 25 acres, located in the southwest corner of County Road 38 and County Road 3. RECOMMENDATION.: Denial EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: As stated in. the Intergovernmental Agreement for The Fort Collins Urban Growth Area, the City and County agreed that the County would approve only urban level developments within the Urban Growth Area and that no urban level development would be permitted to take place out- side of the UGA except in existing clusters. Staff has determined that this project is not part of an existing industrial use cluster and the proposed use is premature and too intense for the rural character of the area, and is in violation of the intent of the Intergovernmental Agreement, therefore Staff is recommending denial. OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT 300 LaPorte Ave. • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, Colorado 80522 • (303) 221-6750 SERVICES, PLANNING DEPARTMENT Walker Manufacturing Rezoning and Preliminary Plat - County Referral - #27-88 April 25, 1988 P&Z Meeting - Page 2 COMMENTS 1. Background: The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: FA-1; cultivated farm land and rural residence S: FA-1; cultivated farm land E: FA-1; cultivated farm land, Turf Master operation, rural residence W: FA-1; cultivated farm land and rural residence The Urban Growth Area boundary was established in 1980 and the Intergovern- mental Agreement For The Fort Collins Urban Growth Area was agreed upon by both the City and the County in that same year. 2. Land Use: ' The proposed land use of industrial is best suited for parcels located within the urban growth area. The UGA document states that: a. "All industrial uses except extractive and agriculturally related industries should locate in industrial parks adequately buffered from existing and potential surrounding uses." b. "Industrial uses except extractive and agriculturally related indus- tries should locate near transportation facilities that offer the access required but do not burden the existing or proposed trans- portation networks." This project is not considered a farm -related use in that it is requiring the rezoning to Industrial. As stated in the Intergovernmental Agreement For The Fort Collins Urban Growth Area, the City and County agreed that the County would approve only urban level developments within the UGA and that no urban level development would be permitted to take place outside of the Urban Growth Area except in existing clusters. Staff has determined that this project is not part of an existing industrial use cluster and the pro- posed use is premature and too intense for the rural character of the area. RECOMMENDATION The proposed rezoning to Industrial and the proposed use of manufacturing is in violation of the Intergovernmental Agreement for The Fort Collins Urban Growth Area, therefore Staff recommends denial of Walker Manufactur- ing Rezoning and Preliminary Plat, #27-88. -0cn mM rm DZ DOD ''IZ -00 V C> CO r-- v. C� C I 0. A (� � ON till, I • 3!(JSYJ �� 3. e. G 3Han4j Y? ti� �• �o rz 7S 7 ITEM .WALKER MANUFACTURWG Rezoning &Preliminary Plat NUMBER 27-88 APP -ATION FOR SUBDIVISION AP VAL Date of Application: 'March 22, 19,98 Check One: Preliminary Plat (xx) Final Plat ( ) Replat ( ) 1. Name of Subdivision Walker Subdivision Location County Road 38 at County Road 3 Owner Walker Manufacturing Company Phone 221-0731 Address c/o Cityscape Urban Design, Bldg. 21, Ste. 242, Old Town Square Mineral Rights Owner/Lessee Address Fort Collins, CO 80524 Applicant Same as Owner Phone Address Registered Engineer or Surveyor RBD Engineering Consultants 2900 South College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80525 226-4955 Address Phone 2. 'Site Data: C Existing Zoning FA-1 Total Development Area 49.244 AC Number of Lots 2 Number of Dwelling Units Proposed 1 Minimum Lot Size Proposed 24.244 AC Linear Feet of New Streets No public Total Number of Sq. Feet of Non-residential Floor Space 45,000 Phase I, 80,000 Expk Total Number of Proposed Off -Street Parking Spaces 51 (Phase I) 3. Domestic Water Supply: Public System FCLWD On -Lot System 3000-gallon holding tank Estimated Requirements* 3500 average gallons/day *(Complete where on -lot water system is proposed) 4. Water Storage for Fire Protection* gallons *(Complete if subdivision is not served by district water or is more than 1 mile from a public water system.) 5. Sewage Disposal: Public System On -Lot System Septic System Estimated Sewage* 1750 average gallons/day *(Complete if sewage is to be treated in on -lot sewage treatment facility.) LCPZ- 109(3/85) (E3 Page 1 of 2 N LCPZ - 32 (1 OB6) 9(_ EXHIBIT "B" Walker Manufacturing owns a 49-acre site presently zoned FA-1. The proposal is to split this site into two parcels of 25 and 24 acres. The 24-acre parcel would remain in the FA-1 zone and a single family dwelling would be constructed on the site. The remaining 25-acre site is requested to be rezoned to I-1 to allow a manufacturing use. Walker Manufacturing is an existing""business .in-Larimer.-, County, presently located on East Harmony Road and in the business of researching,'-=developing,°manufacturing and marketing. the Walker -'Mower, an innovative and unique lawnmower. The company is a family -owned Company, headed by the father, Mr. Max Walker, with the research and development aspects of the business handled by one son, Mr. Dean Walker, who is an engineer, and the marketing areas under the directiop of another son, Mr. Bob Walker. The company presently employs approximately "3.5 ;on_s`ite.1 employees and projects that within one year, that number will be increased to 50. The machines are now sold in every state and five foreign countries. With the steady growth the company has experienced and with the company's emphasis on it's own research and development, it has long since outgrown its present location, and the Walkers in the last two years have been seeking a site that will suit the unique needs of their business and allow them .to remain in Larimer County. Despite their extensive efforts, they have been unable to find a piece of property properly zoned and reasonably available to serve their business needs. The reason for this lies in the nature of the company's business. Because the Walkers do all of the product research and development and must emphasize this aspect of the business to be competitive, it is essential that the company have a large area (approximately 15-20 acres) next to their manufacturing use which, - is planted in grass in order that the lawn -mowing equipment can be consistently tested and improved. This unique feature of the business - a large grassy area - dictates a larger site, untreated water and a more rural environment than could reasonably be found in an urban industrial area. In addition, it is necessary to the business to have a residence nearby so that the company's engineer in charge of research and development (Dean Walker) has continual access to the plant and the grass testing areas. Given this type of business, the use is a hybrid urban/rural use and in many ways very rural in appearance and needs. The newly adopted Larimer County Land Use Plan states that one of its overall goals is, "promoting ""6nd--encouraging job' creation and employment by fostering desirable economic growth." The Plan further states that one of its goals and objectives is to, "create conditions favorable to desirable economic growth" by "presenting and expanding the existing diversified economic base." Further, the Plan creates the concept of an Employment Center Reserve ("ERC") which is a classification which serves to protect areas for major employers, but in which current development for the use is not consistent with adopted plans and/or urban development standards. Although employment centers are high -intensity uses which require urban level services, the Plan provides that "until this intensity of development occurs, interim uses should be appropriate to the existing level of services (emphasis added)." Lastly, the Plan specifies that ERC's are generally in undeveloped areas which have access to major transportation corridors and potential availability of public utilities. Walker Manufacturing is an existing Larimer County business with an expanding employee base and of a type which is desirable because of its lack of negative impai-ts and its contributions to a diversified economic base. The proposed site is in an undeveloped area and has good access to major transportation corridors (good rail and highway access via the adjacent railroad and proximity to the Interstate highway). The use would be appropriate to the existing level of services, consisting of a- septic system adequate to handle existing and expansion. needs.and - wa ter service from the Fort Collins;; --District -, Loveland ; :Water ., through an existing waterline and a domestic water tank. Given the site's location on Harmony Road and in proximity to the Interstate, and given the existing annexation and development policies of the City of Fort Collins, it is not unreasonable to assume the "potential availability of public utilities." M C L ' C EXHIBIT "C" The proposed site on Harmony Road and in proximity to the Interstate provides good access for truck traffic and has a natural separation on three sides from the railroad and the roadways. The proposed use is compatible with the surrounding areas, which include farmlands as well as a fertilizer operation. The impacts of the proposal will be mostly internal to the site and will be minimal on County services. The proposal is supported by the Town of Timnath.