HomeMy WebLinkAboutHEARTSIDE HILL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT - PDP210020 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 3 - MODIFICATION REQUEST (3)
July 11, 2022
City of Fort Collins
Current Planning Department
281 North College Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Re: Heartside Hill Modification Request
Please accept this request for a Modification of Standards to Section 3.8.30 (C)(2)(b) of the Land
Use Code.
Modification to Section 3.8.30 (C)(2)(b)
Code Language: Section 3.8.30(C)(2)(b)
(b) Location. Such parks shall be highly visible, secure settings formed by the street layout and
pattern of lots and easily observed from streets. Rear facades and rear yards of dwellings shall
not abut more than two (2) sides or more than fifty (50) percent of the perimeter frontage of the
park.
Requested Modification: We are requesting that the park be in an alternative location that does
not meet all of the item (b) above’s requirements.
Background
Heart of the Rockies Christian Church, CARE Housing, Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity and
Friends of L’Arche Fort Collins are proposing a collaborative project that will intentionally address
some of the key issues facing our community: affordable housing, affordable home ownership,
support for individuals with developmental disabilities, community integration and early childhood
development.
The site is located on 8.35 acres that is currently owned by the church.
The plan proposes the following:
· 72 units of multi-family deed-restricted housing (CARE Housing)
· 9 single-family lots for affordable home ownership (Habitat for Humanity)
· 2 lots with homes supporting adults with developmental disabilities (Friends of L’Arche)
· Shared amenities including play areas, community gardens, walking paths, gathering
areas and open spaces.
The 10.78- acre property is currently divided into 2 lots, known as “Heart of the Rockies First
Subdivision”. Lot 1 is 2.4 acres in size and is fully developed with a 7,073 SF church building,
1,440 SF modular building, parking lot, playground and community garden. The site is served by
2
South Fort Collins Sanitation District and Loveland-Fort Collins Water District. Lot 2 is currently
undeveloped and is 8.35 acres in size.
Modification Criteria
The request of approval for this modification complies with the standards per Review Criteria 2.8.2
(H)(1) and (2) in the following ways:
1. The plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the
modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with
the standard for which a modification is requested.
2. the granting of a modification from the strict application of any standard would, without
impairing the intent and purpose of this Land Use Code, substantially alleviate an
existing, defined and described problem of city-wide concern or would result in a
substantial benefit to the city by reason of the fact that the proposed project would
substantially address an important community need specifically and expressly defined and
described in the city's Comprehensive Plan or in an adopted policy, ordinance or
resolution of the City Council, and the strict application of such a standard would render
the project practically infeasible.
Further, We feel that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public
good.
Justification
We feel that the plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which
the modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan that meets the
standard and substantially alleviate an existing, defined and described problem of city-
wide concern for the following reasons:
· Although the park in the alternative plan is not technically bound by a street network, it is
still highly visible from the apartment development and Lemay Avenue. It is centrally-
located and is formed by a system of concrete and crusher fines pathways. A covered
pavilion anchors the space, with bench seating, picnic tables, a sandbox play area, swing
set and a turf area.
· The north-south 8’ concrete path provides an enhanced connection for pedestrian and
bicyclists that acts in lieu of a street, thus providing a walkway spine that draws people into
the space.
· The proposed alternative plan continues to improve the design, quality and character of
new development by exceeding the building standards set forth in Section 3.5. The use of
high quality residential building materials, building articulation, projections and recesses,
ensures sensitivity to and compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.
· We feel that the proposed alternative plan ensures sensitivity to the surrounding
neighborhood by building an attractive, desirable product that will fullfill a community-wide
need as an affordable housing project.