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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSILVER OAKS - PRELIMINARY - 14-88F - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGNEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION MEETING PROJECT: Silver Oaks (formerly Horsetooth West Master Plan) DATE: July 7, 1992 APPLICANT: Rick Armitstead, Tri-Trend Homes PLANNER: Ted Shepard QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS 1. Our primary concern is that this project, with 144 single family homes, will generate a number of elementary school children to put Olander Elementary School over capacity. Class sizes are already too high. In some classes, there are 35 children per one teacher. If children from this project are allowed to attend Olander, then children from other subdivisions may have to be relocated, again, to another school. This seems unfair. The developer had better be prepared in case the School District does not allow any further increases at Olander. Children from the proposed project may be bussed to a school that can handle an increase and the developer should tell his buyers that attending Olander is not a sure thing. RESPONSE: Tri-Trend is assuming that children from Silver Oaks will attend Olander School since it is within walking distance. We will discuss school boundary issues with Poudre R-1 School District so we give our buyers accurate information. 2. As parents, it is frustrating that the School District and the City cannot work more closely on coordinating residential growth and the location of elementary schools. People move into a neighborhood and expect their children to attend the neighborhood school, and not be bussed across town. It is disruptive to have elementary school children relocated due to addtional growth that was not anticipated by the School District. RESPONSE: Tri-Trend agrees that residential growth should be coordinated with school availability just as if education were a utility service. There is evidence that with the new Superintendent, there is better cooperation with between the School District and the City. Olander School site was purchased after the Horsetooth West Master Plan was approved in April of 1988. Therefore, the District should have had some advance notice that the 60 acre Master Plan would develop and generate additional students. 0 3. There needs to be a path or trail to connect Quail Hollow to Olander School. Will this project contribute towards a path connection? RESPONSE: The City has asked us to investigate the construction of such a connection. The path would also have the benefit of connecting our project to the Cottonwood Glen Neighborhood Park being developed next to Quail Hollow. The City will assist in any negotiations necessary with the affected property owners to help determine the alignment of such a path. 4. There is an irrigation ditch between Olander and Quail Hollow. Any path will have to obtain permission from the ditch owner and precautions would have to be taken to minimize the risk. 5. The proj ect does not have any greenbelts or open space. Where do you expect children to play? RESPONSE: Every house constructed in Silver Oaks will generate $625 in Parkland Development Fees. This revenue will be earmarked for development of Cottonwood Glen Neighborhood Park. The system in Fort Collins is that Parkland Development Fees contribute towards a 10 to 15 acre neighborhood park that is developed with substantial improvements to serve an area no larger than one entire square mile section. Having one, large, central park per square mile section is considered more advantageous than a series of small, disjointed greenbelts in individual subdivisions. The greenbelts in Quail Hollow were designed primarily to serve stormwater runoff and offer limited recreational opportunities only as a secondary function. 6. Can the detention pond be used as a park? RESPONSE: Tri-Trend is willing to plant trees and shrubs to make the detention pond attractive but it would not be a good idea to put active recreational facilities in a detention pond next to an arterial street. Active facilities would require maintenance by a homeowners association which adds to the cost of housing. 7. Will the detention pond be fenced? RESPONSE: The homeowners with lots backing onto the pond may elect to construct a fence along their rear property line. As developers, we will not fence the pond in other locations. 8. Will there be a homeowners association? RESPONSE: We are trying to avoid setting up a homeowners association due to the extra burden placed on the home buyer. The final decision has not been made at this point. • 9. Are you buying the five acre commercial site? Could this site be made into a park? RESPONSE: Tri-Trend is not buying this five acre tract. We are home builders, not developers of commercial property. Since this parcel is being sold by the square foot, it is unlikely that it will develop as a park. The owner is expecting that with frontage on two arterials, that there is a demand for commercial development. 10. Will there be a neighborhood meeting if the commercial site develops as a convenience store? RESPONSE: Yes, development of the commercial site will involve a Preliminary and Final P.U.D. and be subject to the same plan review process as the single family development. 11. The neighborhood already has commercial services at County Road 38E and Drake Crossing Shopping Center. We do not need another five acres of commercial at this corner. Would Tri-Trend considering buying the five acres to make it residential? RESPONSE: The parcel is too expensive to buy for residential. The seller is anticipating that the market will demand commercial services at this location so the asking price is set for commercial development. 12. A sign directing traffic to Horsetooth Reservoir, via County Road 38E, is needed at the intersection of Horsetooth and Taft Hill. As it is marked now, there is confusion for out of town drivers looking for the access to the reservoir. These drivers head west on Horsetooth Road, past Taft Hill, and end up lost driving through Springfield subdivision. This increases the traffic and congestion in our neighborhood. RESPONSE: This comment will be forwarded to the City Streets Department to see if a sign could be posted. 13. The density of the project is too high. The lots are too small to be compatible with the homes to the north. The density should be reduced. RESPONSE: The project is located in the City which has a requirement that residential density, on a gross acreage basis, shall not be less than three dwelling units per acre. The proposed P.U.D. comes in at approximately 3.5 dwelling units per acre. The lot sizes in the northwest corner are slightly larger to take advantage of the views to the west. 14. Will there be a traffic signal at Horsetooth and Auntie Stone Street? Children from south of Horsetooth need to cross the street to get to Olander School and right now there is not even a crosswalk or caution lights. Something should be done about this. RESPONSE: As an intersection of an arterial street (Horsetooth Road) and a collector street (Auntie Stone Street), the corner is eligible for a traffic signal at that time in the future when traffic or pedestrian volumes are high enough. Traffic signals are expensive. They are only installed when certain traffic criteria are met or exceeded. The City Transportation Department works with the School District to establish safe routes to school. Sometimes this includes installation of yellow caution signs and, if necessary, blinking yellow lights. These comments will be forwarded to the City Transportation Department. 15. Who is responsible for building the sidewalk on Taft? RESPONSE: As developers with frontage on Taft, Tri-Trend will build the sidewalk as per City specifications. 16. Will there be a factory on the site? RESPONSE: No, each home will be built on its own lot. 17. Will all the foundations be the same like in Rossborough? RESPONSE: No, each model will have its own foundation plan. 18. How many models will there be? RESPONSE: We are not exactly sure at this time but there will likely be around five to seven models. 19. Will there be covenants? Who is responsible if junked cars are stored on the public streets? RESPONSE: We are looking at establishing the same covenants that are in place at Rossborough. Also, the City Zoning Code has ordinances against inoperable vehicles on public streets. 20. Will there be common fencing along Horsetooth Road? RESPONSE: We have designed the cul-de-sacs so that there is a pedestrian connection between the end of the street and the sidewalk along Horsetooth Road. These openings will help break up the privacy fences along the arterial street. 21. Will Auntie Stone Street go north? RESPONSE: The City is interested in providing a local street connection between the residential areas to the north and the elementary school. Such a connection does not have to necessarily be Auntie Stone Street. As development within the square mile section occurs, it will be desirable to allow internal circulation without having to get on the perimeter arterial streets. The location of this connection is undetermined at this time but is being investigated as part of the plan review process.