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Home My WebLink AboutTHE FLATS AT HANSEN FARM - FDP230004 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUEST MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 The Flats at Hansen Farm Modification Request – 3.5.2(D) Relationship of Dwelling to Streets and Parking June 29th, 2022 Land Use Code 3.5.2.1 Residential Building Standards (D) Relationship of Dwelling to Streets and Parking. (1) Orientation to a Connecting Walkway. Every front facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face the adjacent street to the extent reasonably feasible. Every front facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face a connecting walkway with no primary entrance more than two hundred (200) feet from a street sidewalk. The following exceptions to this standard are permitted: (a) Up to two (2) single-family detached dwellings on an individual lot that has frontage on either a public or private street. (b) A primary entrance may be up to three hundred fifty (350) feet from a street sidewalk if the primary entrance faces and opens directly onto a connecting walkway that qualifies as a major walkway spine. c) If a multi-family building has more than one (1) front facade, and if one (1) of the front facades faces and opens directly onto a street sidewalk, the primary entrances located on the other front facade(s) need not face a street sidewalk or connecting walkway. Definition of Connecting Walkway Connecting walkway shall mean (1) any street sidewalk, or (2) any walkway that directly connects a main entrance of a building to the street sidewalk without requiring pedestrians to walk across parking lots or driveways, around buildings or around parking lot outlines which are not aligned to a logical route. Reason for the Request The Flats at Hansen Farm Project Development Plan (PDP) is a multifamily project located within the Hansen Farm Overall Development Plan (ODP). Creating a compatible and walkable MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 neighborhood has been a key design objective throughout the PDP process, and the site plan layout was carefully considered. One of the main driving factors in the site layout, as proposed, is to provide a compatible product adjacent to the two-story single-family homes to the west of Tract D. The multifamily designation within the ODP did not anticipate a road to be located between the multifamily and lower density residential designation. In order to address this, the smallest multifamily building is placed closest to the nearest two-story single-family lot. Additionally, the building has been oriented so the shortest elevation with limited windows facing west toward the single-family lot. This configuration helps reduce the scale impact on the future neighbors (Exhibit A below). The main entrance to Building A faces south and connects to the Knobby Pine Drive ROW by way of an unobstructed pedestrian walkway. The proposed connecting walkway is surrounded by landscape plantings and overhead tree canopy, enhancing the pedestrian experience. Some residents may prefer this for safety reasons, while others may like it for the visual advantages or because open space is generally quieter than streets. The building entrance and connecting walkway in question is a total of 241’ to public sidewalk along Knobby Pine Drive (shown in Exhibit B below). The code requires 200’ maximum. A less desirable alternative (for the future neighboring single-family homes), to this modification would be to orient Building A in a north-south axis so that a major walkway spine can be provided, however, this does not promote the level of compatibility we believe is achieved with the proposed layout. The intent of this modification request is to demonstrate that the building orientation and pedestrian connection provided is not detrimental to the public good and are equal to or better than connections provided in a more traditional, street-oriented design. MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 EXHIBIT A EXHIBIT B MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 Justifications The applicant asserts that the modification outlined above meets both LUC 2.8.2(H)(1) and LUC 2.8.2(H)(4) and that the modification would not be detrimental to the public good. Note that the text of the approval criteria is italicized. (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; The purpose of LUC3.5.2(A) states that: “The standards in this section are intended to promote variety, visual interest and pedestrian-oriented streets in residential development.” Although the connecting walk exceeds the 200’ from the nearest public sidewalk, it provides a pedestrian experience that is visually interesting and has variety. The walk will go along the adjacent club house amenity area, which then opens up to a walkway in a larger landscape open space. The connecting walkway offers views into the amenity space as well as beyond to Zephyr Road. In addition, The Flats at Hansen Farm PDP exemplifies the overall purpose of the Residential Building Standards. The multifamily building products meets and exceeds the housing model and variety among buildings designs, with most of the buildings (except for Building 2) orienting towards the streets and connecting walkways. The building model variety along with the site design also add to the visual interest and overall character of the development. LUC 3.5.2(B) describes that the General Standard for residential buildings be that “Pedestrian usability shall be prioritized over vehicular usability.” The modification would enhance the pedestrian usability and would promote a desirable lifestyle option that lessens interactions with vehicles and encourages interactions with green and open space. A building entrance facing a well-designed amenity space and shaded connecting walkway is much more appealing than opening onto a street with vehicular traffic and noise, or a paved parking lot. (4) the plan as submitted will not diverge from the standards of the Land Use Code that are authorized by this Division to be modified except in a nominal, inconsequential way when considered from the perspective of the entire development plan, and will contin ue to advance the purposes of the Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2. MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 The door of the building for which this modification is required is only 41’ out of compliance. The average stride length of an individual is 2.5’ (30”). The average person living in the building is only required to take 17 more steps than a person living in a building which complies with the standard. That distance and amount of additional steps is nominal and inconsequential when taking into account the scale of the development plan. Conclusion: The modification would not be a detriment to the public good and would in fact enhance the public good for the justifications stated above. The modification would allow for a safer pedestrian experience and would allow residents to access the public sidewalk without any interactions to the public street; it would promote a more desirable lifestyle with the building entry opening up onto a green amenity space and connecting walk; is nominal when considering the overall development; and importantly, the modification would also allow for a more compatible site layout with the future 2-story homes to the west. In conclusion and in further support of this criterion for approval, the proposed modification to the General Development Standards would not impair the purposes of the Land Use Code as set forth in Section 1.2.2 and would, in fact, improve and protect the public health, safety and welfare by: (G) increasing public access to mass transit, sidewalks, trails, bicycle routes and other alternative modes of transportation. (J) improving the design, quality, and character of new development. (M) ensuring that development proposals are sensitive to the character of existing neighborhoods