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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY MARKET PUD - PRELIMINARY - 54-87B - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING 410 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING MINUTES PROJECT: Oak Farm Plaza P.U.D. Preliminary; Pace Warehouse, Final LOCATION: South side of Harmony Road, between Lemay Avenue and Boardwalk Dr. APPLICANT: Pace Membership Warehouse c/o Vaught-Frye Architects and Planners DATE: March 2, 1989 PROJECT PLANNER: Ted Shepard QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS 1. The site is 48 acres. This will be large center. What kind of stores and businesses will in the center? Specifically, will this be a "warehouse" center that would be more compatible out by the interstate? RESPONSE: The Pace Membership Warehouse is a 100,000 store that serves a variety of customers. Typical Pace customers include small businesses, restaurants, professionals needing office supplies, as well as retail customers. Pace utilizes pallet racking to store overstock since there is no "back room". Pace is a leader in the new concept of large volume retailing. The store is not a "warehouse" typically associated with wholesale distribution located in industrial parks. Pace carries only name brand merchandise. There are no factory seconds or damaged goods. Inventory ranges from car leasing to tires to a full service jewelry counter. Most of the items are packaged in large quantities. Pace functions like a retail store. The typical customer spends about one hour in the store. The first two hours, from 9:00 to 11:00, are reserved for members only. At 11:00, the store is open to the general public. The store closes at 9:00 p.m. There would be about 15 semi-trucks per day delivering the inventory. 2. How is membership defined? RESPONSE: There are a variety of memberships. First, any business with a tax license may become a member for a fee of $25 per year. Second, individuals can become "premier" members also for $25 per year. Third, the general public can shop and pay an extra 5% over the price at the register. Finally, there are group memberships available through major employers and credit unions. Pace does not advertise. Rather, marketing efforts are directed towards increasing memberships. 1110 3. How many members would the Fort Collins store have? RESPONSE: Pace anticipates about 8,200 to 8,500 customers per week. 4. Why doesn't Pace locate out by I-25? This would make it easier to draw from Cheyenne, Greeley, Windsor, and still attract from Fort Collins. RESPONSE: The primary reason for not locating out by I-25 is the availability of utility services and access roads. Extending water, sewer, natural gas, electricity, and road improvements is more expensive than locating where these services are in place. Also, Pace prefers to be part of existing urban development rather than out in the County. The 39 existing stores are all located in urban settings. Pace also feels there would be less business if located out by I-25. 5. How about up north? Why doesn't Pace locate in Evergreen Park? RESPONSE: Pace has looked at sites in Fort Collins for over one year. From a market feasibility standpoint, the company prefers to be located in south Fort Collins. 6. By locating on Harmony Road, traffic will increase due to customers from Cheyenne and Greeley. This will be a detriment to those now using Harmony Rd. RESPONSE: A Traffic Impact Analysis is being prepared to analyze the impacts and assess the mitigation necessary to accommodate the shopping center planned for the entire 48 acres. This Traffic Study will be part of the public record and reviewed by the City's Transportation Department. 7. What will be the exterior building materials? RESPONSE: The exterior will be tilt-up concrete with other masonry features, inlaid details, and appropriate use of colors. There would be a prominent entry feature. 8. Lighting is a very important concern. Excess lighting becomes "light pollution" and detracts from the quality of life. A poor example of excessive lighting is Tynan's Nissan on South College. What will be the lighting situation at Pace? RESPONSE: Please be aware that Tynan's was developed in the County. Pace will be reviewed through the P.U.D. process in the City of Fort Collins which has strict review criteria; As part of the P.U.D., the developer will provide details on the outdoor lighting, the number of fixtures, the locations, the height, and the type light diffusion. Pace does not have a car lot like Tynan's and, therefore, has no particular need to light up the sky. 9. The Pace store in Arvada is constructed of red brick. Why can't the Fort Collins store also be made of red brick rather than masonry? RESPONSE: The development of the Fort Collins site is different from the situation in Arvada. In order to make the project feasible in Fort Collins, the store must be constructed of masonry materials. -2— 10. It is likely that Pace will have a large number of employees. If these employees move in from other towns, then this will be a burden on the existing residents and tax payers, especially for public education. RESPONSE: It is likely that most employees will be from Fort Collins. Employees from outside of Fort Collins will likely commute from their existing homes in the area rather than move to Fort Collins. 11. The Hewlett-Packard plant on Harmony Road is a good example of lighting that is sensitive to the surrounding area. 12. The development of the entire 48 acres will have a traffic impact on Lemay Avenue. There are intersections on Lemay Avenue that serve the Golden Meadows subdivision. This will have a negative impact on these residences. RESPONSE: Again, the Traffic Impact Analysis will assess the impacts on the surrounding street system. This report will be reviewed by the City. 13. Where will the storm drainage runoff go? RESPONSE: Storm flows will be detained onsite towards the south side of the site in detention ponds designed to release at the two year historic rate. Flows will then continue south and east and enter a culvert under Lemay Ave. at Keenland Dr. From the east side of Lemay to the railroad tracks, flows will be conveyed in the open grass swale that parallels Keenland Dr. This swale was designed to accommodate upstream developed flows. Ultimately, flows will enter the Fossil Creek inlet ditch and spill into Fossil Creek reservoir. 14. Warehouses are not compatible with the adjacent residential uses. The 1979 Land Use Policies Plan did not anticipate these large, high volume type of uses. Warehouse retailing does not belong at this location. 15. The standard, 24-hour fast food restaurant would be a very obnoxious use to put in the center. Such a use would not be compatible with the existing neighborhoods. 16. If the project is developed in phases, will the undeveloped portions become an eyesore? RESPONSE: No. The undeveloped portions will continue to be farmed as it is now. Areas that are overlot graded must be treated with erosion control measures to meet City requirements. 17. Will the phases be identified on the Preliminary P.U.D.? RESPONSE: Yes. 18. Why is this neighborhood meeting even being held. The proposed uses are so incompatible that the proposal should be objected out of hand. 19. Berms along Harmony would help soften the impact of the building. -3— • 20. How many parking spaces would the entire center have? RESPONSE: 1,750. (The Foothills Mall has 3,000). 21. Who would be the tenant for the furniture store pad? RESPONSE: Undecided. 22. The Pace people should be aware that there is currently a glut of retail space on the market in Fort Collins. Any market feasibility study should be carefully scrutinized to account for this existing slump. The addition of all this retail space seems contrary to existing conditions. RESPONSE: The developer will not begin construction of any phase until there is at least a 75% pre-lease rate. This is how the developer's other centers have been constructed. The center will not be a "speculative" center. 23. What are the projected sales for this Pace and did the Palm Springs store meet its projected sales? RESPONSE: First year projected sales are estimated to be $30 million plus or minus 1000. The Palm Springs store exceeded its projected annual sales. 24. There appears to be a danger to existing small businesses in Fort Collins due to the large discounts offered by Pace. How will Pace benefit the City? RESPONSE: First, Pace will help keep shoppers from going to Denver to shop at the existing large retailers. This will help prevent "retail leakage" and keep local dollars circulating in the local economy. Second, Pace will draw shoppers from other surrounding communities who will bring their dollars to Fort Collins. Out of town shoppers may patronize other businesses in Fort Collins as well. With the multiplier effect, out of town dollars will have additional benefits to the community. Finally, many small businesses will become Pace members because of the competitive prices and this will contribute to the efficiency and fiscal strength of the small business community. 25. When the Oak - Cottonwood Farms Master Plan was approved by the Planning and Zoning Board in late 1987, there was no indication that this 48 acre parcel would develop as a community and regional shoppin g center. Therefore, it seems unfair to the neighborhoods that it is now being developed to such an intense use. RESPONSE: Parcel 1 B is designated on the Master Plan as Business Services. Note Number 6 on the Master Plan states that Business Services is identified to include: retail shops, offices, indoor theatres, restaurants, health clubs, hotels, medical clinics, and similar uses. 26. Amory Lovins, a nationally acclaimed energy conservation expert, has recently stated that there are a variety of technologies available to reduce energy consumption in large warehouses. Pace is strongly encouraged to investigate these technologies when designing the Fort Collins facility. —4— e � 27. Who would develop the buildings on Harmony Road? RESPONSE: The developer for the entire site is Feist - Meager Company. The company has done large centers in Colorado Springs and the Denver metro area. For instance, the company has completed 12 office buildings in the Denver area, and a 215,000 square foot center in Colorado Springs that is anchored by a Cub Foods and is 95% leased. Other projects include a 125,000 square foot center in Colorado Springs, and a 175,000 square foot center at Mineral and Broadway in suburban Denver that is anchored by a Cub Foods and Osco. 28. How many trees will be lost due to the right-in and right-out intersection along Harmony Road? RESPONSE: The developer will go to great lengths to save the mature blue spruce trees. Other trees, however, may be lost. In any event, the City Forester will be consulted before any trees are removed from the site. 29. What is the Pace setback from Harmony Road? RESPONSE: 750 feet. 30. If Pace is developed as the first phase, then it is unlikely that Oak Ridge Drive will be connected from Boardwalk to Lemay. This will make Boardwalk a very attractive alternative for residents who live north and east of the site to avoid the Harmony and College intersection. Boardwalk is a collector street and is not designed to carry traffic volumes associated with an arterial street. It is strongly encouraged that the first phase (Pace) be required to construct Oak Ridge Drive all the way from Boardwalk to Lemay to relieve pressure of Boardwalk. RESPONSE: The improvements required for the Pace phase will be detailed in the Traffic Impact Analysis which will be reviewed by the City. 31. There is a concern that the 80 foot wide greenbelt along Harmony will be phased and not completed with development of Pace. The complete 80 foot buffer should be built with Pace in order to establish the landscaping. 32. How will the project be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Board? RESPONSE: The entire 48 acres will be submitted as a Preliminary P.U.D and the individual Pace parcel will be submitted as a combined Preliminary and Final P.U.D. 33. There is nothing magical about an 80 foot buffer along Harmony Road. It may be that 80 feet is not sufficient for a 100,000 square foot building. RESPONSE: Keep in mind the buildings on Harmony will be limited to 25 feet in height. The buffer will feature berms, deciduous trees and evergreen trees. 34. Additional traffic on Harmony means additional traffic on Timberline Rd. Right now, Timberline is used heavily to get from Prospect to Harmony. RESPONSE: Again, the Traffic Impact Analysis will address these concerns. —5— e 35. What is the anticipated tenant mix of the center? RESPONSE: The developer would like to attract one additional large anchor. This could conceivably be a Weberg's Furniture or a Cub Food Store. The latter use would be about 65,000 square. (A large King Soopers is about 60,000 square feet.) 36. There is a very strong concern about the lasting quality of tilt-up concrete. Over time, this exterior does not present a very warm feel. There are some poor examples of large retail architecture in Fort Collins such as the Target, Arbor Plaza, and Fred Schmid's. On the other hand, there are some good examples such as Scotch Pines Village and Drake Crossing. The emphasis should be on quality so the project becomes an asset to the neighborhood. This upgraded quality should be applied to all four sides so the center does not have a back side. 37. Upgrading the quality of Pace would go a long way to minimize the perception that Fort Collins is becoming "discount city". There are other communities in the country that have shabby discount centers. Fort Collins should be careful not to repeat the same mistakes. RESPONSE: The developer and Pace in no way intend for the center to be perceived as a shabby discount center. Pace sells first line quality merchandise and does not want the architecture to indicate otherwise. In all fairness, there are some qualities associated masonry and tilt-up concrete. Other buildings in Fort Collins that are tilt-up concrete include Hewlett-Packard in Golden Meadows, Fountainhead, Diamond Lumber, and Vineyard Fellowship on Riverside Drive. 38. How wide is the buffer treatment on Boardwalk Drive? RESPONSE: About 35 to 50 feet. 39. Mixed use development, with proper attention paid to aesthetics, is desirable. The well planned, attractive communities in the country promote mixed use development as an appropriate land use. 40. There is a fear that too much commercial development on vacant land will make Fort Collins look like a sprawled community (Aurora and L.A.). Commercial development should be encouraged to locate on vacant infill parcels. Vacant land on the fringe of the City should be purchased for permanent open space. Obsolete land uses should be converted or recycled into new uses. Pace should located on a parcel that will cause less impact to the environment. RESPONSE: It would be impossible for Pace to move into an existing structure and rehabilitate for the Pace inventory and sales system. Similarly, demolishing older structures to clear a site would be cost prohibitive. 41. With a phased development, Boardwalk would be the only access. This means there would be 15 semi-trucks per day and all the customers using Boardwalk which is only about 500 to 600 feet away from the homes in Fairway Estates. This is an unacceptable negative impact that existing residents should not have to tolerate. The proposed 35 to 50 feet of landscaping along Boardwalk is insufficient to mitigate the traffic, noise, and pollution. The homes —6— • along Fairway Estates will suffer a loss in property values much as the homes to the west suffered when Fred Schmid's was built. The Pace should be shifted further east out by I-25. 42. The developer should be aware that there is a subsurface water problem in the area and that the soils are not conducive to development. RESPONSE: A soils analysis is being prepared and all development will be engineered to compensate for the soils limitations. 43. The Oak - Cottonwood Farm Master Plan indicates single family west of Boardwalk Drive. This would be inconceivable so close to a 100,000 foot warehouse. The Pace, therefore, minimizes the intended buffer of transitional land uses to protect the integrity of Fairway Estates. This seems unfair. 44. The view to the mountains will be obscured by the shopping center. RESPONSE: The architect will provide cross-sections to illustrate the impact of the structure. 45. Recently, a developer in Denver agreed to financially participate in a public transportation project. Would Pace agree to the same in Fort Collins? RESPONSE: The Denver example does not apply to Fort Collins since it involved a monorail from the Denver Tech Center to Downtown. In Fort. Collins, thankfully, adequate transportation systems are in place and there is no present need for such expensive facilities. As a corporate citizen, Pace would pay its fair assessment of any public transportation improvement project that would benefit the City. Pace, however, would be reluctant to individually fund a project that should properly be borne by all the citizens. 46. How many trucks would serve a typical Cub Foods? RESPONSE: The same as Pace, about 15 trucks per day. 47. It would be a mistake for the City if Pace were developed to a lesser standard of quality in order to beat Sam's Discount Warehouse being proposed in Loveland. Competition in the market place does not absolve Pace from providing the proper buffering, mitigation, and upgraded design that would be necessary to become compatible with the existing neighborhoods. 48. Pace is encouraged to consider good design as good economics in the long run. Doing a low level of design may be economic in the short range but it is really a false economy in the long range. While Pace may have its profit margins, the adjacent homeowners have their life savings invested in their homes. 49. It is important to remind the developer that ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the center is vital to preserving property values. RESPONSE: The developer will be responsible for the center but Pace will own its building. Pace is very conscious that upkeep and maintenance is important for not only property values but for keeping the customer base. —7— I 50. The developer is encouraged to look at the shopping center in Greeley that is anchored by Toddy's. This center is a good example of sensitive design that is compatible with adjacent residential uses. —8—