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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY MARKET PUD - PRELIMINARY - 54-87B - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING (2) • • SECOND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING PROJECT: Harmony Market P.U.D. Preliminary; Pace Warehouse, Final (Formerly the Oak Farm Plaza P.U.D.) LOCATION: Southside of Harmony Road, between Lemay Avenue and Boardwalk Drive. APPLICANT: Pace Membership Warehouse and Feist-Meager Co. c/o Vaught-Frye Architects and Planners DATE: March 22, 1989 PROJECT PLANNER: Ted Shepard QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS 1. The Traffic Impact Analysis should consider the trips that originate from outside of town and what this impact will be on our City streets. RESPONSE: The trip generation data were derived from the manuals of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). This data base is accepted by the industry as an acceptable guideline for projecting trip generation per given land use. The ITE data that were used actually exceeds the projected trip generation anticipated by Pace. Therefore, the trip generation represents a conservative assumption. 2. Will there be a signal at Boardwalk and Harmony? RESPONSE: Yes. The City's Transportation Department has indicated that with the Pace Warehouse, a traffic signal will be warranted. 3. What will be the impact at the intersection of Harmony and Lemay? RESPONSE: With the construction of just a Pace Warehouse, this intersection will continue to operate acceptably (levels of service A, B, and C). In the long range, assuming full build-out of the entire P.U.D., the intersection is recommended to include three through travel lanes on Harmony (east and west), and two through travel lanes on Lemay (north and south). There would be a separate right turn lane in all four directions. There would be a separate left turn lane in all four directions with the exception of northbound Lemay which would feature double left turn lanes. 4. The intersection of Lemay and Horsetooth is a "T" intersection. What would be the impact on this intersection? RESPONSE: The Traffic Study indicates the existing geometries at this intersection would accommodate the increased percentage of trips due from the Harmony Market P.U.D. 5. There are curves on Lemay Avenue between Harmony and Horsetooth. Would the increased trips cause a safety problem through the curves? RESPONSE: The curves on Lemay represent an existing condition to circumvent Warren Lake and Warren Park. It is doubtful that these curves will ever be straightened out. Therefore, speeds will have to held down to a safe situation. 6. There is a concern about increased traffic on Boardwalk, which is a collector, not an arterial street. Can Boardwalk handle the additional volumes? What about on Saturday mornings when cars are parked on both sides for youth soccer games? RESPONSE: It is anticipated, that Boardwalk will continue to serve the collector function of moving traffic throughout the square mile section, and not escalate to the function of moving traffic across town. The primary reason for this is that the Harmony and College intersection will prioritize southbound College to eastbound Harmony with a double left turn cycle. This is designed to keep cross-town traffic on the arterials rather than on the collectors. The increase of traffic on Boardwalk should remain within its design capacity. Saturday morning soccer games are unusual events and are not factored into the analysis. 7. There is a concern that trucks will use Lemay. RESPONSE: It is likely that most all trucks will use Harmony Road from I-25 and not come up Lemay from Highway 287. 8. What about increased traffic and the effect on air quality? RESPONSE: One of the keys to reducing carbon monoxide emissions is to keep traffic flowing as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Idling engines at signals, drive-up banks, and fast food restaurants create additional emissions. Another way to reduce emissions is to reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled within the City. A third way is to encourage alternate forms of transportation. Finally, as older cars become replaced by cleaner models, emissions will be reduced. The City Transportation Department will begin a Multi-modal Transportation Plan that will look at the City as a whole. The process will encourage citizen participation. The entire process is expected .to take about two years. The Department of Natural Resources will work in conjunction with the Transportation Department to implement the goals of cleaning up the air. It is difficult, at this time, to pin the problems of the City's air on one particular development proposal. Until the new Transportation Plan recommends design criteria, the development review system remains on a case by case basis. As a result, the City has asked the developer to submit an air quality analysis that would be similar in scope to the study done for the Foothills Fashion Mall —2— 41110 expansion. This analysis will be reviewed by the Department of Natural Resources. 9. What about locating out by I-25? RESPONSE: As stated at the first meeting (March 2, 1989), Pace prefers to be located within an urbanized area. Also, there are not that many parcels available out by the interstate that have existing utilities and adequate access roads. 10. What about the additional trucks on Harmony and the current speed limit? RESPONSE: The City anticipates that the area within the Harmony corridor will become more urbanized over the long range. As a result, the City has petitioned the State Division of Highways to reduce the speed limit to 45 m.p.h. The State, thus far, has refused to do this. 11. With increased traffic on Harmony, something should be done with the diamond interchange at Harmony and I-25. During the afternoon peak, the exit ramp is clogged and cars are stacked out to deceleration lane on I-25. The visibility at the top of the ramp is extremely dangerous with cross traffic traveling at high speeds. This is a problem that needs immediate attention. RESPONSE: The ramp and interchange are under the jurisdiction of the State Division of Highways. It is rumored that the State is considering a signal at the top of the ramp to solve some of the immediate problems. The Traffic Study indicates that only 15% of the trip generation will be derived from the east. Harmony Road area. 12. Has adequate consideration been given to potential accidents? RESPONSE: The City reported that there were two accidents in 1988 at the intersection of Harmony and Lemay. These occurred in July and August during the daylight hours. The Traffic Impact. Analysis states that: "The recommended control devices and geometries should minimize vehicular conflicts and maximize vehicle separation. Therefore, the accident rate should be at its minimum for a typical urban condition." 13. Does the Traffic Impact Analysis account for additional anchor tenants such as Cub Foods or a large furniture store? RESPONSE: Yes. The Study examined both the short range (1990) and the long range at full build-out (2010). The Study states: "At full development as proposed, approximately 21,000 trip ends will be generated at this site. Some of these will be from the background traffic already passing by this site. The Pace Membership Warehouse will generate approximately 5,000 of the total daily trip ends." 14. What about delays at the side streets intersecting with Lemay? —3— • RESPONSE: The Traffic Impact Analysis did not analyze the intersections on Lemay north of Harmony Road (Wheaton/Whalers Way, Ticonderoga/Harbor Walk). However, it is likely that as urbanization occurs, there will be increased delays for left turn movements during the A.M. and P.M. peaks. 15. Does the project have approval of the State Division of Highways? RESPONSE: Applications are being made to the State for the extension of Boardwalk Drive across Harmony and the right-in/right-out access on Harmony. The applications will be reviewed concurrently by the State during the plan review process. 16. The land uses represented by the center are concentrated. From the standpoint of promoting air quality, wouldn't it be better to disperse the land uses? RESPONSE: The problem with dispersion is that it would result in more vehicle miles traveled and, thus, more emissions. Concentrated mixed-use development is encouraged by the Land Development Guidance System to prevent urban sprawl. With concentrated land uses, however, local conditions may vary. For instance, the City's worst air pollution problem is along College Avenue. 17. What is the impact on air quality from trucks? Should trucks be directed away from existing residential areas to avoid air pollution problems? RESPONSE: While diesel trucks contribute to particulate emissions, and thus the regional brown cloud, they actually produce less carbon monoxide which is the primary pollutant by which our air is measured against federal and state standards. 18. Do we need a change in policy in regard to evaluating traffic and air quality impacts of regional and community land uses? RESPONSE: The City's Transportation Dept. and Natural Resources Dept. are aware of the need to coordinate transportation issues and air quality. This is why an air quality analysis was done for the Foothills Mall and why one has been required for this development. Formulating such a coherent policy will take time and must be linked to upcoming overall City Transportation Plan. 19. The planning process appears rushed. Is seven weeks an adequate time frame to review a development proposal of this magnitude? RESPONSE: The combined preliminary and final for the 15 acre Pace project was the avenue chosen by the applicant. The process offers a combined preliminary and final for applicants who have the ability to submit required documents and turn around revised plans in an expedient manner. There is always the risk that the applicant will not be able to complete the necessary plan revisions in a timely manner or that the Planning and Zoning Board may hear only the preliminary request and split the final for another month. 20. There is a concern about the appearance of the building pads along Harmony Road. This will be a sensitive area for existing residences to the north. —4— . • ® ® RESPONSE: The developer is aware of this sensitivity and the preliminary P.U.D. for these buildings will specify the design intent. 21. It must be emphasized that the overall appearance of the buildings in the center will impact the residential areas. All buildings must be of high quality and of a residential character. The Toddy's at Scotch Pines is a good example of a commercial use that is residential in character. The proposed center must not appear as a strip commercial center that is typical of South College. 22. Signage along Harmony must be controlled. There is a potential that a proliferation of ugly signage, advertising every shop or business, will negatively impact the surrounding neighborhoods. RESPONSE: Fort Collins has a very strict sign code. In addition, sign review is part of the P.U.D. process. It is likely that the only signage on Harmony will be an identification sign for the entire center. The Sign Code only allows one street sign per frontage per platted lot. Please realize, however, that retailers need visibility and there will be signage for the center. The exact number of signs and locations is undetermined at this time. 23. Why is the building tilt-up concrete and not brick? Brick would be more compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhoods. RESPONSE: Pace has 39 stores. Three are brick. Two are in Denver (Aurora and Arvada) where Pace does not own the buildings but leases the space. Pace prefers tilt-up concrete because it is the store prototype and is more flexible in terms of design. 24. Is Pace on such a tight profit margin that brick cannot be considered? Or, is Pace on a fast track to try and beat the proposed Sam's Discount Warehouse in Loveland? A "fast track" for Pace may not be in the best interest of the neighborhoods. 25. Could the sides of the building be softened to minimize the scale of the structure and to promote neighborhood compatibility? RESPONSE: Yes. The architect is exploring a variety of design treatments that will be presented to the leaders of the various neighborhood groups in subsequent meetings. 26. What kinds of activities go on in the "tire shop"? RESPONSE: The shop is for tire mounting and balancing only. There will be no oil changes or engine work. There will be mechanical hoists. 27. It appears the center will be phased. How will the architectural character be preserved over the life of the construction? There is a concern that a variety of architectural elements will result in another strip center. —5— • RESPONSE: Construction will not be on a speculative basis. Other than Pace, it is likely that the center will be 80% pre-leased before construction. The tenants will all be AAA tenants. The P.U.D. document will establish the intended character. A unifying design theme is the intent, not a variety of styles. It is not the intention to create another strip center. 28. What kinds of land uses are likely in a discount center? RESPONSE: The developer is talking to restaurants that would be like a "Bennigan's" and a bank is being considered. There would be no bingo or skating rinks. Fast food restaurants have not been eliminated. 29. Is there adequate parking? RESPONSE: Yes. The parking ratios are within established norms. 30. What about the storm drainage? There are basements in Fairway Estates that get flooded. There is high ground water table in the area (4 feet). The history of irrigation of the field is that it drains to the southwest towards Fairway Estates. There is a very strong concern that excess runoff will get into the ground water and cause subsidence or severe property damage. These are very important issues that must be addressed. RESPONSE: The soils report indicates that the groundwater depth is in the range of 10 to 12 feet. The site will be designed such that the stormwater runoff flows to the south and east and not to the southwest. Onsite detention, with controlled release rates, is required by the City's Stormwater Utility. Downstream drainage improvements have been sized to accommodate upstream developed conditions. Drainage will not enter Mail Creek but rather an existing ditch referred by two names as either McClelland's Creek or Mail Creek Ditch. 31. The southwest corner of the Pace has been treated differently since the first meeting (March 2nd). Oak Ridge Drive has been realigned and the detention pond has been reduced. This decreases the setback and buffering. This does not promote neighborhood compatibility. RESPONSE: It is true that Oak Ridge Drive has been realigned and the detention pond has been redesigned. There has been no change to the amount of water detained. 32. What are the opportunities for "sinking" the building to lower the profile? This has been successfully done in other communities. RESPONSE: There are no plans to sink the building. The building floor elevation is approximately 10 to 12 feet lower than the elevation for Harmony Rd. 33. How effective will the landscaping be in the winter? RESPONSE: There will be a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees for seasonal variety. However, the landscaping will not be as effective in the winter as in the summer. —6— S 34. Has the developer considered planting trees on the west side of Boardwalk Drive? This would help establish a noise and sight buffer. RESPONSE: This will be considered. 35. If the project is built in phases, and the Pace loading area is not screened, would the developer consider temporary screening to the east? RESPONSE: Yes. This will also be considered. 36. The transitional land uses west of Boardwalk Drive will be very important to maintain the quality of life in Fairway Estates. Not only will these uses have to buffer the center but must be compatible with the existing homes as well. RESPONSE: This is a good comment and will be passed along to those who are the applicants for the amended Master Plan. —7—