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HomeMy WebLinkAbout209 CHERRY STREET - MIXED USE - PDP230006 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE REQUESTAlternative Compliance 209 CHERRY ST - MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT SECTION 3.2.1 - LANDSCAPING AND TREE PROTECTION STANDARDS 3.2.1(D) Land use code:Tree Planting Standards. All developments shall establish groves and belts of trees along all city streets, in and around parking lots, and in all landscape areas that are located within fifty (50) feet of any building or structure in order to establish at least a partial urban tree canopy. The groves and belts may also be combined or interspersed with other landscape areas in remaining portions of the development to accommodate views and functions such as active recreation and storm drainage. (1)Minimum Plantings/Description. These tree standards require at least a minimum tree canopy but are not intended to limit additional tree plantings in any remaining portions of the development. Groves and belts of trees shall be required as follows: • (a)parking lot landscaping in accordance with the parking lot landscaping standards as set forth in this Section and in Section 3.2.2. Access, Circulation and Parking; • (b)street tree planting in accordance with the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards or other street tree planting as defined in subsection (2)(b) or (c) below; • (c)”full tree stocking” shall be required in all landscape areas within fifty (50) feet of any building or structure as further described below. Landscape areas shall be provided in adequate numbers, locations and dimensions to allow full tree stocking to occur along all high use or high visibility sides of any building or structure. Such landscape areas shall extend at least seven (7) feet from any building or structure wall and contain at least fifty- five (55) square feet of nonpaved ground area, except that any planting cutouts in walkways shall contain at least sixteen (16) square feet. Planting cutouts, planters or other landscape areas for tree planting shall be provided within any walkway that is twelve (12) feet or greater in width adjoining a vehicle use area that is not covered with an overhead fixture or canopy that would prevent growth and maturity. Full tree stocking shall mean formal or informal groupings of trees planted according to the following spacing dimensions: shall mean formal or informal groupings of trees planted according to the following spacing dimensions: Tree Type Minimum/Maximum Spacing Canopy shade trees 30’—40’ spacing Coniferous evergreens 20’—40’ spacing Ornamental trees 20’—40’ spacing Exact locations and spacings may be adjusted at the option of the applicant to support patterns of use, views and circulation as long as the minimum tree planting requirement is met. Canopy shade trees shall constitute at least fifty (50) percent of all tree plantings. Trees required in subparagraphs (a) or (b) above may be used to contribute to this standard. (2)Street Trees. Planting of street trees shall occur in the adjoining street right-of-way, except as described in subparagraph (b) below, in connection with the development by one (1) or more of the methods described in subparagraphs (a) through (d) below: • (a)Wherever the sidewalk is separated from the street by a parkway, canopy shade trees shall be planted at thirty-foot to forty-foot spacing (averaged along the entire front and sides of the block face) in the center of all such parkway areas. If two (2) or more consecutive residential lots along a street each measure between forty (40) and sixty (60) feet in street frontage width, one (1) tree per lot may be substituted for the thirty-foot to forty-foot spacing requirement. Such street trees shall be placed at least eight (8) feet away from the edges of driveways and alleys, and forty (40) feet away from any streetlight and to the extent reasonably feasible, be positioned at evenly spaced intervals. • (b)Wherever the sidewalk is attached to the street in a manner that fails to comply with the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards, canopy shade trees shall be established in an area ranging from three (3) to seven (7) feet behind the sidewalk at the spacing intervals as required in subsection (a) above. Wherever the sidewalk is attached to the street and is ten (10) feet or more in width, or extends from the curb to the property line, canopy shade trees shall be established in planting cutout areas of at least sixteen (16) square feet at thirty-foot to forty-foot spacing. • (c)Ornamental trees shall be planted in substitution for the canopy shade trees required in subsection (D)(2)(a) and (b) above where overhead lines and fixtures prevent normal growth and maturity. Ornamental trees shall be placed at least fifteen (15) feet away from any streetlight. 10’ Separation Parkway (proposed planting area) Existing Water Mainline 10’ Separation Property Line Existing Box Culvert Alternative Compliance 209 CHERRY ST - MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT Justification for Alternative Compliance: The proposed landscape plan shows enhanced landscape planting, working within the challenging site limitations of this property. The site is constrained for a number of reasons: • The existing water mainline on the north side of the property (Cherry St) runs along the existing curb line of the street. The entire parkway area is within 10’ of this water mainline, which is not able to move in location. See below. • The existing large box culvert on the west side of the property, located within the “civic spine” corridor is a major constraint of this site. It is a city owned and operated utility structure that cannot move. • The building must be a minimum of 10’ from the edge of the box culvert, which creates little space for the streetscape on Mason Street (east side of property) due to the decreased area of build-able space within the property. • No trees can be planted within 10’ of the box culvert which then eliminates the entire west side of the site from being able to accommodate any trees within the property boundary. • See below. Stormwater Utility Line On-Street Parking to match existing conditions Connection to existing south property 8’-11” Separation 12’-9” Separation Alternative Compliance 209 CHERRY ST - MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT • Existing constraints and overall site hardships do not allow for street tree plantings on Mason St. • Required utility service lines and storm water spacing requirements for trees from these lines leave no area for street tree plantings or a parkway on Mason St. • In addition to utility lines on Mason, the box culvert has create an extremely tight spacing the building on the east/west dimension due to minimum separation requirements from the culvert. • The existing curbline on Mason St accommodates on-street parking, which we do not want to lose to feedback from the neighborhood meeting and to match the existing curbline to the south at Mason Flats. • Therefore, it is not advantageous to the project or residents to move the curbline on Mason to accommodate more space along this frontage. See below. Due to these constraints, a limited amount of area is left for developing the allowed mixed-use building on this site. This impacts the ability for street trees and other areas of tree planting on all main sides of the building. The proposed landscape plan accomplishes the purpose of this requirement equally well or better in the following ways: • The proposed landscape plan shows landscape areas in all locations possible, including the enhanced ‘civic spine’ connection on the west side of the property • The proposed landscape plan intends to use xeric and pollinator plantings to enhance biodiversity and bring as much plant life as possibly to the site • The existing conditions of the site include no landscape areas, no living trees (one dead tree on site), and no enhanced pedestrian space. The proposed landscape plan provides plantings and pedestrian-friendly spaces to the best of our ability. • The team intends to work with the Nature in the City program for plant selection and use our planting areas as a model for native and xeric strategies for other developers in Fort Collins. Alternative Compliance 209 CHERRY ST - MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT • Lastly, the landscape plan uses larger shrubs where possible to increase the height of the landscaped areas and assist in spacial definition of these areas. The Land Use Code 3.2.1(B) states in regards to the purpose of this code sections that “... These benefits include reduced erosion and stormwater runoff, improved water conservation, air pollution mitigation, reduced glare and heat build-up, increased aesthetics, and improved continuity within and between developments”. • The proposed landscape plan meets or exceeds these points of purpose by providing a significant amount, over 5,000 SF, of landscape area compared to the existing condition, which contains no improved landscape area. This 5,000SF of low to very low water use xeric and native plants will be an example of water conservation and increased aesthetics of the neighborhood. For all the reasons cited above, the Applicant requests an alternative compliance of the standard in LUC Section 3.2.1.D(1) and (2) to allow for less than the required minimum tree planting and less than the required street tree plantings. The Applicant proposes that the alternative compliance is not detrimental to the public good, and promotes the purposes of the standard equal to or better than a plan that could comply with the landscape requirement.