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NORTHERNENGINEERING.COM | 970.221.4158 VARIANCE REQUEST: MASON STREET INFRASTRUCTURE
FORT COLLINS | GREELEY 1 | 2
VARIANCE REQUEST
October 4th, 2023
City of Fort Collins
Development Review
281 N College Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
RE: MASON STREET INFRASTRUCTURE
STREETS VARIANCE REQUEST – N MASON STREET CROSS SECTION
NORTHERN PROJECT #1971-001
City staff:
The following is an official variance request to cross-section components for the ‘Collector – With Parking’ Street
Section for N Mason Street, as prescribed in Section 7.4 of the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards
(LUCASS). General information about the project is presented below and detailed information about the nature
of this request follows.
General Information
The project site is located along N Mason Street in between Hickory Street and Hibdon Court in Fort Collins.
The site is currently vacant with an interim N Mason Street alignment and road section. The current N Mason
Street cross-section is a 24’ asphalt roadway with ribbon curb. The proposed development will include a
regional detention pond, 2 lots for future commercial development and the ultimate N Mason Street
alignment.
Variance Description
The criteria in question are the cross-section components for the ‘Collector – With Parking’ Street Section
as prescribed in Section 7.4 of LCUASS. Under section 7.3 of LCUASS N Mason Street is classified as a
Collector – With Parking’ Street Section, which is detailed in Figure 7-5f. This cross section consists of an 81’
Right-of-Way with a 54’ roadway section that includes 8’ parking. This variance request is to allow the
Mason Street Infrastructure project to modify the ‘Collector Street’ cross-section to a 71’ Right-of-Way and
42’ roadway. The modified cross-section will also remove the 8’ parking area from both sides of the street
and increase the bike lane widths from 8’ to 10’ total width. See the attached exhibit for a more detailed
cross-section comparison.
Justification
This project will construct the ultimate alignment and street section through the development. There are
several conflicts with the existing alignment that prevent the construction of the full ‘Collector – With
Parking’ cross-section. The main conflicts are existing trees and natural habitat buffer zone located on the
east side of N Mason Street. Due to the existing tie-in location and constraints with adjacent properties to
the south, the ultimate alignment cannot be adjusted to give enough clearance to these natural areas. This
reduction in roadway width will allow for limited grading around existing trees and reduce overlap with the
Right-of-way, utility easement, and future sidewalk. With the commercial service zoning and planned
development, on-street parking will not be needed through this section of N Mason Street. The posted
speed limit will be lowered to 25 mph and there are no driver or pedestrian safety concerns with the
reduced street section. The increased bike lane will also provide additional bicycle buffer to the adjacent
travel lanes.
NORTHERNENGINEERING.COM | 970.221.4158 VARIANCE REQUEST: MASON STREET INFRASTRUCTURE
FORT COLLINS | GREELEY 2 | 2
VARIANCE REQUEST
This variance requested in this letter will not be detrimental to public health, safety, or welfare. The
variance will allow this project to maintain existing natural areas between the Right-of-Way and east
property line. The requested variance will not have an adverse impact on the City’s capital and
maintenance costs, nor are they expected to reduce the design life of the roadway improvements.
Thank you for your consideration and attention to this request.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
NORTHERN ENGINEERING SERVICES, INC.
MASON RUEBEL, PE
Project Engineer
MODIFIED COLLECTOR
(N MASON STREET)
8'8'TRAVEL TRAVEL
PARK PARK
81' ROW (MIN.)
54' ROADWAY
11'LANE
BIKE
5'
PKWY
(MIN.)
8.5'
11'ESM'T.
UTIL.
9'
9'UTIL.
ESM'T.
MIN. FENCE
SETBACK
PKWY
(MIN.)Park
Buffer
3'5'3'
Park
Buffer
LANE
BIKE
8.5'
WALK
(MIN)
5'
WALK
(MIN)
5'TRAVEL TRAVEL
71' ROW
42' ROADWAY
11'
LANE
BIKE
3'
PKWY
8.5'
11'
9'UTIL.
ESM'T.
PKWY
Bike Lane
Buffer
3'
Bike Lane
Buffer
8.5'
WALK
6'
7'
LANE
BIKE
7'
WALK
6'
9'UTIL.
ESM'T.
DRAWN BY:
SCALE:
ISSUED:
MASON STREET
INFRASTRUCTURE
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FORT COLLINS: 301 North Howes Street, Suite 100, 80521
GREELEY: 820 8th Street, 80631
E N G I N E E R N GI
EHTRON R N
970.221.4158
northernengineering.com
N MASON STREET
CROSS-SECTION EXHIBIT EX1
M. Ruebel
N/A
10/04/2023
COLLECTOR - WITH PARKING
FIGURE 7-5F (LCUASS)