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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVariance Requests - 02/14/2025 2595 Ponderosa Road ● Franktown ● CO ● 80116 Email: rpalmer@strategicls.net Phone: 720.384.7661 Website: http://www.strategicls.net Friday, February 14, 2025 Attn: Steve Gilchrist City Fort Collins Community Development and Neighborhood Services Traffic Operations 281 N. College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80522 RE: Driveway Spacing Variance Request (302 Conifer Street Affordable Housing – BDR240019) On behalf of our client The Szanton Company, we are requesting a variance for driveway spacing as shown in Larimer County Urban Street Standards (LCUASS) Table 7-3 “Corner Clearance between driveways/alleys & street intersections. As described in the Traffic Memorandum prepared for this project by Platinum Traffic Engineering, the site is served by a full movement driveway from Conifer Street and a right-out driveway to Blue Spruce Drive. The proposed driveway from Conifer Street meets the minimum separation requirement, but the right-out driveway to Bluce Spruce Drive either meets the minimum distance or does not meet the minimum distance depending on the classification. The project is located at the northeast corner of Blue Spruce Drive and Conifer Street. The site is bounded on the north by vacant land and light industrial areas, on the south by medium/high density residential, on the east by a drainage ditch and vacant property, and on the west by Murphy Center for Hope. Based on the surrounding uses, a case could be made for either a residential or commercial/industrial classification. As shown in LCUASS Table 7-3 the minimum required driveway separation varies greatly between the designations with a minimum separation of 50-feet for the residential classification and 175-feet for the commercial/industrial classification. The proposed right-out only access from the site to Blue Spruce Drive is located exactly 147.17 feet from Conifer Street, measured from centerline to centerline per LCUASS Figure 9-1. Therefore, the proposed driveway meets the minimum separation requirement if Blue Spruce Drive is considered a local residential street, but it is 27.83-feet short of the required minimum it Blue Spruce Drive is considered a local commercial/industrial street. In either case, the driveway location has been closely coordinated with Fort Collins Traffic Operations. Furthermore, the Traffic Memorandum prepared for this project by Platinum Traffic Engineering, evaluated the proposed access as part of their study. The study found that the proposed location does not pose an adverse traffic impact, nor does the proposed access raise any significant traffic safety concerns. Steve Gilchrist Variance Request Friday, February 14, 2025 Page 2 In summary, on behalf of our client, we are requesting a variance from (LCUASS) Table 7-3 “Corner Clearance between driveways/alleys & street intersections” to allow a right-out driveway to Blue Spruce Drive. As described above, the proposed driveway spacing does not adversely affect vehicular traffic, nor does it create traffic or pedestrian safety issues. Furthermore, the proposed right out driveway location is located to best serve access from the project. Sincerely, SSTTRRAATTEEGGIICC LLAANNDD SSOOLLUUTTIIOONNSS,, IINNCC.. Robert J. Palmer, PE (CO, NM, AZ, WY, MT) President for SLS, Inc. A Colorado Corporation Attachments: As noted above. cc: Mr. Harsh Parikh at Satulan Architects via: harsh@santulanarch.com