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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHILL POND EAST SUBDIVISION PRELIMINARY - 35 92 - CORRESPONDENCE - STAFF'S PROJECT COMMENTSCommu. y Planning and Environmental rvices Planning Department City of Fort Collins July 10, 1992 Mr. John Giuliano Giuliano and Father Construction 1708 East Lincoln Avenue Fort Collins, CO. 80524 Dear John: The following comments are a summary of the issues that were raised by Staff at the review meeting of July 6, 1992. These issues should be resolved prior to the Planning and Zoning Board hearing regarding Hill Pond East Preliminary Subdivision: 1. The revised plan that was received by the Planning Department on July 6, 1992 does not indicate a 10 foot wide parkway strip and detached sidewalk along the single loaded street adjacent to the Spring Creek easement. Staff considers this detached walk and parkway strip, with street trees, to be a critical element in buffering the Spring Creek natural area and bike trail. The Department of Natural Resources has classified and mapped this area of Spring Creek as an area of "High and Moderate Sensitive Area".. As such, it needs to be buffered and protected from the proposed development. Staff feels it is a reasonable compromise to allow a 28 foot wide street adjacent to this area. In order to add an important buffering element, the houses should be setback from the natural feature the additional distance created by the landscaped parkway strip. The street trees planted within the parkway strip will allow a sensitive transition from a natural area to developed housing. This additional buffer element also creates an attractive visual separation from the public nature of the bike trail to the private nature of the single family lots. Street trees should be planted on 30 to 40 foot centers. The affected lots are 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 36, 37, 38, 52, and 53. Please revise the plan detail to indicate the 10 foot wide parkway strip with a detached sidewalk. 2. The Preliminary Plan should be accompanied by a Preliminary Landscape Plan. This plan should indicate the general location of the cottonwood clusters on the north side of the single loaded street (within the City easement) and the deciduous shade trees within the parkway strip. At the Preliminary stage, the quantities, size, and exact locations are not necessary. The level of detail should be to indicate the intent with specific details to submitted at Final. 281 North College ,avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 8052_'-0580 • (303) 221-6750 3. Staff is concerned about the transition from Hill Pond and Sundering Townhomes along the two entry streets into the proposed project. These two projects are attractive and well maintained. The quality of these two existing projects is evident in the shake shingle roofs and natural wood siding. In order to help blend the projects, Staff recommends that one street tree per lot be planted along Lots 30 -35, and 1 - 8. Such trees, over time, will help establish the character of the neighborhood. 4. The rear yard fence treatment for Lots 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, and 87 should be designed so that the treatment is uniform, and attractive. The Stormwater Utility has expressed a concern that six foot high privacy fences along open space tracts inspire an "out of sight - out of mind" attitude which results in homeowners throwing grass clippings and lawn debris over the fence. The result is that City crews have to. bear the cost of the clean-up. It is recommended that fencing be designed so that the solid height does not exceed four feet, and that the remaining two feet be of an "open weave" character. Please provide a fence detail on the Preliminary Plan. 5. The sideyard fence of Lot 2 should be of the same design and character as the above lots. This sideyard fence cannot exceed 48 inches in height within the front setback area. 6. The sideyard fences of Lots 84 and 85 also cannot exceed 48 inches in height within the front setback area. 7. The two north - south streets should terminate at the 28 foot wide single -loaded street with eight foot wide concrete path connections down to the Spring Creek Trail. By providing two connections, each street allows access to the trail and relieves pressure of having only one access. 8. The bike trail connection between Lots 84 and 85 should be designated as eight foot wide and concrete. 9. The willow grove area behind Lots 79 and 80 should be designated as permanent open space on the Plan. Also, please note that the trees will be protected during construction and not removed. 10 The Engineering Department requests that the local street connection to the south be as close to 90 degrees of the southerly property line as possible: 11. Please indicate on the Plan that the local street connection to the east is planned to intersect with the future extension of Centre Avenue. 12. The Planning Staff is prepared to support a variance to the strict requirement of having 65 % of the lots oriented to within 30 degrees of a true north -south line if other design objectives are met. 13. Please correct the reference to Tract B as being owned by the City of Fort Collins. This is not correct as all the City has is an easement through the area, not legal ownership. 14. The Department of Natural Resources has reserved comments pending the review of the grading plan. Please feel free to call our office to set up a meeting to discuss these comments. Sincerely: Ted Shepard Senior Planner xc: Jack Blake, Stewart and Associates