HomeMy WebLinkAboutEAST VINE DRIVE STREETS FACILITY PUD PRELIMINARY - 30 91A - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESPLANNING OBJECTIVES
It is the intent of the City of Fort Collins to purchase the Old Sugar Beet Site located on East Vine Drive
for the new location of the Streets Department operations. This project is planned to be implemented
over a period of 5 to 10 years and will be done in phases as funding permits. The site is located in
the IP zone (Industrial Park) which allows this type of development as a permitted use, however the
City wishes to develop the project as a P.U.D. in order to have public review by the surrounding
neighborhoods. It is the City's intent to be very sensitive to the neighborhood and to be good
neighbors in the event that the project moves forward.
The City has 3 basic goals they wish to achieve with this project.
1. Design a functional facility for the Streets Department while preserving the "historical architectural
features' of the exising old Sugar Beet Plant Buildings.
2. Develop aesthetic design solutions that are sensitive to the surrounding neighborhoods.
3. Develop a project the City can be proud of.
It has been determined that the Old Great Western Sugar Beet Plant has no National or State Historical
designation, however the City wishes to preserve the two brick warehouses that exist and may pursue
some Local designation in the future. The original plant closed in 1955 and most of the buildings were
razed in 1964. The two remaining brick structures are sound and will be incorporated into the design
solution thereby preserving some of the past that is part of the heritage of the surrounding
neighborhoods.
Access to the site has been carefully considered and the proposal is to separate truck and equipment
access to the Linden Street entrance and employee and visitor access to the Ninth Street entrance.
With this approach, no widening improvements are anticipated for Ninth Street, however the City is
planning to install a signal at the intersection of Ninth and East Vine which will improve traffic flow
significantly.
The City will follow the 'xeriscape' concept of landscaping for this site similar to other sites the City has
completed with emphasis on landscaping around the buildings and creating buffers along the railroad
tracks to the north. Additionally the access drive from Ninth Street will be landscaped and the
stormwater area seeded in a native grass.
The City Streets Department currently has 35 full-time and 25 part-time employees. This facility is being
designed to accommodate their 2010 projection of 83 total employees by providing 66 parking spaces
and 27 future spaces.
In summary the positive benefits of the City developing this site for the Streets Facility Department are:
1. Restoring architecturally significant buildings that are part of our history.
2. Removing unsightly buildings, overhead power tines, fuel tanks, sawdust pile and trash.
3. Separating truck access from employee and public access.
4. Organizing the site to present the more significant buildings and landscaping toward the
neighborhood.
5. Locating maintenance and storage facilities on the west side of the site using buildings and
landscaping to screen these activities.
6. Providing a City facility that can be an asset to the neighborhood and community at large.