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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992 Southwest Elementary School Site Plan Advisory Review - 16-91 - Correspondence MINUTES/NOTES - 03/20/1991Develop. nt Services Planning Department NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING MINUTES PROJECT: 1992 Southwest Elementary School LOCATION: South of Harmony Road, West of Crest Road, and North of Clarendon Hills, Third Filing DATE: March 20, 1991 PR-1 REPRESENTATIVES: George Galida, Michael Spearnak, Patrick Dulaney, CITY PLANNER: Ted Shepard CITY TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR: Rick Ensdorff QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS 1. What are the boundaries of the school? RESPONSE:. The school will serve an area bounded by Harmony Road on the north, Trilby Road on the south, the railroad tracks on the east and Horsetooth Reservoir on the west. 2. Will there be buses going through Clarendon Hills? RESPONSE: Students within one mile are considered close enough to walk while students beyond this distance are eligible to be bussed. It is likely that there will be students who live in Applewood Estates and Scenic Knolls, who live beyond one mile, that will take buses that travel through Clarendon Hills. It is anticipated that this will not be a major bus route but a route that serves the immediate neighborhood. 3. Who owns the farm to the north of the school? RESPONSE: Poudre R-1 recently purchased the farm from Front Range Community College, Larimer County. Center. 4. Will there be any access from Crest Road? RESPONSE: There will be no vehicular access from Crest Road. Crest Road is private and would have to be upgraded. There is a possibility that an asphalt or concrete path could connect to Crest Road since PR-1 owns property up to Crest. Such a path could serve any elementary students who live on Crest. At this time, there are no elementary students who live on Crest. 1 281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (303) 221-6750 :? -07 AF-Jti-e- PROJECT: ec- /V7 e'hpo/ ` TYPE OF MEETING: ALE/61f AM Naao =,d PDX MR r/d/V DATE: 3 — -=2- 6 6) f NAME ADDRESS c /TY AG,,yNN,,yG ac-:p-T DID You RECEIVE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION Do AR! You OAP You YES/NO ? OWNER REM a a Cav-(br ��-s���w S 30 1 C(2�e�-cAi , 1 y �S . /7 0 y� U. yC� yes NO ! ye 5 �-1 � A10 y yes Y40 t\jo ye-5 Lj e S YeS e5 P i .f ye 5 Wo rvo NO ,U i a4 /J go,-- 62 ps e- Z U 4. Z� -S j l\r�� - (,)rv.cA V\Lrir� 4!Y iAtnsLl1 CJr /� ,/� �� aZm, LZL) Q'yj/ ld d /� Y/S , ra7IV1 ✓s 6 /7 /Tii� s�Q�e �7' / CLI - I I tb) 0 // Q �4L /74 P,�> � a o G2d odl- wa N4'HeDR, W MN PAILcaan l45 LwnJale :fir. _ --MAkk �o(,-QP (,N 2�5� �� �� o, o� " S'z3°l I:�>x (s t)r- CA2L m- Logl C/Cee& 8p9 44AIenmle Dle lclw��s 80Sa6 Oa Pe/6u,, O "2)Ar ' errs ci 2-> 1l �✓ 4e J��✓-cv�aAnno /� o f s 72- 7 Lah 6dA Or 1900 4 m-e,-7 :�r. PROJECT: TYPE OF MEETING: AIE/61f430R N000 =,J FOX19,1YidA) DATE: DID You REcE1vE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION UE NAME YES/NO Asa You 00 Yo4 ADDRESS OWNER REI � a �n�d -LLA s F3 `IDS 40 N D 4 w 6 a -r l Jahn 4-filth 6abi �to� N�h5d6db Dr. �-� coiIIr�5 � yeS ya lJo t 30(.c( 6AUIET $ro5 S $0 u le 09 r FC eVO5 Al IZs oz,kee., 5t � alp . �U i (l Oa ITLI aAA 41L CHUKAR Cl. . fC 9652 \lEs YE5 } 9-?3 S c -f P-5, E &e gad z I Yes VNo OeOrG of O u .D2 DSO xES f CS L o ki aa to sda �e `fir y(D d �.-e pS batl,UQ i- G yES YES �qI.& di, E is >`{-'`,1c��QR riv- N o yea 5% IHaa 5. . The site plan indicates that Hinsdale Drive will be extended north to Harmony Road. This extension has serious implications for current and future residents of Clarendon Hills. There is a threat to our quality of life with the increased traffic. There is a danger that drivers will take a short-cut through our neighborhood to avoid the signal at Harmony and Shields. This will increase the noise in front of our homes. If drivers speed through our neighborhood, this will create a hazardous situation for children. 6. Hinsdale Drive should be constructed from Harmony Road south to the school but should not connect into Clarendon Hills. If fire access is needed, break -away bollards can be installed at the entry to Clarendon Hills. These bollards are used at the Epic parking lot entrance on East Stuart Street. 7. We live on the existing cul-de-sac where Hinsdale terminates at the Clarendon Hills north property line. We are opposed to the extension. We purchased our home with the understanding that the connection would not be made. We are concerned that an extended Hinsdale will become the major entrance to Clarendon Hills. This will have a negative impact on our neighborhood. RESPONSE: The new school is designed to serve the children of Clarendon Hills. Vehicular access to an elementary school is important for the younger children who typically do not walk long distances to school. Vehicular access is important for parents who drop off the walk-in students during bad weather. Vehicular access is important during special events and programs. It would be cumbersome and time consuming for parents to drive over to Shields, then north to Harmony, then east, and then south to gain access to the school. The. extension to Harmony and the connection into Clarendon Hills creates a logical circulation system for both the school and the neighborhood that will be a benefit over the long term. 8. If Hinsdale is not connected to the north, then there is a potential that parents will use the cul-de-sac as a drop-off point or unofficial parking lot to gain access. This behavior pattern may develop to save time from going out to the two arterials. 9. If Hinsdale is extended from Clarendon to Harmony, then it should be designed to discourage speeding and cut -through traffic. It should be made curvelinear, not straight. It should have narrow width, not a wide width. Everything possible should be done to create a sense of safety for the children. Speed bumps should be installed to reduce speeding. The actual site lay out of the school should allow for the street to be designed in a sensitive fashion. RESPONSE: It is possible to design the street in this fashion. Hinsdale will be classified as a local street, not a collector, so the width will be 36 feet wide, similar to the streets in Clarendon. Speed bumps, however, are not allowed on public streets. As with other schools, there will be yellow caution signs, yellow caution lights, and crosswalks where appropriate. 10. There should be stop signs at the entrance to Clarendon Hills, or at the intersection of Hinsdale and Langdale. This will discourage high speed traffic. RESPONSE FROM CITY TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR: The extension of Hinsdale Drive is a very important consideration for the City. Hinsdale will become a publicly dedicated street. Its design, location, and characteristics must be approved by the City. It is the City's position that a Traffic Impact Analysis be conducted to evaluate the impacts of an extended Hinsdale. This study will help determine some of the design features. Without the study, it would be difficult to predict how best to design the street. It is the City's desire to use the study as a basis to design a street that serves the needs of neighborhood and the PR-1. 2 The location of stop signs will not be decided by PR-1. Stop signs and other features will be evaluated and reviewed by the City Transportation Department, based on the Traffic Impact Analysis and sound traffic engineering principles. It is hoped that the alignment and design features of Hinsdale Drive, at this point in the process, is flexible enough to respond the results of the Traffic Impact Analysis. 11. The students at F.R.C.C. all drive cars and are somewhat reckless. These drivers should be discouraged from impacting Clarendon Hills and the new school. Sidewalks should be constructed on Harmony Road to protect pedestrians from these drivers. RESPONSE:; The school site was selected to achieve separation from F.R.C.C. and proximity to Clarendon Hills. Sidewalks on Harmony Road will probably not be constructed by PR -1 since most students who walk will come from the south. Neighborhoods north of Harmony will continue to be served by Lopez. 12. Why was the selected site not closer to Taft Canyon Estates? I voted for the bond issue thinking that the school would be located between Shields and Taft, south of Harmony Road. I thought the new school would be less than one mile so my children could walk. It is frustrating to discover it is now almost two miles away and my children will now have to take a bus. RESPONSE: The site was selected so it could be as near as possible to the largest amount of students. Clarendon Hills will have about 300 homes at full build -out. Also, the cost of constructing public improvements and utilities is more economical at this site than in the area you suggest. 13. How much land does PR-1 own? RESPONSE: We own the easterly 53 acres of the F.R.C.C. site. 14. What are the plans for the areas west of Hinsdale Drive? RESPONSE: The School Board has made no final decision on the ultimate development of the balance of the parcel. 15. Clarendon Hills needs a buffer from the school. This buffer should be a greenbelt with generous tree plantings. The school improvements should not be pushed up against the homes. There should be separation. This area would be good location for the park. Providing a quality separation would preserve the value of our homes. 16. Elementary schools do not have very good floors in the gym or "flex room" for physical education or athletic events. Gym floors should be wood, not the materials used now. The floor at Timnath is a very good example of what a good gym floor should be. 17. The access to F.R.C.C. should be from Shields, not Harmony. This would alleviate some of the traffic on Harmony Road. 18. The Harmony/Shields traffic signal should have separate left turn cycles. 3 I 19. Harmony Road will need widening. If F.R.C.C. expands, and Hinsdale is extended, then this will put more traffic on Harmony and it needs more lanes to carry the traffic. RESPONSE:. PR-1 will not widen Harmony with this project. Widening roads to arterial standards and constructing new roads is very expensive. There is no budget to do these improvements at this time. 20. Primary access to the school should be off Crest. Secondary access for fire protection could be a u-shape road extended south from Harmony Road. There should be no local street access into Clarendon Hills. RESPONSE: Again, Crest is private and permission would have to be obtained from the owners. Crest would also have to be reconstructed to local street standards. Access into Clarendon Hills is important to serve the school users. 21. The residents of Taft Canyon Estates and Horsetooth Mobile Home Park did not receive notice of this meeting. There should be another meeting for these users. Why weren't these neighborhoods notified? RESPONSE: This meeting was not intended to be a boundary meeting or a users meeting but, rather, a neighborhood meeting for those areas impacted by the development of the school. The meeting was called for by the City Planning Department as a courtesy to inform those citizens who will be affected by the physical development of the school, and to seek input from these affected property owners. Taft Canyon and Horsetooth Mobile Home Park are not affected by this physical development. Although input from all users is welcome, the notification mailing list did not include all potential users but a more restricted area. 22. Can tho school boundaries change? I live north of Harmony and' I don't want my children to cross Harmony Road to attend this new school. RESPONSE: Yes, boundaries can change. The School Boundary Committee annually submits it boundary recommendations to the School Board based on changing conditions, growth, size of schools, walk-in preference, and a strong desire not to transfer an elementary student more than twice. Kids north of Harmony will not be attending this new school, and will remain at Lopez which is hoped to be a walk-in school only, with no bussing. 23. Can the architect do something about the coatracks? Will the coatracks be in the corridors or in the hallways? The existing schools have problems with coatracks. RESPONSE: The new school will have slightly wider corridors to handle the coatracks. At other schools, the choice will be made by the principal and the teachers. 24. What opportunities exist for our comments to be incorporated into the site plan? What's the next step in the approval process? Does our input have any influence? RESPONSE: The School Board will hear an agenda item relating to this school at this coming Monday's meeting -March 25, 1991. Your comments are welcome at this hearing. It will be up to the School Board to consider the merits of the comments made here this evening. 4 25. If we have a citizen's meeting on a Wednesday, and a School Board meeting on the following Monday, what chance is there of design flexibility to recognize our comments? The project seems to be on a fast track. Are the site lay out, street design, etc. all a "fait accompli"? RESPONSE: The project schedule is designed to open the school for the Fall of 1992. Any change in this schedule must be approved by the School Board. 26. There are 53 available acres on the PR-1 property. Combined with the fact that F.R.C.C. could expand to 3,000 students, it seems that a thorough analysis needs to be conducted in a comprehensive manner. The fast track does not do justice to the complex issues and the neighborhood concerns. Also, the fact that there will be a new superintendent, and six new board members, there should be more caution in this fast track approach. 27. What is the typical time frame for design and construction for an elementary school? RESPONSE: This time frame is different for every school but this information is available by referencing our records. 28. What is the City's role in the review process? RESPONSE: The City of Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Board, under State Statute, is empowered to review, comment, and to make findings of fact as to the location, character and extent of the proposed school relative to the Master Plan of the City. If the Planning and Zoning Board does not vote to approve the school, then it is remanded back to the School Board where it must pass by a two-thirds majority vote. 29. Why was this site selected? RESPONSE: The southwest side of the City is in need of another school. Growth' rates and direction of growth are tracked by PR-1 and a need was identified in this area. The economies associated with the purchase from F.R.C.C. made this site attractive. The proximity to a large walk-in (Clarendon Hills) population is a big advantage to this site. 30. The developer of Clarendon Hills would like to go on record to clear up a possible misconception. While it is true that the Clarendon Hills Third Filing plat indicates that Hinsdale Drive would be extended to the north, it was not the developer's choice to so indicate on the plat. Rather, the City, through the plan approval process, made the possible connection a requirement on the plat documents. Conversations between the developer of Clarendon Hills_ _ and Mr. Elliott of Voc-Tech led the developer to believe that the connection would never be needed. 31.. Who will pay for the widening of Harmony Road? RESPONSE: Typically, arterials are widened by adjacent land owners as the property is developed. These developers are responsible for constructing only the "local street" portion of the arterial. The balance of the widening is paid for out of the City's Street Oversizing Fund. If there are no adjacent developers, then the street does not get widened, or a special improvement district is formed, or a separate project is budgeted out of the City's general fund. 5 32. There are valuable open space opportunities on PR-1's 53 acres: These open spaces areas are important for educational programs as well as a valuable amenity in a growing urban environment. As the southwest side of the City continues to grow, these areas will take on greater value. RESPONSE: Again, the School Board, at this time, has taken no official action on the balance of the site. 33. The owners within the Brookwood Subdivision would like to go on record to state that there is an existing irrigation ditch that must be accommodated. Delivery of this water must not be impacted by school development. RESPONSE: We are aware of the ditch and will plan accordingly. 34. Will any students be bussed to this school? RESPONSE: Yes. The school serves a large area. Students who live more than one mile away will be bussed in. 35. There is a rumor circulating that the 53 acres will be the future home of the bus barn and a new high school. Is this true? RESPONSE: There is absolutely no truth to this rumor. 36. The record should state that Taft Canyon Estates and Horsetooth Mobile Home Park' were not notified of this meeting. 37. Will there be any access to the school from Shields or F.R.C.C.? RESPONSE: No. 38. If Hinsdale is extended, will it be plowed? RESPONSE: The City's Master Snow Plan sets three priorities. First priority are arterials (emergency snow routes) and trouble spots. Second priority is collector streets. Third priority is school. and bus routes. 39. As neighboring homeowners, we are very concerned about the orientation of the school. Can the building be oriented so it faces northwest, away from Clarendon Hills? RESPONSE: Since the school will use the same lighting features . as Johnson, the main entrance must face east or west. There are substantial savings on lighting costs by using this system. 40. We are concerned about the amount of landscaping, the screening of the trash enclosure and the service area, and outdoor lighting. Please use discretion in locating these features and do everything possible to minimize the impact on the adjacent residents. We have invested our life savings in our homes, please respect this investment. 41. The record should state the notification letter did not contain a site plan, only a vicinity map showing general location. Tonight's meeting is the first chance we have had to examine the plan. Given the fast track nature of the project, a site plan included with the letter would have been more appropriate. I feel we are at a disadvantage given the time frame. 6 d 42. As the design of the school was being conceived, what were some of the teacher's comments? RESPONSE: The teachers wanted more room in the corridors for coatracks, and folding partitions in. larger rooms versus the small group rooms. Other changes will include rooms for special education that are flexible to changing needs and not over specialized, a distinctive entry unique to this school, different combinations of brick and block to create a new color, and a new foundation design. 43. Please use less gravel in the playground. Our children come home filled with gravel in their clothing. Use turf instead. 44. We have given you a lot of comments tonight. Obviously there are a lot of differing opinions. Basically, I sense that the school will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood but only if there are adequate design solutions to the Hinsdale extension, buffering along. your south property line, and significant landscaping, screening, and quality development that reflects the value of the area. It is very important to us that you carry the message to the School Board and that our concerns are indeed heard, and not lost in the process. 45. Two enclosures attached - Submitted by citizens as site plan alternatives. 7 03/20/91 12: a 38 0303 352 3350 civol [ .% i - I �I ;I a sI a HP GREELEY DIV Ar. _ 1w, 9 004/004 f -f O�� Nfato UO 0,i E %14ca ME p;qi • A- No Text