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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTACO BELL RESTAURANT PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PUD - 51-90A - CORRESPONDENCE - STAFF'S PROJECT COMMENTS.1 Developm :Services Planning Department City of Fort Collins November 14, 1991 Mr. Al Hauser Architecture One Palmer Gardens, Suite 200 150 East 29th Street Loveland, CO. 80538 Dear Al: Staff has reviewed the plans for Preliminary and Final P.U.D. for Taco Bell restaurant at the corner of Prospect Road and College Avenue and offers the following comments: As I have mentioned to you at conceptual review and over the phone, Staff is extremely pleased with the decision to save and remodel the existing house at 1530 South College Avenue. We are all hopeful that the project will bring Taco Caliente, Inc. and Architecture One well -deserved recognition for the historic preservation effort. The use of the existing house will create significant publicvalue that overcomes other disadvantages of a small, corner site. Mil It is recommended that the combined properties be replatted as a single lot. This will be the easiest way to dedicate the new easements and vacate old, unneeded easements. There is no additional processing fee for a subdivision plat that accompanies a P.U.D. Without a new replat, all dedications and vacations must be processed by separate instrument. 2. Utility drawings will be required for the Final aspect of the submittal. These plans should indicate a modified driveway entrance on Prospect. It is the City's desire to shift the right turn lane transition further to the east so it does not impact the alley/Prospect intersection. 3. Also, the utility plans should show an interim driveway design on Prospect that restricts the use to right -in and right -out only. 4. The drainage study should be modified to include onsite detention. Presently, detention is shown in the street instead of onsite. Keep in mind that the 100-year flows must be detained onsite and released at the existing two year runoff rate. 281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (303) 221-6750 5. U.S. West has existing underground cable to the building that is not shown on the plans. Since this cable may be replaced by the new addition, the developer should contact U.S. West to coordinate before construction. 6. The gas meter. for 1530 South College Avenue is now on the east building wall and served by a main in the alley. The building addition will be over this existing gas service. Please contact Len Hilderbrand at Public Service, 225-7828, to arrange for this service to be shortened. 7. The reconstruction of the College Avenue curb cuts will require an Access Permit from the State of Colorado Division of Highways. Application for the Access Permit is made to the City of Fort Collins. The State Highway Department supports the proposal and finds that the plan offers improvement in access location over the current situation. 8. The fence along the north property line should not extend past the front building line of 1530 or the front building line of the adjacent house to the north. This will help maintain the established front setback along the block face. 9. The City Forester applauds the use of Hackberry along Prospect Road. This is an excellent selection for this environment. 10. The City Forester recommends, however, that the Andorra Juniper be replaced. This type of evergreen shrub is found not to be "cold hardy" for our climate. Suggested substitutes are Potentillas and Dwarf Korean Lilac. 11. Staff is concerned about the landscape strip in front of the four parking spaces on the southwest corner that face west. This width is only four feet and must accommodate a two foot vehicle overhang. Staff suggests that the three northerly spaces be lengthened from 17 feet to 19 feet to allow two extra feet for landscaping. It appears the southerly space -must-remain at-17---feet-to avoid conflict with the south facing space. 12. Within this increased landscaped bed, it is recommended that the Andorran Juniper be replaced by the Blaauw Juniper. The City Forester believes this type of juniper will provide adequate screening and yet fit the space without the need for pruning at maturity. The Blaauw Juniper has a rich blue-green color, very dense and compact with an irregular, vase -shaped habit. The maximum height is about four feet and the width is also about four feet. This variety should provide good headlight screening even during the winter months. 13. The Radiant Crab should be upgraded to 1 3/4 caliper. 14. In order to protect and preserve the existing trees, please add the following notes to the landscape plan: "Existing trees to be saved should be marked with prominent identification. Where tree trunks are apt to be damaged, they should be protected with metal posts and snow fence." "Heavy equipment should not be allowed to compact over the soil over the root zone of existing trees." "Avoid cutting surface roots wherever possible. Sidewalks and paving levels should be contoured sufficiently to avoid such cutting." "Root cuts from excavation should be done rapidly. Smooth flush cuts should be made. Backfill before the roots have a chance to dry out and water the tree immediately." An enclosure is provided for your information. The illustrations do not have to be placed on the landscape plan. 15: Also, please add the following note to the landscape plan: "All landscaping must be.installed or secured with an irrevocable letter of credit, escrow, or performance bond for 125% of the valuation as indicated on this plan prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy." 16. Please specify the materials of the three foot pedestal for the free-standing ground sign on the corner. This material should either be blond brick to match the existing house or stucco to match the addition. A new element should not be introduced. 17. Please specify that the sign and logo on the south elevation are individual letter only, and that this is not a cabinet sign. 18. Staff is concerned about the proposed free-standing monument sign on the west elevation- along- College - Avenue. While___ admittedly a small sign, the inclusion of a sign within the front setback seems to be an intrusion into the yard area. This area is characterized by mature landscaping and the . traditional residential front porch entry. The commercial portion of the site is comfortably to the south characterized by the parking lot, directional signage, monument signage, handicap ramp, exposure to the intersection, and, of course, the new addition. It would seem prudent to keep the west elevation along College in more subdued state given the existing character and closer setback to College Avenue. The subtle treatment of the west elevation will promote the historic preservation effort and contribute to the overall visual integrity of the site. Consequently, Staff recommends this sign be deleted in consideration of the value of the integrity of the west elevation. 19. If the menu board is visible from the alley, then a variance to allow a third free-standing sign must be obtained from the Zoning Board of Appeals. If the menu board is only the second free-standing sign, then a variance does not have to be obtained. For further information regarding the Zoning Board of Appeals procedure, please contact Peter Barnes, Zoning Administrator. 20. The four employee parking spaces have only 14 feet of back-up space. The standard back-up space for single loaded 90 degree parking is 20 feet. Since these spaces are for long term users, not customers, the standard size can be reduced to 8.5 x 18. If these spaces are for long term users and signed for compact car only, the size can be reduced to 8 x 15. Please investigate this area and try to gain a larger back-up area for these four spaces. 21. Please indicate the loading zone for delivery vehicles. Perhaps a note on the site plan can describe the loading procedure if loading takes place primarily during off hours. 22. Please provide an illustration of the east elevation. Since this side will face the residences, it will be important to evaluate the east side of the proposed addition. 23. Please indicate the site location on the vicinity map and identify the major streets. 24. Staff is prepared to support a variance to the Auto Related and Roadside Commercial point chart of the L.D.G.S. Again, the public benefit of adaptive reuse of the structure, the preservation of the character of the block, and saving all but one of the mature trees outweigh the disadvantages of not meeting.a sufficient number of the variable criteria on the point chart. 25. A neighborhood information meeting will be held Thursday, December 5, 1991, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.-; -at 28-1--Nor-th-Co-l-lege Avenue in the large conference room. The purpose of the meeting will be to bring the interested citizens up to date on the new plans. - 26. In addition, a meeting to discuss the timing and coordination of the City's capital improvement projects on Prospect and College has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 19th, at 10:00 a.m., at 281 North College Avenue in the Engineering conference room. This concludes Staff comments at this time. Staff is willing to take the Preliminary portion of the submittal to the Planning and Zoning Board on December 16, 1991. Whether or not the Final portion of the request can be heard at this date depends on the submittal and review of all final documents including the utility plans and the revised drainage study. Staff is prepared to schedule the Final portion for January if these documents are not in final form by December. A Final consideration for January will not need to be go through a formal re -submittal process. Please note the following schedule for the December 16, 1991 Planning and Zoning Board hearing: Plan revisions are due November 27, 1991. P.M.T.'s, 10 prints, renderings are due Dec. 9, 1991. Please call if these deadlines cannot be met. It is our intention to work with you on a flexible basis in order to process this request. Sincerely: JeL Ted Shepard Project Planner cc: Sherry Albertson -Clark, Chief Planner Mike Herzig, Development.Engineer Encl.