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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAMIGOS AT SHIELDS PRELIMINARY PUD 9.10.1992 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING - 47 90A - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGNEIGHBORHOOD MEETING MINUTES PROJECT: Amigos on Shields Preliminary P.U.D. DATE: September 10, 1992 APPLICANT: Mike Henninger, Amigos Corporation CONSULTANT: Frank Vaught, Vaught -Frye Architects PLANNER: Ted Shepard QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS 1. With the Amigos, what will become of the curb cut on Shields that serves Campus West Shopping Center? RESPONSE: The Campus West curb cut could be closed and consolidated with Amigos, or remain open as is. It depends on Campus West and the ultimate design selection for the Choices 195 capital improvement project. 2. Presently, the Campus West interior traffic is very congested. Will this proposal make the situation worse? RESPONSE: We agree and even Campus West acknowledges that the traffic around the bank machine is bad. Also, there is some indication that drivers on northbound Shields desiring to turn west on Elizabeth Street cut through the parking lot to avoid stacking at the Shields/Elizabeth intersection. There have been discussions that the interior traffic within Campus West may become a one-way loop in a northern direction and try to discourage the left -in -turn from northbound Shields but nothing has happened yet. 3. When will City Council decide on the design of the Choices 195 project? RESPONSE: As you know, there are three different design options, with three different price tags, for the Choices 195 project. The project engineer, will be taking all options to the City Council for discussion at a worksession on October 13, 1992. It is hoped that Council will provide direction at this time. 4. Is there still a drainage issue along the west property line? I recall a drainage problem with the Campus West Texaco, Expansion 1 of a Non -Conforming Use project. RESPONSE: This issue has not gone away. Our civil engineer is working on this issue and we have contacted the Catholic Arch Diocese of Denver, which owns the property, to try to secure the necessary easement to convey a portion of our storm flows. 5. Will the Amigos mesh with all the Choices 195 options? RESPONSE: Yes, we are working with the City Engineering Department so our site development will fit with any of the design proposals. By dedicating 15 feet along Shields for public right-of-way, any of the options will have adequate area in which to be constructed. 6. Will the northbound left turn into Campus West close? RESPONSE: This is one of the options but requires voluntary cooperation from Campus West. 7. So for Amigos, there will be no northbound left turn into the site. RESPONSE: That is correct. 8. Are you comfortable with no left -in access? RESPONSE: Yes, we have a similar situation at our store in Lincoln, Nebraska across from the university. We find that the close proximity to campus allows 35% to 40% pedestrian or bicycle traffic so we do not rely solely on vehicular access. 9. The best way to control left turns is to install a raised concrete median. Will a median be constructed in Shields? RESPONSE: No, there is not enough street width to construct a median and still have room for all the traffic lanes. 10. How many tables and do you have enough parking? RESPONSE: We will have a seating capacity of 85 in a store with 2,332 square feet of total floor area. This is smaller than our store at Riverside and Lemay. We will have 33 parking stalls. This ratio of floor area to parking stalls is within the City specified guidelines for fast food restaurants. il. Why have you selected a location on Shields with all the known traffic problems? Why not locate in one the many empty spaces on West Elizabeth by McDonald's? RESPONSE: We have been looking in this general location for four F years. As you know, we considered the dental clinic property across the street at one time. We also looked at the vacant former bank building on West Elizabeth but the seller was not interested. We feel the present location across from the university is advantageous and offers bike and pedestrian access to offset the vehicular access problems. 12. Will there be adequate bicycle parking? RESPONSE: Yes, there are two permanent bike racks provided adjacent to the patio area on the east side of the building. 13. Is there internal joint access with Campus West? RESPONSE: Yes, under all scenarios, there will be a sidewalk connection to Campus West. Under the present scenario, there is two-way vehicular access between Amigos and Campus West. If Campus West allows a combined curb cut, then there may be one-way, northbound access between the two properties. 14. Is there any access to the west to John the 23rd? RESPONSE: No, there will be landscaping but no planned access to John the 23rd. We do not want to encourage customers who are northbound on Shields to turn left on University, park at the church, and walk over to the restaurant. There is no shared access or parking arrangement with John the 23rd. 15. Won't the ability to make a northbound left turn into Campus West also attract Amigos' customers? Won't this be dangerous? RESPONSE: We are working with the City Transportation and Planning Departments and Campus West to try to make the existing situation safer. We are trying to discourage the northbound left -in turn by consolidating the curb cut with Campus West and make it a right -in and right -out only. The problem seems to be that the timing for Campus West is different than the timing for Amigos. 16. Why not delete the northerly right -turn exit? Won't the escape lane on the south serve as an adequate exit from this site? RESPONSE: Again, we are designing the site based on the fact that Campus West is not yet prepared to consolidate the curb cut. If and when Campus West decides to participate, then this northerly right turn exit will be necessary for Campus West traffic desiring to go south on Shields. 17. This area of Elizabeth and Shields is like the area on Broadway at the University of Colorado where an underpass was built for bikes and pedestrians. An underpass at this location would be the safest solution. 3 RESPONSE: An underpass is not part of the Choices 195 program. 18. The Elizabeth and Shields intersection has become worse due the Post Office substation being moved over to the vacant stores north of the Mini Mart. This location, on the north side of the Shields/Elizabeth intersection, causes a problem when the drivers making the northbound left -in turn cause a back up problem for the northbound thru lane. The left turn lane at this location is also used for southbound left turns into Moby Gym parking lot. RESPONSE: We agree. This sounds like a bad situation, especially for a U.S.P.O. substation which generates lots of trips. 19. I am concerned that the students who patronize the restaurant will not use the signalized intersection to cross Shields. I am afraid that the restaurant will encourage mid -block crossings which will be dangerous with the heavy traffic on Shields. 20. I am concerned that development in this area needs to be comprehensive in scope. There must be coordination with Campus West and Choices 195. RESPONSE: Amigos is trying to be flexible to solve their piece of the puzzle without impacting any other project. We agree that the best solution would be to have all projects coordinated. 21. Is the alley behind Campus West public? RESPONSE: No, it is a private alley in terms of access but there are public utilities in the general area. 22. Will there be a playground like at Riverside and Lemay? RESPONSE: No, this restaurant is smaller than the one at Riverside and Lemay. Instead of a playground, there will be patio seating. 23. What are the hours of operation? RESPONSE: We plan on closing at midnight starting out. In the future, depending on demand, we may stay open until 1:00 a.m. 24. Will you serve alcohol? RESPONSE: No, we will not apply for a liquor license. 25. I have lived on Westward Drive for over 30 years. This is a residential neighborhood that is near campus but will be devalued by the increasing amount of commercial development in the area. Why should we, as property owners, have to bear the burden of commercial intrusion? 4 RESPONSE: We do not believe that our development will devalue your property. We feel that the removal of a Texaco service station, with all the cars stored onsite, will be a visual improvement and be a positive addition to the neighborhood. With the landscaping and the distance from the residential homes, there should be very little impact on your property values. 26. As a senior citizen with only one car, I find the Texaco to be very convenient for auto repairs. If it weren't for the Texaco, I would have to put my bike in my car, drive out to the south of town, ride my bike back home, then ride my bike back out south to pick my car up. This will be very inconvenient and the Texaco will be missed. RESPONSE: This is a good comment. Neighborhood auto repair shops have always competed against the large repair facilities located out on South College Avenue. Hopefully, you will find our particular service to be convenient also. 27. Please describe the lighting and signage? RESPONSE: The building will be illuminated with footlights and the parking lot will be illuminated with fixtures that are down directional so the whole bulb is not in evidence. There will a wall sign on the east elevation and a free-standing ground sign on Shields. The total amount of signage is based on the allowable square footage as per the Sign Code. 28. What if the restaurant fails? Do you have a contingency plan? RESPONSE: We have opened 56 stores and only closed two. Of these two closures, one will soon be reopened. We feel confident that this store will be successful because it fills a market niche. We are not purely fast food like McDonald's or Burger King. Although the customer orders at the counter, meals are served on real plates and silverware and the tables are bussed. Carry -out is available in disposable containers as with the drive-thru lane. - --- - 29. What is the height of the building? RESPONSE: At the top of the parapet, the height is 21 feet. This height then tapers down to the solarium which has a height of about 10 feet. 30. Will this set a precedent for commercial conversions south along Shields Street? RESPONSE: On the contrary, Amigos has already tested those waters with the proposal on the dental clinic property. This proposal was withdrawn due to neighborhood opposition based on the proximity to 5 the residential areas. Any conversion of residential property on Shields would have to go through the same process with neighborhood participation and submittal as a P.U.D. 31. I live two blocks away on Westward and this proposal is quite different from the proposal to remove a residential structure (dental clinic) on the south side of University Avenue. The restaurant is preferable to the filling station. My only concerns are late hours of operation and litter. RESPONSE: It is our hope that the late hours will not translate into disturbances for the neighborhood. We try to cut down on non - recyclable containers which are used for in-store meals. This will help reduce the potential for litter. Please do not hesitate to contact the store manager if there are problems in this area. 6 PROJECT: f TYPE OF MEETING: _IV E/Gff Uit Naoo Z„/ PO/1�7A r/o,,J DATE: S&PT 10 9GI2 NAME t A A 57,`,Le. ADDRESS MIKE 148VIUM6eX 3ar Y' PLyn ou rY 06Ve • / 30 � � ,fir 12,W DID You RECEIVE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION oe AAE Yeu AN you YES/NO ? OWNER RENT y y D."lov A) o N�