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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCITY OF FORT COLLINS UTILITY SERVICE CENTER REQUEST FOR MODIFICATION OF A STANDARD - 16 90E - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORT W/ATTACHMENTSITEM NO. 3 MEETING DATE 8/15/02 STAFF Ted Shepard City of Fort Collins PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD STAFF REPORT PROJECT: City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center (700 Wood Street), Request for Modification of a Standard, #16-90E APPLICANT: City of Fort Collins Utilities c/o V-F Ripley and Associates 401 West Mountain Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80521 OWNER: City of Fort Collins Utilities PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is Request for a Modification of a Standard Section 3.4.1(E), Establishment of Buffer Zones. The applicant is the City of Fort Collins, Utility Services Department. The project includes disturbance of a .2 acre wetland just east of the existing service center parking lot and south of railroad spur. Also, there will be a .2 acre wetland disturbance at the northeast corner of the site in Lee Martinez Park for a stormwater quality pond. Total wetland disturbance is .4 acre. The proposal would mitigate the loss of .4 acre wetland by creating a new 1.3 acre wetland. This exceeds the required minimum for wetland mitigation. The project is located at 700 Wood Street. The parcel is zoned both E, Employment and L-M-N, Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood. RECOMMENDATION: Approval COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box580 Fort Collins, CO80522-0580 (970)221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT No Text No Text No Text • • City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center (700 Wood Street) Request for Modification of a Standard, #16-90E August 15, 2002 P & Z Meeting Page 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This is a "stand-alone" Request for a Modification of Standard as allowed by Section 2.8.2. The request is being considered prior to consideration of the P.D.P. which is currently under review. The applicant has provided a justification for the request. Staff has analyzed the request and justification and finds that the Modification complies with the criteria for granting such a request. COMMENTS: 1. Background: The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: O (Open — Larimer County); Residential and Reclaimed Gravel Pit S: N-C-M; Existing Residential S: L-M-N; Existing Salvation Army Facility and Residential E: P-O-L; Lee Martinez Park and The Farm at Lee Martinez W: N-C-M; Existing Residential The City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center began the annexation process into the city limits in 1957. Portions were annexed as recently as 1987. Before the West Side Neighborhood Plan (1989), and before the City Plan rezonings (March 28, 1997), the Utility Service Center was located in three zone districts: I-G, General Industrial, C, Commercial, and B-P, Planned Business. Two of these zones, I-G, and C, allowed buildings, parking lot, and outside material storage as uses -by -right. The B-P zone, however, required building expansions, parking lot additions, and new outside storage areas to be processed as a P.U.D. under the L.D.G.S. Consequently, a portion of the Utility Service Center (3.05 acres) was, at one point, governed by a P.U.D. that was approved in July of 1990. This P.U.D. consisted of a parking lot (144 spaces) and outside material storage as accessory uses in the B-P zone. This 1990 P.U.D. was submitted and approved in conjunction with a larger project that included a building addition for Water/Wastewater Utility, and other parking lot and landscaping improvements which were located in the I-G, and C zones. These projects were completed as permitted uses. In 1989, the West Side Neighborhood Plan was adopted. In accordance with the WNP, the entire Utility Service Center was rezoned to R-C, River Corridor. 0 0 City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center (700 Wood Street) Request for Modification of a Standard, #16-90E August 15, 2002 P & Z Meeting Page 3 On March 28, 1997, the Utility Service Center was again rezoned this time to E, Employment. In June of 1997, the Utilities purchased the old concrete pipe yard at the corner of Wood and Elm Streets containing 4.86 acres and zoned L-M-N. This parcel was then redeveloped into a landscaped parking lot. The entire complex now includes approximately 15.85 acres. 2. Background on the Project Development Plan: The current P.D.P. is in response to the convergence of three factors. First, the City has recently purchased the B.N.S.F. railroad spur on the southeast portion of the site. This former right-of-way will be converted to an expansion of the existing outside storage area. Second, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has promulgated new stormwater protection rules regarding outside storage of electrical transfomers. Third, the modeling of the West Vine Drainage Basin, based on the new rainfall criteria, indicates that additional stormwater will sheet flow across the parking lot and storage yard in an unacceptable manner. In response to these factors, the City has a designed a project that will expand the outside storage area and place the electrical transformers in a specially designed containment area (even though the City does not use transformers containing P.C.B.'s). The site will be regraded and storm sewers will be installed to accommodate the increase in upstream storm flows West Elm Street. Further, and perhaps most importantly, a new water quality pond will be built so that all runoff from the site (including upstream flows) will be treated prior to release into the Poudre River. The project also includes a landscaped berm along Elm Street to enhance neighborhood compatibility. In addition, a six-foot wide sidewalk will be constructed between terminus of Loomis Street and Lee Martinez Park. A stub would be provided from the terminus of Whitcomb Street as well. This will facilitate bike and pedestrian access to the park. This improvement plan would eliminate two existing .2-acre wetlands (total of .4-acre) but result in construction of a new 1.3 acre wetland and a new water quality pond. 0 0 City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center (700 Wood Street) Request for Modification of a Standard, #16-90E August 15, 2002 P & Z Meeting Page 4 3. Applicant's Request: The applicant's request is accompanied by a preliminary plan that includes the improvements described in the previous section. The applicant is requesting a Modification to the following standard: Section 3.4.1(E) — Establishment of Buffer Zones For every development subject to this Division, the applicant shall propose, and the decision maker shall approve, on the project development plan buffer zone(s) surrounding natural habitats and features. The purpose of the buffer zones is to protect the ecological character of the natural habitat or natural feature from the impacts of the ongoing activity associated with the development. The standard requires a wetland buffer zone of 50 feet or a 20% reduction to 40 feet. The applicant, however, is proposing to eliminate the two wetlands rather than maintain either the 50-foot or 40-foot buffer. As mitigation for eliminating two .2-acre wetlands (total of .4-acre), the applicant proposes to establish a 1.3-acre wetland between the subject site and the Poudre River in the undeveloped portion of Lee Martinez Park. This results in .9-acre of new net wetland. 4. Applicant's Justification: A. The mitigation plan represents a two -to -one increase in wetland area. B. In addition to wetland mitigation, the project will result in a new stormwater quality pond where none exists now. This will improve the water entering the Poudre River. C. The loss of wetlands along Elm Street will be replaced by a heavily landscaped berm providing better screening and buffering of the service yard and parking lot from the adjacent neighborhood. D. The re -grading of the site and installation of new storm sewers will accommodate the increase in drainage from the West Vine Drainage Basin. E. The improvements will satisfies the rules of the U.S. E.P.A. 0 0 City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center (700 Wood Street) Request for Modification of a Standard, #16-90E August 15, 2002 P & Z Meeting Page 5 5. Staff Analysis: A. The Department of Natural Resources, in conjunction with the City's watershed environmental specialist, has evaluated the request and found that the mitigation plan that satisfies the intent of the wetland buffer standard. B. The overall project will result in better treatment of stormwater runoff than presently exists under current conditions. C. The overall project will result in better screening and buffering of the parking lot and service yard from the neighborhood to the south. D. The overall project will result in better bicycle and pedestrian access from the neighborhood to Lee Martinez Park, The Farm at Lee Martinez and the Poudre River Trail. Findings of Fact and Specific Findings as per Section 2.8.2(H)(3): A. The granting of the Request would not be detrimental to the public good. B. The P.D.P. will promote the general purpose of the standard equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard by increasing the wetlands because of the following three reasons: (1) The loss of wetlands will be mitigated by a two -to -one ratio resulting in an increase in wetland area. (2) A new water quality pond to treat both on -site and off -site stormwater runoff will be constructed resulting in less pollution entering the Poudre River. (3) Off -site storm flows from the West Vine Drainage Basin will he captured in new storm sewers and directed to the new water quality pond resulting in better stormwater management in an existing neighborhood. City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center (700 Wood Street) Request for Modification of a Standard, #16-90E August 15, 2002 P & Z Meeting Page 6 RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the Request for Review of the Buffer Zone Performance Standard, to allow elimination and mitigation of two .2-acre (total of A -acre) wetlands at the City of Fort Collins Utility Service Center, #16-90E. No Text li7�A'=Si1Lt`Jllw 1 B •, PWKm TFR I PMiKmG / Y ,/ 1 vARO STORAGE 1i - Em6TW NXJNGA �Y t0ffi$F rz E II E E 'I FJLSTNG E%ISTNG � fi.W $P�•F Bl1R� B Y I11 Y. Y PMKmO PROPOSfO HAIMEMANCE BINIgNG - WEST vmE OF. - _ _— I EMISTNG IARGE I ORCU PT X40$ NCE �a.n6s V PARKm(r I ��• gOPGSEG vEw0.E 'w- bPh' IpG V Vim• PARMMG 7M$Pu. «t yv 1 I � T•'4 W b a QxY EMROYEE PARKIKG I —rtcysn �PER 2GNE 1YIl OPEK SPAEE m z _ / J,ENSIR E-E z k2p/` t . GIXMNO 1r wE6TS E RESUBO NG GRIRW , 6UBprv14pi ❑I OPw£6T6NE $ GAffmm SVftsl CC" tm6UwD o vARO STORAGE Cmrnw .�' 4 4 4v 'p t +4 YMG STCAAC{ l APyi/I ZL PLANNING CERTIFICATE AMENDED OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PLAN CITY OF FORT COLLINS UTIILITY SERVICE CENTER FORT COLLMS ICO�LO^RADO ^ 1 lJ 1 T6b Y . lud lM tllmbE 4oeomeel. P % b :m • CaulaueVon Decummt SGlE, 1-•� Re1n b CFG GIbe.ME tlm.. PLANT LIST ? ov.r,s. IT.Y fa N i M94Rh'u33 sOUO.e+ me t• N vm.. rv.r.�uvn� u +.acwu MUsen tl erw�b��..� rae ew.cwne.rw PLANT NOTES Oeacmtlrv.nue 0- RCR<v6Me QvirvfuilpwTEYv.,.peY�W[4tp WATER USAGE TABLE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PLAN CITY OF FORT COLLINS UTIILITY SERVICE CENTER FORTCOLUNS COLORADO ex . <o..wcuw o«.a.=•. e u s eo pebr b ON [g1oe..1e[ P4nr. SULE. 1'. Y!