HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE QUARRY BY WATERMARK - PDP200019 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUESTNovember 10, 2020
Modification Request
3.5.2 Residential Building Standards
(D) Relationship of Dwellings to Streets and Parking.
(1) Orientation to a Connecting Walkway.
Every front facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face the adjacent street
to the extent reasonably feasible. Every front facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling
unit shall face a connecting walkway with no primary entrance more than two hundred
(200) feet from a street sidewalk. The following exceptions to this standard are permitted:
(a) Up to two (2) single-family detached dwellings on an individual lot that has
frontage on either a public or private street.
(b) A primary entrance may be up to three hundred fifty (350) feet from a street
sidewalk if the primary entrance faces and opens directly onto a connecting
walkway that qualifies as a major walkway spine.
(c) If a multi-family building has more than one (1) front facade, and if one (1)
of the front facades faces and opens directly onto a street sidewalk, the
primary entrances located on the other front facade(s) need not face a street
sidewalk or connecting walkway.
Reason for the Request
The design team has made every effort to ensure safe, convenient and attractive pedestrian
connections throughout the site. Through those efforts the majority of buildings on the site either
face a connecting walkway, are within 200 feet of one or utilize a major walkway spine to attain
compliance. In the case of Building 4 the pedestrian would have to cross a driveway to access
the public sidewalk along Shields Street, which puts it out of compliance with 3.5.2(D)(1).
Eliminating the driveway and the corresponding need to cross it, would create circulation and
fire/ vehicular access problems for the parking areas located to the north and south of Building
4. In order to offset this pedestrian inconvenience of crossing a driveway, the Applicant is
proposing to create an enhanced walkway parallel to Building 4 that will create a pedestrian
experience equal to or better than what the standard requires.
Justifications
The Land Use Code states that the decision-maker may grant a modification of standards only if
it finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good; and the
decision-maker must also find that the Modification meets one of the following four criteria
described in the LUC.
(1) the plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the
modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the
standard for which a modification is requested;
We believe the plan as designed is not detrimental to the public good and meets the general
purpose of the standard better than a plan that would comply with the standard. The purpose of
the standard as stated in the Land Use Code is
“to promote variety, visual interest and pedestrian-oriented streets in residential development.”
While building #4 doesn’t connect to a street sidewalk without crossing a driveway, we have
designed an enhanced walkway that not only connects to the street sidewalk but also promotes
the safety of the pedestrian and increases visual interest and pedestrian enjoyment. The walk
is oversized (9’ wide) similar to walks in the Old Town area. Trees in tree grates line the walk
creating an urban pedestrian feel as well as a separation from the adjacent parking. The
images below show the area out of compliance and a sketch of the enhanced walk.
Similar to sidewalks in Old Town Fort Collins with its large width, trees in the walk and plantings
along the buildings, The enhanced walk shown above provides a pedestrian experience that is
equal to and possibly better than a LUCASS standard 4.5’ walk and 6’ parkway.