HomeMy WebLinkAbout912 WOOD ST. (PATEROS CREEK) - MOD - MOD120004 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTPateros Creek — Modification of Standard MOD 120004
June 21, 2012 Planning and Zoning Board Hearing .
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B. In compliance with Section 2.8.2(H)(1), Staff finds that as proposed,
Pateros Creek 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 the Modification is requested.
This is because the site plan meets the overall net density standard,
exceeds the open space requirements for residential clustered
developments, has the same development footprint as a site plan that
would meet the. standard, and provides significant community amenities
such as increased trail connections, community gardens, and
neighborhood gathering spaces.
C. In compliance with Section 2.8.2(H)(4), Staff finds that as proposed,
Pateros Creek will promote the, general purpose of the standard for which
the Modification is requested in a nominal, inconsequential way when
considered from the perspective of the entire development plan than
would a plan which complies with the standard for which the Modification
is requested. This is because the site plan meets the overall net density
standard, is a lower density than the existing development on the site,
does not increase traffic with the site except in a nominal and
inconsequential manner, and has the same development footprint as a
site plan that would meet the standard.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of the Request for Modification of Standard to
Section 4.2(E)(2)(c), which would allow the pending Pateros Creek Project
Development Plan to have 41 dwelling units at a density of 2.36 dwelling units
per gross acre.
If granted, per Section 2.8.1, the Modification is valid for only one year by which
time a P.D.P. incorporating the Modification must be filed.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Project Vicinity Map
2. Northwest Subarea Plan Land Use Framework Map
3. Plan meeting the standard (provided by the applicant)
4. Plan illustrating the requested modification (provided by the applicant)
5. Comments provided by Save the Poudre provided on January 30, 2012
Pateros Creek — Modification of Standard MOD 120004
June 21, 2012 Planning and Zoning Board Hearing
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residential cluster development must follow. The applicable standards, as they
have been determined at this stage, include the following:
• The project is exceeding the open space requirement set forth in -Section
4.2(E)(2)(b) by providing 53% open space instead of the 50% open space
required.
• The project is preserving significant natural resources on the site (Section
4.2(E)(2)(e)(1)) through a proposed average buffer of 355' for the Poudre
River (the standard is 300'); this buffer is contiguous throughout the
property which exceeds the standard outlined in Section 3.4.1.
• Public trail connections will be provided by the project, including a
connection from Wood Street to the trail and numerous internal
connections to the Poudre River Trail (meeting Section 4.2(E)(2)(e)(2)).
The plan that meets the density standard provides development in the same
footprint as with the proposed plan, and thus, no additional land area is impacted
by modifying the standard. In addition to the same development footprint, the
proposed plan provides significant amenities to the site's residents, including an
orchard, community gathering area, a community garden.
Sufficient buffering is provided along both the north and the eastern project
boundaries, where the project borders the Poudre River Trail, McMurry Natural
Area and Lee Martinez Park, which enhances the transition from more intense
urban developments to the area's open lands. Thus, staff finds that the site plan
is found to perform at a high level of quality.
From a traffic perspective, Traffic Operations is acceptable with the Modification
request. The difference in peak hour traffic generated from 35 single family
homes or 41 single family homes is usually insignificant when compared to the
larger context.
5. Neighborhood Meeting:
A neighborhood meeting will be held on June 12 2012. A summary of this
meeting will be provided to the Board prior to the Hearing.
6. Findings of Fact:
In evaluating the request for a Modification to Section 4.2(E)(2)(c), which would
allow the pending Pateros Creek Project Development Plan to have 41 dwelling
units at a density of 2.36 dwelling units per gross acre, Staff makes the following
findings of fact:
A. In compliance with Section 2.8.2(H), Staff finds that the granting of the
Modification would not be detrimental to the public good.
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Pateros Creek — Modification of Standard MOD 120004
June 21, 2012 Planning and Zoning Board Hearing
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C. Traffic
Concerns such as increased traffic are nominal and inconsequential when
considering an additional 6 units. According to data from the project Traffic
Engineer (Delich Associates), an increase from 35 DU to 41 DU would result in a
16% daily trip increase from 396 to 458. AM peak increase would be 12%, from
34 to 38 trips and PM peak increase would be 15%, from 41 to 47 trips.
4. Staff Evaluation and Analysis:
The purpose of the Urban Estate (U-E) Zone District is as follows:
"The Urban Estate District is intended to be a setting for a predominance
of low -density and large -lot housing. The main purposes of this District are
to acknowledge the presence of the many existing subdivisions which
have developed in these uses that function as parts of the community and
to provide additional locations for similar development, typically in
transitional locations between more intense urban development and rural
or open lands. "
The character of the area surrounding the proposed project is diverse. To the
west of the project is an existing residential site with a horse stable. To the south
of the project is both the City Fleet Services building, which supplies the fueling
and fleet maintenance services for City vehicles, and existing residential with
large ponds. To the east of the project is The Farm at Lee Martinez Park and to
the north of the project is McMurry Natural Area. Thus, in just the immediate
vicinity of the project, there are uses classified as Major Public Facilities, single-
family detached dwellings, animal boarding, and parks, recreation, and open
lands. As the area does not have an established pattern or character, the
development of this parcel would not disrupt the larger neighborhood and will
serve as a transition from the intense land uses to the project's south and
southwest to the more rural and open lands to the west, north, and east.
The parcel was previously developed as the Bender Mobile Home Park and had
44 residential units (with a total of 45 buildings on the site) for a gross density of
2.53 dwelling units/acre. Though the immediate area surrounding the project has
a maximum density of 1 dwelling unit/acre, an average of 5 dwelling units per
acre can be found just two blocks from the project. Thus, the density proposed is
less than the existing density of the site and is aligned with the intent ofthe zone
district to transition from more intense urban development to the area's rural and
open lands.
The parcel is located at the end of a local street (Wood Street) and is bordered
on the north by the Poudre River. The project has proposed to cluster the
residential development, which is supported by the Northwest Subarea Plan as
the preferred land use for this parcel. The Code outlines specific standards that a
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Pateros Creek — Modification of Standard MOD 120004
June 21, 2012 Planning and Zoning Board Hearing
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Compact Development Pattern
The proposed plan creates a compact development form that achieves
greater than 50% open space.
Interconnected System of Open Lands
Open space within the property is connected to the Poudre River Trail via
a system of proposed trail connections.
Multiple Means of Travel
The adjacency of the property to the Poudre.River Trail will allow cycling
and walking to be exceptionally convenient means of travel to and from
the property, in addition to driving and bus routes (Transfort Route 9,
which has service along Vine Drive, Wood Street, and Cherry Street).
Redevelopment and Infill
Development of this parcel will be a redevelopment of the existing Bender
Mobile Home Park, which is currently in a degraded state with excessive
material storage throughout, detracting from and diminishing the quality of
the Poudre River Trail experience.
Community Gardens
The project will provide two community gardens for residents. One garden
will serve the entire community and will be located within the open space,
strategically placed in a lower quality habitat area. A second garden will be
provided within the courtyard community.
Edible Plants
The project will contain an orchard and a variety of edible plants that
provide an additional food source for the community.
Community Gathering Areas
The project will contain gathering areas in a pavilion in the open space
and throughout the central courtyard in the courtyard community.
Heritage Preservation
The project will acknowledge and tell the story of its heritage as Hart's
Farm through interpretation, a farm theme and remnants of features such
as the small mill race.
B. Context -based Justification
Character concerns of increased density are alleviated through a net residential
density of 4.75 DU/Acre, which is less than the standard of 5 DU/Acre. The
immediate surrounding area large lot residential density has an average of .3 - 1
DU/Acre, however, the single family neighborhoods 2 blocks away, within the
City Limits, have an average of 5 DU/Acre.
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Pateros Creek — Modification of Standard MOD 120004
June 21, 2012 Planning and Zoning Board Hearing
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the cluster the project is 4.75 (while the standard allows for up 5 dwelling units
per net acre).
3. Summary of the Applicant's Justification:
The applicant contends that the pending P.D.P., with 41 dwelling units at 2.36
dwelling units per gross acre, will promote the general purpose of the standard
for which the Modification is requested equally well or better than and in a
manner that is nominal and inconsequential when compared with a plan that
complies with the standard for which a the Modification is requested.
As justification, the applicant offers the following:
A. Site -based Justification:
The applicant requests a modification from the Urban Estate Cluster gross
density standard of 2 DU/Acre maximum to 2.4 DU/Acre. This density translates
to 35 dwelling units under the standard, whereas the project proposes 41
dwelling units. The net density standard under the Urban Estate Cluster
standards of 5 DU/Acre maximum is met with the preferred plan at 4.75 DU/Acre.
Two plans are shown in the attached documents — one illustrates a 35 dwelling
unit density compliance concept, while the preferred plan is shown at 41 dwelling
units.
The preferred plan is not detrimental to the public good in that it maintains high
quality habitat, open space and promotes a sense of community through its
spatial structure and open space amenities.
The preferred plan is equal to or better than a comparable plan which meets the
density standard of 2 DU/Acre in that it exceeds the Urban Estate open space
standard of 50%, at 53% open space, This objective meets the overall intent of
the cluster plan of preserving open space, through a compact development. In
addition, the preferred plan will allow restoration of the entire open space to a
level comparable with the adjacent Poudre River Flood Plan forest.
The modification of density from 2 DU/Acre to 2.4 DU/Acre is nominal and
inconsequential when considering the overall impact, character of the
development and ability of the proposed plan to meet or exceed all other
standards within the Land Use Code.
The proposed plan advances the Land Use Code and exceeds it in many cases,
supporting Plan Fort Collins principles such as the following:
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Pateros Creek — Modification of Standard MOD 120004
June 21, 2012 Planning and Zoning Board Hearing
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incorporating the Modification must be filed. The request has been evaluated by
the criteria of Section 2.8.2(H) and found to be in compliance due to the pending
P.D.P., with 41 dwelling units, being equal to or better than a plan with 35
dwelling units. The plan, as proposed with 41 dwelling units, would only diverge
from the standard in a nominal and inconsequential to a plan that would have
been capped at 35 dwelling units.
COMMENTS:
1. Background:
The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows:
N: POL in the City of Fort Collins: McMurry Natural Area
E: POL in the City of Fort Collins: Lee Martinez Park
S: O in Larimer County: existing residential
W: O in Larimer County: existing residential and horse stables
E in the City of Fort Collins: City of Fort Collins Fleet Services
The parcel was previously developed in the County as the Bender Mobile Home
Park and had 44 residential units (with a total of 45 buildings on the site) for a
gross density of 2.53 dwelling units/acre. The proposal for the site requires that
the site be annexed into the City prior to redevelopment. The property is pending
annexation by Council, with the second reading of the Ordinance approving the
annexation and zoning set for July 17, 2012. The annexation and zoning was
approved on first reading by City Council on June 5, 2012 and will be before City
Council on July 17, 2012 for second reading. The annexation and zoning were
recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Board by a 6-0 vote at
the May 17, 2012 hearing.
2. The Standard at Issue:
In the U-E, the maximum overall average density is capped at 2.00 dwellings per
gross acre, while the net density of a project is capped at 5.00 dwelling units per
acre within a cluster. The citation is Section 4.2(E)(2)(c) and reads as follows:
"(c) Minimum lot sizes do not apply provided that the overall average
density of the proposed development does not exceed two (2) dwelling
units per gross acre and the density of the cluster development does not
exceed five (5) dwelling units per net acre."
This standard is being applied to a pending Project Development Plan that
consists of 41 dwelling units on 17.34 acres for a density of 2.36 dwelling units
per acre. As proposed, all buildings will be single-family and the net density of
2
0 City of
ort Collins
ITEM NO
MEETING DATE & b+ I:) -
STAFF EEC.
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD
PROJECT: Pateros Creek, Request for Modification of Standard,
#MOD120004
APPLICANT: Craig Russell, RLA
Russell + Mills Studios
141 S College Avenue, Suite 104
Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
OWNER: Sidehill Investment LLC
7307 Streamside Drive
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This is a request for a Modification of Standard to Section 4.2(E)(2)(c) which
caps the maximum, overall average density in clustered residential projects in the
Urban Estate (U-E) zone at 2.00 dwelling units per gross acre and 5.0 dwelling
units per net acre within a cluster development plan for Pateros Creek, a pending
P.D.P. While the proposal meets the net density standard by proposing 4.75
dwelling units per net acre, the request seeks a maximum density of 2.36
dwelling units per gross acre which would result in six additional dwelling units
from 35 to 41. The parcel is 17.34 acres in size and located on the east side of
Wood Street, approximately % mile east of North Shields Street. The site is
developed and formerly known as the Bender Mobile Home Park, which was a
development that occurred while the parcel was in Larimer County.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Pateros Creek is a proposed clustered residential development project, pending
the annexation and zoning of the property by City Council. This request is for a
stand-alone Modification of Standard, which is allowed per Section 2.8.1 and, if
granted, is valid for only one year by which time a Project Development Plan
Current Planning 281 N College Av PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
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