HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOOPER HOME (1309 NEWSOM ST.) - SPAR - SPA120001 - REPORTS - CORRESPONDENCE-HEARINGthan three cars." Further, not, "anything which may become an annoyance or nuisance to the
neighborhood."
Currently, the Walter Cooper Memorial Vocational School is located on Stuart Street where the
city zoning is low -density mixed -use (LMN). This zoning seems to encompass schools training
young adults. In contrast, the residential low density (RL) zone restricts new schools to those
with students under the age of 18 years. The proposed school is for students in the 18-21 year
range. Further, the City of Fort Collins RL Zone requires a minimum of 25 foot side yard
distance between a school, when permitted, and a residence lot line on each side of the new
school. The proposed site has 7'/z foot and 5 % foot side yards and is thus intrusive to the
neighbors. Meeting the side yard requirements would require the purchase of two adjacent
residential properties. This would substantially increase the cost of this site acquisition and may
require condemnation proceedings.
Importantly, the students could be better served from alternative sites. One such site was
suggested for review at the Feb. 21 Information Meeting and subsequently 14 other sites were
made available. Further, a stair rail elevator could be installed at the current Stuart Street location
for much less than the $300,000 proposed to purchase and renovate the 1309 Newsom site.
We are asking PSD to please review these sites and allow time for further discussion on this item
and for preparation of a detailed response to this proposal.
Loss of Property Value
Probably no one can estimate the exact drop in property values. It is logical though that buyers
and appraisers will discount near -by houses. The location of the school on Newsom has a
negative impact on near -by house for a number of reasons including that the building will be
empty at night, on week -ends, and during the summer. During the day there will be a bus and
several cars parked in an already congested street. Finally, there is the uncertainty of how the
building will be used in off hours and in the future when the school moves again.
When one of the near -by homes is sold at a reduced price, that is recorded in the county assessor
on-line public data. The rest of the community uses the lower sales price of that house to have
their county appraised value adjusted downward and there -by pay lower property taxes.
Your consideration of this special request is respectfully appreciated.
Prepared by Robert Kost, Forrest Walters, and Tim Sagen for Neighborhood Residents opposed
to this project location.
TO: Dr. Jerry Wilson, Superintendent of Schools, Poudre School District
COPY TO: School Board Directors, Poudre School District
City Council, Fort Collins, Colorado
Mr. Steve Olt, City Planner, Fort Collins, Colorado
Neighborhood Group, University Acres
SUBJECT: New PSD School/Program at 1309 Newsom Street, in University Acres Subdivision
Our purpose is to request the Superintendent of Poudre School District to remove the subject
item from the agenda processes pending further review of the site selection process as suggested
at the Neighborhood Information Meeting on February 21, 2012. In brief, please stop the
purchase process at 1309 Newsom Street. In our view this action causes substantial damage to
the neighborhood, Poudre School District, and the public in general due to the loss in student
achievement potential, community good will, and property values with ensuing mill levy tax
revenue.
Loss in Potential Student Achievement
We understand the purpose of the Walter Cooper Memorial Vocational School is to assist
developmentally handicapped young adults transition to working at jobs and being as
independent as possible. In our view, the young adults in this program in this Newsom Street
location will not be able to achieve the goals of this program. They would be better served where
they could connect to the Mason Street corridor.
As the name "University Acres Subdivision" might suggest, a number of our neighborhood
group are involved in "education." In our view, our young adults involved in this program could
not function well in this congested area around Lesher Junior High School and they would not be
able to cross or walk by Prospect Street in this area to reach bus transportation as the travel to
work and to and from home. Actually, none of our neighborhood group, walk or catch the bus in
that area because traffic is very heavy and close to the side -walk.
Loss in Community Good Will
If the Poudre School District and the City of Fort Collins insist on locating the Walter Cooper
Memorial Vocational School in this Newsom Street area it will be at a substantial cost of "Good
Will." The Poudre School District will be over riding a number of Subdivision Covenants and
City Zoning Requirements.
For example, subdivision covenants provide that, "no lot shall be used except for residential
purposes. No building shall be erected, altered, placed or permitted to remain, on any lot other
than one detached single-family dwelling and private garage, attached or detached, for not more