HomeMy WebLinkAboutGARTH COMMERCIAL PLAZA - MODIFICATION OF STANDARDS - 20-02 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - MODIFICATION REQUEST• The proposed site plan promotes better pedestrian connectivity between the proposed site
and adjacent uses, and
• The direct pedestrian connection and pedestrian amenity provide a `node' for pedestrians
between Mason Street/Boardwalk, and the proposed transportation corridor, and
• The small vehicular use area is not intrusive to the overall streetscape, is consistent with
adjacent uses, and will be well screened.
• The proposed building and site plan would be consistent with other developments in the
area both in terms of use, and contextual setbacks.
• The proposed building placement would place this development on an equal economic
footing with other developments in the area.
We recommend approval of Garth Commercial Plaza Lots 3&4 Modification Request.
Garth Commercial Plaza
Modifications of Standards Request 5/10/02 4
Implementing the code as intended without the modification would cause undo hardship to the
applicant for the following reasons:
• The three buildings of Garth Commercial Plaza were originally conceived, and
developed, to be part of one center with continuous vehicular and pedestrian access
between the various buildings.
• This is the last lot to develop on the west side of Mason Street between Horsetooth and
Troutman Parkway, adhearing to the standards, while setting a new standard for
development, would force a building design and configuration that is not economically
favorable to the applicant with a building orientation that would be hard to lure and keep
tenants.
• The code does acknowledge existing development, and the desire for new development to
not be disjointed with existing developments, particularly with the use of contextual
setbacks. By arranging the site as proposed, this building and use is compatible with other
neighboring uses and with the contextual setbacks.
• Having buildings that more directly face the street with easy vehicular and pedestrian
access, are more valuable to individual retailers. An orientation that `hides' part of the
building would be more difficult to attract and retain tenants, thereby creating an unfair
hardship on the building owner that is largely different from other buildings in the
immediate vicinity.
• The placement of the pedestrian amenity adjacent to Mason Street provides a street
visibility and identity to the site, and provides a gateway for pedestrians wishing to travel
from the intersection of Boardwalk and Mason Street to the proposed transportation
corridor west of the site.
• The small parking lot between the building and the street does not impair pedestrian
mobility within the site. It does reduce the presence of a building on the street, however,
there is limited parking, with about 36 spaces that are visible from the street versus the
plan that meets the code with 45 visible parking spaces. This parking area would be
screened from the street with a 3-4 foot hedge, and meet other landscape criteria.
• The proposed site plan promotes pedestrian connectivity better between this site and the
adjacent uses than the plan meeting code. Both of the adjacent uses were designed with a
continuous pedestrian connection in mind. The proposed site addresses this with a clean
and clear pedestrian connection from site to site in a mostly straight line, crossing two
existing driveways. The plan meeting the requirements actually blocks the direct
pedestrian access. From the hotel, pedestrians would have to cross a drive and walk
around the proposed building to get to the entrance of it. Crossing to the retail building to
the south would require pedestrian to cross two driveways.
• With the modification, the three buildings would work together to create more of a
unified center, which was the intent when the other two sites were developed.
Findings of Fact/Conclusion
We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning Board must
make the following findings:
A. The request for a modification to Land Use Code Section 3.5.3(B)(2) is subject to review by the
Planning and Zoning Board.
B. Granting the requested modification would neither be detrimental to the public good nor impair the
intent and purposes of this Land Use Code.
C. Granting the requested modification would alleviate undo hardship to the applicant:
Garth Commercial Plaza
Modifications of Standards Request 5/10/02 3
• The proposed site plan `A' does allow for a direct pedestrian connection to the
building from Mason Street, with direct pedestrian connections to both the hotel and
retail building to the south. A connection to the proposed Mason Street Corridor is
also possible.
• To compensate for the lack of direct building frontage, a pedestrian amenity has been
located at the setback line along Mason Avenue, adjacent to the pedestrian
connection. While not specifically designed at this time, this would be a structure
with a small plaza and benches. This would serve as an Icon for the overall center.
The Code Requirements can be met by developing Plan `B'. This plan places the building
perpendicular to Mason Street, with parking between it and the retail building to the
south. This would be a good workable plan for a single user building; however, it is not
as desirable for a multi -tenant building. Retail users, particularly those along this corridor
at this time, want direct visibility to the street. Spaces to the rear of the building would be
more hidden, without direct street visibility, would be more difficult to lease, and at a far
less favorable rental arrangement.
This building also turns its back to the hotel to the north, with service areas adjacent to
the hotel. An east west orientation to the building, would also partially block visibility to
the existing retail building to the south from vehicles traveling south along Mason Street.
This building placement also hinders pedestrian circulation between the various uses
immediately adjacent to this site as well.
Taken as a whole, the three separate buildings would not read as one well thought out
center.
Justification
We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning Board must
make the following findings:
A) The Planning and Zoning Board may grant a modification of standards only if it finds that
the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good;
We feel that the proposed design allows the pedestrian to interact with the vehicle in a safe and
convenient manner, allows better circulation between this site and the adjacent uses, and is not
detrimental to the public good.
B) By reason of exceptional physical conditions or other extraordinary and exceptional
situations, unique to such property, including, but not limited to, physical conditions such as
exceptional narrowness, shallowness or topography, or physical conditions which hinder the
owner's ability to install a solar energy system, the strict application of the standard sought
to be modified would result in unusual and exceptional practical difficulties, or exceptional
or undue hardship upon the owner of such property, provided that such difficulties or
hardship are not caused by the act or omission of the applicant.
The purpose of the LUC code section 3.5.3(B)(2) "is intended to promote the design of an urban
environment that is built to human scale to encourage attractive street fronts and other connecting
walkways that accommodate pedestrians as the first priority, while also accommodating vehicular
movement. "
Garth Commercial Plaza
Modifications of Standards Request 5/10/02 2
MODIFICATION REQUEST (REVISED 3/8/02)
GARTH COMMERCIAL
ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED SITE PLAN
We are submitting this request for modification of standards for the Garth Commercial Plaza, Lots 3&4
project to address the following item:
A. Modification of standards to Section 3.5.3(B)(2) of the LUC
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Garth Commercial Plaza is a small infill commercial site located along Mason Street just south of
Boardwalk Drive. This site is 1.28 acres in size. The applicant is proposing a small retail building on the
site, approximately 12,500 square feet in size. The developer owns the land to the north of this site that the
Quality Inn and Suites Hotel sits on, and the retail building to the south. The original retail building was
built in the early 1980's with the intent of continuing with an identical building to the north. The hotel
building was constructed in the late 1990's. An original preliminary PUD site plan was approved for both
the hotel and the site that this development is being proposed for. When designing the hotel site,
considerable attention was paid to providing the ability for pedestrian connections between the hotel and the
proposed building, as well as auto circulation.
The developer has worked with staff on a variety of conceptual plans, both those that meet the LUC criteria
and those that don't. As a result, the applicant is requesting a modification to 3.5.3(B)(2), Orientation to
Build -to Lines for Street front Buildings.
Modifications to setback requirements
Code Sections: 3.5.3(B)(2) Orientation to Build -to Lines for Street front Buildings. Build -to lines
based on a consistent relationship of buildings to the street sidewalk shall be
established by development projects for new buildings and, to the extent
reasonably feasible, by development projects for additions or modifications of
existing buildings, in order to form visually continuous, pedestrian -oriented
street fronts with no vehicle use area between building faces and the street.
(b) Buildings shall be located no more than fifteen (15) feet from the right-of-way of an
adjoining street if the street is smaller than a full arterial or has on -street parking.
Purpose: These standards are intended to promote the design of an urban environment that is built to human
scale to encourage attractive street fronts and other connecting walkways that accommodate
pedestrians as the first priority, while also accommodating vehicular movement.
Discussion: For The Garth Commercial Plaza, we are requesting to modify the code requirement by
placing a small vehicular use area between the building and the street for the following
reasons:
• Buildings to both the north and the south of this site have vehicular uses between the
street and the buildings. Both projects were originally designed with a use and
building placement on the proposed site consistent with the proposed site plan.
Garth Commercial Plaza
Modifications of Standards Request 5/10/02