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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAFFINITY AT FORT COLLINS - PDP - PDP150010 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUESTJuly 1, 2015 Affinity at Fort Collins Two Modification Requests First - Section 3.5.2 - Residential Building Standards (G) Rear Walls of Multi-Family Garages. To add visual interest and avoid the effect of a long blank wall with no relation to human size, accessibility needs or internal divisions within the building, the following standards for minimum wall articulation shall apply: (1) Perimeter Garages. (a) Length. Any garage located with its rear wall along the perimeter of a development and within sixty-five (65) feet of a public right-of-way or the property line of the development site shall not exceed fifty-five (55) feet in length. A minimum of seven (7) feet of landscaping must be provided between any two (2) such perimeter garages. The Applicant is proposing to provide twelve perimeter garages that will be 60 feet wide, and two handi-cap garages that will measure 64’-6” wide. The maximum length specified in the land Use Code is 55 feet. The one-story garages are used to create an attractive height transition and privacy screening on both the north and west sides of the project. The one-story garages being placed on the perimeter of the site allows the three-story multi-family building to be placed further from the single-family residences. The Affinity senior housing project caters to the 55 and over population leaving single-family homes to live in a senior community with a lively social environment and no maintenance responsibilities. For many it acts as a transitional step between home ownership and full-scale assisted living. The seniors living at this kind of facility are still very active and require garages that are wider than the minimum width to allow a comfortable access to each garage. The added width also allows room for storing bikes and other recreational equipment. Affinity proposes to build garages that hold five cars while providing a 9-foot wide door rather than an 8- foot wide door. The purpose of the standard which is to add visual interest and to avoid the effect of long banks of garages is still being met. The garages will meet the other residential building standards relating to garages including: A minimum of 7 feet of landscape area between garages and architectural articulation as specified in the LUC. In addition, the garages are setback 25-feet from English Ranch, the single-family neighborhood to the north and 20-feet from Harmony Mobile Home Park on the west. The setback areas are proposed to be landscaped with evergreen and deciduous trees as well as a variety of shrubs that will soften the appearance of the garage structures and provide seasonal interest. The Applicant believes that providing 9-foot wide garage doors instead of 8-foot garage doors is first of all not detrimental to the public good. Secondly, the wider doors which require the 5-car garages to be wider than the LUC allows is a better design solution than 5-car garages with 8-foot doors that meet the standard given the population being served. The more generous door size will help seniors negotiate the garages safely and conveniently. The standard itself suggests that the designer should take into account accessibility needs. The extra wide garage doors and the two handicap garages provided are there to address accessibility needs without sacrificing visual attractiveness. The slightly wider interior space will also allow for storage of recreational equipment and other things that might otherwise end up on a porch or balcony. Second - Section 3.8.30 - Multi-Family Dwelling Development Standards (F) Design Standards for Multi-Family Dwellings. (1) Orientation and Buffer Yards. Buffer yards along the property line of abutting property containing single- and two-family dwellings shall be twenty-five (25) feet. The proposed Affinity senior housing project is located adjacent to English Ranch Subdivision on the north and adjacent to Harmony Mobile Home Park on the west. One-story garages are used to create an attractive land use transition on both interfaces. On the north, adjacent to English Ranch a 25-foot setback is provided, however, due to site constraints a 20-foot setback is provided on the west. The Applicant has worked hard to meet all Land Use Code standards and is confident that they will be a good neighbor to the adjacent residential developments, however, the need for storm water detention on the east side and extra driveway width for fire access make it difficult to provide a full 25-foot setback on the west side. One-story garages are placed 20-feet from the property line. The garages are attractively designed with articulated facades that act as a privacy screen between the two residential communities. The three-story multi-family structure is setback 102 feet from the property line. The garages create a height transition between the mobile homes and the taller three-story building. The proposed building placement also eliminates potential privacy issues. The 20-foot setback is proposed to be landscaped with evergreen and deciduous trees as well as a variety of shrubs that will soften the appearance of the garage structures and provide seasonal interest. On the south end of the west side the project provides the option for a future pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular connection to the west. A tree-lined sidewalk and access easement will allow pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists to travel through the Affinity site and connect with Corbett Drive which provides access to the Front Range Village Shopping Center. We believe this access opportunity enhances the interface between the two properties in the future. The Applicant maintains that the reduction of setback from 25 feet to 20 feet is not detrimental to the public good and is equal to or better than a project that would meet the standard. For example, the three-story building could be placed 25-feet from the property line and meet the standard. However, the end result would not have the same transitional qualities or be as attractive as the proposed building placement. Further, the Applicant believes that the P.D.P., as designed, will not diverge from the standards of the Land Use Code except in a nominal, inconsequential way when considered from the perspective of the entire development plan, and will continue to advance the purposes of the Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2.