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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSOUTHEAST FORT COLLINS COMMUNITY PARK - PDP - PDP140014 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - PLANNING OBJECTIVESland planning  landscape architecture  urban design  entitlement May 12, 2015 Southeast Community Park PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PLAN – Revision 1 Planning Objectives The land for the Southeast Community Park was purchased by Park Planning in 2002 using the fees from new home construction. It is located at the northeast corner of Kechter Road and Zeigler Road, in the southeast side of town. In 2011 a temporary BMX track was constructed on the site in order to relocate it from Edora Park. A partnership between Poudre School District and Park Planning provided construction and use of an irrigation pond and pump house. In 2013, an official Request for Proposals was issued for the design of the community park. A two day design charette was held with the entire city team where several concepts were created. From those, a series of public meetings were held. Through the neighborhood meetings it was determined that the park program should include passive and natural areas, playground, water play, sports fields, dog park, community garden and edible forest, park shelters and restrooms. A Project Development Plan was submitted in August 2014. Following this submittal several areas in the design were identified that could be improved. These included the parking alignment along Kechter Road, a stronger sense of entry, and reducing the fragmentation within the park elements. The team reviewed the master plan, revised accordingly, held a final neighborhood meeting and has attached a revised Project Development Plan for your review. McClellend’s Creek bisects the park flowing west to east. Fossil Creek High School is adjacent to the north. The two entities share tennis courts and an existing ball field located on the park site. There is also a parking agreement in place that allows park users to park in the west parking lot of the school (outside of school hours) and all of the spots along Saber Cat Drive. Currently the cross-country team uses the property for its races and there are several social paths that have been worn through heavy use. Several large cottonwood and willow trees line both sides of the creek. Many are unstable and will be removed prior to construction for the safety of the park users. The BMX track will be relocated to the eastern portion of the park and lowered slightly to remove it from the elevated ground that it now sits on. The revised park design is based upon five principles: 1. We want a park that is memorable, 2. We want the park to have a unique identity, and add to the existing collection of community parks in Fort Collins, 3. The design should create a clear and intuitive entry sequence and circulation, 4. Future maintenance of the park needs to be considered, and 5. The design needs to leverage the assets of the site. The park design celebrates the creek and the site’s agricultural heritage. Entering the park from the west you pass through a hedge symbolizing entry into the homestead. Several buildings, designed as a modern expression of farm vernacular, are positioned along the entry drive; each one using similar materials while representing their individual function. These include a Farm House (rentable pavilion), a play barn and Southeast Community Park - Planning Objectives May 12, 2015 Page 2 of 2 two restroom facilities. An edible orchard and a large farm table will be located near the farm house. The play barn will be constructed for playground shade and two silos will be relocated to this site for use in the playground. Long straight walks provide juxtaposition to the meandering creek while the large open play fields provide contrast to the heavily treed area around the buildings. Program elements include two potentially lit multi-use fields, two lit ball fields, restrooms, shelters, dog park, playground, creek play, community garden and relocation of the BMX track. Several stormwater best management practices will be incorporated. All of the runoff from the main parking lot will sheet flow into a series of rain gardens which will capture and filter the parking lot runoff. The rain garden will be designed with an under drain to convey higher flows that cannot infiltrate to a downstream storm system that discharges into the creek. In addition to the rain gardens, a French Drain system will be installed on the downhill side of all turf areas anticipated to receive fertilizer and long-term irrigation (soccer fields, baseball fields, etc.). The French Drain system will capture irrigation and minor storm runoff, filter the water and encourage infiltration. The French Drain system will be connected to the main storm system that discharges into the creek. Runoff during larger storm events will bypass this French Drain system and sheet flow directly into the creek. Native vegetation is maximized in all passive areas of the park and the within the creek corridor.