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HomeMy WebLinkAboutASCENT STUDIO CLIMBING & FITNESS - MJA - MJA140003 - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGNEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION MEETING Project: Ascent Studios Climbing Wall & Fitness Center Date: June 16, 2014 Project Planner: Noah Beals The project planner began the meeting by discussing the City’s development review process, and where this project is in the development review process, including that tonight’s neighborhood meeting is prior to any formal development application submittal. This project is a Type 2 project, subject to review by the Planning & Zoning Board. If you received an invitation to tonight’s meeting, you will also receive notice for the public hearing for this project if it continues to move forward. This site is located off Joseph Allen Drive. There is an existing, approved project development plan for this area called Timberline Center. This approved plan had established building lots and building designs. The project proposed tonight was different enough from these previously‐approved designs the applicant is required to submit a major amendment to these plans. Applicant Presentation: The major amendment is for a new indoor climbing facility. The building will be 18,000 square feet and 2 levels. There will be an overall main level as well as an upper mezzanine level in the north portion of the building. The south portion will be all indoor climbing. The climbing walls will be as high as 40+ feet. There will also be a full‐height open area up to the roofline ridge as you see on elevations which will be 50 feet. The building itself is located towards the southwest corner of the lot. The existing development plan indicated buildings for this area to be about 35’ tall at their highest. This building is proposed to be 50’ tall to accommodate the climbing walls. We had investigated digging down into the ground to help accommodate the taller walls, but this was deemed prohibitively expensive. The Timberline Association requires that all buildings have a pitched roof. In order to get most of the rope climbing over 40’, we had to get to 50’ for the roof peak at the top of the pitch. The City also requested additional windows in the building, that’s why you see those windows near the top as well. The main core of the building will have a yoga studio, climbing training space, weight training, and cardio. There will be a separate area for group climbing, such as classes, birthday parties, team practices, etc. The building is pushed to the far south and west of the site, away from nearby houses and Timberline that we feel is appropriate for a taller building. The building will be setback from Timberline Road approximately 400’, even more from the neighbors across Timberline Rd. For those who own pieces of property in front of this site, to the east, there will be other buildings that will front this building (viewed from Timberline). These buildings could be up to 35’. You will see whatever is right on the street, helping to mitigate the impacts. You should be able to see the climbing walls through large windows from Timberline. The windows were important to John, the business owner, and the City. Timberline Center requires a roof green in color (similar to the storage buildings and Burger King) and this building will follow those guidelines as well. Questions, Comments & Answers Question (Citizen): Who decides this? What is the next step? Response (City): The next step is that the applicant would have to wait 10 days to formally submit the project, to take into account any comments or questions received tonight. Next, there are staff rounds of review to make sure it is in compliance with city standards to present to the Planning & Zoning Board. The Planning & Zoning Board is the decision maker. If approved by the Planning & Zoning board, the plans will come back through for final plan compliance. Once the final plan is approved they can submit a building permit. Question (Citizen): What is the time frame? Response (City): A typical project takes 2 or 3 rounds of review before going to Planning & Zoning Board, but you also need to factor in their schedule of meeting once a month and a two‐week notification for nearby property owners. Depending on how many revisions are needed, it could be several months before it makes it to the Planning & Zoning Board. After that, it usually takes another round of review before mylars are recorded and signed. A complete, typical process can be 6‐9 months before building. Question (Citizen): Is the neighborhood to the east; is that the major concern here or the height? Response (City): The overall height. The original center was approved with the tallest building height of 35’. At 50’ we felt it was out of context with those approved plans. The police services building is taller than 50’, but wasn’t part of the Timberline Center development plan. Question (Citizen): What’s being developed right there, across the road? Response (Applicant): That is staging for the Xcel gas line. Response (City): Nothing has been approved for that lot. Question (Citizen): What is being developed to the east, across Timberline? Response (City): Those are townhomes for the Bucking Horse development. Question (Citizen): Will those people complain? Response (Applicant): They were notified, and currently they are under construction or not built yet. It is quite a distance from these houses to the site. We have studied what could be visible from those houses to our building if planned buildings are built next to Timberline, and you could only see a very small portion. Response (City): The City also requires a special shading and shadow analysis that is reviewed for buildings over 40’. Question (Citizen): Is Timberline all commercial zoning? Response (City): It’s mainly Industrial/employment zoning, but there are retail/commercial uses permitted. Question (Citizen): So there’s no residential buildings? Response (Applicant): To the southwest of the Police Services building a residential development is planned. Question (Citizen): Is there any concern about decreasing home values because of blocking the views? Response (Applicant): No, the trees behind (west) of us are very mature, and some are nearly 50’. The Police Services Building is may also be blocking the views of the mountains. Question (Citizen): How tall is the Police Services Building? Response (City): The approved plans show it as 55’. Question (Citizen): Is signage allowed for the development? Response (Applicant): There is a monument planned between Bear Mountain and Nancy Gray Ave. It’s a shared sign for the development. Question (Citizen): Will there be access off Timberline at that point? Based on your plan tonight, there are only two points of access? Response (Applicant): Yes, that is what is approved right now for access from Timberline for the Timberline Center, access at Bear Mountain & Nancy Gray. Response (Applicant): There is a detention area along Timberline right next to Burger King that is also blocking additional access. Comment (Citizen): If you were headed south on Timberline you’d have to circle back after seeing the sign to make it into the development. Response (Applicant): Yes. Question (Citizen): Can you turn left from Bear Mountain (off of Timberline)? Response (Applicant): Yes. Question (Citizen): Is there any signage off Joseph Allen near Drake? Response (Applicant): No. Response (City): The amount of signage you can have is based on the amount of your lot frontage. We also limit the height of signs as well. Question (Applicant): What is our lot frontage considered? Response (City): The length along Joseph Allen. Question (Citizen): What would be the participant capacity of the building when it is open? Response (Applicant): That will depend on how much linear footage of rope climbing we can have. I would think close to 200 climbers. Question (Citizen): What is your parking? Response (Applicant): We have 74 parking spaces. There is also on‐street parking on Joseph Allen. Response (City): They will also be required to have bicycle parking. Response (Applicant): There will also be some shared parking for the users of the entire Timberline Center. Question (Citizen): Are there any proposals for extending the Spring Creek trail to get under the railroad tracks, around EPIC? Response (City): Currently do not know the answer to this, but we can follow‐up with our Parks Department. Comment (Citizen): There is no way to get across currently unless you go to either Drake or Prospect. Comment (Citizen): I think Drake and Prospect the tunnels are more than enough access. Response (Applicant): We’re basically half a mile from each. Comment (Citizen): There’s also a great bike lane from either direction on Timberline. Response (Applicant): We want to make this a very successful facility for everyone. We looked at a number of different properties, but we realized there was a lot of potential at this site concerning access for many different travel modes.