HomeMy WebLinkAboutAMIGOS AT SHIELDS PRELIMINARY PUD 8.21.1990 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING - 47 90A - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGNEIGHBORHOOD MEETING MINUTES
ITEM: Amigos Fast Food Restaurant, Shields and University
APPLICANT: Don Smith, Starwood C.M.
REPRESENTATIVE: Ric Hattman, Gefroh-Hattman, Inc.
PROJECT PLANNER: Ted Shepard
DATE: August 21, 1990
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS
1. Why doesn't Amigos locate on West Elizabeth Street in the Campus West
shopping area? There, are plenty of vacant buildings and there would be
better vehicular access.
RESPONSE: Amigos would prefer to locate as close to the campus as possible
for the walk-in trade potential offered by the campus.
2. The former bank building on West Elizabeth that has been gutted by fire
would be' an ideal location. The sign on the property says: "Will build to
suit". Again, it seems that West Elizabeth is ideal for a fast food restaurant.
The property. at Shields and University is not an ideal location.
3. The nearest signal for pedestrian access across Shields for college students
is at Elizabeth. Knowing students, they won't walk to the signal to cross
Shields but will cut across a busy arterial street. This will add a dangerous
element to driving on Shields.
4. Even though the site is expanded with the additional lot to the south, and
there is a proposed office to act as a buffer, the site is too close to the
existing houses and would be an intrusion into the neighborhood.
RESPONSE: The project would attempt to screen the fast food restaurant from
the neighborhood with the office building, landscaping and fencing. These
three elements would essentially shield the restaurant from the south.
5. We live on Shields and have witnessed several bad traffic accidents every
year. It is a heavily used street that carries a large amount of traffic. It
seems that it is at capacity now. Adding a fast food restaurant would only
make the situation worse.
RESPONSE: It the project is submitted, a Traffic Impact Analysis will be
conducted to determine the amount of traffic generated by a new restaurant
and assess the impact on Shields.
6. The residences on Bennett, Springfield, and Westward represent an inner
neighborhood versus a new subdivision on the City's fringe. It seems that by
allowing commercial uses into these inner neighborhoods, the value of the
homes will decrease and the residents will be driven away. It would be
unfortunate if this neighborhood suffered such a fate. Inner neighborhoods
should not have to be impacted by commercialization.
7. The site plan shows an exit onto Shields. Will cars be allowed to turn
left to go north? This will be a very difficult turn.
RESPONSE: We are proposing, at this time, that the curb cut on Shields not
be restricted to a right-in/right-out situation. A Traffic Impact Analysis will
be required as part of the P.U.D. process and be reviewed by the City
Transportation Department. Amigos is prepared to live up to the findings of
the Traffic Impact Analysis.
8. If cars cannot exit to go north on Shields, then they will drive through
our neighborhood to get back to City Park Avenue or Elizabeth Street. Our
neighborhood streets (Bennett, Springfield, Westward) will be impacted with
non -local traffic. This would be undesirable.
9. What is the percentage difference between drive-thru and sit-down
customers and how many parking spaces are there?
RESPONSE: Amigos estimates that there would be 60% drive-thru and 40%
sit-down customers. There is indoor seating for 60 people. There are 40
parking spaces on the site.
10. It seems that with only 40 parking spaces divided between 60 seated
customers and a 3,000 square feet of office space that there is insufficient
parking and that the overflow will have a negative impact on the
neighborhood.
RESPONSE: Of the 40% non-drive-thru customers, it is estimated that this will
be split evenly between those who drive and park, and those who walk-in.
This would reduce the pressure on the parking lot.
11. It seems that West Elizabeth would be a safer location if Amigos is
encouraging the walk-in trade from the campus. By locating on Elizabeth,
students will be encouraged to cross Shields Street at the signal instead of
cutting across four lanes of traffic.
12. Don't forget that a fast food restaurant will attract a lunch time crowd
from Rocky Mountain High School. There are 1,200 students at R.M.H.S. who
may head north on Shields to dine at a drive-thru restaurant. This will cause
more traffic problems on Shields.
13. I challenge the assumption that 60% of the business will be drive-thru. It
will more likely be 80% since, basically, people do not walk anywhere.
Amigos, therefore, is underestimating the traffic impact on Shields.
14. Will the store look like the one on Riverside and Lemay?
RESPONSE: Yes, it will feature stucco and a red tile roof.
15. How successful is the Amigos restaurant chain?
RESPONSE: The market has
responded well. The store in the mall
is doing
very well
and the
new store
on Riverside and Lemay is starting
off well.
There are
a total of
48 stores
that have been built over a period of
11 years.
Five new
stores are
currently
being built in other mid -western cities.
Amigos
is anxious
to expand
in the Fort Collins market.
16. It seems that there may an informal City policy to not allow commercial
development on Shields south of University. In reviewing several projects over
the years, it seems that the City has said that commercial uses on Shields stop
at University. While this may be an informal policy, it has become
institutional history that should be preserved and, perhaps, formalized.
17. I live next door to the south and will be the most affected. I am opposed
to the project.
18. Shields Street seems to be at over capacity now. Why add another
significant trip generator. City should deny this project out of hand based on
traffic impact.
19. The neighborhood already suffers from trash, litter, vandalism, and traffic
as a result of being near campus. We are constantly picking up the litter from
fast food restaurants on Elizabeth. Another restaurant in the area would add
to an existing problem.
20. Customers to Sonic cut across the church parking lot and drive across the
landscaping. This kind of behavior would be expected to be worse with an
Amigos drive-thru restaurant in the neighborhood.
21. Does the Zoning Code allow commercial uses in the R-H zone?
RESPONSE: Yes, standard restaurants are allowed. These restaurants do not
serve food in disposable containers for consumption off -premise. Also, the
Land Development Guidance System allows commercial uses that are not
allowed by right in the Zoning Code subject to meeting a series of absolute
and variable criteria.
22. The proposed restaurant would not serve the neighborhood but rather
attract customers from a wide area. Therefore, the location should be on West
Elizabeth where access would be easier for more customers.
23. The peak times for the restaurant would coincide with the peak times for
the traffic on Shields. This would make a bad situation worse.
24. West Elizabeth is already concentrated with commercial uses. It would
only seem logical to locate an Amigos in that area.
25. It is my opinion that Amigos is over estimating the percentage of walk-in
trade from the campus. In the winter months, students will not walk but
drive.
26. When would the office/limited retail building be constructed?
r t . w1
RESPONSE: This would be built in phase two after tenants have been secured.
27. If built in a later phase, are points still awarded for mixed use?
RESPONSE: Yes.
28. We disagree with the assessment that the rental house is an eyesore. As a
student rental, the property is running down but this is preferable to a
commercial use.
29. What about lighting and sound buffering? How will the neighborhood be
protected?
RESPONSE: Lighting would be on -site and down directional. Light fixtures
would not be flared out but cut off so there would be no spillage. The office
building would act as a buffer from light and sound. It is assumed that the
light and sound emitted from the site would be indistinguishable from the
arterial street lights and background traffic on Shields. In addition, fencing
and landscaping would buffer the impacts of the proposed uses.
30. Will there be a liquor license?
RESPONSE: No.
31. I am concerned about the hours of operation on weekends. It is likely
that the hours of operation on weekends would be very late and this would
disturb the neighborhood.
32. Since the prevailing winds are from the north, the odor of the kitchen
would impact the neighborhood located downwind. Already, we get odors from
the restaurants on Elizabeth. Another restaurant would make it worse.
33. It seems that a pertinent question would be what is the future status of
Shields Street. Shields is designated by the City as an arterial street. It is
designed to carry large volumes of traffic. The area around Shields has
evolved over the last 30 years from rural homes and farms to subdivisions to
multi -family and now there are commercial uses. It is anticipated that this
evolutionary process will continue as the City grows. The proposed Amigos
seems to be a logical sequence in this evolution.
34. With respect to the above comment, it is my observation that the
residential character of the Shields area is stabilizing. Property owners are
reinvesting in their residential properties and values have been maintained.
The fact that the community changes over time should not come at the expense
of established neighborhoods.
35. The Prospect -Shields Neighborhood Association would like to go on record
as opposing the project. Allowing a commercialtof this nature south of
University would "unzip" the Shields street frontage from University to
Prospect, and eventually from Shields to Whitcomb. This would be
unacceptable. The Association is fundamentally opposed this commercialization.
There are no mitigation measures (buffering, architecture, landscaping, fencing)
that would be acceptable. Basically, the heart of the neighborhood is at stake.
The Association is prepared to oppose this project to the very end.
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