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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHE ORCHARD AT CLARENDON HILLS SUBDIVISION - PRELIMINARY - 47-89B - - VARIANCE REQUESTDEC, 1 2 Dennis L. Donovan, P.E. Land Development Services 492.4 South Shields Street Fort Collins, CO 80526 December 8, 1989 Mr. Mike Herzig Department of Planning City of Fort Collins P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Dear Mr. Herzig; The applicant of the Orchard at Clarendon Hills is requesting two variances to the City's normal street standards as a part of the proposed preliminary plat for the property. The variances and reasons for their approval are as follows: 1. As discussed at the October 2nd conceptual review and at subsequent meetings, the local streets in The Orchard at Clarendon Hills are designed to a 25 m.p.h. design speed (165' centerline radii). In my professional opinion this design will function safely and - in this location - is preferable to the standard 30 m.p.h. standard for the following reasons: This design allows the streets and lots to fit more closely with the existing topography of the site. The slope of the proposed street will discourage the tendency to drive at higher speeds, thus supporting the reduced design speed. The 25 m.p.h./165' centerline radius has been included in past City Street Design Standards as a safe, acceptable residential street if specifically reviewed. Streets designed to this standard can be found in many locations in Fort Collins, and have proven to function safely. - The proposed design reduces the amount of earthwork (cut) where the street crosses the existing irrigation C lateral running through the middle of the site, thereby reducing the amount of existing trees disturbed by street construction. The curved street, as designed, avoids awkward 046 potentially less safe - right angle intersections that would otherwise be needed to serve perimeter lots. A higher design speed is not needed or desirable on these minor cul-de-sacs. Drivers operating safely would not be able to achieve a speed of over 25 m.p.h. before reaching the curves in question, either from Ashford or from the ends of the cul-de-sacs. The same 25 m.p.h. design speed/165' centerline radius was used on Ashford Lane. This is specifically related to the proposed location, as the 165' radius is immediately adjacent to The Orchard at Clarendon Hills, it carries more traffic than the proposed streets, and it will serve a high percentage of the vehicles traveling to and from the proposed cul-de-sacs. This curve has been in place and functioning safely for over two years. My evaluation concludes that, if the proposed cul-de-sacs can be reached safely by means of a street designed to a 25 m.p.h. standard, then such a standard will be safe if used on the cul-de-sacs themselves. 2. Although the preliminary plat and utility plans show a City standard local street cross section (36' of pavement on a 54' right-of-way) we would like to request a second variance to allow a narrower section, thereby further reducing the impact on the existing trees on the site. Because of the need to discourage higher driving speeds on these minor residential streets, narrowing the street. is a desirable safety feature. - Past City Street Standards included a 28' street with walks on one side only. Where these streets have been installed (in Warren Shores and the Landings, for example), They have functioned safely, and are considered to be an amenity by neighborhood residents. - The City has consistently allowed 28' streets as local streets serving large lots, and as minor cul-de-sacs with lots predominately fronting on one side of the street. The Orchard is designed to be consistent with both of these criteria. - The section requested would comprise a 2.8' street on a 38' right-of-way with 8' utility easements on either side, with a detached walk would be provided on one side of the street at least 3' beyond any required utilities and could meander (in a dedicated access easement) as needed to miss existing healthy trees. By removing the walk from the R.O.W., the typical 46' width is not needed. The detached walk would be provided on the side of the streets comprising mainly side yards, to reduce the intrusion into residents front yards. As an alternative, a 28' street with attached walks on both sides, could be provided within a 46' right-of-way; This alternative is less desirable, as several trees that would be saved with a meandering walk would be lost. If the proposed streets are built to the normal City standard of 36' of pavement with walks on both sides and underground gas and electric beyond the back of walk, approximately 57 trees (32 of which are dead or severly diseased) will have to be removed. The proposed variance to a 28' street with a detached, meandering walk, would probably save 15 trees (9 of which may have several years of life remaining). If desired, a detailed survey of the affected existing trees can be provided with final plans. The reduced pavement/utility corridor width reduces the impact of grading within proposed lots which is desirable even where existing tree.s are not a considetgtion. ...MH I uJ.•-- Sincerely, ' ,I 15M osOO•oo1 Dennis L. Donovan, P.E. � � �U.�`Mt Land Development Services cc: Gary Nordic, Nordic Construction and Development Eldon Ward, Cityscape Urban Design, Inc. Rob Persichitte, Intermill Land Surveying, Inc.