Title
Ordinance No. 21-40 amending the zoning map of the City of Colorado Springs pertaining to 77.8 acres located southeast of State Highway 94 at Marksheffel Road from PIP2/CR/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Industrial Park 2/Conditions of Record/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay) to PBC/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Business Center/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay) for commercial development.
(Quasi-Judicial)
Related Files: CPC MP 87-00381-A27MJ20, CPC CP 20-00137, CPC PUP 20-00136, CPC PUZ 20-00134
Presenter:
Tasha Brackin, Senior Planner, Planning & Community Development
Peter Wysocki, Director, Planning and Community Development
Body
Summary:
Owner: Pikes Peak Investments, LLC
Developer: The Equity Group
Representative: Matrix Design Group
Location: Southeast of State Highway 94 at Marksheffel Road
The project includes concurrent applications for a Major Amendment to the Banning Lewis Ranch Master Plan, two Zone Changes, and two Concept Plans. If approved the proposed applications would allow for changes to land use designations from R & D (Research and Development), INP (Industrial Park), and R (Retail) land uses to COM (Commercial/Office/Light Industrial with a FAR of 25%); RES-M (single-family residential); and RES-H (multi-family residential). A detailed discussion of the proposed zone changes and concept plans appears below. The site is located southeast of State Highway 94 at Marksheffel Road.
Background:
The proposed Reagan Ranch development is situated on property that is currently undeveloped with the exception of several agricultural buildings and a few home sites associated with the former farm and ranch that previously occupied the property. The site is surrounded by vacant land to the east and south; a City water treatment facility to the north; and Peterson Air Force Base/Colorado Springs Airport to the west.
The property was annexed into the City of Colorado Springs in 1988 under the Banning Lewis Ranch Addition Number One (Ordinance 88-114). Zoning was established at the same time for the parcels according to the ownership patterns in place at the time. City-level services have not been available until the establishment of the metropolitan district last year.
The proposed amendment to the master plan will result in a loss of approximately 215 acres of industrial land use in the Banning Lewis Ranch Master Plan. However, the proposed plan replaces part of that with nearly 82 acres of land designated for commercial, light industrial, and office uses. A Fiscal Impact Analysis has been prepared and the study indicates that there will be a cumulative positive outcome in terms of fiscal impacts. The proposed changes in land use designations will create property that could accommodate a demonstrated market demand in this area for housing and will enable additional offices, business, and service industries to locate near the housing to support local commercial needs, but also conveniently accessible regionally via Marksheffel Road, providing commercial and office services that support the greater area.
The proposed zone change would revise the city zoning map for 77.8 acres of land from PIP2/CR/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Industrial Park 2/Conditions of Record/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay) to PBC/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Business Center/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay) for commercial development. The PUD zone change would amend the city zoning map for 137.7 acres of land from PIP2/PBC/CR/AO (Planned Industrial Park 2/Planned Business Center/Conditions of Record/Airport Overlay) to PUD/AO (Planned Unit Development/Airport Overlay), including 112.5 acres of single-family residential at a density of 3.5-11.99 units per acre and a maximum height of 45 feet; 21.2 acres of multi-family residential at a density of 12-24.99 units per acre and a maximum height of 45 feet; and 4 acres of future right of way. A standard concept plan supports the straight zone change application, and a PUD concept plan supports the PUD concept plan application.
The reason for the two distinct zone changes and concept plans is due to the distinctly different zone districts proposed for the two sides of the property, which is split by the boundary of the Accident Potential Zone established for the Colorado Springs Airport. Zone districts and uses proposed for the areas east of the Accident Potential Zone (APZ) boundary are residential, and uses proposed for the west side of the property, within the APZ boundary, are commercial. The applicant’s project statement provides additional rationale for the proposed land uses.
The proposed land use types are generally depicted on the concept plans, in addition to the locations of major roadways, parks, and a school site. The proposed land use locations involve the more intense commercial uses adjacent to Marksheffel with residential uses on the east portion of the property. This creates a logical transition of intensity from the airport, air force base, and major arterial corridor toward the east. In some areas, residential uses are proposed to be located adjacent to land uses east of Reagan Ranch that are zoned Planned Industrial Park (PIP), creating potential concerns with land use transitions. It is currently unknown whether major roadways would be constructed between the two uses, so Staff requested that an enhanced buffer be provided with additional setbacks along this border between the residential and industrial land uses. This enhanced buffer will be at least fifty feet wide on the residential property itself, which is in addition to the standard 100-foot buffer required on property zoned PIP-1 and PIP-2 under the current code adjacent to residential use. The proposed supplemental buffer requirement is indicated by notes on the PUD concept plan
Major roadways in the vicinity of the project were evaluated as part of the proposed land use concepts. When project construction commences, street improvements will be required in several areas. The Traffic Impact Study submitted with the project analyzes the impacts and provides recommendations related to certain roadway improvements that will be required including intersection improvements, turn lanes, acceleration and deceleration lanes, and pavement striping.
The traffic study was reviewed by the City's traffic engineering division, the County development review staff, and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). City traffic is supportive of the project and accepted the findings of the traffic study. The study identified the transportation improvements needed to accommodate the build-out of Reagan Ranch, nearby development, and growth in through traffic over the next 20 years.
Identified improvements should be phased in over the next 20 years to accommodate future development phases and growth in through traffic. Therefore, the City along with the County and CDOT have asked the applicant's traffic engineer to provide additional information in regards to the timing of the implementation of recommended roadway improvements. Both the City and County have indicated that while this additional information should be included in the study, the local government entities are comfortable moving forward to a public hearing on this project as long as the traffic study is updated before the City approving any development plan within the Reagan Ranch project. A note has been added to the Concept Plans to indicate this requirement.
The proposed project will serve its future residents and employees with parks provided primarily by land dedication. The master plan and PUD concept plan drawings illustrate a variety of conceptual park locations within Reagan Ranch totaling over twenty acres. The proposed park sizes and locations have been reviewed by the Parks Board, and the Board is expected to approve the proposal at their February 11, 2021 meeting. The minimum public park size will be 3.5 acres as required to meet current requirements of the Parks Land Dedication Ordinance (PLDO) obligations, including a larger 7-acre community park that will serve the entire community. Final public park sizes and exact locations, will be addressed with development plan and plat entitlements, and the design of public parks are required to be approved by the Parks Advisory Board. If there should be a new parkland dedication ordinance in effect upon development plan and/or plat submittals the obligation may be recalculated. If additional PLDO obligations are identified, they may be met through parkland dedication, fees in lieu, or a combination of both. All public parks and common open space areas are to be owned and maintained by the existing Reagan Ranch Metropolitan District. Regional trails and bicycle corridors will be incorporated to provide long-range non-motorized connectivity. Designated public trail locations have been identified on the concept plans.
The Reagan Ranch project area, and surrounding Banning Lewis Ranch, is identified as a High Area of Change under PlanCOS, setting the stage for revised zoning and land uses to meet current market demands. Its designation as a "Future Neighborhood" demonstrates the prior consideration for this area to be developed, and it is currently within City limits, further enabling development. The proximity of this proposed development to many major employment centers (including Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, the Colorado Springs Airport, and the Peak Innovation Park) will help balance the employment needs of the future residents, and help support these employment centers with much-needed housing for their employees and furthering Goals VN-1 "Everyone in a Neighborhood" and VN-2 "Housing for All".
From the Unique Places chapter of PlanCOS, the project site, and larger vicinity is in proximity to several major travel corridors identified as a New/Developing Corridor under the urban place typologies. This typology encompasses major arterial streets with land use patterns involving automobile-dominated development. A recommendation of this typology is to integrate and connect pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities along the corridor with attention to streetscape design. To this end, the proposed Concept Plans identify bicycle corridors and pedestrian trails in the vicinity of the project, encouraging their installation as project development proceeds to accommodate multiple transportation modes including non-motorized movement.
From the Unique Places chapter of PlanCOS, the project site, and larger vicinity is in proximity to several major travel corridors identified as a New/Developing Corridor under the urban place typologies. This typology encompasses major arterial streets with land use patterns involving automobile-dominated development. A recommendation of this typology is to integrate and connect pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities along the corridor with attention to streetscape design. To this end, the proposed Concept Plans identify bicycle corridors and pedestrian trails in the vicinity of the project, encouraging their installation as project development proceeds to accommodate multiple transportation modes including non-motorized movement. For the reasons noted above, Staff finds the applications are in substantial compliance with PlanCOS. Copies of the Framework maps are shown, and also available on the City website.
Previous Council Action:
City Council previously took action on this property in 1988 when the property was zoned.
Financial Implications:
N/A.
City Council Appointed Board/Commission/Committee Recommendation:
This project was heard at the February 18, 2021 City Planning Commission meeting and recommended for approval by a six to two vote (Planning Commissioners Hente and Eubanks opposed due to proximity of Accident Potential Zone, Commissioner Wilson absent).
Please see the minutes from the hearing for additional record of the discussion.
Stakeholder Process:
The public notification process consisted of providing notice to adjacent property owners within 1,000 feet of the site, which included the mailing of postcards to 16 property owners on two occasions: during the internal review stage, and prior to the Planning Commission hearing. The site was also posted during the two occasions noted above. During the internal review notification, City Planning staff did not receive any comments in response to the notification.
The applications were sent to the standard internal and external agencies for review and comment. Review comments were received and addressed. Review agencies for this project include Colorado Springs Airport Advisory Commission, Colorado Springs Utilities, City Traffic, City Engineering, City Fire Department and Police/E-911, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, as well as School District 22, and Floodplain and Enumerations and Peterson Air Force Base.
Colorado Springs Airport:
The Airport Advisory Commission reviewed the applications at their meeting on October 28, 2020. The Commission had no objections to the applications and provided standard conditions (see Airport Advisory Commission attachment.)
Peterson Air Force Base:
Comments received from Peterson Air Force Base (PAFB) indicated that the base has no substantial concerns with the proposed entitlement request. A statement from base leadership was received in response to the plan distribution (see Peterson Air Force Base attachment) and an excerpt from those comments appears below:
“PAFB is not opposed to the development subject to adherence to traffic study with the purpose of redesigning the PAFB east gate intersection and revisiting the proposed traffic pattern at the intersection of Space Village Ave and Marksheffel Rd. These locations directly affect traffic entering and exiting the installation. Please keep PAFB Base Development updated on the progress of development, transportation changes, and plans for pedestrian and bicycle connectivity between the development and the installation. PAFB POC for this matter is Mrs. Ayoka Paek, PAFB Community Planner, ayoka.paek@spaceforce.mil <mailto:ayoka.paek@spaceforce.mil>”.
School District:
Reagan Ranch is located within the Ellicott School District 22 boundary, and the district has provided a letter in support of the additional students who will be served by the school district from this development. The agreement reached between the landowner and the school district is to collect school fees in lieu of land at the time of building permits for the first 289 dwelling units within Reagan Ranch. At the time of the development plan submittal for the 290th unit, the school district will evaluate whether to continue collecting fees or elect to receive dedication of land to be used for a school site.
Alternatives:
1. Uphold the action of the City Planning Commission;
2. Modify the decision of the City Planning Commission;
3. Reverse the action of the City Planning Commission; or
4. Refer the matter back to the City Planning Commission for further consideration
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
CPC ZC 20-00135 - CHANGE OF ZONING TO PBC
Adopt an ordinance amending the zoning map of the City of Colorado Springs pertaining to 77.8 acres from PIP2/CR/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Industrial Park 2/Conditions of Record/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay) to PBC/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Business Center/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay) based upon the findings that the change of zone request complies with the zone change criteria as set forth in Section 7.5.603.B.
Summary of Ordinance Language
An ordinance amending the zoning map of the City of Colorado Springs pertaining to 77.8 acres from PIP2/CR/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Industrial Park 2/Conditions of Record/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay) to PBC/APZ1/APZ2/AO (Planned Business Center/Accident Potential Zone 1/Accident Potential Zone 2/Airport Overlay), pursuant to the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Colorado Springs.