Title
A major amendment to the Mesa Springs Community Plan changing 13.32 acres from medium-high density residential and public park to office/special commercial and industrial, located at the northwest corner of Centennial Boulevard and Van Buren Street.
(Legislative)
Presenter:
Lonna Thelen, Principal Planner, Planning & Community Development
Peter Wysocki, Planning and Community Development Director
Body
Summary:
Applicant: Thomas and Thomas
Owner: Pueblo State Bank and Trust Company
Location: northwest corner of Van Buren Street and Centennial Boulevard
This project includes concurrent applications for a major amendment to the Mesa Springs Community master plan from medium-high density residential and public park to office/special commercial and industrial; a zone change from PUD (Planned Unit Development; attached townhomes, 35’ maximum building height, 6.68 dwelling units per acre) to PUD (Planned Unit Development; general and medical office, retail, personal improvement services, financial institutions, child care facilities, sit down restaurants, light industrial and private open space, maximum building height 35’); and a concept plan illustrating four office/commercial buildings and a light industrial development for Indian Hills Business Park. The site is 13.32 acres located northwest of Centennial Boulevard and Van Buren Street.
Previous Council Action:
City Council previously approved a zone change to PUD and the associated development plan for attached townhomes in May of 2004 (Ordinance 04-79).
Background:
The 13.32 acre site is located northwest of Centennial Boulevard and Van Buren Street. The vacant site is zoned PUD for multi-family and was original developed as part of a larger multi-family development for Indian Hills Townhomes in 2004. The original development was proposed to include a 29.6 acre site that was on both the east and west sides of Centennial Boulevard. The site on the east side of Centennial Boulevard began construction, but has not been built out. The proposed site is within the Mesa Springs Community master plan that was approved in 1986. The site was designated as medium-high residential for 12-16 dwelling units per acre. The project under review is a request for a master plan amendment to office/special commercial and industrial and a rezone to a new PUD to allow light industrial, general and medical office, retail, personal improvement services, financial institutions, child care facilities, and sit down restaurants.
The major master plan amendment includes the office/special commercial use, which is already a permitted use and introduces an industrial use into the master plan. The proposed industrial use would permit light industrial including office, sales, distribution, light assembly, warehousing and outdoor storage for a single user. Of the 13.32 total acres only 5 acres is being requested for the light industrial use. The remainder of the site will be master planned for office/special commercial (4.79 acres) and private open space (3.53 acres). The industrial use is proposed to occupy the western portion of the site, buffered from Centennial Boulevard by the office and special commercial uses. The industrial use will be screened by opaque fencing and landscape buffers. In addition, the industrial use sits below the existing homes on the east side of Centennial Boulevard and is tucked into the hillside on the west side of the property.
The PUD zone district was utilized to create a specific zoning for the development. One of the major components of the zone district is the light industrial use, which has been uniquely crafted to permit a specific user for the site, Olson Plumbing and Heating. Because this user requires office, sales, distribution, light assembly, warehousing and outdoor storage uses, the light industrial use definition was the best fit; however, staff wanted to ensure this use definition was refined to limit the types of light industrial uses; therefore, a unique light industrial use definition is included as part of the concept plan.
The concept plan illustrates four office/commercial buildings along Centennial Boulevard. These four buildings, shown as Parcel A, would be permitted to develop as general and medical office, retail, personal improvement services, financial institutions, child care facilities, and sit down restaurants. Parcel B is located to the west of Parcel A and is proposed as light industrial with a large building that contains office, sales, warehouse, and light assembly along with an enclosed area for outdoor storage. A second warehouse building and an overnight parking area for business vehicles is also proposed as part of the concept plan. Parcel C is private open space and specifies a no build area.
The neighborhood raised concerns primarily related to the appearance of the structures and outdoor storage areas on the site for the light industrial use, as well as, the office/commercial structures. The applicant shared these concerns with the neighborhood and was willing to include design standards specific to each parcel. The concept plan lists these design standards. The design standards note specific materials and percentage of those materials, roofing material, lighting type, fencing/gate material, and landscaping. The office/commercial structures are buffered from the light industrial use by a 15 foot landscape buffer. In addition to the buffer, there is a six foot solid stucco or stone fence between the two uses. As noted before, the light industrial use is also tucked into the existing grade.
This item supports the City’s strategic goal relating to building community and fostering a land use pattern that encourages infill development while nurturing local business expansion.
Please see the attached City Planning Commission staff report for additional detailed analysis.
Financial Implications:
The City performed a Fiscal Impact Analysis (FIA) for the site. The majority of the departments contributing to the FIA identified marginal costs of providing services to this development. This is due to the fact that it is currently being served by public safety agencies, and the surrounding infrastructure and roadways are already being maintained by the City. The Fire Department, Police Department, Traffic Division and Streets Division identified marginal increases in operation costs annually. The result of the FIA is a positive cumulative cash flow for the City during the next 10 years.
Board/Commission Recommendation:
At their meeting on February 16, 2017 the Planning Commission, as part of their consent calendar, voted unanimously to recommend approval of all three applications to the City Council. Please reference the minutes from the hearing for a detailed record.
Stakeholder Process:
The public process involved with the review of these applications included posting the site and sending postcards on two separate occasions to 162 property owners within 1,000 feet. A neighborhood meeting was held as part of the internal review on December 19, 2016. Twenty-one people attended the meeting. The majority of the comments received from the neighborhood were positive comments. The neighborhood concerns are included as part of the City Planning Commission staff report. A few minor concerns were raised related to building aesthetics, lighting, outdoor storage, landscape, and the type of screening walls proposed.
Staff sent plans to the standard internal and external review agencies for comments. All comments received from the review agencies are addressed. Commenting agencies included Colorado Springs Utilities, City Engineering, City Traffic, City Fire, Police, Enumerations, Floodplain, Comcast, School District 11 and E-911. This site is not within the Airport Overlay and was not seen by the Airport Advisory Committee and is outside of the buffer for review by USAFA.
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 MPA 00-00103-A1MJ16 - MAJOR MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT
Adopt a resolution approving the major amendment to the Mesa Springs Community Plan, based upon the finding that the master plan amendment complies with the review criteria in City Code Section 7.5.408, subject to compliance with the technical and/or informational plan modifications found in the City Planning Commission minutes.
Summary of Ordinance Language
N/A.