Title
Ordinance No. 19-46 amending the zoning map of the City of Colorado Springs pertaining to 29.9 acres located south of Ridgeline Drive and north of Black Squirrel Creek, changing the zoning from A/cr/PUD (Agricultural with Conditions of Record and Planned Unit Development) to PUD (Planned Unit Development: Single-Family Residential, 2-3.49 dwelling units per acre, and a 35-foot maximum building height limit).
(QUASI-JUDICIAL)
Related File: CPC PUP 19-00021
Presenter:
Peter Wysocki, Director Planning and Community Development
Daniel Sexton, Senior Planner, Planning and Community Development
Body
Summary:
Owner: Ginger I, LLC, La Plata Communities, Allison Valley Development Company, LLC, Doug Quimby, Thomas Taylor, Mike Ruebenson, and Patrick and Robert Leach
Developer: Ginger I, LLC c/o La Plata Communities
Consultant Representative: Classic Consulting Engineers & Surveyors
Location: South of Ridgeline Drive and north of Black Squirrel Creek
The project includes concurrent applications for a PUD (Planned Unit Development) concept plan and zone change. The PUD concept plan for the Farm Filing 7 project envisions a single-family detached residential development at 2-3.49 dwelling units per acre will access off of Ridgeline Drive. The PUD zone change will change the current zoning for the subject property from A/cr/PUD (Agricultural with Conditions of Record and Planned Unit Development) to PUD (Planned Unit Development: Single-Family Residential, 2-3.49 dwelling units per acre, and a 35-foot maximum building height limit) in conformance with The Farm Master Plan.
Previous Council Action:
On June 25, 2019, City Council took action on the change of zone request associated with the Farm Filing 7 project after a member of the public requested that the application be pulled from the Consent Calendar. Once pulled, members of the public raised concerns regarding the fulling of wetland within the project boundaries, timing of site grading, and the sequencing of approvals for this project. Mr. Ballenger, a resident of The Farm, also asked City Council to postpone approval of the item until a PUD development plan was submitted. Members of City Council discussed the concerns raised extensively with the applicant and City Planning staff. Through these discussions, it was explained that further opportunities existed for members of the public to participate in the administrative decision-making process for the future PUD development plan application. In addition, should the administrative decision of the future application not be acceptable to residents, there were additional opportunities to appeal the future application. The City Council ultimately voted 8-0-1 (Councilor Murray was absent) in favor of the application
City Council previously took action on these properties in 2005 during the annexation and initial review of land use entitlements associated with the Farm development project.
Background:
The subject property is located south of Ridgeline Drive and north of Black Squirrel Creek, and was annexed into the City on September 27, 2005 under the Allison Ranch Addition Annexation Plat (Ord. 05-131). The site has remained vacant since annexation, with the exception of some portion of the site being used to stockpile overburden material.
The project applications were reviewed for conformance with the City’s current comprehensive plan (herein referred to as “PlanCOS”) and not the previous comprehensive plan, as the project applications were submitted after the adoption of PlanCOS in January 2019. According to PlanCOS, the project site, which is part of the larger Farm Master Planned area, is identified on the plan’s Vision and Vibrant Neighborhoods Framework maps as a Newer Developing Neighborhood. The categorization of this type of neighborhood is generally considered to be most similar to Typology 3: Emerging Neighborhoods, which supports the development of newer areas with well-design communities with neighborhood parks, enhanced pedestrian and off-street trail connections, greater diversity of housing types, and roadway corridors with enhancements. Through its enhanced community design and treatments, the Farm development improves the City’s ability to encourage livable communities and neighborhoods.
The applicant’s requested change of zone for the project site will rezone the properties from A/cr/PUD (Agricultural with Conditions of Record and Planned Unit Development) to PUD (Planned Unit Development: Single-Family Residential, 2-3.49 dwelling units per acre, and a 35-foot maximum building height limit). The proposed PUD zone district sets the land use type, density, and maximum building height for the residential development project, which are consistent with the developed residential subdivisions to the north and east of Ridgeline Drive. These development parameters are also in conformance with the land use type and density envisioned on the Farm Master Plan, which planned for a low density residential land use pattern.
The proposed Farm Filing 7 PUD concept plan illustrates the envisioned single-family detached residential development at 2-3.49 dwelling units per acre and access off Ridgeline Drive. To guide the future build-out of this development, triggers/stipulations were applied to the plan that specify the timing for channel improvements, park dedication and the protection of Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat. If developed, this project will be a good transitional land use between the developed single-family detached residential to the north and the developing multi-family residential and future commercial to the south.
The City’s Traffic Engineering Division of Public Works did not require the applicant to prepare a traffic impact study for the project applications. The final design and siting of the streets accessing the development will be determined under future entitlement applications. The City Planning and Traffic staff will monitor the need for a traffic impact analysis through future land use entitlement applications. All future development of the project site will require the review and approval of a PUD development plan and final subdivision plat applications.
The attached City Planning Commission staff report summarizes the project details.
The project supports the City’s Strategic plan of building community and collaborative relationships and provides a platform for the building of neighborhoods and communities, as it will complete a very visible segment of the Farm Master Planned area. This project represents an opportunity for developing a residential use that is compatible with the surrounding land use pattern. The envisioned future use will function as good transitional uses between the surrounding residential developments and the expected future multi-family residential and commercial to the south of Black Squirrel Creek. The envisioned residential uses will provide rooftops that will support the future creation of employment opportunities and maintain prospects for strengthening the Colorado Springs economy through the orderly growth of the corridor.
Financial Implications:
N/A
Board/Commission Recommendation:
At the Planning Commission meeting held on May 16, 2019, these items were approved under the consent calendar. The Planning Commission voted 6-0-1-1 in favor of the items (with Commissioner Raughton recused and Commissioner Hente absent).
Please reference the minutes from the hearing for a detailed record.
Stakeholder Process:
The public process included public notice provided to 160 property owners within 1,000 feet of the site on three occasions: during the internal review stage, and prior to the Planning Commission and City Council hearings. The site was also posted on those three occasions. During the internal review notification, City Planning staff received a number of calls inquiring about the future site-specific design and layout for the project, and how the design would affect a wet area.
Staff sent copies of the plan set and supporting documentation to the standard internal and external review agencies for comments. Commenting agencies included Colorado Springs Utilities, City Engineering, City Traffic, City Fire, Council of Neighbors and Organizations (CONO), School District #20, Police and E-911, and the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). All comments received from the review agencies have been addressed.
Please see the Planning Commission staff report for more details.
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 PUZ 19-00020
Adopt an ordinance changing the zoning for 29.9 acres from ((A/cr/PUD) Agricultural with Conditions of Record and Planned Unit Development to (PUD) Planned Unit Development: Single-Family Residential, 2-3.49 dwelling units per acre, and a 35-foot maximum building height limit, based upon the findings that the change of zone request complies with the three (3) review criteria for granting a zone change as set forth in City Code Section 7.5.603(B) and the development of a PUD zone as set forth in City Code Section 7.3.603.
Summary of Ordinance Language
An ordinance amending the zoning map for the City of Colorado Springs pertaining to 29.9 acres located south of Ridgeline Drive and north of Black Squirrel Creek, changing the zoning from A/cr/PUD (Agricultural with Conditions of Record and Planned Unit Development) to PUD (Planned Unit Development: Single-Family Residential, 2-3.49 dwelling units per acre, and a 35-foot maximum building height limit).