Title
Ordinance No. 19-56 amending the zoning map for the City of Colorado Springs pertaining to 23.46 acres located northeast of the intersection of Running Water Drive and New Life Drive from A (Agricultural) to PUD (Planned Unit Development; single-family detached residential, 3.5-8 dwelling units per acre, 35-foot maximum building height).
(QUASI-JUDICIAL)
Related Files: CPC MP 06-00219-A9MJ19, CPC PUD 19-00030
Presenter:
Peter Wysocki, Director of Planning and Community Development
Katie Carleo. Principal Planner, Planning and Community Development
Body
Summary:
Owner: Pulpit Rock Investments
Consultant Representative: N.E.S. Inc.
Location: Northeast of the intersection of Running Water Drive and New Life Drive
This project includes concurrent applications for a major amendment to the Flying Horse Master Plan changing the land use designation from multi-family residential (12-20 dwelling units per acre) to a reduced density for single-family residential at 3.5-8 dwelling units per acre; a zone change of 23.46 acres from A (Agricultural) to PUD (Planned Unit Development; single-family detached residential, 3.5-8 dwelling units per acre, 35-foot maximum building height) and the associated development plan for the new Flying Horse Capri residential development.
Background:
The subject property is located northeast of Running Water Drive and New Life Drive and just south of Black Squirrel Creek. It was annexed into the City in 2003 under the Flying Horse Ranch Addition. The site has remained vacant since annexation.
The existing Flying Horse Master Plan currently identifies the area for development as multi-family high residential with 12-20 DU/AC (dwelling units per acre). The proposed master plan amendment reduces this density to the 3.5-8 dwelling units per acre category as identified on the master plan within parcel 13. This will establish a category that will support the proposed single-family detached residential development with a gross density of 4.45 dwelling units per acre.
This proposal includes the rezoning of 23.46 acres from A (Agricultural) to PUD (Planned Unit Development; single-family detached, 3.5-8 DU/AC, 35-foot maximum building height) in preparation for the establishment of the Flying Horse Capri residential development. This is a similar development to the Flying Horse Torino which was developed about one year ago. The site is currently zoned A (Agriculture), established with the original annexation, and thus this zone change will establish the intended zone district for the residential use that is consistent with the master plan.
The attached City Planning Commission staff report summarizes the project in more detail.
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 Flying Horse Master Planned area. This project represents an opportunity for developing a residential use that is compatible with the surrounding land use pattern. The envisioned use will function as a good transitional use between the surrounding residential developments and the expected future multi-family residential and commercial to the east. 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.
Previous Council Action:
Previous Council action on this property was at annexation and initial establishment of the A (Agricultural) zone district in 2003 along with the original approval of the Flying Horse Lodges Development Plan in 2013.
On August 27, 2019, this ordinance was approved on first reading on the Consent Calendar.
Financial Implications:
A Fiscal Impact Analysis (FIA) is required for all major amendments of a master plan and is completed by the City Budget Office. The FIA was completed on July 5, 2019. The fiscal review criteria of the City Code states city costs related to infrastructure and service levels shall be determined for a ten-year time horizon for the appropriate municipal funds. This is a standard FIA modeling by the City Budget Office.
The FIA methodology reviewed City units projected increase in marginal cost of providing services to the development for 2019-2028. The FIA states most departments indicated there were no identifiable increase in the marginal costs of providing services to this development; however, the change in density has resulted in a negative cumulative cash flow for the City during the 10-year timeframe. Per the FIA, the negative factor within this fiscal impact analysis stems from the change in density significantly lowering the population projected within Flying Horse Parcel #13. With this, the analysis sees a decrease in sales tax for residential uses and a decrease in population driven metrics for miscellaneous revenue. The Summary of Expenditures and Revenues is attached along with the Expenditure and Revenue Notes to provide the methodology for calculating the expenditures and revenues. (FIGURE 5)
Although staff recognizes that there is some loss of potential tax revenue with the decrease in density, staff believes that gaining a diverse housing stock in this part of the City is beneficial and the proposed changes meet the City Code criteria for master plans, specifically supported by Section 7.5.408.B(4) and overall supported by housing diversity identified in PlanCOS.
Although staff generally supports higher density multi-family residential development, staff believes that the proposed mid-density single-family residential development complements four newly constructed larger-scale multi-family projects located nearby. Overall, the Interquest/Voyager corridor is developing with a well-balanced land use pattern of multi-family, single family, retail, service, institutional, recreational and office land uses.
City Council Appointed Board/Commission/ Committee Recommendation:
At the Planning Commission meeting held on July 7, 2019, these items were approved unanimously on the New Business calendar. The Planning Commission voted 6-0-3 in favor of the items (with Commissioners McMurray, Almy, and Rickett absent).
Please reference the minutes from the hearing for a detailed record.
Stakeholder Process:
Public notice was provided to 121 property owners within a 1000-foot buffer of the site notifying the surrounding owners of the development request. Staff did not receive any letters of concern from surrounding neighborhoods. One citizen from the Wild Wood One neighborhood northwest of the site did attend the City Planning Commission hearing and spoke of concerns for the open space they were informed would remain when purchasing their home ten years ago, as well as concerns for traffic onto Jet Stream Drive. Staff further discussed and explained the area on the master plan that will remain as open space, and the area that has been part of the Flying Horse Master Plan since its inception for residential in this area. In addition staff clarified to the citizen that this development will not have any traffic directly onto Jet Stream Drive and that direct access for this development is only from New Life Drive.
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 and minutes 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 19-00029
Adopt an ordinance changing the zoning of 23.46 acres from A (Agricultural) to PUD (Planned Unit Development; single-family detached residential, 3.5-8 dwelling units per acre, 35-foot maximum building height), 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 criteria for establishment 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 23.46 acres located northeast of the intersection of Running Water Drive and New Life Drive from A (Agricultural) to PUD (Planned Unit Development; single-family detached residential, 3.5-8 dwelling units per acre, 35-foot maximum building height).