Regional Development

Center (Hearing Room)

2880 International Circle

City of Colorado Springs

Meeting Minutes - Final

Planning Commission

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

9:00 AM

Regional Development Center (Hearing Room)

2880 International Circle

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

8 - Vice Chair Foos, Commissioner Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner

Rickett, Chair Slattery, Commissioner Robbins, Commissioner Sipilovic and

Commissioner Casey

Present:

1 - Commissioner Briggs

Excused:

2. Changes to Agenda/Postponements

3. Communications

Peter Wysocki - Planning + Neighborhood Services Director

Mr. Wysocki welcomed the new commissioners.

4. Approval of the Minutes

CPC 2310

Minutes for the May 8th, 2024, Planning Commission Meeting

Presenter:

Andrea Slattery, City Planning Commission Chair

Attachments:

CPC_Minutes_5.8.24_Draft

Motion by Commissioner Rickett, seconded by Vice Chair Foos, to approve the

minutes for the May 8th, 2024 Planning Commission Meeting. The motion passed

by a vote of 5-0-1-3.

5 - Vice Chair Foos, Commissioner Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner

Rickett and Chair Slattery

Aye:

1 - Commissioner Briggs

Absent:

Abstain:

3 - Commissioner Robbins, Commissioner Sipilovic and Commissioner Casey

5. Consent Calendar

Motion by Commissioner Rickett, seconded by Vice Chair Foos, to approve the

Consent Calendar. The motion passed by a vote of 8-0-1.

8 - Vice Chair Foos, Commissioner Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner

Rickett, Chair Slattery, Commissioner Robbins, Commissioner Sipilovic and

Commissioner Casey

Aye:

1 - Commissioner Briggs

Absent:

Shops at Woodmen

ZONE-22-00 An ordinance amending the zoning map of the City of Colorado

5.A.

Springs pertaining to 3.50 acres located at 7410 Horseshoe Road

from A/AP-O (Agriculture with Airport Overlay) to MX-M/AP-O

(Mixed-Use Medium Scale with Airport Overlay)

(Quasi-Judicial) (Second Reading and Public Hearing)

Presenter:

Austin Cooper, Senior Planner, Planning and Neighborhood

Services.

Kevin Walker, Interim Planning Director, Planning and

Neighborhood Services

Attachments:

ORD Shops at Woodmen

Staff Report - Shops at Woodmen

Exhibit A - Legal Description

Exhibit B - Map Depiction

Attachment 1 - Land Use Statement

Attachment 2 - Project Statement

CPC_6.12.24_Minutes_Draft

7.5.704 ZONING MAP AMENDMENT (REZONING)

VCA Animal Urgent Care

NVAR-24-00 A Non-Use Variance to City Code Section 7.3.303 (A)(1)(a) to

5.B.

allow a small animal clinic to be located 44’ from the property line

where 55’ is required located at 3703 Bloomington St.

(Quasi-Judicial)

Presenter:

Logan Hubble, Planner II, Planning + Neighborhood Services

Attachments:

VCA Animal Hospital Staff Memo

Attachment 1_Project Statement

Attachment 2_Site Plan

6. Items Called Off Consent Calendar

7. Unfinished Business

8. New Business

Amphitheater Parking

PUDD-24-00 Major modification to the Polaris Point South Filing No. 4

02 Development Plan for the Sunset Amphitheater regarding

8.A.

relocating off-site parking and providing for new adjacent parking

that creates 272 additional parking spaces located at 13045

Spectrum Loop.

(Quasi-Judicial)

Presenter:

Kyle Fenner, Senior Planner, Planning + Neighborhood Services

Attachments:

Staff Report_CPC_Amphitheater Major Mod_v.2

Attachment 1 - Project Statement

Attachment 2 - Major Modification DP_Sunset Amphitheater

Attachment 3 - Parking Proximity Map

Senior Planner Kyle Fenner gave an overview of this application. This is a

major modification to an approved PDZ Development Plan. There is no

change of use and no change of zoning. In most cases, this would have been

an administrative decision and would not have come before the Planning

Commission; however, approval of the PDZ required that this be brought

before this body.

The project proposal is to change the location of required off-site parking to

serve the amphitheater. This would surrender the 475 parking spaces that

were going to be provided 1.2 miles away at The Classical Academy and

create two new parking lots that will provide a total of 747 parking spaces that

are adjacent to the amphitheater.

Staff is proposing a change to General Note #40, which requires any changes

will require City Planning Commission approval. The proposed change would

be that it may require City Planning Commission approval.

Public notice was provided in the standard 1,000 feet and no comments were

received. During public agency review, comments were received by Traffic

Engineering and the United States Air Force Academy, which were addressed

during review.

Staff finds that all criteria have been met.

Commissioner Rickett asked if the PDZ was reviewed for this application. Ms.

Fenner said this project is specific to parking only and would not require a

re-review of the development plan. Commissioner Rickett asked about the

physical properties of the development, such as backsets from property lines.

Acting Assistant Director Katie Carleo answered that this PDZ falls to baseline

code. During review, they would have looked at everything from code

requirements for parking for these use types and that is what is not only met,

but exceeded.

Chris Lieber with NES gave a presentation on behalf of the applicant. He said

he feels this plan better aligns with comments that were heard in terms of

being able to provide additional parking closer to the venue and also improves

pedestrian access.

The traffic plan was thoroughly reviewed with this proposal and there will be no

significant changes to access points. They are aware that the bridge over

Voyager Parkway has not been completed and their plan accounts for that.

The venue is required to have 2,000 parking spaces and, with this proposal,

they will have 2,811 parking spaces. In the original development plan, it was

stated that 70% of all parking spaces would be within a half-mile radius. With

this proposal, that number will be 82%. They do anticipate 8-10 shuttles

between the venue and Bass Pro and Compassion International.

There is an Evolutionary Special Event Traffic Control Plan to be used during

events that includes temporary lane adjustments, signal modifications, traffic

control staff, directional signage and real-time message boards. This plan is

designed to keep traffic out of residential neighborhoods.

Questions from Commissioners:

Vice-Chair Foos asked why this was not available during the original

development plan. He also asked about the one-acre parking lot. Mr. Lieber

said that the land was not previously available and that has changed. The

one-acre parking lot is part of the strategy to minimize the amount of traffic that

is searching for parking.

Commissioner Casey asked when they anticipate these parking lots to be

available. Mr. Lieber said they will be ready for opening day in August.

Commissioner Hensler asked if these parking lots are intended to be

permanent or might they be developed into something else in the future. Mr.

Lieber said they are permanent.

Commissioner Robbins asked what the projected finish date is for the Voyager

bridge. Bob Mudd, President and COO of Notes Live, said it is between

November 15th and December 1st. Commissioner Robbins asked if the

parking lots will be cordoned off when there are no events. Mr. Mudd said it

will be fenced and controlled parking.

Commissioner Rickett asked whether they have parking agreements with any

other entity besides Bass Pro and Compassion International. Mr. Mudd said

the third agreement was with The Classical Academy (TCA), which they will no

longer be using. Commissioner Rickett asked how long the agreements are

for and Mr. Mudd said he believes they are for five years. Mr. Mudd said they

have a commitment to provide 70% of the parking available and, if there was

ever a condition where that was not available, they are required to pro rata

reduce the occupancy of the amphitheater.

Commissioner Cecil asked if the venue still has the option to pursue parking

with TCA if this application was not approved today. Mr. Mudd said they do.

Commissioner Cecil noted that moving the majority of parking to Spectrum

Loop will move a much higher volume of traffic to that area and she asked how

the traffic plan was modified to accommodate that. Mr. Mudd said they revised

all the traffic counts and readdressed the ingress and egress points to ensure

that they maintained an acceptable level of service.

Commissioner Cecil asked if uniformed officers were added to the plan. Mr.

Mudd said they will contract 8-12 Colorado Springs Police Department officers

to control those intersections and to influence the variable signage.

Commissioner Cecil said her question is more about the pulling in and out of

ride share vehicles and impediment of traffic flow. Mr. Mudd said there are 30

dedicated spaces for those and it is a managed area that is adjacent to the

amphitheater.

Chair Slattery asked to hear from City Traffic Engineer Todd Frisbie. Mr.

Lieber first introduced Curtis Rowe with Kimley Horn to speak, as he did the

original analysis on determination of parking spaces. Mr. Rowe explained how

they came up with the 82%. He confirmed that includes the on-street parking.

Chair Slattery asked about parallel parking on the street and how that may

impede traffic flow. Mr. Rowe said they anticipate the parking happening in

such a manner that, as traffic arrives, cars will pull into those spaces without

having to back into them. All of the spaces will be the standard length to allow

for parallel parking. Spectrum Loop is designed to allow adequate space for

cars to go around, if necessary.

Commissioner Robbins asked about nearby residents potentially parking on

the street. Mr. Rowe said the apartment complex was designed to have

enough parking spaces for its residents, but Spectrum Loop is a public street.

City Traffic Engineer Todd Frisbie said they did review the traffic study

submitted by the applicant and they are comfortable with it. He said he

believes the venue is in a good location for access. He said with any venue

like this, there will be back ups and they will learn from it and adjust.

Commissioner Cecil asked how the lanes on Spectrum Loop will be used. Mr.

Frisbie said the entire road has been re-striped and each side has parking,

then a buffer bike lane, traffic lane, center turn lane and repeated the other

way. Commissioner Cecil asked why a protected bike lane wasn’t considered.

Mr. Frisbie said that requires a physical barrier and that street is not a heavy

bike corridor, so it was not considered.

Commissioner Cecil asked for confirmation that the landscape plan was

completed. Mr. Lieber said that has been completed for both parking lots and

went through the standard city review process.

Public Comment - None

Motion by Commissioner Rickett, seconded by Commissioner Cecil, to

approve the Polaris Point South Filing No. 4 Development Plan Major

Modification based upon the findings that the request complies with the

criteria as set forth in City Code Section 7.5.515.D and 7.5.516.D. with the

following modification: That general note #40 remain unchanged. The motion

passed by a vote of 8-0-1.

8 - Vice Chair Foos, Commissioner Hensler, Commissioner Cecil, Commissioner

Rickett, Chair Slattery, Commissioner Robbins, Commissioner Sipilovic and

Commissioner Casey

Aye:

1 - Commissioner Briggs

Absent:

9. Presentations

10. Adjourn